Who has the best hotel discounts?

[Carpediem]

Wondering who offers the best hotel discounts from your experience. I currently am a member of AARP, USAA, Costco, and Hilton Rewards. Hoping to find a good rate for a short stay in MN in December. Yeah, that's right - December. Who do you use for hotel pricing/discounts?

 

[Gotadimple]

Booking.com Better than affinity cards.

 

[Bamaman]

Choice Hotels has a 2 night special (2 different properties) and you get a $50 gift card. That's the best deal going right now.

Big name hotel prices are getting out of sight, especially in big cities. I'm sorry, but at $250-350 per night, I'm not going to be traveling any longer.

We mostly go through LaQuinta.com or Booking.com. Airbnb is also getting more attractive all the time--staying in apartments or B&B's.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Yeah, Booking.com or Travelocity to find the best rate, then I'll usually check the hotel website and book there unless the rate is higher there.

 

[flintnational]

We have gotten some very good deals using Priceline's Express Deals. But, you do not know the name of the hotel before booking. You do get to see the area and the star rating before booking. With a little research, I can normally figure out which hotel is probably the express deal.

 

[travelover]

Not your question, but I've been happy with AirBnBs as far as value goes. I find them less expensive and more comfortable than a hotel. On a recent trip, we had a whole 2 BR apartment for less than a hotel room.

 

[frugal-one]

Choice Hotels has a 2 night special (2 different properties) and you get a $50 gift card. That's the best deal going right now.

Big name hotel prices are getting out of sight, especially in big cities. I'm sorry, but at $250-350 per night, I'm not going to be traveling any longer.

We mostly go through LaQuinta.com or Booking.com. Airbnb is also getting more attractive all the time--staying in apartments or B&B's.

Just tried redeeming Choice Hotel $50 gift card and they give you an extra 5,000 points and take the remainder from your account ... a RIP OFF! I left the points because they are worth more than $50!

 

[frugal-one]

Not your question, but I've been happy with AirBnBs as far as value goes. I find them less expensive and more comfortable than a hotel. On a recent trip, we had a whole 2 BR apartment for less than a hotel room.

Probably if you have more than 2 people. For just the 2 of us I never see anything cheaper than just a hotel room? I must be looking at the site wrong or something?

 

[cathy63]

I usually end up booking through hotels.com. Spend 10 nights in hotels booked through them and they'll give you a free night worth 1/10th of what you spent. I do check the rates at the hotel websites and will book directly if it's really cheaper, but even the ones that have a best price guarantee are rarely 10% less than what I find on hotels.com.

 

[ransil]

Has any ever tried to google reunions or convention's at a hotel you want to stay at and use their groups discount code to get a better deal ?

 

[audreyh1]

I have found that booking directly usually gets me the best rate. I use AAA rate if available, usually a decent discount.

I almost booked one European hotel recently through hotels.com which claimed a 10% discount. But it turned out they weren’t including the taxes in their supposedly discount quote! When I saw the total it was pretty much what the hotel offered directly, so I booked through the hotel. The European hotels always include the regular taxes in their quote, but don’t include the much lower city taxes. You really have to keep an eye out!

The booking.com website quotes do include regular taxes and usually match what the hotel is quoting directly, but sometimes doesn’t offer as many room choices.

I haven’t checked Costco for hotel deals.

 

[CRLLS]

I'm not sure if this holds true today, Some years back I was at an out of town business meeting. I booked the recommended hotel on one of the major on-line sites, (Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotels.com etc). I can't remember exactly which site I used. While I did have the lowest room rate by a very small amount, I did not get the amenities that others got such as the continental breakfast and free wifi. If one is looking for the lowest rate, pay attention to what is included at that rate.

 

[pacergal]

I frequently look online through hotel.com or similar and the hotel website for best prices, then call hotel directly and talk with the front desk. I'll ask if they can do any better, then ask for AARP discount. Usually get a pretty good deal.

 

[Carpediem]

OP here. Very interesting and helpful information. Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

We use Hotwire booked via ebates for road trips. Generally choose the 3 star hotel with 85pct or higher recommendation, breakfast, free parking, free internet. Usually get a Starbridge suite with kitchenette or a Hampton inn/similar. Way cheaper than the rack rate. We are really ambivalent to brand as long as it's decent.

 

[Rianne]

I usually end up booking through hotels.com. Spend 10 nights in hotels booked through them and they'll give you a free night worth 1/10th of what you spent. I do check the rates at the hotel websites and will book directly if it's really cheaper, but even the ones that have a best price guarantee are rarely 10% less than what I find on hotels.com.

+1 We're silver members. One reason I like hotels.com: I booked an apartment in Budapest with them. Terrible place, smelly, we had to go buy toilet paper, paper towels and clothes soap. Manager did not answer the phone. Not very clean, but in a great location. The reviews gave 5/5, fantastic reviews. I know these were all planted by whatever syndicate owned them. I called customer service and complained. They almost immediately gave me a $250 voucher to use at any hotel within the next year. They didn't second guess my complaint. I gave the place in Budapest a terrible review and called it "Beware."

 

[OldShooter]

We're AirBNB people. If you want to be downtown, you may be able to find an AirBNB apartment in a building connected to the skyway system -- stay indoors IOW. Lots of stories in the Mpls paper about new downtown apartments being bought strictly to be rented short-term. So in the winter you might find deals on near-new properties.

 

[brett]

IF you plan on being at a downtown property on weekend nights then check the business class hotel websites. In many cities these hotels have excellent weekend specials but you typically have to prepay and there is no cancellation.

 

[audreyh1]

I'm not sure if this holds true today, Some years back I was at an out of town business meeting. I booked the recommended hotel on one of the major on-line sites, (Orbitz, Travelocity, Hotels.com etc). I can't remember exactly which site I used. While I did have the lowest room rate by a very small amount, I did not get the amenities that others got such as the continental breakfast and free wifi. If one is looking for the lowest rate, pay attention to what is included at that rate.

Yes, that’s a good point. Some places offer extra incentives. One hotel gave us 2 hours earlier checkin and 3 hours later checkout times which was handy for that particular stay. Others have thrown in extras.

 

[DrRoy]

Points and $ in the IHG Rewards Program.

 

[Corporateburnout]

I usually end up booking through hotels.com. Spend 10 nights in hotels booked through them and they'll give you a free night worth 1/10th of what you spent. I do check the rates at the hotel websites and will book directly if it's really cheaper, but even the ones that have a best price guarantee are rarely 10% less than what I find on hotels.com.

+1.

For our US travel we book through Hotels.com. We just used two free nights worth $500 after 20 nights.

 

[Aerides]

Has any ever tried to google reunions or convention's at a hotel you want to stay at and use their groups discount code to get a better deal ?

I'm sure it's "doable" but I'd not recommend anyone do this. Usually such groups negotiate for rates for a fixed number of expected attendees. You might get a deal, but someone else wouldn't get the rate they had planned for.

I went to a convention last year and, although I was booking the same day it went live, the group rate sold out quickly and I ended up paying twice the rate I could have... I'd hate to think that my rate got taken by to someone who wasn't part of the group for which it was intended.

 

[ransil]

I'm sure it's "doable" but I'd not recommend anyone do this. Usually such groups negotiate for rates for a fixed number of expected attendees. You might get a deal, but someone else wouldn't get the rate they had planned for.

I went to a convention last year and, although I was booking the same day it went live, the group rate sold out quickly and I ended up paying twice the rate I could have... I'd hate to think that my rate got taken by to someone who wasn't part of the group for which it was intended.

on the Flip of this I'm in a group that has reunions and we failed to meet our minimums and had to pay to make up for it,happened twice in the past 15 years. first time we were able to make a deal cause the hotel screwed up something else, second time was a $$$$ hit.

 

[mystang52]

I'm loyal to Marriott and only once did I see a better rate on one of those independent travel booking sites. Marriott has a number of discount codes, including for AAA and Senior. Plus, they will match - and give some % discount beyond that - any publicly posted rate that is lower.

 

[brett]

We have had some very good rates from our Marriott and our Accor programs. Hilton not so much.