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  Hotel Strategies

There are several benefits to booking directly with a hotel, rather than through a 3^rd party travel booking site.

• Special rates for loyalty club members. Most hotel chains offer cheaper rates for members of their loyalty program. These member rates are lower than the "best available rate" found on websites like Expedia. It doesn’t cost anything to join to join these programs (in order to get access to these lower rates), and a tool called AwardWallet makes it very easy to manage your loyalty program information. Use AwardWallet to Easily Manage Your Loyalty Program Information.
• Packages and promotions, which are often a better deal than the regular rates. The websites for most hotels offer special packages (which include various combinations of breakfast, parking, event tickets, hotel credits, or spa treatments), and promotional rates (such as a free night on a multi-night reservation). These packages and promotional rates are often not available elsewhere, and can be the best option for your stay.
• Access to AAA, AARP, government, and military rates. Most hotels offer discounts for AAA and AARP members, as well as special rates for members of the military, veterans, and government employees. There is usually no way to access these discounts when you book through a 3^rd party travel booking site.
• Valuable loyalty program benefits. If you book through a 3^rd party site, you usually aren’t entitled to whatever benefits you get from being a member of the hotel’s loyalty program—such as free Wi-Fi, free room upgrades, or free breakfasts. Especially if you take advantage of our fast tracks to elite status, these benefits can be particularly valuable.. When you book elsewhere, some hotels will still wind up giving you some of these benefits, even though they don’t have to, but there are no guarantees.
• Earn reward points for your stay. If you book through a 3^rd party site, you usually won’t earn points with the hotel’s reward program, and you won’t earn any credit towards elite status.

The main disadvantage of booking directly is that it can take a few minutes longer to make your reservation. However, if you’ve been signing up for loyalty programs, and you are making a reservation at a chain hotel, all you need to do is sign in, and you’ll access all your previously entered information. You won’t need to re-enter all your booking details, you’ll be automatically registered for any special benefits, and you’ll be able to access any special member rates. So, in the long run, hotel loyalty programs save you time, as well as money.

Links to Hotel Programs

View quick links to the loyalty programs for dozens of hotel chains, including direct links to the hotel program's sign-up page.

Hotel Loyalty Program Reference Guide

Hotels 101: Get the Best Deal on Your Hotel Room

Get Extra Benefits and Cheaper Rates Just by Signing Up for Hotel Loyalty Programs

Consider Joining AAA for Hotel Discounts at Many Hotels

TravelStrategies:*Book Hotels Directly/Page