Even better when one uses eligible rates (corp, group, etc.)
Any hotels give rewards for frequent hotel visits maybe.
Like stay 5 nights get one free?
Stay X nights get Y free are property-based promotions, not chain wide. Reward program typical earn points, with milestones like status levels and tier benefits
For real. Will you be in America? Europe? Asia? For example Hilton has little presence in Europe. Hyatt is more Europe and Asia focused. If you are in the Nordics/Baltics then Radisson is the way to go. And so on.
2-3 OTAs are the entire market. Even silly website like Tri-va-go compares OTAs owned by their parent company. They also outright rob hotels, up to 1/3 of room rate in commission. Most hotels will treat you like the piece of shit you are when you book through one. Finally, if anything goes wrong the OTA pulls out all the stops to keep your money and not give a refund, if you have to talk to them they only employ streetshitters
Well, I often use OTA not for price but because I am a lazy fuck and it makes searches easier, and I don’t like to pre-pay (always pay on spot). But they definitely give you less good rooms, most of the times. I instantly can feel the difference. Again, it’s not that bad, but it’s often like a shitty view, a smaller window, a smaller room etc. I don’t mind if I just sleep and shower and it’s not too noisy.
They usually give you the worst rooms. It’s fine if you just want to sleep with the bare minimum but if you expect anything more than that, you’ll be disappointed.
To get the best prices, you kinda have to build a rapport with them. If you're able to stay with the same chain of hotels for a number of years, then you'll start reaping the benefits. It takes a little legwork, it's hard to get good prices when you're just starting out.
soon to be hotel owner here, here's how to get the best price:
- book directly from their website (booking has 16% fee so you can save that amount), this does work in 1st world, I've seen that in 3rd world countries sometimes it's cheaper to book directly on OTA.
- pay right away and not when you check in (I think you could save like 10% or so)
- book for more than 7 days
- ask them to do less cleaning or not having breakfast (never tried this but changing sheets and having cleaning ladies doing your room is expensive for the hotels so maybe you can negotiate it with them)
- have membership/build trust with a specific hotel chain, for example if you always go to Hilton hotels maybe they'd get you a discount.
- if it's a family owned business pay cash and maybe you could save CC fees (2%)
>ask them to do less cleaning
That only works if you're staying for more than a week but can yield good discounts. >not having breakfast
Most places nowadays default to no breakfast, with "complementary breakfast" being a perk of their higher tier rooms.
It would be nice to be able to negotiate no gym, business centers or resort amenities for when you're just staying overnight but that's not going to happen.
Op here so it's been a few days now... and from what I gather is so far is NO...there is no good rewards programs, and no way to get better rates on hotels consistently
>Reward program typical earn points, with milestones like status levels and tier benefits
Well who offers the best rewards?
I'm going to start needing some better and no fucking shit answers than this. Thanks
There are two tiers of rewards: Hyatt, Marriott/Starwood, and Hilton are top tier; IHG and Wyndham, are bottom tier. There's even worse programs like Accor/Fairmont or Choice Privileges (including Radisson) that isn't even worth considering at all.
IHG for me.
I stayed in Intercontinental Tokyo Bay (5 stars) for an entire week for free thanks to all the points I saved from shithole countries (cheaper and bring you about the same amount of points).
IHG is not in Scandinavia though so it’s always good to have another secondary major chain under the belt, just in case.
How do you like the new program that gives some semblance of pretending to be of value to the guest? I'm a Spire Elite which will expire by year end not sure if worth a stay or not. By the way, The Strings (on top of Shinagawa Station) is a far superior property.
How are Wyndham hotels rewards?
Wyndham is a joke, all of their properties are low end. Unless you like Days Inn and Super 8s. I say this as a Wyndham Diamond, in some countries Wyndham can have nice properties (e.g. New Zealand), but almost never in North America. The points are also worthless unless you like rooms at timeshare properties
>Wyndham is a joke, all of their properties are low end. Unless you like Days Inn and Super 8s. I say this as a Wyndham Diamond, in some countries Wyndham can have nice properties (e.g. New Zealand), but almost never in North America. The points are also worthless unless you like rooms at timeshare properties
Unfortunately with the budget I'll be working with these shit tier hotels is probably what I'll be with...if there was a benefit of their rewards I would sign up but if it is worthless then fuck it. There has to be a way to get discounts while on the road for months....?
Rewards (no matter how shit) are strictly better than no rewards. You should always sign up for all of them, and get credited accordingly no matter how you travel.
Interesting fact, Wyndham and Caesar’s status go back and fourth and match each other’s
At the moment I don’t quit IHG because I’ve been staying in the same IHG hotel for like almost 20 years, so I have my very own room with very good price. I haven’t used any of their perks since the meme flu started, only once this year and I got a room upgrade.
You must have seen the rewards program refresh, right? Actual room upgrades and a breakfast benefit. It's like they want to compete with the top tier, none of that paid Royal Ambassador bullshit anymore
IHG for me.
I stayed in Intercontinental Tokyo Bay (5 stars) for an entire week for free thanks to all the points I saved from shithole countries (cheaper and bring you about the same amount of points).
IHG is not in Scandinavia though so it’s always good to have another secondary major chain under the belt, just in case.
Because hotels, like airlines, have state of the art pricing that prices close to demand (not cost). That is, prices that go up and down tracking how much guests are willing to pay to maximize revenue.
Then again, if you're a moron that doesn't understand math or econ then none of this means anything to you.
Booking at the hotel's website directly is usually the best way.
Even better when one uses eligible rates (corp, group, etc.)
Stay X nights get Y free are property-based promotions, not chain wide. Reward program typical earn points, with milestones like status levels and tier benefits
/t. frequent hotel guest
>Reward program typical earn points, with milestones like status levels and tier benefits
Well who offers the best rewards?
The most important is that the program has hotels in places you are going to stay.
I'm going to start needing some better and no fucking shit answers than this. Thanks
For real. Will you be in America? Europe? Asia? For example Hilton has little presence in Europe. Hyatt is more Europe and Asia focused. If you are in the Nordics/Baltics then Radisson is the way to go. And so on.
>Will you be in America? Europe? Asia?
U.S
Southern u.s
Any hotels give rewards for frequent hotel visits maybe.
Like stay 5 nights get one free?
I’ve gotten good deals by being in an airline’s frequent flier program. Usually after booking tickets they’ll offer deals on hotels.
Be aware airline websites count as OTA. Better solution is to use airline reward program rate code they give out readily
Be a cheap as shit customer, get treated like shit (like you rightfully deserve)
What should I be aware of with an OTA?
2-3 OTAs are the entire market. Even silly website like Tri-va-go compares OTAs owned by their parent company. They also outright rob hotels, up to 1/3 of room rate in commission. Most hotels will treat you like the piece of shit you are when you book through one. Finally, if anything goes wrong the OTA pulls out all the stops to keep your money and not give a refund, if you have to talk to them they only employ streetshitters
>. They also outright rob hotels
Why are you such a butthurt gay and commie liar, these are contracts the hotels agreed to you big dummy
Well, I often use OTA not for price but because I am a lazy fuck and it makes searches easier, and I don’t like to pre-pay (always pay on spot). But they definitely give you less good rooms, most of the times. I instantly can feel the difference. Again, it’s not that bad, but it’s often like a shitty view, a smaller window, a smaller room etc. I don’t mind if I just sleep and shower and it’s not too noisy.
They usually give you the worst rooms. It’s fine if you just want to sleep with the bare minimum but if you expect anything more than that, you’ll be disappointed.
To get the best prices, you kinda have to build a rapport with them. If you're able to stay with the same chain of hotels for a number of years, then you'll start reaping the benefits. It takes a little legwork, it's hard to get good prices when you're just starting out.
soon to be hotel owner here, here's how to get the best price:
- book directly from their website (booking has 16% fee so you can save that amount), this does work in 1st world, I've seen that in 3rd world countries sometimes it's cheaper to book directly on OTA.
- pay right away and not when you check in (I think you could save like 10% or so)
- book for more than 7 days
- ask them to do less cleaning or not having breakfast (never tried this but changing sheets and having cleaning ladies doing your room is expensive for the hotels so maybe you can negotiate it with them)
- have membership/build trust with a specific hotel chain, for example if you always go to Hilton hotels maybe they'd get you a discount.
- if it's a family owned business pay cash and maybe you could save CC fees (2%)
>ask them to do less cleaning
That only works if you're staying for more than a week but can yield good discounts.
>not having breakfast
Most places nowadays default to no breakfast, with "complementary breakfast" being a perk of their higher tier rooms.
It would be nice to be able to negotiate no gym, business centers or resort amenities for when you're just staying overnight but that's not going to happen.
Why hotels so fucking expensive this is nuts... over 3000 per month and shit
Have high status with a program. Then you can book the cheapest room and often get upgraded to a better room for free.
Can you book a better room then get upgraded to an even better room?
What's OTA? Online travel agent?
Op here so it's been a few days now... and from what I gather is so far is NO...there is no good rewards programs, and no way to get better rates on hotels consistently
basically use google hotel/travel search in the area
then look on agoda/booking.com etc for rates
get a decent list from the reviews
then look at the places direct rates and make a decision
There are two tiers of rewards: Hyatt, Marriott/Starwood, and Hilton are top tier; IHG and Wyndham, are bottom tier. There's even worse programs like Accor/Fairmont or Choice Privileges (including Radisson) that isn't even worth considering at all.
How do you like the new program that gives some semblance of pretending to be of value to the guest? I'm a Spire Elite which will expire by year end not sure if worth a stay or not. By the way, The Strings (on top of Shinagawa Station) is a far superior property.
Wyndham is a joke, all of their properties are low end. Unless you like Days Inn and Super 8s. I say this as a Wyndham Diamond, in some countries Wyndham can have nice properties (e.g. New Zealand), but almost never in North America. The points are also worthless unless you like rooms at timeshare properties
>Wyndham is a joke, all of their properties are low end. Unless you like Days Inn and Super 8s. I say this as a Wyndham Diamond, in some countries Wyndham can have nice properties (e.g. New Zealand), but almost never in North America. The points are also worthless unless you like rooms at timeshare properties
Unfortunately with the budget I'll be working with these shit tier hotels is probably what I'll be with...if there was a benefit of their rewards I would sign up but if it is worthless then fuck it. There has to be a way to get discounts while on the road for months....?
Rewards (no matter how shit) are strictly better than no rewards. You should always sign up for all of them, and get credited accordingly no matter how you travel.
Interesting fact, Wyndham and Caesar’s status go back and fourth and match each other’s
At the moment I don’t quit IHG because I’ve been staying in the same IHG hotel for like almost 20 years, so I have my very own room with very good price. I haven’t used any of their perks since the meme flu started, only once this year and I got a room upgrade.
You must have seen the rewards program refresh, right? Actual room upgrades and a breakfast benefit. It's like they want to compete with the top tier, none of that paid Royal Ambassador bullshit anymore
No hotel chains with good rewards?
IHG for me.
I stayed in Intercontinental Tokyo Bay (5 stars) for an entire week for free thanks to all the points I saved from shithole countries (cheaper and bring you about the same amount of points).
IHG is not in Scandinavia though so it’s always good to have another secondary major chain under the belt, just in case.
Fuck the red food inn by the way
Duck the red roof inn
FUCK
How are Wyndham hotels rewards?
How do I get nice rooms at discount while on the road weeks at a time?
Why is this so difficult of a question..,
Because hotels, like airlines, have state of the art pricing that prices close to demand (not cost). That is, prices that go up and down tracking how much guests are willing to pay to maximize revenue.
Then again, if you're a moron that doesn't understand math or econ then none of this means anything to you.
/t. pricing/demand analyst/specialist