Is Hotels.com "free night" better than rewards program?
Dec 16, 2019, 1:13 pm
#226
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
Just finished loading ten to my primary in less than 5 minutes.
After almost a year now I'm getting used to this task and chat with my "new friends" in Manila.
My guess too.
Dec 16, 2019, 1:46 pm
#227
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,867
The issue is lets say you buy someone's card on Ebay or Raise.com. Then you get asked to verify 1) initial load amount and 2) where the card initially came from. You might not know the answer to either of those questions which means they won't let you merge them. That sucks.
Jan 13, 2020, 9:10 am
#229
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
Jan 22, 2020, 5:23 pm
#230
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
Sorry, that card has previously been merged, and cannot be merged again on this site. Please contact Hotels.com gift card customer service at 888-999-4468 for further help
Apparently the merge tool allows only new gift cards to be added/topped off online.
And the limit of cards to merge now seems to be 4
Sorry, you have exceeded the number of balance checks you can perform, please try again later.
Last edited by Travelomania; Jan 22, 2020 at 5:57 pm
Jan 23, 2020, 5:12 pm
#231
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,867
Uh Oh ! .... my first hiccups are here:
I'm trying to hold onto my Primary gift card that I've been using and adding onto for many years now.
Apparently the merge tool allows only new gift cards to be added/topped off online.
And the limit of cards to merge now seems to be 4
I'm trying to hold onto my Primary gift card that I've been using and adding onto for many years now.
Apparently the merge tool allows only new gift cards to be added/topped off online.
And the limit of cards to merge now seems to be 4
Jan 23, 2020, 6:27 pm
#232
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PDX|AKL|AMS|GVA|AGP|CPT - or somewhere in between
Programs: DL DM; 2MM
Posts: 2,418
My Primary card has usually a balance of around $2.5k and I add 10 gift cards at once.
I was surprised to learn this time that the agent knew exactly where and when the new gift cards were purchased and how the Primary card was generated many years ago.
Feb 24, 2020, 12:12 am
#235
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 5,867
The only issue I ever had with coupon codes not working is with the bonus night coupons (i.e. stay 1 night and get 2 nights credit). Had a few instances where the extra night wasn't credited but the gold team quickly fixed.
May 17, 2020, 6:40 pm
#236
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
2x credits book by May 24th
Just checked the app, as we're going to be free to travel within Thailand starting June 1st and Hotels.com is offering double credits on all stays booked by May 24th for June 1 to Aug 31. Use the coupon code one time only and of course, the value of the reward night is only based upon actual spend. Still may be worth it.
May 18, 2020, 4:53 am
#237
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,624
Remember, there's a limited number of uses of the promo code allowed. The first 12,444 codes used will get the double stamps deal, after that, nothing. Not sure how you can know once all the code uses have been consumed, apart from the fact that the system will probably just reject it.
https://uk.hotels.com/hotel-deals/do...id=aff.hcom.uk
https://uk.hotels.com/hotel-deals/do...id=aff.hcom.uk
Aug 15, 2020, 5:55 pm
#239
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 2
I absolutely despise the Hotels.com rewards system. The "buy 10 get one free" scheme has never worked for me.
For whatever reason, it gives me some bs about how my rewards can't be used for the free room.
It costs too much.
It's a weekend or a special event.
No Stamp given because I used a coupon.
Your rewards are expired.
I'm sure Hotels.com thinks they can manipulate people into booking more rooms by putting a 1-year expiration date on rewards, but it's a major turn off for me.
9/10 you can find a significantly lower rate on Priceline, so I might not book with Hotels.com for a while until they can offer competitive rates.
Does it make economic sense to BUY 10 ROOMS AT FULL PRICE just to get 1-free room "of equal or lessor value"? No! Especially when you know it will always be lessor. Say your free room is up to $500 and the room you book is $450, you can kiss that $50 goodbye because it doesn't roll over.
Since I joined MGM's MLife, I haven't paid for a hotel room in 2 years. MGM will put me up for free at a dozen or so Hotels in Vegas. (real nice rooms too). I gamble a lot so they've even paid for my airfare to go to Detroit, Cleveland and Mississippi and given me a free Cruise on Celebrity.
For whatever reason, it gives me some bs about how my rewards can't be used for the free room.
It costs too much.
It's a weekend or a special event.
No Stamp given because I used a coupon.
Your rewards are expired.
I'm sure Hotels.com thinks they can manipulate people into booking more rooms by putting a 1-year expiration date on rewards, but it's a major turn off for me.
9/10 you can find a significantly lower rate on Priceline, so I might not book with Hotels.com for a while until they can offer competitive rates.
Does it make economic sense to BUY 10 ROOMS AT FULL PRICE just to get 1-free room "of equal or lessor value"? No! Especially when you know it will always be lessor. Say your free room is up to $500 and the room you book is $450, you can kiss that $50 goodbye because it doesn't roll over.
Since I joined MGM's MLife, I haven't paid for a hotel room in 2 years. MGM will put me up for free at a dozen or so Hotels in Vegas. (real nice rooms too). I gamble a lot so they've even paid for my airfare to go to Detroit, Cleveland and Mississippi and given me a free Cruise on Celebrity.
Aug 16, 2020, 11:58 am
#240
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,458
I absolutely despise the Hotels.com rewards system. The "buy 10 get one free" scheme has never worked for me.
For whatever reason, it gives me some bs about how my rewards can't be used for the free room.
It costs too much.
It's a weekend or a special event.
No Stamp given because I used a coupon.
Your rewards are expired.
I'm sure Hotels.com thinks they can manipulate people into booking more rooms by putting a 1-year expiration date on rewards, but it's a major turn off for me.
9/10 you can find a significantly lower rate on Priceline, so I might not book with Hotels.com for a while until they can offer competitive rates.
Does it make economic sense to BUY 10 ROOMS AT FULL PRICE just to get 1-free room "of equal or lessor value"? No! Especially when you know it will always be lessor. Say your free room is up to $500 and the room you book is $450, you can kiss that $50 goodbye because it doesn't roll over.
Since I joined MGM's MLife, I haven't paid for a hotel room in 2 years. MGM will put me up for free at a dozen or so Hotels in Vegas. (real nice rooms too). I gamble a lot so they've even paid for my airfare to go to Detroit, Cleveland and Mississippi and given me a free Cruise on Celebrity.
For whatever reason, it gives me some bs about how my rewards can't be used for the free room.
It costs too much.
It's a weekend or a special event.
No Stamp given because I used a coupon.
Your rewards are expired.
I'm sure Hotels.com thinks they can manipulate people into booking more rooms by putting a 1-year expiration date on rewards, but it's a major turn off for me.
9/10 you can find a significantly lower rate on Priceline, so I might not book with Hotels.com for a while until they can offer competitive rates.
Does it make economic sense to BUY 10 ROOMS AT FULL PRICE just to get 1-free room "of equal or lessor value"? No! Especially when you know it will always be lessor. Say your free room is up to $500 and the room you book is $450, you can kiss that $50 goodbye because it doesn't roll over.
Since I joined MGM's MLife, I haven't paid for a hotel room in 2 years. MGM will put me up for free at a dozen or so Hotels in Vegas. (real nice rooms too). I gamble a lot so they've even paid for my airfare to go to Detroit, Cleveland and Mississippi and given me a free Cruise on Celebrity.
Sarcasm aside there is no points or free night scheme that works for ever single person and their needs. Hotels.com works when it works and I have received quite a few free nights using them without paying any more for the room than on another site. Most of my booked rooms are in SE Asia which may be an area it works better that where you stay. MLife is useless for me because I do not stay at casino hotels when I go to Vegas as I stay free with family. Does that make MLife a lousy program compared to my cost? I get a free room and don't have to possibly lose any of my money. No, it doesn't. What I am saying is everyone should use what works for them and if you have helpful advice pass it on, if not, don't.
Last edited by rc408; Aug 16, 2020 at 12:18 pm