Not seeing value in Bonvoy vs hotels.com
Mar 3, 2023, 3:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 1
Not seeing value in Bonvoy vs hotels.com
Booking through Bonvoy is often more expensive than hotels.com. I recently booked 8 nights in Maui and the Marriott Bonvoy price was $9554. I paid 8406 at hotels .com. All fees included on both. I know I missed out on 100k points from Marriott but I saved over $1000 on hotels and still joined their program where you get a free night after ten nights stayed. Bonvoy also restricts the rooms you can get through their website. I called Bonvoy and was told that I was “ignorant” of the rules. ( as a gold elite Bonvoy member I of course tried to book with them first). They refused to help and did nothing to compensate me. Moral of the story is to do the math. Also it seems that their new loyalty ambassadors have been outsourced to overseas call centers. It used to be you spoke to corporate, not anymore.
Mar 3, 2023, 4:38 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: None - previously UA
Posts: 4,866
Welcome to FT. If the rate is less on Hotels.com compared to Marriott you can usually do a Best Rate Guarantee and get 25% off the rate on Hotels.com plus earn points and get your elite benefits.
Mar 3, 2023, 5:07 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador, AA EXP
Posts: 2,704
It is always tough. Ultimately, Bonvoy is a marketing program. All of that talk about "loyalty" is just marketing, a scheme to make us spend more on Marriott properties so Marriott makes more money.
I am not blaming Marriott on this. Marriott is not a charity, but a for profit business.
As a consumer, our job is to shop around and find the best deal for us. Competition is what allows capitalism to work. If you find Hotels.com works better for you, book right there. You get the convenience, for example, of not having to go though a hassle with making a BRG claim. After all, BRG can be risky if your room is nonrefundable and the BRG is denied.
I am not blaming Marriott on this. Marriott is not a charity, but a for profit business.
As a consumer, our job is to shop around and find the best deal for us. Competition is what allows capitalism to work. If you find Hotels.com works better for you, book right there. You get the convenience, for example, of not having to go though a hassle with making a BRG claim. After all, BRG can be risky if your room is nonrefundable and the BRG is denied.
Mar 4, 2023, 12:33 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: USA
Programs: MB Ambassador, WOH Globalist, HH Diamond (Aspire), AA Gold, UA (*G) Gold
Posts: 5,169
Booking through Bonvoy is often more expensive than hotels.com. I recently booked 8 nights in Maui and the Marriott Bonvoy price was $9554. I paid 8406 at hotels .com. All fees included on both. I know I missed out on 100k points from Marriott but I saved over $1000 on hotels and still joined their program where you get a free night after ten nights stayed. Bonvoy also restricts the rooms you can get through their website. I called Bonvoy and was told that I was “ignorant” of the rules. ( as a gold elite Bonvoy member I of course tried to book with them first). They refused to help and did nothing to compensate me. Moral of the story is to do the math. Also it seems that their new loyalty ambassadors have been outsourced to overseas call centers. It used to be you spoke to corporate, not anymore.
Mar 4, 2023, 3:27 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Silicon Valley
Programs: Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 1,243
It is always tough. Ultimately, Bonvoy is a marketing program. All of that talk about "loyalty" is just marketing, a scheme to make us spend more on Marriott properties so Marriott makes more money.
I am not blaming Marriott on this. Marriott is not a charity, but a for profit business.
As a consumer, our job is to shop around and find the best deal for us. Competition is what allows capitalism to work. If you find Hotels.com works better for you, book right there. You get the convenience, for example, of not having to go though a hassle with making a BRG claim. After all, BRG can be risky if your room is nonrefundable and the BRG is denied.
I am not blaming Marriott on this. Marriott is not a charity, but a for profit business.
As a consumer, our job is to shop around and find the best deal for us. Competition is what allows capitalism to work. If you find Hotels.com works better for you, book right there. You get the convenience, for example, of not having to go though a hassle with making a BRG claim. After all, BRG can be risky if your room is nonrefundable and the BRG is denied.
Mar 4, 2023, 11:38 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 14
Loyalty programs are money makers for corporations. I remember reading an article where airlines make a significant portion of their profit by selling airlines miles to credit cards companies. As long as people join a loyalty program and want miles, the airline can sell an infinite amount of miles to credit card companies. Being able to create and sell your own currency is one hell of a great business model.