Hotel Hustle: The Hotel Award Search Tool [down until further notice]
#31
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
I have a separate question, Seth
does HH only display "lowest nightly rate" if the stay has different rates? like SPG I tried for Four Points Barcelona (cat 2), weekday is 4000 points, weekend is 3000.
HH shows 3000 points (which is not wrong) but just surprised when I tried to book online (I actually did not know there are Weekday vs. Weekend point differences)
Thanks
does HH only display "lowest nightly rate" if the stay has different rates? like SPG I tried for Four Points Barcelona (cat 2), weekday is 4000 points, weekend is 3000.
HH shows 3000 points (which is not wrong) but just surprised when I tried to book online (I actually did not know there are Weekday vs. Weekend point differences)
Thanks
#32
In memoriam
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: AA EXP "Life is good! Really good.""
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#33
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Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I have a separate question, Seth
does HH only display "lowest nightly rate" if the stay has different rates? like SPG I tried for Four Points Barcelona (cat 2), weekday is 4000 points, weekend is 3000.
HH shows 3000 points (which is not wrong) but just surprised when I tried to book online (I actually did not know there are Weekday vs. Weekend point differences)
Thanks
does HH only display "lowest nightly rate" if the stay has different rates? like SPG I tried for Four Points Barcelona (cat 2), weekday is 4000 points, weekend is 3000.
HH shows 3000 points (which is not wrong) but just surprised when I tried to book online (I actually did not know there are Weekday vs. Weekend point differences)
Thanks
That's actually how it is working. The Club Carlson site is very "helpful" when it comes to trying to figure out what you actually meant if it doesn't have any hotels at the location you type in.
#35
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,741
I just found a very interesting use of the tool. In general, it doesn't show hotels that are sold out. This has a downside in being unaware of certain properties that might be available a different night. But I just discovered a great use of the tool thanks to this feature. A young friend is getting married Labor Day weekend. We offered to provide the wedding night hotel. Grandparents and parents are providing time shares for the bulk of the honeymoon. Getting a one night stay at an aspirational property on the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend is tricky. I can easily find Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Residence Inn in office parks. None are quite what I had in mind. I've been using the tool daily to check on availability. Suddenly, today, my number one property popped up with availability. I had contacted my Private Line Agent earlier this week and had no joy. So now I have the property held that I'd like to give him as a gift. Thanks, Seth.
#36
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Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I just found a very interesting use of the tool. In general, it doesn't show hotels that are sold out. This has a downside in being unaware of certain properties that might be available a different night. But I just discovered a great use of the tool thanks to this feature. A young friend is getting married Labor Day weekend. We offered to provide the wedding night hotel. Grandparents and parents are providing time shares for the bulk of the honeymoon. Getting a one night stay at an aspirational property on the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend is tricky. I can easily find Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Residence Inn in office parks. None are quite what I had in mind. I've been using the tool daily to check on availability. Suddenly, today, my number one property popped up with availability. I had contacted my Private Line Agent earlier this week and had no joy. So now I have the property held that I'd like to give him as a gift. Thanks, Seth.
But if you ever have a one-off request like this and want an alert set just let me know and I can create one or edit an existing one manually to be more of what you actually want.
#37
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I’ve hesitated about including the Le Club Accor affiliated hotels into the Hotel Hustle search interface because they operate on a fixed reward rate; getting a great redemption deal is simply not going to happen. But with nearly 4,000 properties around the world it is hard to ignore the value of having them in the search results. And so, over the past week or so, I’ve done the needful and added Accor Hotels into the search results.
Unlike the other properties you will not see award rates nor be able to set award alerts. Because awards are just paying cash out towards the room rate based on a fixed point value conversion. But you will see the cash rate option and, like all the other hotels, be able to click through to book if the rate appeals to you. And, especially in France and the rest of Europe where Accor is a strong brand, having the extra options in the search results can be quite useful. The other filters all work, too, so adding and removing them from the search results should be pretty easy to manage.
n.b. The link above is to my blog or to one which I am a regular contributor. FT rules require that I disclose that in the post.
Unlike the other properties you will not see award rates nor be able to set award alerts. Because awards are just paying cash out towards the room rate based on a fixed point value conversion. But you will see the cash rate option and, like all the other hotels, be able to click through to book if the rate appeals to you. And, especially in France and the rest of Europe where Accor is a strong brand, having the extra options in the search results can be quite useful. The other filters all work, too, so adding and removing them from the search results should be pretty easy to manage.
n.b. The link above is to my blog or to one which I am a regular contributor. FT rules require that I disclose that in the post.
#40
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Location: PSM
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#41
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
Seth
is Park Inn (by Club Carlson) supposed to be included in search?
I didn't see it included for Prague (say 28K points/night) or Dubai (has both Park Inn & Radisson)...
actually, as I tested for Dubai for Nov 2015, no CC properties at all despite them having 5+ hotels there? temporary bug?
Also, is there way to say 1-click on hotel chain on left side and only shows that?
vs. right now, I have to click the ICON to un-select it, and needs to click 8 times to unselect 8 out of 9 items...to see "Club Carlson only". Thanks
is Park Inn (by Club Carlson) supposed to be included in search?
I didn't see it included for Prague (say 28K points/night) or Dubai (has both Park Inn & Radisson)...
actually, as I tested for Dubai for Nov 2015, no CC properties at all despite them having 5+ hotels there? temporary bug?
Also, is there way to say 1-click on hotel chain on left side and only shows that?
vs. right now, I have to click the ICON to un-select it, and needs to click 8 times to unselect 8 out of 9 items...to see "Club Carlson only". Thanks
#42
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
The Club Carlson issues should be fixed now, too.
Last edited by sbm12; Sep 20, 2015 at 11:27 am
#43
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
I see the *, didn't know it was clickable
CC hotels show up now
but it misses 1 Park Inn in Dubai and 1 other? "Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Apartments ", I know it changed names and etc..
CC website shows 9 - for Nov 2015
HH shows 7 in results - I know Park Inn is available for 38K points for sure...
maybe says displayed Prices are in USD somewhere, in bigger fonts? small detail
I do see bottom text "* = Rate converted to USD from hotel site booking currency to facilitate redemption valuation comparison" to cover that
Last edited by jerryhung; Sep 20, 2015 at 1:25 pm
#44
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Only 8 of the 9 are open; all 8 are showing for the search I just performed. If there is a specific date you're not seeing one let me know.
#45
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
CC shows 9 - but only 8 are open and available
HH show 8 red pins - not sure if I just counted wrong before
Thanks again for the quick responses/fixes