We compared 7 hotel-booking sites that give you great deals and rewards
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While the frenzy of the sharing economy has brought Airbnb to new heights of success, the hotel and vacation rental industry is certainly not dead. Hotels bring their own benefits that Airbnb cannot guarantee: privacy, security, special amenities and services, and loyalty rewards programs. Especially for frequent travelers, rewards programs help keep costs low, are easy to take advantage of thanks to partnerships with other travel-related businesses, and offer some pretty nice perks.
We looked at 7 hotel and vacation rental booking sites that make it easy for you to find a hotel that fits your needs, whether you're a business traveler hopping from country to country, a parent scouting out a family-friendly resort, or an event planner planning an important conference. Across these sites, you can go almost anywhere in the world and enjoy a variety of economy, midscale, and luxury brands.
In addition to the highlights of each site, we looked at the design and benefits of its rewards program (if offered). We recommend signing up for the rewards programs you like because they are all free to join. You have nothing to lose by signing up.
Your home away from home is just a few clicks away. Find the best hotel and vacation rental booking site for you below.
Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels franchises more than 6,300 hotels in more than 35 countries and territories. You can book stays at its 11 brands, which include Comfort Inn, Quality, Rodeway Inn, and the Ascend Hotel Collection, a group of independent, upscale hotels. You can also book vacation rentals through the site.
Highlights:
- Earn rewards points for vacation rentals, and book future rentals using points.
- Lowest price guarantee: If your claim is approved, enjoy the lower rate for your whole stay, plus US guests receive a $50 rewards card. International guests receive their first night free.
- 3D virtual room views
- Clear event space information and meeting room configurations included with hotel's 'About' page
- Quality 'Explore' section with city guides, things to do, and travel tips
Rewards program — Choice Privileges:
- $1 spent = 10 points
- Points can be redeemed for future hotel stays, gift cards, shopping, and travel partner services.
- Get extra rewards for midweek stays
- Points never expire
- Event planner rewards: $1 spent = 4 points. These points can be used for personal or company use.
Best for:
- Budget travelers
- Event or meeting planners
Book your next stay with Choice Hotels
AccorHotels
AccorHotels is a French hotel group with 4,200 hotels in 95 countries. You can book stays at its luxury and upscale brands like Fairmont and Grand Mercure, midscale brands like Mercure, and economy brands like Ibis.
Highlights:
- Search by destination, on a map, or by interests (e.g. near a golf course, island hotel, bungalow)
- Get pre-sale tickets to shows at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris by joining the rewards program.
- Prepare for your stay with destination guides, car rental and activities bookings, and hotel restaurant bookings.
Rewards program — Le Club AccorHotels:
- 2 types of points: reward points and status points.
- Reward points are earned for stays, expenses, meetings, bonus points tied to an offer, and point accelerators.
- Status points are only earned for stays and meetings and allow you to move up through status levels.
- 4 status levels: Classic, Silver, Gold, Platinum
- Moving up through status levels grants you increased benefits like free internet, priority check-in, VIP treatment, room upgrades, and lounge access.
- The higher your status level, the more reward points you earn.
Best for:
- International reach and variety of options for each price point
- Rewards benefits, especially for higher-tier status members
Book your next stay with AccorHotels
Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a hotel-booking aggregator that offers over 300,000 hotels on its site.
Highlights:
- Enable the 'Price Watch' feature to receive emails if the price of a room goes down.
- The hotel's page will inform you if there are any plans such as building renovations that may affect your stay.
- The site remembers your searches. 'Continue Your Search' reminds you of your last searches and hotel selections right next to the regular search function.
- Download the mobile app for better on-the-go and last-minute booking.
- Shows TripAdvisor hotel reviews
- Option to pay now or at the hotel
Rewards program — Hotels.com Rewards:
- Collect 10 nights, get 1 free. The value of the free night is the average price of the 10 nights you collect.
- Redeem the free night anytime. There are no blackout dates.
- Book at least 10 nights in one year to move up through tiers and gain access to benefits like priority customer service and exclusive deals.
Best for:
- Widest selection of hotels — no hotel chain or brand restrictions
- Travelers who care more about finding the best deal than specific hotel brand
Book your next stay with Hotels.com
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