5 Benefits of Booking with Hotels.com

Hotels.com lets you choose from hundreds of thousands of hotels. Its loyalty program, Hotels.com Rewards, offers a simple way to earn credit toward future stays. Plus, if you book through Hotels.com enough, loyalty members can earn elite status, which delivers a few extra perks.

So is it worth booking through Hotels.com instead of directly through a hotel chain? To help you decide, here’s a look at some of the main benefits if you use Hotels.com.

» Learn more: Why you should consider switching loyalty to Hotels.com

1. Choose from lots (and lots) of hotels

If selection and flexibility are important to you, booking through Hotels.com may be a good choice for you. Over 500,000 properties can be booked through Hotels.com, which makes even the largest hotel chain pale in comparison.

When you book through Hotels.com you aren't limited to chains, which can bring a sigh of relief to anyone who prefers small independent hotels, guesthouses, and bed and breakfasts. Plus, when traveling to off-the-beaten-path destinations, you may not find large hotel brands at all. Hotels.com caters to these travelers by offering more property types in more places across the globe.

2. Earn "free" hotel nights

Booking through Hotels.com doesn’t mean you have to forgo earning rewards and free nights. In fact, the Hotels.com Rewards program is very rewarding.

It’s free to sign-up. Then, once you’re a member, each night you stay at a hotel booked through Hotels.com will earn you one stamp. For every 10 stamps, you'll get one free night, not including taxes and fees. Think of this as a punch card: Buy 10, get one free. So you are essentially getting 10% back.

Free nights can be used to book a room worth the average cost of your 10 paid nights. You don’t have to worry about blackout dates or restrictions — you can book any property available on Hotels.com.

The one caveat is that you have to pay a $5 fee on each reward night, but this can be avoided if you book your free night through the app or if you have a Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card. You will also have to cover taxes and fees, so it’s not 100% free.

» Learn more: Loyalty program showdown: Hotels.com Rewards vs. Orbitz Rewards

3. Get extra perks when you earn elite status

Hotels.com Rewards offers two levels of elite status, but don’t expect to be awed by the benefits.

The lower tier, Silver status, is earned after completing 10 nights in a calendar year. You’ll get a few extra perks such as free breakfast or spa vouchers at select properties only.

Gold status is yours after completing 30 nights in a calendar year. You’ll get everything that Silver status offers along with room upgrades and early check-in and late checkout at VIP Access properties, when available.

4. Earn rewards faster with a Hotels.com credit card

You can earn stamps faster with the Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card. For every $500 you spend on the card, you'll earn one stamp. Combine that with the stamps you earn by staying at a hotel booked through Hotels.com to accelerate your earning power.

For example, without the credit card, if you spent $1,000 on an eight-night hotel stay booked through Hotels.com, you would earn eight stamps. But if you pay for it with the credit card, you’ll earn two additional stamps.

Those 10 stamps are redeemable for one reward night. Use them to book a room worth $100 and you are getting a 10% return, before taxes and fees, on the $1,000 you charged.

5. Unlock secret prices

As a Hotels.com Rewards member, you can save even more with Secret Prices. Just keep your eye out for properties marked "Secret Price" to get the member discounts.

The bottom line

If you are looking for a simple way to earn hotel stays, Hotels.com Rewards may be worth considering. With its straightforward earning rates, you’ll get a free night every 10 nights you stay. The best part is, with over 500,000 properties on Hotels.com, you have complete flexibility on what hotels you stay at.