When it comes to saving money on travel, I’ve always been the go-to person for my friends and family members. While some of them collect miles, most of them just want to know how they can save on paid travel, and I think I have a new answer for them: Club1 Hotels.
Club1 Hotels is a travel booking site/OTA that offers wholesale rates on hotels, airlines, car rentals, and tour packages. They are cheaper than Trivago, Expedia, and Kayak – my previous go-to travel booking OTA – and offer substantial savings over direct hotel bookings.
The way they’re able to do this is by charging a $675 annual membership fee instead of getting a commission on each booking. The great news? They are offering PointChaser readers a FREE 1-year Club1 Hotels membership [EXPIRED].
In addition to a free 1-year beta membership, Club1 Hotels has offered me a $150 booking credit to give away to one lucky reader. Here are the rules and instructions on how you can enter for a chance to win:
- Sign up for a free Club1 membership (EXPIRED).
- Leave a comment in this post, letting me know at which hotel you plan on spending the $150 credit (make sure it’s a hotel listed on the Club1 website).
- The deadline for entries is October 9, 2016 at 8:30 PM (PT)/11:30 PM (ET).
- Winners will be chosen via random.org and announced on October 10 at 12:00 PM (PT).
- Please respond within 3 days or I will have to pick a new winner.
Regardless of whether you end up winning the $150 credit, Club1 Hotels offers substantial savings on travel bookings. I did a quick search for some upcoming travel and was seriously amazed by the incredible deals I found.
How to Find Travel Deals Through Club1 Hotels
Club1 Hotels has a fairly user-friendly website. All you have to do is log in and search for travel like you would with any other OTA. The nice thing about Club1 Hotels is that in addition to searching by city, you can specify a hotel name. This is useful for comparing Club1’s rates against those listed on hotel websites or other OTA’s. There’s no need to wait for a huge list of results. You can narrow it down to the hotel you want, right away.
The search results will show the total for the entire stay, minus taxes and fees. Once you select the room you want and continue to the booking page, you’ll see the total cost with taxes included.
I was recently searching for hotels during the week of the Chicago Seminars and found rates to be especially high this time around. On October 12 – 16, a standard room at the Hyatt Regency Chicago was listed as $2,108.32 on the Hyatt website ($449 per night before tax):
Meanwhile, Club1 Hotels was offering the same room for $1,412.75 with taxes included. That’s nearly $700 in saving on a four night hotel stay!
If I were to keep my Club1 Hotels membership after the first year, this booking alone would off-set the $675 annual membership fee. Which brings me to the questions I know you all must be asking by now.
Can Club1 Hotels Rates Be Used for Best Rate Guarantee Claims?
Most hotel chains don’t honor lower rates unless they are accessible to the general public. Since Club1 Hotels is a members-only site that requires a log-in to search for and book hotels, their lower rates are not eligible for Best Rate Guarantee claims.
Do Club1 Hotels Reservations Earn Points and Qualify for Elite Benefits?
While saving 50% on hotel rates certainly makes foregoing elite status and points worth it, it doesn’t have to be this way. A representative informed me that the rules vary across hotel chains and individual hotels, but some of them do in fact offer points and elite benefits on reservations made through Club1 Hotels. Here’s an overview of the various hotel chains and their policies regarding reservations made through Club1 Hotels:
- At some Fairmont hotels (i.e. Fairmont Monte Carlo), members will earn stay credits from reservations made through Club1 Hotels.
- Starwood, Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Hyatt do not offer points or elite night credit.
- Starwood, Hilton, and IHG will not honor elite status benefits.
- Marriott and Hyatt will honor elite status benefits.
There may be exceptions among individual hotels, but if you’re saving a substantially on hotel bookings, then foregoing elite benefits may be worth the trade-off.
I suggest you claim your free Club1 membership and see if the site can save you some money on your next hotel booking. The great thing about the free membership is that you don’t have to provide a credit card, so there’s zero chance of getting stuck with a $675 membership fee next year if you decide not to renew it.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a comment in this post as your entry for the $150 credit giveaway. Don’t forget to provide a valid e-mail address so I can reach you if you do win.
Please note, I will earn a $4 referral fee for every person who signs up for a free Club1 Hotels membership using the link in this post. Thanks for your support and good luck!
I’d stay in AC by Marriot in Barcelona, Passeig de Sant Antoni. Thanks!
I’d stay in AC by Marriott in Barcelona, Passeig de Sant Antoni.
I’m interested in the Fairmont in Quebec. thanks for sharing this awesome deal!
I think you need to correct your contest deadline times. 8:30 PM PT would be 11:30 PM (not AM) ET
Fixed. Thanks Rick!
trying to book westin hotel in milan,italy but do not get anything.i have sent them an e.mail.
I’d stay in Hotel Victor South Beach Miami FL
signed up with Club1 Hotels and am dying to stay at the Four Seasons Sayan in Bali at the end of October…fingers are crossed!
I would stay in Dusit Thani hotel in Bangkok, Thailand during Christmas and New Year!
I’d stay at Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel and Resort, Rio de Janeiro
Quick question : can I use a Hyatt suite upgrade on a reservation ? I am looking at Hyatt Ziva Cancun. Thanks 🙂
I would stay at the Hyatt Erewan in Bangkok.
$150 credit? I’d use it to book the Antigua Yacht Club, in Antigua and Barbuda! Thanks for the site info, Ariana!
I would stay at the Fairmont in Quebec City.
Is anyone else having problems creating an account? Site freezes, won’t accept completed form.
Hi Theresa, I’m sorry you’re having trouble creating an account with us. Please give us a call or send us an email to troubleshoot! Our number is 1-312-757-4866 and our email address is MemberServices@Club1Hotels.com. Looking forward to speaking with you!
Want to stay Park Hyatt New York for Xmas holiday~
Radisson Blu Copenhagen Tivoli
I’ll probably use it on the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome. Thanks!
I will probably stay at the Conrad Hong Kong. Thanks.
I’d stay at Intercontinental in San Francisco!
I signed up!
I would stay at the one in Miami, FL.
Ariana! I would stay anywhere expensive, exotic, and tropical. Thanks for sharing the Club1 membership info with us! Hope to see you at the Chicago Seminars.
Yep, see you there!
I will be using the credit at the La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Palm Springs, CA. My wife and I absolutely love this resort.
Hawaii Prince Hotel in Waikiki
Loews Vanderbilt Hotel Nashville, TN
I’d stay in the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Aruba!
I would love to stay at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco.
Fairmont Quebec looks nice
Have signed up. Would like to stay at the Four Seasons Sayan in Bali. I will be there in January. Can;t wait!!!
The Fairmont in Quebec is calling my name!
Miama Ultra Sound festival it will be :
Hotel Victor South Beach Miami FL
signed up, thank you
Conrad New York
Once I get a confirmation email from them, I would stay at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. I would use the money I save from Club1 and give good gratuities to the staff there since Mr. Trump refuses to give them a fair contract.
OK, signed up without a problem but I wonder if you would compare this program to the 4th night free program offered by Citi Prestige. After the free one year expires would it be worth paying the rather high annual fee?
Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii
I want to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong!
I would stay in Novotel Nathan Rd in Hong Kong for my upcoming trip.
I could stay at the ritz carlton in Cancun
I would love to stay at the Central Park 1 Hotel..gorgeous!
I would like to stay at Park Hyatt Toyko. Thanks!
In looking at my profile on the website, I see that they have designated me as a travel agent. All options are for some sort of travel industry employee. Curious as to know why the hotels involved are even participating. Do they get a kick-back from your $675 annual fee?
Do you know if you could pay for this with Barclay Arrival or CapitalOne Venture and pay for the annual fee in points (for second year and beyond)?
Would love to spend $150 credit at Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos. Thanks.
This is going to save me some money at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun! Thanks!!
Would love to stay at The Fairmont in Quebec!
I’m going to Lima and would like to stay in any hotel over there. It does look like Casa Andina Private Collection Miraflores looks nice!
Also, Ariana, I don’t get you. The other day you posted about $400+ fares not being exciting enough to you — because 1) they don’t offer same level of comfort as business class seats, and 2) you can spend those money manufacturing way more points than needed for a business class seat.
And now you’re excited about $353 per night rate for a 4-category hotel? Why? Even if you follow the most expensive MS way, you can generate more than 52K points from one night, which is almost enough for 4 nights at this hotel! How you can justify this arithmetic? Why it’s not ok to spend money on economy class tickets but ok to spend same amount on economy rooms?
Hyatt New York Union Square, of course!
I’d like to stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Los Angeles. It’s close to home, but would be so fun to have a weekend of luxury!
I’d use it for the Ritz Carlton, NY Central Park!
Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
The Westin Palace Madrid!
Something not kosher when you try to book a car—wrong number of days appears. Example, pick up a car on a sunday at 9AM and drop off on Tuesday at 6PM—>they will quote you a bid and tell you it’s for “2 days”
This alone makes me nervous about booking a hotel room with them.
Hi BLUEBLUECAT, thank you for your comment! Car rental guidelines and restrictions are set by the car rental supplier. For example, if you book a Hertz car rental through us, you’ll find Hertz’s rules and restrictions listed (including how days are counted). Please be assured that all bookings are handled with much detail and care within our electronic and human capital (Member Services) systems. Please feel free to give us a call or send us an email with any additional concerns or questions! (312-757-4866 and MemberServices@Club1Hotels.com)
The Westin Key West
I’d stay at the Hampton Inn and Suites Carlsbad NM
I plan to take my son to the San Diego Zoo in December and he enjoys an indoor pool so we would stay at the Embassy Suites San Diego La Jolla.
I would stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.
Marriot Newport Rhode Island
Ritz Carlton Central Park, New York. One of my bucket list hotels!
I would like to stay at the Hyatt Ziva in Los Cabos. I visited Cabos during a cruise several years ago and would like to book a longer stay.
If they offered the Andaz Papagayo I’d have booked it today. But sadly not offered. So I’d probably use the credit towards Hyatt Ziva.
I would stay at the Peninsula Hong Kong. And thanks, Ariana for your blog, I’m an avid reader.
Best Western Chena River Lodge at Fairbanks!
I think I’d like to use it at the Conrad in Tokyo!
I would choose the Four Seasons in Seoul
I’m travelling to hk and shanghai and the options are nice!
I would love to use it at the Hilton or Marriott properties listed in Kauai, Hawaii!
Hyatt Ziva Cancun!
i’d love to check out the peninsula hk
I’d love to go to Bali!
I’d stay at Four Season hotel in Seoul
St. Regis Bangkok.
Thank you for sharing such a great site. I would like to stay at Armani Hotel in Milan,Italy
I would stay at the Hilton Chicago Northbrook Thanks,
I would like to stay at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile
PS I love your blog 🙂
I would stay at the Intercontinental Montreal. Thanks Ariana!
Park Hyatt Paris Vendome!
Anantara Chiang Mai would be great!
I am living to get to the Wynn in Las Vegas!!
I’m sure you’ll get a great deal. BTW Club1 now has a best rate guarantee policy. They’ll match the hotel company website rate, plus a $25 credit.