If you’re like me, you likely spend a lot of time planning your trips. Once I pin down the destination and how I’m getting there, I spend the majority of my time figuring out where to stay. Research shows that most of you are in the same boat. On average, it takes travelers about 36 days to book their stay.

Today, I’m going to dive into one of our favorite booking tools: HotelTonight. So here are five things you should know before booking your next (or first) stay.

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HOW SHOULD I USE HOTELTONIGHT?

HotelTonight is a hotel booking app that offers unsold hotel rooms at a fraction of the price. The HotelTonight app started as a same-day hotel booking app, but has continued to evolve. Today, you can use the HotelTonight app to book a hotel room up to 100 days in advance of your check-in date.

The HotelTonight app is a reliable choice for booking a last-minute hotel room the day (or even week) of your stay. During a trip to Kyoto, Japan, for example, I made a last minute decision to take the high speed train to Tokyo and ended up booking my hotel room via the HotelTonight app while on the train. The price of the hotel room was a steal.

For the best deals, make your reservation as close to your travel date as possible. Reservations can be made up to 2:00 am the day (or, technically, the morning) of your stay.

If you’re more of a planner, the HotelTonight app can also be used to book hotel rooms well in advance of your stay. While I’ve used the HotelTonight app in this capacity (both domestically and abroad), I do not currently use the HotelTonight app for trips planned well in advance due to the uncertainty caused by COVID. (For more about COVID considerations, see Question 3 below.)

I do, however, still use the HotelTonight app to scope out the hotel options in any city that I plan to visit, because the HotelTonight app tends to highlight hotels that I may not have found on my own.

WHAT HOTELS ARE ON HOTELTONIGHT?

HotelTonight differs from other third-party hotel booking sites by offering only select hotels for each destination. HotelTonight values offering its users a list of quality hotels rather than quantity. You will usually find boutique hotels and other great options.

HotelTonight classifies its hotels using the seven categories listed below. I’ve had the best luck in the “Luxe” and “Hip” categories.

Luxe: An upscale hotel with stellar service, lavish amenities and serious comfort, for when you’re feelin’ swanky.
Hip: A stylish, sometimes quirky hot spot that's as popular with in-the-know locals as it is with travelers.
Solid: A comfortable, reliable hotel with all the gotta-have-em amenities.
Basic: modest hotel with limited extras, perfect for when you need a place to lay your head.
Charming: A hotel, B&B or guest house that's quaint, intimate and delightful.
Crashpad: A budget hostel or inn without many amenities, for those nights you don't need 'em.
High Roller: An over-the-top, tricked-out suite or penthouse for VIPs and high rollers.

WHAT IS HOTELTONIGHT’S CANCELLATION POLICY?

For the most part, you cannot cancel, modify, or receive a refund on a reservation booked through the HotelTonight app. Most of the reservations are prepaid and any cancellation, modification, or refund is at the discretion of the hotel.

HotelTonight has allowed for some limited flexibility given the uncertainty caused by COVID. The keyword in the previous sentence is limited. For flexibility as to the cancellation policy, you have to fall into one of the following exceptions:

You are canceling because you have contracted COVID;
You are canceling to comply with disease control restrictions implemented by governmental or health authorities;
You are canceling to perform medical or disease control duties related to the COVID outbreak;
You are canceling because your flight or ground transportation was cancelled due to the COVID outbreak; or
You are canceling because you have been diagnosed or suspected of being infected with COVID by a medical or health authority.

Given the limited number of exceptions and the current COVID environment, make sure that you are certain before you book a reservation using the HotelTonight app. You will also want to check the most recent cancellation policy before booking, as it is subject to change.

WILL I GET LOYALTY POINTS FOR MY STAY?

Most hotel loyalty programs will not award you points for reservations made using a third-party service, including HotelTonight. If you have status or are trying to get status on a program like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors or IHG Rewards, it is best to make your reservation directly through the hotel.

If you’re not on a mission to get status with a certain hotel, HotelTonight has its own loyalty program called HT Perks. For HT Perks, the more you use HotelTonight, the more you unlock levels that give you access to exclusive extra discounts that you can either use immediately or save for a later booking. They also don’t require you to stay a minimum number of nights per year to keep your status, so you’ll never lose status.

Below is a summary of HT Perks status levels:

Level 1. Everyone starts here. You’ll see deals that are offered to all Perks levels, which could include the Daily Drop or special deals offered to guests booking from your location. Deals are subject to availability and your search criteria.
Level 2. You’ll get to this level once you’ve spent $25. You’ll unlock special HT Perks discounts off the regular nightly rate for select hotels.
Level 3. You’ll get to this level once you’ve spent $1,000. You’ll unlock additional HT Perks discounts off the regular nightly rate for select hotels.
Levels 4 and up. You’ll level up with every additional $1,000 you spend with HotelTonight.
Level 5 and up. Each time you level up, you’ll get a $30 credit to use on a future booking. Plus, you’ll unlock an extra discount off the regular nightly rates starting at Level 8.

HOW CAN I SAVE WITH HOTELTONIGHT?

HotelTonight offers a cool feature called the “Daily Drop.” The “Daily Drop” feature is a daily deal that offers a deep discount off the regular HotelTonight room rate. Once you select “unlock,” your deal will appear, which will show the name of the hotel and the price. Your deal will only be valid for the next 15 minutes, so you’ll have to book on the spot. You only get access to one “Daily Drop” per day.

If you plan to give HotelTonight a try, you can use promo code JSAENZ87 on your first booking to receive up to $50 off.

Your Connect,

Gabriella

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