Disclosure: Family Flys Free has partnered with Club 1 Hotels to provide this offer to TravelUpdate readers. Opinions and recommendations are the author’s alone. Links on this page may provide us with a commission.
When booking hotels, I have a pretty strict rule of thumb: book directly through the hotel chain whenever possible. It takes a lot to get me to book through an OTA or other travel provider, and the savings must be significant. Usually the juice isn’t worth the squeeze, but occasionally you can find some excellent savings. Club 1 Hotels is one channel that appears to provide consistent savings and is worth checking out.
Club 1 Hotels is a travel and lifestyle company that is able to offer wholesale rates to their members at over 1.5 million hotels and resorts worldwide. Besides offering hotel savings, Club 1 Hotels offers exclusive savings on car rentals, flights, golf, and other activities. You do need a membership to access these savings. In my initial review of Club 1 Hotels, I’m finding that they are able to consistently match or beat the going prices at most properties. In some cases the savings are minimal, but in other cases they really add up. If you book a lot of hotel stays, Club 1 Hotels is worth considering.
Image courtesy of Club 1 Hotels.
Club 1 Hotels Free Membership Offer
Club 1 Hotels membership typically comes at a cost, but Club 1 Hotels has partnered with us to provide a Complimentary Ongoing Silver Rewards Membership to readers. Here are the benefits of a Club 1 Ongoing Silver Rewards Membership:
- Save up to 60% off hotel stays at 1.5 million properties around the world
- Earn 2-ClubONE Points for every $1 USD spent on any hotel, resort, car rental and activities booked on the Club 1 Hotels website and/or mobile app
You can also enjoy a discounted Concierge Membership. Benefits of Club 1 Concierge Membership include Silver benefits plus:
- Additional 5% savings on all hotel and car rental bookings
- 24/hour concierge service via text or email
- Last room availability in most cases
- No blackout dates
- Guaranteed Savings on every hotel booking or 2 ClubONE Points per $1 USD spent on hotel, resort, car rental or activity booking and our Price Match Guarantee, choose your preference at sign up
- $30 LuggageFree gift card
- 12% off ground transportation with Carey International
This is offered for an annual price of $99. Link to offer, and Club 1 Hotels free membership offer.
Club 1 Hotels has a best rate guarantee/guaranteed savings policy for bookings can ensure you get the lowest rate. You can email them with a screenshot of another rate for the same dates and room type up until five days before arrival, and they will match it and offer even more savings. Club 1 offers a price match guarantee (without the additional savings) up until 1 day before arrival. Only paid memberships enjoy the guaranteed savings and price match guarantee benefits.
Image courtesy of Club 1 Hotels.
Comparing Club 1 Hotels to Other Booking Options
Club 1 Hotels advertised their savings as up to 60% off the standard rate. In practice, I found that the savings is often much less overall. Some properties showed prices consistent with other booking channels, while others were solidly a better deal. You’ll generally enjoy greater savings when booking 4-star or 5-star accommodations.
Here are some after-tax-and-fee prices I found through Club 1 Hotels compared to booking through Expedia and booking directly through the hotel:
- Intercontinental London Park Lane – May 1-3, 2021
- Club 1 Hotels – $630
- Expedia – $828
- IHG Hotels – $791
- Mandalay Bay – Memorial Day Weekend 2021
- Club 1 Hotels – $607
- Expedia – $706
- MGM Resorts – $703
- Le Meridien Etoile – June 6-13, 2021
- Club 1 Hotels – $1,578 (29% savings!)
- Expedia – $2,282
- Marriott Hotels – $2,201
Price for 2 nights through Expedia.
Price for 2 nights through Club 1 Hotels – $198 savings!
You can find additional savings comparisons here.
I used Expedia since these are the rates you can get booking through Chase Travel with Ultimate Rewards points. Make sure you take into consideration the other amenities you enjoy on bookings through specialized channels like American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts. Sometimes you’ll pay just a little more, but will get much more on property. However, you’ll typically see great savings through Club 1 Hotels.
Make sure you also consider the cancellation policy, as Club 1 Hotels is generally a little less flexible than either Expedia or booking direct.
Lastly, consider that you won’t be able to use status benefits when booking through Club 1 Hotels, so take things like free parking, breakfast, lounge access, late check out and other amenities into consideration as well. As a Hyatt Globalist member and Hilton Diamond member, I almost certainly wouldn’t use Club 1 Hotels to book with those chains. Where they shine is for bookings with non-chain hotels where the booking channel has no effect on the benefits enjoyed.
Final Thoughts
While Club 1 Hotels might not be a great fit for everyone, they are an option to keep in mind if you have a lot of paid stays, especially with non-chain hotels and don’t care about loyalty. You can usually enjoy significant savings at luxury properties around the globe. The complimentary Club 1 Silver Rewards Membership sweetens the deal even more!
Featured image courtesy of Club 1 Hotels.
