ConsumerFilter: Buy this travel offer?

June 1, 2012 9:31 AM

Anyone have any experience with purchasing & then redeeming a Travelocity Hotel Gift Card?

Just got an offer to buy a $100 Travelocity Hotel Gift Card for less than face value (one of those discount group coupon offers). This is not to be confused with a gift card that you can use at the well-known website travelocity is known for. It seems to be a new business (opened within the last year) under the Travelocity brand, with its own separate web presence & url.

What I'm trying to determine is whether this is just a getting-the-new-business-off-the-ground offer or a sketchy, difficult-to-redeem travel offer, you-get-what-you-pay-for scam.

And I can't find anyone online talking about having used the gift cards! That's why I wanted to know if anyone else has actually had experience with this, positive or negative. I'm in the US.

posted by honey badger to Travel & Transportation (1 answer total)

The card can only be used through the specific website. The rates offered appear to be standard rate or advance purchase rate. The reservation will almost certainly be impossible to cancel and any changes will cost you extra. Promotional offers such as group coupons may be restricted to multiple night stays which have a total cost over a certain dollar amount.

I wouldn't call it sketchy or a scam, and it's not excessively difficult to redeem, but you're not really getting a great deal. Assuming this is an offer of $50 for $100 in gift card, you're getting a total of $50 off the rates that the site advertises. Those rates are equivalent to or higher than non-refundable advance purchases or AAA/AARP member rates. In at least one case, the rate that site advertises is the same rate I'd get if I called the hotel directly and asked for the room without discount.

If you are certain that you want a hotel stay for particular days, have no problem with a non-refundable purchase, are not AAA/AARP, and want it done quickly, the card could be a modest savings. If you have any uncertainty about your trip, are eligible for any common discount, are willing to book via "mystery hotel" on any of the major sites, are a member of a loyalty program which will not pay out points for reseller reservations, or are otherwise interested in putting in a bit of footwork, you can get a better deal than that.

My personal advice would be to skip it. Having an intermediary in the room renting process makes everything more difficult and you will likely have no recourse if something goes wrong.
posted by Saydur at 8:23 AM on June 20, 2012