Do You Really Save Money on Last-Minute Bookings With the Hotel Tonight App?

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You might save money on hotels with the Hotel Tonight app (Apple) (Android).

For folks who book hotels last-minute, sometimes you can save money using the Hotel Tonight app.  But more often than not, you’ll pay more.

Save Money on Hotels With Hotel Tonight App

Link:   Hotel Tonight app (Apple)

Link:   Hotel Tonight app (Android)

If you book last-minute hotels sometimes you can save money using the Hotel Tonight app, but not always.

The Hotel Tonight app is a free smartphone and tablet app that lets you find discounted last-minute hotel rooms up to 7 days in advance.

$25 Credit

If you sign-up for Hotel Tonight using my promo code “ddubash” you’ll get a $25 credit and I’ll get a $25 credit.

How Does Hotel Tonight’s Prices Compare to Other Discount Sites?

Let’s look at how Hotel Tonight’s prices compare to other discounted hotel sites.

New York

You’d pay $296 for the night of November 11, 2014 at the Holiday Inn Express Times Square.

You’d pay ~$297 if you booked through the IHG website and Kayak.

Atlantic City, New Jersey

You’ll pay $79 to stay at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City on November 11, 2014.

But on the Harrah’s website and Kayak, you’d pay ~$78, saving $1.

San Diego

You would pay $225 to stay at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego on November 11, 2014.

If you booked on the Hyatt website and Kayak, you’d pay ~$224.

So you’d pay ~$1 less than the Hotel Tonight app, have a fully refundable reservation, and earn Hyatt elite stay credit.

What I Don’t Like

If you book hotels at the last minute, Hotel Tonight could work for you, but there are some things you should know.

1.  Not a lot of Savings

I only found 1 example where using the Hotel Tonight costs less than booking directly with the hotel or using Kayak.

2.   Nonrefundable

All bookings are nonrefundable. So if you have to cancel or your plans change, you do NOT get your money back.

3.   Hotels Change

Available hotels change frequently so the hotel you want may not be there when you check again 5 minutes later.  Or a better hotel could become available AFTER you’ve already booked.

Bottom Line

Folks who book hotels within 7 days might save money using the Hotel Tonight app (Apple) (Android).

But you’ll usually pay about the same or more.  And all reservations are nonrefundable!  So if your plans change you lose your money.

Because there aren’t any real savings, I’d rather book directly with the hotel and get stay credit toward elite status.

Although if you have a $25 discount from using a promo code, like “ddubash” then you’d save $25.  But you have to decide if the $25 savings is worth not being able to change or cancel your reservation and losing out on hotel elite stay credit.

What’s been your experience with Hotel Tonight?