Using ALL points for hotel payment

[Daver6]

I've not previously redeemed points for paying for an ALL booking. From what I can gather you can use points when making the booking online OR pay using points at checkout. If making a refundable booking, you can get your points back if you cancel.

A few questions:

• Is there a benefit to one method over the other?
• With cash you can secure the booking now but pay at the hotel. Can you do similar with points but where the points won't be deducted until you check-in/out? I ask this as potentially want to make two bookings now and cancel one closer to the time. Also, probably change to a non-refundable rate closer to the time if cheaper.

I also noticed some weirdness. Why would the flex rate not allow paying with points yet some packages that are pay at the hotel/cancel free of charge allowing payment with points?

 

[Captain Halliday]

Is there a benefit to one method over the other?

Not significantly.

The main benefit to paying with points when booking is that you can control how many points you use.

Paying with points at checkin or checkout requires the staff member to know how to do it. Not always guaranteed.

With cash you can secure the booking now but pay at the hotel. Can you do similar with points but where the points won't be deducted until you check-in/out?

Unfortunately not.

If you select pay with points when booking, the points are deducted immediately.

I have no idea why some rates allow pay with points and others don’t.

 

[Daver6]

Not significantly.

The main benefit to paying with points when booking is that you can control how many points you use.

Paying with points at checkin or checkout requires the staff member to know how to do it. Not always guaranteed.

Is it fair to assume then that if you give them notice in advance before checking out that they can find someone who knows that they're doing? I'm looking to use at a fairly high end property where you'd expect problems like this to be solvable.

I have no idea why some rates allow pay with points and others don’t.

Does that mean if you book that rate you couldn't use points at checkout? The ALL site doesn't seem to put any caveats on what you can use points for payment for Stay with your Reward points

 

[oz_mark]

My experience is that if you end up paying at the hotel, it doesn't matter what that screen said, it's up to whether the person doing check-out knows what they are doing.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Is it fair to assume then that if you give them notice in advance before checking out that they can find someone who knows that they're doing? I'm looking to use at a fairly high end property where you'd expect problems like this to be solvable.

You'd hope so. Or that they could phone someone to talk them through it.

Does that mean if you book that rate you couldn't use points at checkout? The ALL site doesn't seem to put any caveats on what you can use points for payment for Stay with your Reward points

Unsure on this one sorry. But IME and seems to be @oz_mark experience too, it all comes down the the competence of the person checking you out.

Sadly this isn't something you'll know at time of booking.

 

[Tlee]

• The value of points redemption is pegged to EUR. For non-EUR payments, booking with points upfront could secure the FX rate. (Depending on your travel destination, you might still need to pay city/tourism tax at the hotel)
• Only the cash portion of the pre-tax amount accrues points.
• I prefer the point redemption at hotels. However, I redeemed my points at a hotel last week. The assistant guest relationship manager messed it up by deducting more points than necessary. I am still waiting for the overcharged points back.