How To Use a Hotels.com Gift Card?

Buying someone a gift card is an excellent way to give a wonderful gift but still allow the recipient to choose what they want.

Gift cards for trips, like those for Hotels.com, are the perfect gift option during the vacation season. 

So how do you redeem and use Hotels.com gift cards?

The easiest way to use a hotels.com gift card is to visit the hotels.com website or app to book your trip and select “Pay now” once you finalize your selection. You can then input your gift card number and PIN to have the funds applied towards your balance. 

Using Hotels.com Gift Cards to Book a Trip

Hotels.com offers both eGift cards and physical gift cards that make great gifts. You can purchase them directly from hotels.com, or from select stores like Kroger, Target, on Amazon, or via PayPal. 

To make it easier to use your gift card, it’s best to create an account with hotels.com. This will give you access to all of your planned trips, and updates about price changes, and also allow you to list your home location, and connect you with support services faster. 

You can also earn frequent traveler rewards, which give you additional discounts and allow you to keep a digital account wallet. 

Booking with hotels.com is a fairly easy process. All you have to do is input your travel dates, destination, and the number of travelers, and the site will show you all available booking options. 

You can pay for your trip through hotels.com using a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, PayPal, or gift cards.

Most hotels.com gift cards are sent through email and will appear as a code. That code is the card number, and the email will provide a link that enables you to use the card for booking. 

To use a gift card, you MUST select the “Pay now” option during booking. If you choose to wait and pay for your stay at the hotel, you won’t be able to use your gift card as a payment method.

Once you select the “Pay now” option, you should be able to input your gift card or e-gift card number and the PIN. This will apply the balance of your gift card to the cost of your booking. 

You will have to pay any remaining balance, if needed, in order to complete your booking and reserve your hotel room. 

Gift Card Policies

Only one gift card can be used per booking. However, if you do have multiple hotels.com gift cards, you can combine them into one. 

Visit the balance transfer tab here to combine your gift cards into one, which will allow you to use the total amount from multiple cards to cover the cost of your booking.

Also, keep in mind, that gift cards can only be used for online bookings. Pay-on-site bookings will not honor a gift card, as you’ll be paying the hotel directly instead of paying through hotels.com.

Also, remember that your gift card must be used on hotels.com/gc, and that it will not work on hotel.com, or any other variation or competing site. 

Hotels.com don’t have any fees or expiration dates. You can use them indefinitely as long as the site is still running.

Can I Use My Hotels.com Gift Card Anywhere?

If you want to know if you can use your gift card to go anywhere in the world, the answer is yes. Hotels.com gift cards are valid for any trip that’s booked on their site, for any available destination. 

It is important to keep in mind though that hotels.com gift cards only work when booking through the hotels.com site on their gift card portal. 

Hotels.com gift cards work for select hotels listed on hotels.com/gc, and the selection of available hotels is more limited than those you’ll find on the main hotels.com page. 

While this may be disappointing for some people, using a gift card can significantly reduce the total cost of your trip, and booking through hotels.com can earn you extra rewards for trips booked on the site. 

How Do I Use My Free Night on Hotels.com?

To redeem a free night you’ve earned through hotels.com, you’ll need to visit the Your Reservation Summary tab. Here, you will navigate to Redeem Hotels.com™ Rewards. 

You should be able to see the discount for a free night included in your booking, as well as any other taxes, fees, or rewards applied to the booking. 

Keep in mind that free nights do expire twelve months after they are issued by the site. The stamps you gain to earn free nights expire after twelve months of inactivity. 

Can You Rent a Hotel Without a Credit Card?

Most hotels prefer that you use a credit or debit card to pay for your stay because this gives them an additional way to identify you. That being said, you don’t have to have a credit card to rent a hotel room

Hotels are free to set their own policies with regard to which payment methods they will accept, but most generally accept credit cards, debit cards, cash, check, and money orders. 

If you want to make an online reservation, you will be required to use a credit or debit card. 

Your hotel stay and deposit can be paid in cash, but you’ll need to visit the hotel in-person prior to your stay and submit your payment at the front desk. 

If you’re not sure whether a hotel will let you pay without using a credit card, the best thing to do is call the hotel directly. In most cases, the front desk staff will be willing to work with you to figure out your payment method, regardless of your situation.

Conclusion

To use a hotels.com gift card, follow the link in your gift card email, or visit hotels.com/gc. This will show available bookings for which you can apply for your gift card, and allow you to pay for the remainder of the trip if needed. 

Be sure to select the “Pay now” option instead of “Pay at hotel”, then input your gift card code and PIN in order to apply the funds to your booking.