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Travelocity announces the launch of Top Secret Hotels
The roaming Gnome has found a new way to book hotels: Travelocity announced it will offer unpublished - or 'opaque' - hotel deals as part of their hotel offerings. The Top Secret Hotels tab above the general hotel listings will show users unpublished rates at participating hotels, if available. As of now, these opaque hotels include major U.S. cities, and popular cities in Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Mississauga), Mexico (Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Riveria Maya, San Jose Cabo), the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Jamaica) and South America (Buenos Aires, San Jose, Sao Paolo).
Unlike Priceline and Hotwire, where users bid on a specific hotel, Travelocity's opaque hotels are a set price but in some cases up to 45% off the regularly published hotel room rate. Choose the opaque option and you'll be able to filter based on the hotel's star rating and general location, and hotel amenities and user ratings, but you won't know the name of the hotel until you book.
Of the big four OTA's - Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and Priceline - Travelocity is the first to offer one search that pulls up general hotel results and opaque results in the same window. Why the change? It's a new way to put the power of purchase in the consumers hands. I took the new site for a spin and here's what I found:
My search included 3- to 5-star hotels in Boston for this weekend, March 27-28, between $50 and $200 night.
On the next pages I can confirm the room, location and rate, and after putting in a credit card and securing the transaction, you'll find out the name of the hotel.
As a comparison, I used the same specifications on Priceline and was returned one hotel that matched my needs for $189/night. Travelocity wouldn't divulge the hotels they're working with, but Lesley Harris, Vice President of Hotels at Travelocity, told me:
"Travelocity is responding to the needs of our customers, as well as our hotel partners. In today's economy customers are searching for deals and hotels are looking for a way to drive bookings – Top Secret Hotels is able to accomplish both. We also know that a number of people who currently shop on our site end up going elsewhere simply to buy an opaque product, we now can save customers the hassle of going between sites by providing every type of shopper with what they need all in one place."
The Travelocity star ratings are based on research from the Travelocity team which may include on-site inspections, post-trip customer feedback, and quality of amenities and staff, in accordance with industry standards. Travelocity sent me a copy of their rating system descriptions and it's pretty standard:
5-star: Luxury properties that exhibit an exceptionally high degree of service and hospitality.
4-star: Superior properties with a high level of service and hospitality, as well as a wide variety of amenities and upscale facilities.
3-star: A high level of service with additional amenities, features, and facilities.
2-star: These properties meet a traveler's basic needs for comfort and convenience while offering moderate aesthetic enhancements in the property grounds, room decor, and quality of furnishings.
1-star:These properties meet a budget-traveler's basic needs for comfort and convenience. They tend to be located near major attractions or thoroughfares and provide clean guest rooms.
Overall, an interesting concept from Travelocity. As someone who books hotels frequently, it's nice to have the option to choose from the exact hotel property, or just press your luck with the hotel price without having to bid. Just remember: Top Secret Hotel reservations are non-changeable, non-refundable and non-transferable. Your credit card will be charged in full at the time of booking. If you're headed to a new city or destination, I highly recommend you book with a hotel you know, or a brand you're comfortable with. For those frequent visitors to a repeat destination, it's worth pressing your luck for a discounted rate.
As a comparison, I used the same specifications on Priceline and was returned one hotel that matched my needs for $189/night. Travelocity wouldn't divulge the hotels they're working with, but Lesley Harris, Vice President of Hotels at Travelocity, told me:
"Travelocity is responding to the needs of our customers, as well as our hotel partners. In today's economy customers are searching for deals and hotels are looking for a way to drive bookings – Top Secret Hotels is able to accomplish both. We also know that a number of people who currently shop on our site end up going elsewhere simply to buy an opaque product, we now can save customers the hassle of going between sites by providing every type of shopper with what they need all in one place."
The Travelocity star ratings are based on research from the Travelocity team which may include on-site inspections, post-trip customer feedback, and quality of amenities and staff, in accordance with industry standards. Travelocity sent me a copy of their rating system descriptions and it's pretty standard:
5-star: Luxury properties that exhibit an exceptionally high degree of service and hospitality.
4-star: Superior properties with a high level of service and hospitality, as well as a wide variety of amenities and upscale facilities.
3-star: A high level of service with additional amenities, features, and facilities.
2-star: These properties meet a traveler's basic needs for comfort and convenience while offering moderate aesthetic enhancements in the property grounds, room decor, and quality of furnishings.
1-star:These properties meet a budget-traveler's basic needs for comfort and convenience. They tend to be located near major attractions or thoroughfares and provide clean guest rooms.
Overall, an interesting concept from Travelocity. As someone who books hotels frequently, it's nice to have the option to choose from the exact hotel property, or just press your luck with the hotel price without having to bid. Just remember: Top Secret Hotel reservations are non-changeable, non-refundable and non-transferable. Your credit card will be charged in full at the time of booking. If you're headed to a new city or destination, I highly recommend you book with a hotel you know, or a brand you're comfortable with. For those frequent visitors to a repeat destination, it's worth pressing your luck for a discounted rate.
Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations, Internet Tools
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sniper Bob Mar 24th 2010 2:18PM
45% off the published rate is equal to 100% OR MORE of the normal "walk in off the street rate" which is 40% OR more of the Priceline possible rates. May as well just go to the hotels own website if you feel like being a fool and paying top dollar.
Tom Flowers Mar 24th 2010 2:37PM
My wife and I have had Travelocity gift cards for 2 years. We cannot get any motel/hotel to take them. Travelocity is no help. Their on line people are very hard to understand and their English is pitiful at best.
Travelocity please help.
Unhappy Customer Mar 25th 2010 9:34PM
I booked a "top secret" hotel via Travelocity for a 2-night end-of March stay for an event I will be attending at another hotel within the same city. The rating shown was 3.5 out of 5; however, only after booking it could I view actual customer reviews, which 20 out of 45 would NOT recommend staying at this facility (and definitely would have changed my mind about booking it). The rate shown was $21 less per night (pre-tax) than what the event hotel offered; however, only after booking did I see I would also be charged $10/night "Resort Service Fee" by the hotel itself. Had I realized that, I would have stayed at the event hotel. Also, the hotels are 12.5 miles apart & it will take 20 minutes to commute between the two. I will NEVER use Travelocity again, nor would I recommend it to anyone else.
Melanie Nayer Mar 24th 2010 5:52PM
Unhappy Customer - do you mind sharing what parameters you used to book the hotel, the hotel where the event is, and the hotel Travelocity has you staying? Also, you would have been charged the $10 resort fee at any hotel (it's pretty standard now).
jimbo Mar 24th 2010 5:47PM
This is BS. Try it. You'll see.
Donna Mar 24th 2010 6:29PM
Melanie - I am not naming the hotels but will say that they are located in Central Florida; I stayed at the event hotel in February and they did not charge the $10 resort fee.
jp Mar 24th 2010 6:43PM
As a hotel owner for many years, please understand the Star rating by Online travel companies (Travelocity, expedia, etc). The stars only describe the ammenities at the hotel and NOT the QUALITY. If the hotel has a restuarant and the hotel is a dump then it will have a 3 star rating or more.
Be smart and look at guest reviews ( suggest tripadvisor.com)
Safe Travels
Donna Mar 24th 2010 6:55PM
JP - Thank you for clarifying the star rating. I will use tripadvisor.com to read the customer reviews prior to making any future hotel reservations.
Tim Mar 24th 2010 10:22PM
I just had to put my son up in a hotel for 10 days. I used Priceline and he stayed at a Raddison Hotel for $35 a night plus tax and fees, about $48. I will continue to use Priceline.
robert clay Mar 24th 2010 11:01PM
The service offered by Travelocity is the same as Hotwire or Pricline's Name Your Price option. I have used both and are usually happy with the hotel offered. I only will opt for hotel with 3.5 stars or higher otherwise you can get stuck with a lower quality hotel. The article is misleading when it implies that this service is the "first" to offer the hidden hotel offer.
Jeff162534 Mar 24th 2010 11:34PM
They need to check their sources. I use hotwire often....at least a few times a month, and you don't "bid" on a room. You search by location and star rating, just like described in Travelocity's "new" program. Prices are set, and usually cheaper than what I can call and get a room for.
kel Mar 25th 2010 12:58AM
Use the services of your LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT. Most times it does not cost you anymore, and may even save you money! If you don't use the services of a qualified travel agent, then you are traveling ALONE!
Joyce Mar 31st 2010 9:25AM
I just booked a top secret hotel - What a horrible experience. I thought it was a bit cheap for a 3 star. The reason was the every other place has it rated as a 2 star hotel with the exception of Priceline which rates it as 1 star. The price is only $10 less than the others. 141st out of 162 hotels on trip advisor, horrible ratings..... Now after being on hold for 55 minutes, I got through to a supervisor only to be put on hold again. They said they couldn't cancel my reservation, but now say they might. I might need to go through Visa and see what they can do - They can't just arbitrarily rate hotels and book them for a minor discount. I have had success with every Priceline hotel. Do NOT use this service.
Ronan Apr 9th 2010 12:47PM
I booked it and i got the Park Hotel in Ireland and must say I was pleasantly surprised.
ANN May 25th 2010 4:06PM
Do not use Top Secret. I got a hotel that was over 3 hours away from my original destination. Travelocity won't refund my money either. So now I'm out money too. THIS IS BOGUS. I will never use Travelocity again. PASS IT ON.