Your ultimate guide to Club 1 Hotels — featuring a complimentary Gold Rewards subscription exclusively for TPG readers

At TPG, where we cover travel daily, we're frequently asked about the best site for saving on hotel bookings. The reality is, there isn't a single 'best' website. The ideal choice varies based on your circumstances: Do you have Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts benefits? Are elite status perks important? How far ahead are you planning? Is it a last-minute trip? What destination are you targeting? Which credit cards do you possess? Are you considering points or free night certificates?

In summary, there’s no one-size-fits-all hotel booking site, but several platforms can help you quickly identify the best rates.

One resource we’ve relied on for hotel bookings over the years is Club 1 Hotels. This site provides access to wholesale prices at over 1.5 million hotels worldwide, often offering discounts of up to 60% off published rates. Additionally, they have a loyalty points program and a special offer for TPG readers to enjoy a complimentary one-year Gold Rewards subscription when they sign up through this link.

Let’s delve into Club 1 Hotels and explore how this platform can enhance your travel plans in the post-pandemic landscape.

How Club 1 Hotels provides hotel discounts

Club 1 Hotels stands out as a premier travel provider, boasting the largest selection of exclusive wholesale hotel rates and direct contracts unavailable to the public. This unique position enables them to offer deeper discounts compared to other online travel agencies in certain scenarios.

While you’ll need to explore the site for yourself to find the best deals, we’ve occasionally discovered that Club 1 Hotels has the lowest prices for some Hyatt all-inclusive resorts, including the highly recommended Hyatt Ziva Cancun as noted by TPG’s Summer Hull.

In a quick search on Club 1 Hotels, we found a fantastic rate for the Ritz-Carlton, Cancun. For dates in July, the price for an ocean view room with two beds was $236.23 per night through Club 1 Hotels, compared to the Ritz-Carlton's member rate of $490 per night for the same accommodations. That’s quite a substantial savings if you're simply after a great deal without the perks of Marriott status or the chance to earn Bonvoy points.

What is the cost of a subscription?

Club 1 Hotels has recently eliminated its previous paid membership requirement, making it easy for anyone to register and enjoy savings while still earning ClubONE loyalty points. However, if you want to boost your points and access additional features like concierge service and airport lounge access, consider the following membership upgrade options:

• $149 per year Annual Concierge Service Subscription: This includes a dedicated concierge service, and users can select either 5% back in ClubONE points on each hotel booking or a Best Rate Guarantee for every booking throughout the year.
• $149 per year Gold Loyalty Subscription: Users will earn 5 ClubONE points for every $1 USD spent on hotels, resorts, and car rentals — TPG readers can sign up for a complimentary one-year Gold membership at this link.
• $199 per year Platinum Loyalty Subscription: Users will receive 10 ClubONE points for every $1 USD spent on hotels, resorts, and car rentals.
• $79 per year Airport Lounge Subscription upgrade: This upgrade provides access to over 1,200 lounges across 500 cities in 140 countries, plus a $30 credit for large luggage shipping worldwide through LuggageFree.

Keep in mind that we currently have a special offer for TPG Readers allowing for a complimentary Gold-level subscription upon new account registration. Existing members can use this link to claim the complimentary upgrade.

If you choose not to opt for a paid subscription, you'll still earn 2 ClubONE loyalty points for every $1 USD spent, which can be redeemed for future bookings on the site.

For Disney enthusiasts, Club 1 Hotels offers access to Disney World Resorts — and sometimes, prices through Club 1 Hotels can be lower than booking directly with Disney. While we haven't personally reserved a Disney Resort through Club 1 Hotels, it’s worth exploring if you can save a bit on your next Disney getaway. Additionally, Club 1 Hotels provides discounts on Disney theme park tickets, attractions, and more.

Be aware that booking fees apply when using Club 1 Hotels, so ensure you’re comparing the total costs at checkout across different sites.

Seek out luxury resorts, home rentals, and rental cars that don’t rely on points

If you’re keen on a hotel or resort that isn’t part of a points program, Club 1 Hotels may be your pathway to savings. You can discover properties from prestigious brands like Aman, Four Seasons, Belmond, Mandarin Oriental, Six Senses, Shangri-La, and more.

Club 1 also boasts a collection of over 175,000 serviced apartments, homes, villas, and other accommodations in some of the world’s most sought-after locations. Depending on your travel needs, this could be an excellent alternative to typical vacation rental platforms.

If you're in need of a rental car, you can choose from options with Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National, Sixt, and more.

When to consider skipping Club 1 Hotels

There are definitely instances where it may not be beneficial to use Club 1 Hotels. For instance, if you aim to earn elite status credits or take advantage of existing hotel elite benefits, it's better to book directly with the hotel chain in those situations.

There may be times when Club 1 Hotels doesn’t offer the hotel you desire, or the price could be higher than booking directly (although they do provide a Best Rate Guarantee — which we'll discuss shortly).

That said, it’s always wise to explore booking options for your travel dates to determine if Club 1 Hotels aligns with your needs.

Club 1 Hotels Best Rate Guarantee

While no platform can consistently guarantee the lowest rates, Club 1 Hotels does feature a Best Rate Guarantee. If you find a lower price for the same hotel and room type (both refundable and non-refundable) up to one day before your arrival, Club 1 Hotels will beat that rate with the following discounts:

• $10 off per night at 3-star hotels, up to $20 total
• $15 off per night at 4-star hotels, up to $45 total
• $20 off per night at 5-star hotels, up to $60 total or up to $100 on bookings of $900 or more

To submit a Best Rate Guarantee claim, email [email protected], and they promise to confirm your booking on the same day.

Lastly, it's important to highlight that the Club 1 Hotels website has significantly improved compared to a few years ago. They've clearly made substantial enhancements and added new features to boost the user experience.

Final thoughts

When it comes to securing the best travel deals, having a variety of tools at your disposal is essential. One such tool is maintaining a list of websites to consult when booking a hotel with cash, and in our opinion, Club 1 Hotels deserves a spot on that list (here are some other tools). While they aren't a one-size-fits-all solution, the free one-year Gold Rewards subscription certainly makes them worth considering.

Summer Hull contributed to this article.