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Wayfarer Points is a new hotel booking site that promises deeply discounted bookings – they describe up to 50% (for their free membership) and up to 70% (for their $69 paid premium membership).
They key here is ‘up to’ and Wayfarer Points is going to be one for the tool box, not a site that delivers great savings every single time. However there are definitely some good deals e.g. searching about four weeks out:
- Sofitel Chicago Mag Mile at 47% savings; $210.15 on Sofitel’s website vs. $111.69 on Wayfarer Points
- Warwick Allerton Chicago at 51% savings; $138.28 on Hotels.com vs. $67.22 on Wayfarer Points
- Raffles Dubai (club room) at 52% savings; $498.64 on Booking.com vs. $237.36 on Wayfarer Points
- Millennium Plaza Hotel Dubai at 38% savings; $186.78 on Hotels.com vs. $118.27 on Wayfarer Points
- Le Meridien Abu Dhabi at 59% savings; $189.43 on Hotels.com vs. $78.02 on Wayfarer Points
One of the executives behind the site I know from back in the day when he worked on Hyatt Gold Passport, and later ran Hyatt’s gift card program.
The idea that booking hotels direct gets you the best price is just wrong. Of course booking through third parties may not earn points, receive elite credit, or program benefits – so the savings needs to justify that loss.
Hotels want to earn the most money they can which sometimes means giving discounts to some guests that they hope aren’t available to other guests willing to pay more. So you may find lower rates through brick and morter travel agencies focused on specific ethnic markets, or through online travel sites geared outside a hotel’s home country.
There are restrictions in place to try to prevent those rates from ‘leaking’ availability to the general public. However many sites do access wholesale rates, and are in control of how much commission they take versus lower prices to the customer.
One method of offering these is through a membership site like Wayfarer Points that hotel chains aren’t going to be willing to match their own rates against via a Best Rate Guarantee.
The site shows prices inclusive of taxes (nice, but not inclusive of resort fees). They also suggest they integrate with Award Wallet to let members compare their points with other members and create their own user groups (a bit ironic since bookings through the site may not actually earn points). They’re planning contests with prizes for rankings. The business is also focused on the B2B market, with ambitions to white label its product with other travel providers.
You’re not going to sign up for a $69 paid membership sight unseen though you can make that back on a single stay where the site offers savings. They can offer better rates to paid members because of distribution restrictions place by chains, but that’s always the challenge – getting consumers to sign up without first seeing a demonstration of value from the site.
Instead give the two week free trial offer they’ve given me a go and check out their rates compared to what you’d book anyway, and if they’re low enough to justify likely giving up points on your next stay give them a try.
What’s your cut
I just took this for a ‘free’ ride. You have 30 minutes to look before they throw you off??
I looked an Atlanta property, and they were priced higher than the hotel website where I already booked. Works out to no discount. Also, limited hotels to choose from.
When I looked at LAX for December 7, very few properties were offered?? I used the filters on the left side of their web page. I clicked wi-fi. All they offered was 18 properties in LA? Looks like they have some work to do. Now if only I get my e mail info deleted, I’d be a happy camper.
Warning, this is a Chinese owned company.
What a crock. Prices are higher than booking directly or OTA. Thanks for wasting my time Gary and on a Chinese-owned site. Just another of the endless parade of Gary flogging credit cards for his cut.
How is this different than that Club 1 Hotels thing
It had occasional advantages, but usually just logging into priceline with your username would yield better
Similar model to club1hotels. You can get some savings, but very rarely, and the savings are very small, nowhere near advertised % off. Most of the time their prices are the same as direct or OTA, or higher.
who cares if its Chinese or Japanese or Lebanese? Does the guy who previously worked at Hyatt sell us out for info? if not, as long as I save $ its good as American.
“booking through third parties MAY not earn points, receive elite credit, or program benefits” – tell me which hotel gives you any of those?
Dear VFTW readers, thank you for your feedback. Please allow me to confirm: Wayfarer Points is NOT a Chinese company; it is American owned (I am the founder). As a long time product developer for other products for large companies based in Hong Kong, yes, our company is based in Hong Kong. We have team members based in Chicago, Toronto, Hong Kong + 1 digital nomad; i personally split my time between Chicago and Hong Kong.
There are many exceptional deals to be found on our site. Last week I stayed at a well known property in Hollywood, FL; 4 night stay approx $653 inclusive, whereas the hotel website and all leading on line sites had price the identical booking for $878. $255 savings on a 4 night stay.
We have been developing the product for over five years and stand by what we are now, finally delivering to the market.
I personally do not know Mr. Leff, though have had the occasion to introduce myself briefly at travel/loyalty industry event a few weeks ago. I greatly appreciate that Mr. Leff and one of my teammates have known each other for many years; this teammate is a digital nomad who, like me and many others, personally uses our product and saves a lot of $ vs normal OTAs at direct hotels.
Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions or would like further details: Jeffh@wayfarerpoints.com
We greatly appreciate your feedback and concern, and welcome any and all constructive feedback to help us to continually improve the savings we are working hard to avail to us all.
Best regards,
Jeff Hoffman
I am the founder of Wayfarer Points. There are some questionable claims about the results our product delivers in some of the early comments.
Results will vary based on search parameters; while we won’t always save travelers money on hotel stays, we frequently will, and the savings can and will be significant.
I paid $653 for a 4 night stay in FL last week; the hotel and online sites had the same room for $878.
Based on our analysis (we are seasoned product developers), our inventory is significantly broader than Club1; our free memberships offer great savings, our paid premium membership even better savings.
Most sites present prices WITHOUT taxes and fees included; whereas we do – to ascertain potential savings, please compare price at check out from the other sites to the price that we present.
First search that I did was 22% higher on WP vs. going direct to Choice hotels. Not an auspicious start.
Re: the last rate. WP was 8% higher when taxes and fees were included, to compare like with like.
@Jeff Hoffman : dhammer53 says that this is a Chinese-owned company. To set the record straight, and since “Hoffman” is not a common Chinese name, who exactly owns Wayfarer Points?
Thanks.
A company owned by an American and based in Hong Kong?
That sounds like a Chinese company to me, not that there is anything wrong with that.
Supposedly the company was formed in Hong Kong which an American can do. Why you would do so is another question since everything I’ve read, it doesn’t appear to provide any advantages but does cause additional hopes to jump through.
I’m not even sure if it is relevant, even though I’m not a fan of the Chinese government.
Dear VFTW readers, to further address the questions and claims above:
In addition to being the founder, I am the more than majority and significant owner of Wayfarer Points Limited and single largest financial investor, supported by friends and family who have helped to support the development of Wayfarer Points. Wayfarer Points Limited is a Hong Kong based company; a matter of public record.
I am USA born, raised, and am a USA passport holder and citizen; I hold a permanent resident card in Hong Kong. I have spent most of my adult (working) life in Hong Kong, and was living there full time when the company was established, which is why it was set up there.
We are not claiming savings on every search; we are claiming and standing by the claim that significant savings can be and will be found using Wayfarer Points.
We all get to choose where we spend our money when shopping; like many, we comparison shop too. Wayfarer Points frequently offers us (and us all) the opportunity to save money when booking hotels (and sometimes flights and other travel categories too). Hotels are our sweet spot.
@dhammer53 We regret that you have not found the experience on our site satisfactory, we have deleted your record from our system as requested. We welcome you back with open arms if you have a change of mind.
Thank you for your continued feedback; hopefully the above satisfies any questions you have asked. As requested above, please feel free to write me directly at jeffh@wayfarerpoints.com if you would like to have a 1:1 conversation.
Gary, do you have a list of travel agencies that focus on “ethnic” markets that you would recommend to contact about potential discounts on hotels? I would be interested in experimenting with using these agencies.
I use Club1Hotels often, their guaranteed savings program is great. I have saved hundreds of dollars over the past two months. They have really improved their site, and the service is excellent.
It took a while, but I finally found a hotel that will save me $1.40/night all in. Every night I spend, after the 49th each year, is pure profit!
For the hotels I checked this was a waste of time. Considerably more expensive than available elsewhere.
I signed up for the trial and put down my credit card. The interface is terrible and I didn’t really see any deals for the properties I was searching for. Of course when I went to try and cancel my account and the trial, there wasn’t any option on the menu. I wouldn’t recommend this site.
Hey Raj, Jeff Hoffman here from Wayfarer Points. Please email us at info@wayfarerpoints or directly to me jeffh@wayfarerpoints.com with your email address that you used in registration and we will cancel your membership as requested.
Our bad; we have been receiving feedback and comments directly from most, regretfully not all channels, and see that we need to fix the communication from the contact button on the email feedback.
Thank you for sharing with us!
Thank you for your continuous feedback. We are listening, and strive to continuously improve.
The savings available on Wayfarer Points are genuine, and easy to find once you download and search.