Reading Time: 3 minIf you’re a frequent traveler, chances are you've used (or are at least aware of) AutoSlash. It’s a rental car comparison site that finds the lowest prices on rental cars, and does all the work for you. Just input your dates and where you’re renting, and you’ll be emailed the best deals.
I’ve used this service dozens of times with great success, so I was happy to learn that the people behind AutoSlash recently launched HotelSlash. The idea behind HotelSlash is the same, but it promises the cheapest room rates at hotels, even if you’ve already booked a room.
But unlike AutoSlash, HotelSlash isn’t a free service. So let’s look at how it works and whether it’s worth paying for. Plus, we’ll show you how Points Path members can get an extended free trial.
Those familiar with AutoSlash will feel right at home with HotelSlash. Sign up for an account and enter your desired location and dates on the home page. Then, it will email you a link to view your hotel results.
Sift through the results until you find a hotel you like and click on it to view more information. You can book various rates — either cheaper non-refundable rates or "pay later" rates — and you’ll earn SlashCash that you can use for future stays. This is typically earned at a rate of 1% of your stay.
I ran a couple of test searches and found that, many times, rates were cheaper than booking directly. For example, a non-refundable two-night stay at the Four Seasons New Orleans was $1,297.59 when booked directly through Four Seasons. Meanwhile, it was $1,190.78 through HotelSlash.
Likewise, when booking directly with Hyatt, this one-night advance purchase rate stay at the Hotel Lincoln in Chicago was $110.35. It was $94.42 with HotelSlash. (All rates are nonrefundable and include taxes and fees.)
But you won’t always save through HotelSlash. The cheapest non-refundable two-night stay at the Mercure London Paddington was $569.51 when booked directly through Accor. Meanwhile, the same stay cost $573.30 through HotelSlash.
But much like AutoSlash, HotelSlash has another very powerful feature. If you’ve already booked a hotel room elsewhere, you can forward your hotel confirmation email to save@hotelslash.com and they will search for a lower rate at the same property and room type. Even better, if you book directly with HotelSlash, they will automatically track your reservation for lower rates
So whether you should use HotelSlash depends on how much you value your elite benefits and earning points when compared to the savings you get through HotelSlash. For non-chain hotels where loyalty programs aren't a factor, using HotelSlash is essentially a no-brainer if their price beats what you can find elsewhere. But if you can save a significant amount of money over booking direct with chain hotels, it can still be worth forgoing those loyalty benefits.
The second downside is that HotelSlash normally costs $49.95 per year. But for a limited time, the company is offering an extended free trial for Points Path members like yourself, so you can give the service a thorough test run and maybe even book a stay to see if you like the experience.
Enter the promo code PPSTDTRIAL when you sign up for HotelSlash, and you'll get a 3-month free membership. You won't even have to enter a credit card when signing up, so you can quickly start searching and checking prices.
So give HotelSlash a try and see what you think. You could save a bunch of cash on your next hotel booking.
