| Update: HoteLux will be temporarily suspending its 2 free trial bookings for users, effective 2359 on 26 January 2021. All existing bookings made by this deadline will remain intact. Even if you’re not 100% sure of your dates, you can make a speculative booking first, and cancel it up to 24 hours before check-in. |
If you don’t hold elite status, are you forever consigned to be a second class citizen at hotels?
It can certainly seem that way, when you see others getting room upgrades, free breakfast, late check-out and other perks. But did you know there’s a way to secure all those benefits, without needing to rack up tons of nights?
Enter HoteLux, a startup that’s just launched its luxury hotel booking app. This allows you to make instant bookings with various luxury programs like Hyatt Prive, Shangri-La Luxury Circle, Virtuoso and more.
These bookings enjoy the following benefits:
- Daily breakfast
- Up to US$100 hotel dining or spa credit per stay
- Complimentary room upgrade (subject to availability)
- Early check-in & late check-out (subject to availability)
- Flexible cancellation policy (pay upon check-in)
- Welcome amenities
In other words, you receive all the perks of elite membership, without actually needing to have it. There’s also third/fourth night free offers and bonus hotel credits depending on the property.
What are luxury programs?
To encourage customers to book direct, hotels offer additional benefits plus credits of up to US$100 for bookings made through luxury programs such as:
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These price the same as the hotel’s Best Available Rate, and are fully refundable (you only pay at check-in). Best of all, they earn hotel points and elite night credits too, and are eligible for the quarterly bonus points promos that chains usually run.
The catch: these rates can only be booked through luxury agents. Luxury agents aren’t hard to find, but they’re a hassle to book with. Virtually all of them work via phone or email only, so you’ll need to send them your dates, wait for a reply, and do a few rounds of back and forth while you finalise the rates. You’ll also need to send your card details over email, and changes and cancellations depend on how fast they reply to you.
The inability to make instant bookings, changes or cancellations is unthinkable in 2021, but that’s exactly what HoteLux is offering through its app.
For a limited time, HoteLux is offering all users two free bookings. After that, users can make unlimited bookings by paying S$99 for an annual subscription, or by referring 10 friends.
Here’s some great offers I spotted on HoteLux.
Shangri-La Singapore Valley Wing from S$330 nett
| Update: Shangri-La will no longer upgrade people from the Garden Wing to Valley Wing, so this method won’t work any more. Any existing confirmed upgrades to Valley Wing will be honored. |
One of the best deals I’ve found is at the Shangri-La Singapore. For the month of January, I can book a Luxury Circle rate for Garden Wing Deluxe Pool View room from just S$280++ (S$330 nett).
This includes:
- Room upgrade, confirmed at the point of booking*
- Daily breakfast for two
- Early check-in (subject to availability)
- Late check-out (subject to availability)
- A US$100 dining credit (when I stayed on a Luxury Circle rate last week, this was converted to S$139)
*The room upgrade is technically confirmed about 24-72 hours after your booking is made, but well in advance of check-in
It gets better. Since the Tower Wing is temporarily closed to accommodate SHN guests, a one category upgrade from a Garden Wing Deluxe Pool View room takes you straight to the Valley Wing.
This comes with all of the following benefits:
- Breakfast in The Summit Room
- Afternoon tea at The Valley Wing Lobby Lounge
- Evening canapes and cocktails at The Champagne Bar
- All-day champagne at The Champagne Bar
Once you account for the dining credit, you’re paying just S$191 for all of the above privileges- almost too good to be true. It does work though, and I’ve already booked and completed two stays this way.
Remember- you must book the Garden Wing Deluxe Pool View. It’s one category up from the Garden Wing Deluxe City View.
Keep in mind that this is a limited time opportunity. Eventually the Tower Wing will reopen, after which Garden Wing Pool View Rooms will be upgraded to Tower Wing Horizon Deluxe Rooms instead.
Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore from S$530 nett
Hotelux has a Virtuoso rate for the Ritz Carlton’s lead-in Kallang Deluxe Room at just S$450++ (S$530 nett).
This includes:
- Room upgrade, upon arrival (subject to availability)
- Breakfast for 2
- Early check-in(subject to availability)
- Late check-out (subject to availability)
- US$100 dining/spa credit
For the sake of comparison, this package is even better than the DBS one, which I already thought was excellent value at S$588 nett with breakfast and a S$100 F&B credit. Even the flexibility policy is better: Virtuoso rates are refundable up to 24 hours before check-in; the DBS deal has a 96 hour deadline.
Conrad Centennial Singapore from S$306 nett
Hotelux offers an Impresario rate at the Conrad Centennial for a Deluxe King room, at S$260++ (S$306 nett).
This includes:
- Room upgrade, upon arrival (subject to availability)
- Breakfast for 2
- Early check-in(subject to availability)
- Late check-out (subject to availability)
- US$100 dining/spa credit
- Double Hilton points
Remember, Impresario rates are not just eligible for Hilton elite benefits and points, they also earn double Hilton points. Plus, you can stack this with whatever ongoing promotion Hilton has, such as their Points Unlimited offer. This means your S$306 nett stay would earn:
- 1,960 base points (based on 10 points per US$1)
- 1,960 bonus points for booking an Impresario rate
- 2,000 bonus points from Hilton Points Unlimited (registration required)
This doesn’t even take into account the 20/80/100% points bonuses for Silver/Gold/Diamond members.
For comparison, Conrad’s Lavish Retreat package costs S$350 nett, with breakfast and S$80 F&B credits. The Impresario rate is significantly more worth it once you account for the US$100 credit.
JW Marriott South Beach Singapore from S$328 nett
Hotelux’s Luminous rate at the JW Marriott Singapore costs S$279++ (S$328 nett).
This includes:
- Breakfast for 2
- Early check-in(subject to availability)
- Late check-out (subject to availability)
- US$100 dining/spa credit
The cheapest rate I can find on the JW Marriott’s official website is S$339 nett for just the room, so it’s a no-brainer to book this one instead.
HoteLux is also offering a Stay 3 Pay 2 rate, which means you could even stay 3 nights for just S$657 nett in total. Stack that with Marriott’s upcoming double elite nights promotion, and you could be looking at a fast track to elite status…
W Sentosa Cove Singapore from S$411 nett
The W Sentosa Cove is available through Hotelux at S$349++ ($411 nett).
This includes:
- Room upgrade upon arrival (subject to availability)
- Breakfast for 2
- Early check-in(subject to availability)
- Late check-out (subject to availability)
- US$100 dining/spa credit
For comparison, the cheapest rate for a Wonderful Room on the W Sentosa’s official website starts from S$380 nett, which includes just the room.
HotelLux is offering an additional US$100 of dining/spa credit when you stay a minimum of two nights, so you could receive up to US$200 in total.
Other HoteLux Offers
In addition to the offers above, there’s a few others worth exploring:
- St Regis Singapore: Stay a minimum of 3 nights and get an additional US$200 F&B/spa credit (i.e US$300 total)
- Raffles Hotel, Four Seasons Singapore, InterContinental Singapore: Book 2 nights, get the 3rd night free
- JW Marriott Singapore: Book a suite for min. 2 nights and get an additional US$100 F&B/spa credit (i.e US$200 total)
Conclusion
HoteLux is a convenient way of making DIY luxury program bookings, and the rates themselves can be even better than the hotel’s own staycation packages. Obviously the appeal of a 3rd/4th night free is limited now, but imagine using this when travel resumes again (in a place like Bangkok, where luxury hotel rates are notoriously affordable).
Remember: HoteLux does not take any payment from you. Your credit card details are only used to secure the reservation, and you’ll make payment at the hotel. You can also cancel your reservation instantly via the app any time before the cancellation deadline.
So be sure to download the HoteLux app now and play around with it. Let me know what other deals you find!
How is that different from classictravel.com which also allows you to get these benefits online (and no fee to book)?
all luxury agents will charge the same rates and offer the same promos. you’re paying for service + convenience. there’s nothing wrong with classic travel, but i find it’s easier to search with hotelux’s interface (classic travel is desktop only). whether or not that’s worth the $99 fee is a personal matter, although you anyway get 2x free bookings (plus they have their own points + elite system).
Conrad Bangkok next week: S$107 nett with US$100 dining credit and breakfast.
Should have taken that relocation offer last year 😉
I booked Deluxe Suite at JW Marriott South Beach for 2 nights. Supposed to get USD100 hotel credit + USD100 extra credit for staying 2 nights + upgrade to next suite category. But the email confirmation received immediately after booking didn’t contain such details. From your booking experience, is HoteLux supposed to “adjust details at the backend” and send a revised confirmation after, if so how long does it take to arrive?
A follow up to my situation. I never received any backend adjusted details.
Basically I decided to try HoteLux after reading this blog, but have regretted it since, as I’ve had immense problems with the booking process. Honestly unsure why you endorse on your otherwise respectable blog an app so half-baked, badly tested and with bad customer service without having done adequate prior due diligence.
Kinda reminds me of another MilesLife.
The rate shown in-app before I submitted my booking for JWM South Beach was lower than the rate eventually displayed in my email confirmation. When I contacted HoteLux customer service via chat to seek clarification, they had no clue why that was the case.
They asked me to wait while they investigated… which I did. Several minutes later their chat suddenly said “we haven’t heard from you for a while, so will proceed to terminate this chat!” Fortunately I was able to rejuvenate the chat just before being unceremoniously booted out.
The rate discrepancy remains a mystery, HoteLux apparently would investigate further and get back to me by email.
I also asked why the email confirmation didn’t show guaranteed upgrade to Premier Suite, one up from Deluxe Suite that I originally booked – the response I got was a rather senseless matter-of-fact statement that “our email confirmation doesn’t show that”. Actually what the email confirmation did say (in small print at the bottom) was “all upgrades are subject to availability” – total opposite of what the in-app display showed. Surely these details must be reflected correctly in the confirmation, else it’ll become he-said-she-said dispute at checkin.
Then customer service came back to say “not all hotels and all rooms have guaranteed upgrade” which actually went against the actual benefits displayed for JWM South Beach in their app, which included a statement that guaranteed upgrade is applicable to various room categories that goes all the way to Deluxe Suite and Premier Suite. Already I’m having a tussle with HoteLux who kept denying that the upgrade is guaranteed, even before I set foot in the hotel!
I also asked why the email confirmation didn’t show the USD 200 hotel credit as the benefit for booking a suite for 2 consecutive nights – the chat response was “we’re unable to modify confidential information”. Curiously, how then would the hotel know that they’re supposed to honor the USD 200 credit during the stay? What exactly is so “confidential” about this credit, when such information is publicly displayed in-app before booking, so why can’t it appear in the booking confirmation as well to allay any doubt at checkin?
All in all, a highly frustrating booking experience – strongly suggest that people refrain from using HoteLux until they address these fundamental booking related issues.
i’m not quite sure how the fact you encountered an issue translates into the entire app being “half baked, badly tested, and recommended without due diligence.”
i personally used it to book a garden wing stay at shang a few weeks ago as part of my own testing. it upgraded to VW with no drama at all.
my guess is there are technical limitations with the GDS that cause things not to be displayed properly for JW Marriott. it’s being worked on. more important is whether you actually receive the benefits when you show up. it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind though, so I’m not going to try and change that.
I’d just like to point out to anyone else reading this that I’ve field tested the app myself, and the bookings are legit.
I stand by what I previously said about the HoteLux app and customer service:
– Information shown in-app doesn’t gel with what you see in the email booking confirmation received. Understand that Shangri-La bookings you’d receive an amended booking confirmation that said “Garden Wing Deluxe with upgrade to Valley Wing Deluxe”. For JWM South Beach, no such follow-on confirmation was sent, even though my booking was supposed to have guaranteed upgrade from Deluxe Suite to Premier Suite according to the app. Even after alerting HoteLux (by the way their only way of contact is via chat), their customer service themselves denied there was guaranteed upgrade even though it was displayed in-app. They instead insisted that upgrade is only “subject to availability” based on their fine print at the bottom of the original email communication, and their final statement was “sorry for confusing” (sic)
– The iOS app certainly is buggy. The text occasionally flipped to Chinese for no apparent reason. Which is why I said it’s reminiscent of MilesLife… and we all knew what eventually happened to that!
To be honest, I haven’t “made up my mind” at the time of my original comments. But two days later, having not heard back from HoteLux regarding the rate discrepancy between my search result and the email confirmation I received, where there was no mention of the USD200 credit, and their denial of guaranteed upgrade that contradicted their app – all of which can result in dispute at checkin that’s potentially stressful to deal with – I’ve cancelled my booking just to save myself further hassle.
Hey cheesecake,
While I feel that the consternation and irritation is understandable, reasonable, and to some extent valid, I do not think that is fair to direct part of it towards Aaron.
Unfortunately consistency of experience is something that is not standard across most industries, not just the service/leisure/travel industry, and that has to be addressed, and I agree and empathise with most of the points that you have raised.
I am sure Aaron is also disappointed that you did not have the same lovely experience as he did, but I think it is also important to try to be charitable when things like this occur.
The very best of luck in your future service experiences!
the funniest thing is you can spend hours in focus groups, working with the app developer to test their UX, customer service, trying the product yourself to make sure it’s good enough for your audience etc.
but if it launches and there’s even one negative experience, some people go OMG YOU DIDNT BOTHER DOING ANY DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE PROMOTING IT
source: also a blogger
fully agreed! YMMV
Perhaps you can consider cancelling the reservation before the deadline. I was also tempted after reading from mile lion but when i saw that the total download on google play store was only 100+. I had second thoughts on this.
Do provide a stay review if you are proceeding. Stay safe and good luck.
My point is since the booking is fully refundable and you will only need to pay at check-in. why don’t you cancel booking instead?
will bookings made through hotellux accrue elite night credits?
Yes, as the booking is direct with the hotel.
booked garden wing pool view room and got UG to valley wing, just like you said. awesome price of just over $300.
thanks!
Can I assume this doesn’t work with the SGdiscovers vouchers?
yes. it doesn’t. SRV vouchers only can be used on the authorised booking partners. Been discussed many times.
https://milelion.com/2020/11/23/full-details-how-to-redeem-singaporediscovers-vouchers-child-subsidies-and-other-faqs/
Does anyone happen to know if booking thru travelux means i get to double stack on bonvoy plat benefits? Eg: do i get an extra bfast for 2 pax/ lounge access, etc?
Yes it stacks with any elite status that you have with the hotel chain. It’s written in the article.
Maybe they have changed the valley wing entitlement. Because after several attempt, Hotelux finally confirm that room is upgraded to valley wing but no lounge access. So a bit no point to upgrade and not like the benefits above mentioned
What a joke! OMG.
just checked with hotelux- they say that isn’t the case, shangri-la luxury circle upgrades to valley wing still enjoy valley wing benefits. can you reach out to yihao@hotelux.sg to clarify what happened? i’m sure he can sort it out
Hey Aaron, you have edited that the garden room with pool view does not upgrade to valley wing anymore. So will the comp upgrade not apply if I were to make a booking then?
They raised their annual subscription from 99$ to 149$ instead of 299$.
Even though it looks like a good UX platform (unlike marketing which keeps changing in a very short time), its too expensive.
I’ll be happy if anyone can refer a local agent if that’s ok with you Aaron. I can’t find all deals on classictravel.
Classic travel *should* have all the same deals though… which one in particular?
Marriott 3 for 2 paid nights. I compared the next week. Hotelux app offering this deal and classic dont
Solved, found it. Thanks 🙂
Hello Aaron – thanks for this article and introducing Hotelux. Interesting how many website are out there which offer this great benefits. Do you know privateupgrades.com? I am using them since a couple of years now and they have all this benefits and also great promotions. Wanted to compare with Hotelux but as Privateupgrades is free I am not gonna pay for a membership to try it out.