Reservation Tips FAQ

Reservation Tips/FAQ

Reservation Tips/FAQ

 
Before going any further, want to check the answer to the question "what is a 5 star hotel"? Click Here.
 

Benefits of Reserving with Five Star Alliance

- We offer the best rates at 100% only luxury hotels, guaranteed.

- You may easily change or cancel your reservation based on the hotel and rate policy.

- We absolutely never charge any fees or penalties on our reservations.

- Our priorities are world-class service, and your complete satisfaction.

  •   How often does availability change?
  • Rates and availability changes minute-by-minute. We recommend that you reserve now for immediate confirmation. In most cases, you will be able to change or cancel your reservation without penalty, though some rates do require a deposit. Be sure to read the Rate Terms carefully.
  •    Are reservations confirmed immediately?
  • Yes. We only offer rates that are confirmed as available. Reservations are confirmed immediately with the hotel.
  •    Will I receive a confirmation email?
  • Yes. Immediately after making your reservation, you will be sent an email which will include your hotel confirmation number. If you do not receive your confirmation email, please check your Bulk/Spam folder.
  •    What is the hotel child policy?
  • Child policies vary by hotel. Many hotels are able to provide a rollaway bed or crib, though there may be an extra fee. Such fees will not be included in the quoted rate. Our advice is to first make your reservation. Our agents will then be able to more effectively assist you with details regarding your children.
  •    How many people may I have in my room?
  • Reservations made on our site are for the industry-standard double occupancy. Additional room occupants may require an addition charge, depending on the hotel.
  •    When will I need to pay for the reservation?
  • In most cases, you will only be charged for your reservation at check out. Certain rates at certain hotels require a deposit. Deposit details will be included in the Rate Terms. Many of our hotels will offer lower rates on a pre-paid, non-refundable basis as well. These rates are clearly marked with full terms and details.
  •    Why do I need to provide a credit card to make my reservation?
  • A credit card is required by the hotel to confirm your reservation. You will not be charged until check out, unless your rate requires a deposit or is pre-paid. Please read the Rate Terms carefully to determine if a deposit is required.
  •    What is the cancellation policy?
  • Cancellation policies vary by hotel, and will be outlined in the Rate Terms. Please read the terms carefully.
  •    How may I change my reservation after it's made?
  • It is easy to change your reservation after it is made. You may contact us if you need help, but frequently hotels will require the current reservation to be cancelled and a new one created. Many reservations may be changed or cancelled without additional fees, however each hotel sets their own policies. Please read the Rate Terms carefully when booking. Click here for more information on how to contact us.
  •    Are reservations secure?
  • Yes. Our most important priorities are your privacy, security and satisfaction. Our web site is secured with industry-leading encryption from Verisign. Rest assured that reservations made online are completely secure and safe.
  •    May I make my reservation by phone?
  • Certainly. Our agents are standing by to handle your reservation by phone or by email. You may reach us at 1-888-578-2711 (toll-free, domestic), or +1-703-836-0692 (international). Click here for more information on how to contact us.
  •    Am I eligible for all of the rates available on your site?
  • We offer lots of different room and rate types for guests to choose from. Because we want to offer you the best option for your stay, we give you the full list of available rooms and rates. Some of these rates are restricted - either to employees of the government with authorized IDs, or AAA members who must show their membership cards at check-in, as well as rates specific to different types of credit cards, or even employees of specific large companies. If restrictions apply to any of the rates we offer, that will be clearly spelled out in the description and terms prior to making your reservation. However, there will also always be rates available to the general public and bookable by anyone visiting our site. Please check details carefully, the information will be clearly available prior to booking. 
  •    How do I make a reservation for 2 or more rooms?
  • To make reservations at a hotel for two or more rooms, simply book one reservation at a time, adding any detail regarding the bookings to the "Special Requests" box of our booking form. As you complete a booking you will see a question asking if you wish to book another room and a link that will take you back to the same hotel detail to complete 1 or more additional bookings. Note: Please use a different guest name for each reservation. For more than five rooms per night, please see our special link to book "5+ rooms" in the availability box. 
  •    What's the difference between a 5 Star Hotel and 4 Star Hotel?
  • We are an independent source and do not publish 'official' ratings for hotels around the world.(*) Our goal is to present all of the luxury hotels that we feel match our client's expectations. Below are some criteria we follow to help define our two separate collections:

    The Five Star Hotel & Resort Collection
    "Five Star" hotels are our primary focus, as you can probably tell. We think that less than 1% of properties worldwide fit within our Five Star hotel collection and our goal is to present them all.(*) These range from hotels that are considered icons and destinations unto themselves to smaller intimate retreats.

    These hotels have:
    - Standards of service and comfort that aim to meet or exceed expectations at all times.
    - Amenities that are robust, varied and personalized.
    - Achieved any number of accolades from the travel trade, including high marks from from AAA, Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast and many others on a consistent basis.
    - Maintained a high degree of satisfaction from guests across varied review sites and through Five Star Alliance client feedback.

    The Four Star Hotel & Resort Collection
    There are literally tens of thousands of properties worldwide that can be considered "Four Star." We've handpicked just a few of our favorites to feature to you, as a complement to our core Five-Star Collection. We've picked properties based on location, amenities, value and design or other special features we think you'll like. They range from large business-centric hotels to small boutiques.

    These hotels have:
    - High standards of service and comfort.
    - Amenities that are suitable for the size and location of the hotel.
    - Met deluxe (4 star or higher) criteria through travel trade outlets and have received rankings that put them in the upper tier of Four Star hotels.
    - Room rates that are lower on average than Five Star properties, although suites or top room rates may exceed those of some Five Star properties.
    - Maintained a high degree of satisfaction from guests across varied review sites and through Five Star Alliance client feedback.

    *Note: Hotels are included in our collection based solely on their merits, they cannot buy their way onto Five Star Alliance. Some hotels are excluded from our collections only because they do not presently offer an online booking platform that allows us to send them reservations. Our collections are constantly being updated and we stay busy keeping up, so please contact us with your feedback and suggestions and enjoy the experience that is luxury travel!
  •   I am booking for a special occasion or have special needs or requests for my stay. How do I make sure these are passed to the hotel?
  • When you make a reservation, you will see a "Special Requests" box on our booking form. Feel free to enter specific information here that you would like to pass along. Our Client Service Representatives will automatically follow up with the hotels (and with you as needed) to confirm that these requests are noted in the hotel's system. It's important to remember that these are requests only, however the hotels and resorts will do all possible to confirm these for you. Additionally, you may contact our team prior to booking to assist with selecting the right room(s) or rate plan that meets your needs.
 
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