If you've had any experience using AutoSlash for getting the lowest price on car rentals, then you know how great it is. But how does it compare to their newest offering, HotelSlash?
Does it live up to the hype? Without a single review of the service in hand 😱 we decided to risk it on a recent Miami trip. Our experience booking with HotelSlash ended up being uneventfully and blissfully seamless-which is how we like it when we're on the road.
For the last few years, AutoSlash, which monitors car rental rates so travelers can rebook at a lower price, has been working on a similar concept for hotels. HotelSlash, unlike AutoSlash though, is a membership service compared to its free counterpart.
(That said: AutoSlash customers are eligible for a free one-year membership with HotelSlash by entering the promo code FREEYEAR or by clicking here.)
Booking through HotelSlash
Recently, we had an upcoming conference in Miami, and it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to see HotelSlash might fare.
In general, we usually default to HotelTonight and Booking.com to see who might have the best deals, and go from there. Though it was immediately apparent we wouldn't be staying at the Ritz Carlton, we knew we wanted to be somewhere close to the action.
The main criteria for our hotel was it needed to be centrally located, affordable, and comfortable. Preliminary searches showed that a decent hotel rack rate was averaging about $100 a night plus taxes give or plus some.
To its credit, HotelSlash ended up suggesting the Tru by Hilton Miami West Brickell, which wasn't previously an option we were considering because of the price (we were getting quoted about $20-40 through other booking sites).
Though it was quoted at $117 !plus taxes and fees! through Booking.com, even the hotel direct rack rack-where it is often cheaper-was higher than HotelSlash's rates.
Here's a quick breakdown of how hotel direct, promotional, and HotelSlash rates fare for the Tru by Hilton Miami West Brickell daily and over the course of three nights.
| Booking Portal | Daily | Total |
| Hotel Direct | $129.95 | $389.85 |
| HHonors Rate | $120.92 | $362.76 |
| HotelSlash | $100.88 | $302.64 |
[Prices stated above are inclusive of tax.]
In total, we ended up saving $87.21 by booking through HotelSlash, and initially, it was slightly above the desired budget. It also didn't appea on HotelTonight so hadn't crossed our radar.
The other two hotels we were initially considering were Life House Little Havana and citizenM Miami Brickell (we needed something near Key Biscayne, Fl.), which we scouted through HotelTonight.
Both hotels were around $300 direct and through a third-party for three nights as well.
The deciding factor with Tru by Hilton Miami West Brickell was the free breakfast, even if Le Labo amenities was an attractive draw at the boutique hotel we were considering.
The hotel check-in process was seamless
Because we had never used HotelSlash before, we were skeptical about putting a $300 nonrefundable purchase on a never-tested service. Still, because we have had stellar experiences with AutoSlash, we bit the bullet.
This belies the fact we did indeed call the hotel directly to confirm a reservation had been made (which it had). Upon corroboration, we mailed two packages we needed directly to the hotel.
The only issue we encountered was that even though our reservation highlighted some fees, it did not state the deposit requirements.
HotelSlash also doesn't allow travelers to input their loyalty number directly on the reservation, though we did not have an issue adding it with the front desk. It's not guaranteed, though, as stated in this FlyerTalk thread:
Officially, no, but anecdotally, both AutoSlash/HotelSlash employees and early customers have reported good success rates when providing their loyalty numbers at check-in and having the points credited for the stay. It just cannot be guaranteed.
HotelSlash also tracks hotel rates if they drop.
If travelers book a refundable hotel price, HotelSlash is also able to track it if the price drops. All users have to do is send their hotel confirmation to save@hotelslash.com.
Though we had an upcoming trip to Las Vegas, NV, it wasn't able to register our reservation made at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, which was disappointing.
In some ways, the product is still being developed (and our guess, it is more on the identifying technology side than the supplier booking side).
Though HotelSlash wasn't exceptionally cheaper than other services and booking methods we frequently use, HotelSlash is a worthy contender when it comes to looking for suitable accommodation and giving us a broader mix of options.
We were very happy with the hotel, though!
