Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the more frequently asked questions with answers. If the answer you are looking for is not covered below, please click here to send an email to CustomerService@HotelsMadeSimple.com.
- When is my reservation confirmed?
- How do I cancel a reservation?
- How do I change a reservation?
- Need multiple rooms?
- Does the price displayed include taxes and fees?
- Why are the prices different for the same hotel depending on the supplier?
- Why do the prices change depending on when I do my search?
- When I clicked on a search result, the supplier website did not have the same price as Hotels Made Simple?
- Which suppliers does Hotels Made Simple search for me?
- I don't recognize some of your suppliers.
- What is your Security Policy?
- What is the Global Distribution System?
- Is Hotels Made Simple a travel agent?
- Are online bookings on through Hotels Made Simple reliable and secure?
- What is the cost of using Hotels Made Simple?
- Can I contact Hotels Made Simple by phone?
- What is the phone number of my supplier?
- What's your Privacy Policy?
- Browser requirements
- What does it mean when I get a Technical Error message?
- Weird stuff happening?
- How can I get my hotel on Hotels Made Simple or update the information on my hotel?
- How do I subscribe or unsubscribe to the Hotels Made Simple newsletter or email?
When is my reservation confirmed?
If you made a booking through a supplier site, you will have seen a screen telling you that you are leaving Hotels Made Simple and you will have completed the booking on the supplier site (for example, on Orbitz.com). This site is then responsible for managing your booking including any confirmations, changes or cancellations. Hotels Made Simple does not keep a record of these bookings and cannot trace them for you. If you have forgotten the name of the site you booked through and did not receive a confirmation email, try checking your credit card statements for a record of the booking. You can also click on "Your Recent Searches" on the Hotels Made Simple home page to repeat your previous searches.
If you made a booking through Hotels Made Simple, we'll send you a confirmation e-mail immediately after you complete your reservation. This e-mail will include your confirmation number, dates, room rate, and all other necessary details. You may also check your reservation online by clicking on "My Account" on the bottom of your screen, and logging in securely with your email address and password. You can also email your confirmation to the email address of your choice when checking your reservation. If you don't believe you received the email confirmation make sure to check your email filter settings and any mailboxes that hold filtered mail.
Back to topHow do I cancel a reservation?
If you made a booking through a supplier site, you will have seen a screen telling you that you are leaving Hotels Made Simple and you will have completed the booking on the supplier site (for example, on Orbitz.com). This site is then responsible for managing your booking including any confirmations, changes or cancellations. Hotels Made Simple does not keep a record of these bookings and cannot trace them for you. If you have forgotten the name of the site you booked through and did not receive a confirmation email, try checking your credit card statements for a record of the booking. You can also click on "Your Recent Searches" on the Hotels Made Simple home page to repeat your previous searches.
If you made a booking through Hotels Made Simple, then click on "My Account" on the bottom of your screen. Login to your account and click on "Pending Reservations". Then cancel the reservation of your choice. Please note that hotels have different cancellation policies, so please read them carefully before canceling. If you cannot cancel online please email CustomerService@HotelsMadeSimple.com.
Back to topHow do I change a reservation?
If you made a booking through a supplier site, you will have seen a screen telling you that you are leaving Hotels Made Simple and you will have completed the booking on the supplier site (for example, on Orbitz.com). This site is then responsible for managing your booking including any confirmations, changes or cancellations. Hotels Made Simple does not keep a record of these bookings and cannot trace them for you. If you have forgotten the name of the site you booked through and did not receive a confirmation email, try checking your credit card statements for a record of the booking. You can also click on "Your Recent Searches" on the Hotels Made Simple home page to repeat your previous searches.
If you made a booking through Hotels Made Simple, then in order to change a pending reservation, you must first make a new one and then cancel the old one. This process is required due to the way hotel reservations systems work. To make a new reservation in the same hotel, simply enter the hotel name on the Hotels Made Simple home page with the relevant check in and check out dates. To ensure you don't lose your reservation, make the new one first, then after receiving confirmation, click on the "Cancel/View Reservation" link and cancel the old reservation. If you have trouble finding availability, or the same rate, for your new dates, please contact CustomerService@HotelsMadeSimple.com.
Back to topNeed multiple rooms?
Unfortunately we are currently unable to offer the ability to book more than one room as part of the same search and booking process. However, you can easily and quickly repeat the search process to book additional rooms. Enter the hotel name in the search box on the Hotels Made Simple home page and enter the same check in and check out dates. Select the same or different room types to make the booking.
If you made a booking with Hotels Made Simple, when you complete the reservation for your first room, you will be able to click on either one of these two links, on the webpage with your confirmation number:
» Reserve another room just like this one, with the same information - with just 2 clicks!
» Reserve another room but change the room type, guest and/or billing information.
Your guest and billing profiles will have been saved, and make booking the next room(s) faster. This also enables you to enter a different guest name for each room whilst guaranteeing them all with the same credit card.
Back to topDoes the Price displayed include taxes and fees?
Our search results typically display the base room rate excluding taxes, but there may be slight variations depending on the policy of the hotel supplier. Click on "Book Now" to see the prices including taxes and fees.
Back to topWhy are the prices different for the same hotel depending on the supplier?
Different suppliers have different business models. Some are operating as merchants, who buy or block inventory at a discount in hotels and mark up the prices before selling onto the consumer. Some are operating as travel agents, who simply pass on the retail prices offered by the hotel. Some specialize in selling distress or last minute inventory. Some suppliers are the hotel sites themselves or their central reservation systems, some of which have special rates available only through their systems. The different business models also give rise to different fees and charges to the consumer. For example, merchants often charge the full cost of the booking to the consumer at the time of reservation and charge a penalty for changing the reservation. Since there is no way to reliably predict which supplier will have the best price for any particular hotel, our role is to search as many sources as possible and to make it as easy as possible for you to compare prices across different suppliers.
Back to topWhy do the prices change depending on when I do my search?
The demand for rooms in any one destination or hotel can vary considerably during the year based on many factors including seasonality, local events and economic growth. Given the variations in demand, the hotel industry practices a strategy of variable pricing in order to maximize the occupancy rates and revenues of its hotels throughout the year. By using historical data, hotels forecast demand for each period during the year and try to set prices which will generate the maximum revenue. The pricing of the same hotel room can vary by the minute depending on the hotels' forecast and actual bookings made. If you click on our "Cheapest Time To Go" links on the search results page, we will tell you the cheapest prices in hotels in the most popular destinations over the next three weeks. Our Simple Deals section will also give you information on special rates and promotions in many hotels.
Back to topWhen I clicked on a search result, the supplier website did not have the same price as Hotels Made Simple?
Unfortunately the prices of hotel rooms can change by the minute and it's possible that when you were transferred to a supplier site to make the booking, the price had already changed. Please send us an email at Feedback@HotelsMadeSimple.com to let us know if you experienced this problem. While we will not be able to change the prices, we will be able to make sure that there are no technical problems with our link to the supplier giving rise to the issue. You can also provide detailed feedback on the supplier site by clicking on feedback and completing the supplier feedback form.
Back to topWhich suppliers does Hotels Made Simple search for me?
We currently search over 80 different travel groups, including hotel websites, travel agents, the hotels' own central reservation system and other suppliers to the Global Distribution System (see also: What is the Global Distribution System?) to find hotel rooms for you. In total, these suppliers cover over 150,000 hotels worldwide. We are adding travel partners constantly and our ultimate goal is to be able to find rooms for you in any hotel in the world.
Back to topI don't recognize some of your suppliers.
Uniquely among the travel search engines, Hotels Made Simple doesn't just search other travel websites, we also search the hotel inventory available on the Global Distribution System (see also: What is the Global Distribution System?). This combination gives you the most comprehensive selection of rooms as well as prices. The hotel rooms made available on the GDS come from the hotels' central reservation systems directly as well as a number of hotel marketing groups such as Utell. There are over 80 different organizations providing hotel inventory to the GDS, and there may be names that you don't recognize amongst them. In order to make a reservation in rooms through these suppliers, Hotels Made Simple provides its own booking engine and is responsible for completing the reservation. You do not leave the Hotels Made Simple site when booking through the GDS and we provide customer service for your booking.
Back to topWhat is your Security Policy?
Your credit card security is our highest priority. When you make a booking through Hotels Made Simple, we take several steps to ensure that your payment information is processed confidentially and accurately. Hotels Made Simple servers use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL v3) encryption that works with Netscape Navigator (versions 2.0 and above), Microsoft Internet Explorer (version 3.0 and above), AOL (AOL 3.0 and above), Firefox and Safari (Mac OS). This encryption makes it impossible for unauthorized parties to read any information that you send us. We recommend that you do not divulge your password to anyone. If you share your computer or use one that is accessed by the public, remember to sign out of your account and close your browser window when you have finished your session. This will help ensure that others cannot access your personal information. Hotels Made Simple takes steps to ensure that your information is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us or from our online products or services, and you use these services at your own risk.
Back to topWhat is the Global Distribution System?
The Global Distribution System ("GDS") is a computerized reservation system traditionally used by travel agents to make reservations in hotels and airlines. The hotel and airline inventory is provided to the system by the hotels and airlines themselves as well as various travel consolidators and marketing organizations. The GDS manages inventory in approximately 80,000 hotels worldwide. When a reservation is made via the GDS, it is passed through to the hotel or airline directly. In order to offer you the most complete source of inventory and the best prices, Hotels Made Simple has developed unique software that allows you to search the GDS as well as other websites to find the hotel that matches your search criteria. If you would like more background information on the GDS, please read about GDS at Wikipedia.
Back to topIs Hotels Made Simple a travel agent?
In order to offer the greatest selection of hotels and the best prices, Hotels Made Simple searches as many sources of hotel inventory as possible. Uniquely, Hotels Made Simple searches both other websites and the Global Distribution System (see also: What is the Global Distribution System?). When you select a hotel rate that has been sourced through the GDS, Hotels Made Simple provides its own booking engine to complete that reservation and provides its own customer service to manage the booking. This is the only way to book rooms that are available only on the GDS. When booking through the GDS, Hotels Made Simple does act as a travel agent, managing the booking process and customer service itself.
Back to topAre online bookings on through Hotels Made Simple reliable and secure?
Absolutely. The reservations you make are just like talking to the hotel but better because you are in control. Your reservation is sent immediately to the hotel and into the hotel's reservation system, and the confirmation number you receive is proof that your reservation has been placed. We make every effort to keep all your personal information, including your credit card number, secure. We only allow your credit card number to be transmitted to us over the Internet if your browser supports Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption (almost all browsers support this technology). Before you send your card information to us, SSL encodes it so it is transmitted in a format that prevents eavesdropping or data theft.
Back to topWhat is the cost of using Hotels Made Simple?
There is no charge for using Hotels Made Simple! We sell advertising on the site, which you can see clearly marked in our advertising sections. We also receive a commission for rooms booked and consumed, whether the booking is made through a supplier site or through the us.
Back to topCan I contact Hotels Made Simple by phone?
We do not currently provide customer service by telephone. However, we have a rapid and secure customer service via email. If your question is not answered in our Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQ") section, please send us an email at CustomerService@HotelsMadeSimple.com.
Back to topWhat is the phone number of my supplier?
- Amerihost Inns 1-877-272-1791
- Best Western 1-800-780-7234
- Bookings.net (Netherlands) 011 31 20 712 5600
- Cambria Suites 1-877-424-6423
- Candlewood Suites 1-888-226-3539
- Choice Hotels 1-877-424-6423
- Clarion Hotels 1-877-424-6423
- Comfort Inn 1-877-424-6423
- Comfort Suites 1-877-424-6423
- Crowne Plaza 1-800-227-6963
- Days Inn Hotels 1-800-441-1618
- ebookers (UK) 011 44 207 810 6059
- Econolodge 1-877-424-6423
- HotelClub 1-212-843-9781
- Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express 1-800-465-4329
- Howard Johnson 1-800-544-9881
- Indigo 1-866-246-3446
- InterContinental Hotels 1-800-424-6835
- Knights Inn 1-800-598-2132
- Lodging.com 1-888-656-4546
- Mainstay Suites 1-877-424-6423
- Onetravel 1-866-567-3594
- Orbitz 1-888-656-4546
- Quality Hotels 1-877-424-6423
- Ramada Hotels 1-800-828-6644
- Rodeway Inn 1-877-424-6423
- Sleep Inn 1-877-424-6423
- Solmelia 1-888-956-3542
- Staybridge Suites 1-800-238-8000
- Suburban Extended Stay Hotels 1-877-424-6423
- Super 8 Motels 1-800-454-3509
- TravelDealsHere.com 1-866-270-2844
- Travelocity 1-888-872-8356
- Travelodge Hotels 1-800-835-2424
- Travelprice 1-877-616-0060
- Venere (Italy) 011 800 83 63 7300
- Wingate Inns 1-800-449-3716
- World Choice Travel 1-866-270-2849
- Wyndham Hotels 1-800-996-3426
- Zuji +61 3 8330 4347
What's your Privacy Policy?
Hotels Made Simple respects your privacy. We do not share, rent, sell, or otherwise use personal information you have given us to any third party without your permission, except when required by law, subpoena or other legal process or in order to protect the safety of the public. Any information you give us is held with the utmost care and security, and will not be used in ways to which you have not consented. Since this policy may change over time as we modify or expand our services, we suggest that you check from time to time in order to understand how we treat your personal information. Your use of this website and its services constitute your agreement to the terms of our privacy policy. If we decide to change those policies, we will post those changes on this page so that you are always aware of what personal information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances we disclose it. Your continued use of this website and its services constitute your agreement to any such changes. Hotels Made Simple will not collect any personal information about individuals except when specifically and knowingly provided by such individuals. Hotels Made Simple will use this information in order to customize and enhance the services it offers its customers. Examples of such information are: name, age, gender, business, home or postal address, e-mail address, phone numbers, and travel preferences. Hotels Made Simple may share non-personal aggregate, or summary, information regarding its customers with partners or other third parties, but Hotels Made Simple does not sell or share any information at the individual customer level.
Back to topBrowser requirements
We require Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.0 or higher, Firefox or Safari (Mac OS) to view and best operate this site. You must also have JavaScript and HTTP cookies enabled.
Back to topWhat does it mean when I get a Technical Error message?
This message means there was a technical error in the reservation process. This is usually caused by trying to bookmark a page in the process but can also occur if there is a disconnection to the hotel reservation information. This prevents any error in interpreting your reservation. Please try it again but if it persists let us know by e-mailing CustomerService@HotelsMadeSimple.com.
Back to topWeird stuff happening?
If you are experiencing difficulty viewing the site, this could be caused by a variety of technical issues related to your browser, ISP or the site. To help us determine the specific cause, we'll need more information from you. Please email us at CustomerService@HotelsMadeSimple.com.
Back to topHow can I get my hotel on Hotels Made Simple or update the information on my hotel?
If your hotel does not appear in the search results, please contact us by email at Hotels@HotelsMadeSimple.com. Please let us know in your email whether you are an independent hotel or part of a large hotel chain.
Back to topHow do I subscribe or unsubscribe to the Hotels Made Simple newsletter or email?
Go to the Newsletter section by clicking on the link at the top of the web page. In the newsletter section, click on subscribe or unsubscribe and follow the steps to complete the process.
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