Expedia/Hotels.com Partnership Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Expedia?
Expedia, Inc. is one of the world's leading travel services companies. With its
portfolio of leading travel brands, Expedia, Inc. empowers business and leisure
travelers with the tools and information they need to easily research, plan, book and
experience travel. The company also provides wholesale travel to offline retail travel
agents.
Expedia/Hotels.com Guest Services Contact Information
For guests only:
(800) EXPEDIA (397-3342)
Who is Hotels.com?
Hotels.com is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering reservation services
through its own websites (including http://www.hotels.com and others), its
interactive affiliate network (http://www.IAN.com ), and its toll-free contact centers
(800-2-HOTELS). Hotels.com gives travelers one of the widest selections of lodging
accommodations from traditional hotels to vacation rentals at more than 25,000
properties worldwide. The company offers a one-stop shopping source for hotel
pricing, amenities and availability and also specializes in providing travelers with
accommodations during sold-out periods. Hotels.com is an operating company of
Expedia, Inc.
What are the benefits of Choice's net rate partnership with
Expedia/Hotels.com?
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Reduced Costs - No reservation transaction costs, No commissions, and No
frequency or airline points for net rate reservations booked through the
partnership.
Competitive Sell Placement - Participating hotels receive competitive sell
placement on Expedia/Hotels.com.
Full Automation - Flexible rate and inventory management through Choice's
Rates & Inventory application. Reservation delivery through Choice CRS.
Flexible Discount - The Expedia/Hotels.com net rate discount starts at a
minimum of 20% off rack and can be adjusted based on market conditions.
Should I participate in the Expedia/Hotels.com e-wholesale partnership?
If your hotel is located in a small, unsaturated market you should evaluate your
current placement on Expedia and Hotels.com. Conduct a search for your location on
each site. If your hotel is within the first two pages of the search results, you may
not need to participate in the program at this time.
If you are in a larger, more saturated market and have lower sell positioning,
participating in the program gives your hotel greater advantage. All hotels should
review their sell position regularly and opt-in or opt-out accordingly. If you need
assistance at any time, please contact eCommerce (details below).
Work through your brand (preferred) OR submit the Expedia/hotels.com Net Rate
Participation Request Form. Once the rate is loaded you will receive a training
bulletin detailing how to build and manage the correct brand rate plan.
How does the LEXP rate plan work?
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LEXP is a net (non-commissionable) rate and is loaded as a percent off,
starting at a minimum of 20% off rack.
LEXP is controlled through an inventory box called "NET". The inventory for
LEXP can not be controlled by minimum rate.
LEXP has a 24-hour cancellation policy.
LEXP has no reservation transaction costs, no commissions and no frequency
or airline points.
Participating hotels receive competitive sell placement on
Expedia/Hotels.com.
How do I manage LEXP?
LEXP is managed through ChoiceCentral using the Rates and Inventory application.
Here is some helpful information for managing the LEXP rate plan:
Room Types: Review the room types assigned to LEXP. Hotels can change these
room types by contacting Data & Channel Management at ehelp@choicehotels.com
or toll-free (866) 953-4570 (choose option 1).
Discount: LEXP is set up with a 20% minimum discount. Hotels can change the
discount through ChoiceCentral at any time.
Inventory: LEXP inventory is loaded in inventory box "NET". Review the inventory
assigned to LEXP and make any adjustments through ChoiceCentral. Be sure to
check for blackout dates, future sell-out dates, special events, etc.
Front Desk: Instruct front desk staff on folio set up and payment processing for
LEXP. Important LEXP billing instructions are available on ChoiceCentral.
Maintenance: Regularly review your hotel information for accuracy and competitive
placement on Expedia and Hotels.com.
How do I identify reservations booked through Expedia/Hotels.com?
Reservations for Expedia/Hotels.com will be booked through the LEXP rate plan with
the following IATA numbers:
Expedia - 00212440
Hotels.com - 00212620
What is the payment process for LEXP?
Hotels participating in the LEXP net rate plan invoice Expedia for room and tax.
Expedia will pay each invoice by check within 30 days after Expedia accounting
receives a hotel's invoice. Important LEXP billing instructions are available on
ChoiceCentral.
Why isn't Expedia/Hotels.com managed through the LNET rate plan?
Expedia does not currently support a single-use credit card payment option. Hotels
must bill Expedia for payment. To avoid confusion, LNET will be used exclusively by
Choice third-party partners that have a single-use credit card payment model. Once
Expedia implements a single-use credit card payment model they will be transitioned
to LNET.
Is LEXP yieldable?
No, LEXP is not yieldable. Inventory for LEXP is controlled through the inventory box
"NET".
How is my hotel sold on Expedia/Hotels.com if I choose not to participate in
the new agreement?
Hotels that do not wish to participate in the Expedia/Hotels.com net rate partnership
are listed on Expedia/Hotels.com at retail rates (RACK, S3A, SSC). Please note that
these hotels receive lower placement on the sites, and will pay 10% commission and
incur a GDS transaction fee for Expedia/Hotels.com reservations.
How is Choice transitioning hotels to the new Expedia/Hotels.com
partnership and LEXP?
Since the launch of the direct connection between Expedia/Hotels.com and the
Choice CRS, Choice has been transitioning hotels that previously had individual
agreements with Expedia/Hotels.com and managed rates through an extranet.
Hotels interested in selling net rates on Expedia/hotels.com must complete and
submit the Expedia/Hotels.com Net Rate Participation Request Form.
My Expedia market manager keeps me informed of promotional and
merchandising opportunities. Will he or she continue to do that?
The Expedia market managers will continue to provide hotels with reports and
information on promotional opportunities.
Is my rate required to be 20% off my rack rates?
Hotels are required to have a minimum discount of 20%. Hotels are able to increase
their discount based on market conditions.