The Genius program by Booking.com gives you 10 to 20% extra discount on prices that other customers won’t get. If you reach Booking Genius Level 2, you will also qualify for complimentary breakfast and free room upgrades at selected locations. Read more and find out how the Genius reward system works below.
We can exist thanks to compensation from advertising including affiliate links. Learn more ›
About Booking.com
Booking has been around for a long time. It was established in 1996 and is today offering more than 28 million listings located all over the world.
The properties on offer range from small, family-run bed and breakfasts to grand luxury resorts. In other words you have an extremely wide selection of options to choose from when using Booking.
The Booking Genius Levels
The Genius reward program is offered to the most frequent bookers, and the rewards are better the more frequent of a booker you are. It contains of three different Booking Genius Levels.
Booking Genius Level 1 members receive 10% discount off the best available rates at hotels that take part in the program. This is the basic level that new members can unlock instantly.
If you reach Genius Level 2 you will receive 15% off, complimentary breakfast and free room upgrades at selected properties. To be upgraded to Genius Level 2, you need to complete 5 stays within two years.
If you accomplish Genius Level 3 you will receive 20% off, complimentary breakfast and free upgrades at participating properties as well as priority support. To reach Genius Level 3, you need to complete 15 stays within two years.
So you will have to use Booking for a certain amount of stays within a two year window to be upgraded from the basic Genius Level 1. Simply reach 5 stays to unlock Genius Level 2 and 15 stays to be upgraded to the highest level, Booking Genius Level 3.
The Booking.com Genius Levels aren’t more complicated than that.
But pay attention to that it’s stays and not nights that you need to collect to be upgraded. Also notice that any type of stay will count. So you don’t have to book your stays with a particular hotel category to be upgraded to the next Genius Level.
Is there a Booking Genius Level 4 or even Genius Level 5 or 6?
Genius Level 3 is currently the highest level. Maybe more levels will be added to the existing three in the future. But as of now Booking Genius Level 3 is the highest level in the reward system.
The Booking Genius hotels
For a property to make offers within the Booking Genius program it needs an average guest review score of at least 7.5 out of 10. That is to ensure that your Genius stays get as comfortable as possible.
However, you maybe have noticed that some hotels are Genius hotels but have lower guest score than 7.5. That is because exceptions are made from this rule if the average review score in an area is lower than 7.5 on average but the hotel in question is above average.
In other words all Genius hotels are options that perform well. Either they have 7.5 or higher in guest score, or they have a better score than the average hotel.
Best price guarantee on Booking
If you find your reservation on another website with a lower rate, then contact Booking right away and they will match the price as long as a few requirements are fulfilled.
You don’t need to be a part of the Genius program to get the price match. It’s available from the first time you use Booking.
Booking Genius Rewards review
So are the Genius rewards by Booking a great option for you or not?
Right from signing up the Genius program gives you 10% discounts. That’s a good start.
It takes five stays to unlock Genius Level 2. From that point you will receive 15% extra discount on your bookings.
If you shoot for the stars, you can bump that up to 20% off instead as you reach Booking Level 3. That’s just really, really great.
And the free breakfast and free room upgrades at selected locations for Genius Level 2 and Genius Level 3 members make this reward system even better.
It’s also positive that the reward system is so easy to understand. The number of stays you collect get you upgraded. So you avoid the hassle of converting your stays to points, which many other loyalty systems require.
Overall the Genius program is a great reward system. Especially to get 20% off but also to get free breakfast and room upgrades at various locations really makes a big difference.
Signup instructions
- Go to Booking.com and make sure to sign up or log in if you already are a member.
- Choose your stay and make your reservation while being logged in to your account.
- Collect stays and get upgraded to the Booking Genius Levels.
- Enjoy 10%-20% off, complimentary breakfast, free room upgrades and priority support.
Booking Genius Program FAQ
Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about the Genius Program.
So far there are three Genius Levels. These are Genius Level 1, Genius Level 2 and Genius Level 3. This means that the highest Genius Level is Genius Level 3. There’s no Booking Genius Level 4 or higher.
The discount you get is 10% in Genius Level 1, 15% in Genius Level 2 and finally 20% in Genius Level 3. On top of that you from Booking Genius Level 2 can receive free breakfast and room upgrades.
Yes, if you reach Genius Level 2 you have access to free breakfast and free room upgrades at selected locations.
Within two years you need to collect 5 stays for Genius Level 2 and 15 stays for Genius Level 3. Pay attention to that it’s the amount of stays and not nights that you need to collect to be upgraded.
Currently Booking Genius Level 3 is the highest level. If you have reached the third Genius Level, you’re in the top bracket. But stay posted as another Genius Level could very well be added by Booking.com in the future.
