DALLAS, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotels.com® is helping vacationers unlock the secret to summer vacation success with its top five summer travel tips and another key necessity for the upcoming season – cold hard cash! With the roll-out of the Summer Sale from Hotels.com this week, travelers can look forward to checking-in and cashing out all summer long.

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When booking with the Hotels.com Summer Sale, hotel-goers can receive $25, $50 or $100 cash back in the form of a prepaid cash card. Recipients can spend their reward on a number of options, from gas for a road trip to a future wanderlust excursion. Wherever vacationers are headed, as long as they follow the below summer travel tips, they'll be set to enjoy a fun trip:

1. Gain Fuel Power. To make your dollar go further, get gas in the morning when it is cooler and denser. Once you hit the road, avoid braking hard or accelerating unnecessarily, as gas is wasted each time you accelerate, especially when braking a few seconds later. Also, gas mileage decreases rapidly at higher speeds. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drivers can assume that for every five mph driven over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.31 per gallon for gas.
2. Grab the Right Shades. Having the right pair of shades on vacation enhances your vision and safety and protects your eyes from the harmful UV radiation, wind and debris. This summer, if you're planning an adventure by land, such as a hike, climb, or bike excursion, be sure to wear a pair of sunglasses with resilient, lightweight frames that feature rubberized grip points on the nose bridge and temples to keep glasses in place. More lens curvature will maximize side protection against sun, wind and impact. For water activities, opt for a pair with polarized lenses to block blinding glare and boost colors to make your view of the world more vibrant.
3. Find What's Important to You. The Hotels.com Amenities Survey found that Wi-Fi is the top priority among travelers, followed by free breakfast. Vacationers can easily find the perfect place with their preferred amenities by using the unique filters on the Hotels.com mobile booking app and site. The app helps users target hotel properties by amenities, type, proximity and even theme, all while serving up the best deals available.
4. Ask For What You Want. Don't hesitate to ask the front desk personnel upon check-in if there's an upgrade available. Many hotels are glad to move guests into a "better" room. It builds customer loyalty and it helps them to sell that more affordable standard room to someone else. Also make it a point to befriend the concierge, who is your best ticket to what's hot in the town you're visiting. The concierge often has discounts to local restaurants, shows, clubs and events. They can get restaurant reservations when no one else can. And, they want to help you, so let them!
5. Reward Yourself. A 2012 Harris Interactive survey commissioned by American Express found that 19 percent of summer travelers plan to use loyalty program points and miles for 2012 summer travel. This percentage is low, considering it's so easy to earn perks. This summer, sign up for the Hotels.com Welcome Rewards™ program. It's simple and easy, and FREE to join. When you stay 10 nights, you earn a free night stay at more than 65,000 hotels worldwide.

All these tips and more can be found at www.TravelSmartBlog.com. The Summer Sale runs until August 31 and is applicable to any travel between May 21 and September 30, 2012. Prepaid cash cards available for bookings on participating properties only. Minimum stay and spend required.

Press contacts:
Ashley Aberbach – Finn Partners for Hotels.com
Phone: (212) 715-1524
Email : Ashley@finnpartners.com

Taylor L. Cole, APR
Hotels.com North America
Phone: (469) 335-8442
Email: taycole@hotels.com

About Hotels.com®
Hotels.com is a leading online accommodation booking website with more than 150,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, negotiating the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. There are more than 6.5 million Guest Reviews on the site from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through its industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards™, customers can earn a free night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 65,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will refund the difference. Travelers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centers. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/ enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. Hotels.com publishes an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, which is now produced in 31 individual country editions, with North American data available at www.hotel-price-index.com. Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hotelsdotcom, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcom and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/hotelsdotcom. Hotels.com is part of Expedia Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world's best-known brands.

Hotels.com, Welcome Rewards, Finding You The Perfect Place and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2012 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50

SOURCE Hotels.com