Several blog readers became familiar with TopCashBack as a result of the Club Carlson promotions this summer, where the site was offering 10% cash back (thanks to FrequentMiler) on the total bill for all Radisson bookings. The offer for Radisson hotels is unfortunately back down to 5%, but did you know that TopCashBack has an extensive list of other hotel and travel partners, including some of the largest chains – Starwood, Marriott, and IHG? I had never really taken a detailed look at the other vendors but there are some real surprises from luxury to low-cost brands both domestically and abroad:
Cash Back Rates
Accor Hotels – 8%
IHG (Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn) – 6%
Hotels.com 5.5%
BookHotelRooms.com 6%
Starwood Hotels 3%
Choice Hotels 5%
Occidental Hotels 6%
Wyndham 3%
Preferred Hotel Group 3%
Riu Hotels 1%
Radisson 5%
Preferred Hotel Group 3%
Melia Hotels 7%
Expedia (2% Hotels & Car Rentals, 2.75% Vacations, $2.25 flights)
Priceline (3% on Hotels, Vacations, Cruises, and Car Rentals, $5 on flights)
Mercure / Ibis / Novotel – 8%
Sofitel – 8%
Best Western – 5%
Ramada – 3%
Marriott (2.1% Marriott & Renaissance, 3.5% Courtyard, 2.2% Residence Inn, 4.5% Fairfield Inn, 3.9% SpringHill Suites, 3% Autograph Collection, 2.3% TownePlace, 3% AC Hotels)
Baymont – 3%
Studio 6 – 4.5%
CheapOair.com – ($15 hotel, $25 vacation, $8 flights, $5 car)
Fairmont – 5%
Hojo – 3%
The best part about using TopCashBack is that you can still earn an online booking bonus and full points for stays! Since TopCashBack simply forwards you on to the hotel’s own website, the hotel essentially treats the booking the same as any other booked directly on their website. In my experience it normally takes about two-three weeks to see any cash back activity post to your account, though sometimes it can take longer. I just received a posting for 3% back on a Le Meridien stay in mid July. If you travel for business and can book your own hotel, this is a nice extra bonus on those long stays!
TopCashBack also allows you to earn $5 when you refer a friend, once that friend earns at least $10 cash back. The links in this post include my referral information but please feel free to sign up and post your own referral link in the comments section and we can start a referral conga-line.
UPDATE – Check the comments section for a 16% IHG cashback opportunity courtesy of dealswelike & Gee. Also, check the comments if you are more interested in receiving Ultimate Rewards points for your bookings courtesy of Grant.
I have found topcashback to be rather slow. I am still waiting on two intercontinental stays from June to credit. I emailed the company and was told I should wait 6 months until pursuing it……..
@emmyloustreet – wow, it’s been about two to three weeks for Radisson for me and three weeks for Starwood
I also find Ebates to be a great cashback site. I just started using Topcashback, so I really can’t comment. The discounts are in some cases higher than Ebates, but right now Ebates has IHG @ 13.5%, which is pretty darn good!
@Marlene – Thanks, definitely a better option than TCB at 13.5%. Gee mentioned that BeFrugal is offering 16% cashback!
Nice. I have $1500 in business hotels to book. $45 back is not bad!
BeFrugal.com is offering the best cash back amount on Priority Club/InterContinental hotels at 16%. http://boardingarea.com/blogs/dealswelike/2012/08/17/update-befrugal-now-offering-16-cash-back-at-priority-club-intercontinental-hotel-group/
Ultimate Rewards Mall also has some good hotel/travel redemption options: http://i48.tinypic.com/mv3i9t.png
I would rather use UR Mall than TCB
@Grant – Thanks, great addition love the UR Mall for extra UR points.
BeFrugal is offering IHG at 16% cashback!
@Gee – thanks, 16 percent is great!
DO NOT USE TOPCASHBACK!!!
it has been more then two month now,but my club carlson stay show “$0″ payable. They are keep telling me to wait more! do not waste your time on TOPCASHBACK!
@jason – thanks for the feedback. I guess it might be luck of the draw and I’ve been lucky. Haven’t had any pending for longer than 3 weeks.
A lot of folks at flyertalkhave had lots of issues with topcashback for Radisson stays, myself included. I’ve had to exchange half a dozen messages on multiple purchases to get my money.. There are still two pending cases. My other cases, amounts never showed up or showed up but disappeared a month later. I believe they are trying to make it right, but the system is buggy for certain merchants.
http://www.topcashback.com/ref/member8150180353
Top Cash Back is not a good site. Stick to Mr Rebates or Ebates.
I agree with Joe; TCB is just too inconsistent and slow. I am waiting for multiple payouts and many stays we’re never recorded. Not worth the time and countless messages to them to fix their own problems.
“it has been more then two month now,but my club carlson stay show “$0″ payable. They are keep telling me to wait more! do not waste your time on TOPCASHBACK!”
Same here Jason! Not only with club carlson but also with choice hotels, and with 2 kohls purchases.
On top of that, I asked for a pay 3 weeks ago and I haven´t received nothing yet.
Im goint to use ebates, or mrrebates or befrugal, I´d rather getting less % but getting paid.
I have tried various portals like UR mall and Topcashback. But most travel purchases never post. It’s really hard to follow up as latency is 8 weeks+. My Radisson stays from May still haven’t cleared Topcashback.
If it works it’s great but it almost never works automatically at least for me.
I find good percentages at TopCashBack, but generally can boost them (or any other site’s reward) by 10 percent at http://www.shopathome.com/?IAFCG=BnDR8IdOqMTRs4h8VAwbVw==. They have a 110% cash back guarantee, so 16% at BeFrugal becomes 17.6%. They’re fast and responsive.