The complete guide to the Booking.com Genius loyalty program

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I look to maximize every hotel stay with both the benefits I receive on-property and the hotel points I earn for my booking. Typically, that means booking directly with a large hotel chain on its website to ensure I earn elite status-qualifying nights, enjoy elite-status benefits and earn points. For those reasons, I haven’t delved much into the Booking.com loyalty program called Genius.

That said, it does exist. While it might not be as rewarding as some of the other third-party booking sites, such as Hotels.com Rewards, it is an option. Here’s everything you need to know about the program.

Booking.com Genius basics

Booking.com is an online accommodation booking platform with more than 28 million total accommodation listings. The site is available in 43 languages and has almost 200 support offices in 70 countries. It’s not a hotel chain, and nor does it have its own properties. Instead, it just lists hotel properties that you can book, similar to Skyscanner or Google Flights for flights.

It also owns Priceline, Kayak, Agoda, RentalCars and OpenTable.

You won’t receive your normal hotel program points or elite status nights when you book through a third party, so why choose Booking.com rather than booking directly through the hotel?

If you complete any two stays booked through Booking.com within two years, you will earn Genius Level 1 for life. While this is a very low threshold to meet, and lifetime membership sounds awesome, the only benefit of Genius Level 1 is a 10% discount on select properties that are part of the Genius program. Booking.com promises that these properties that have joined the Genius program have a rating of at least 7.5/10, so you can expect a quality property.

Where you see a Genius logo next to a property, you can claim the discount. I logged in to my Genius account to check how many select properties were included that 10% discount. On a sample search for properties in Westminster, London, only 14 of the 36 available included the Genius discount. I also performed the same search without logging into my Genius account and the prices for those 14 Genius properties were around 10% higher when not logged in, so this is a genuine discount where available.

If you complete five stays within two years you will move up to Genius Level 2, where you will receive:

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• 10%-15% discount at select properties
• Free breakfast at select properties
• Free room upgrade at select properties

Though I don’t use Booking.com much, my account says I’m Genius Level 2. I logged in to my account to perform a search to see just how many properties included these listed benefits. Using the Westminster, London search, of the 14 out of 36 with Genius benefits:

• All 14 properties offered at least a 10% discount
• Only two out of 14 offered the higher 15% discount
• None offered free breakfast
• Only 1 out of the 14 offered a free room upgrade

While only a small sample size, I would expect a 10% discount on some of the properties with Genius Level 2 with the very occasional room upgrade, 15% discount or free breakfast, though this will be rare and unexpected. I would not consider these to be regular benefits you can rely on receiving.

There are only two levels of “status” with Genius: Genius Level 1 and Genius Level 2. Even if you use the program much more than five stays within two years, your benefits will be capped to the above at the Genius Level 2 tier.

When to use Booking.com

If you’re going to stay regularly at large hotel chains like Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Radisson, then I believe it’s still best to book directly with those properties and earn hotel elite status, benefits and points. It’s best to use Booking.com when looking at remote destinations, if you want to book a boutique hotel or a unique property or you know you have a one-off stay at a chain you’ll never (or almost never) utilize again. Also, if you’re a “free agent” with no loyalty to any one particular hotel chain or program and will never stay enough to earn elite benefits with an individual hotel loyalty program, Booking.com can be a good way to receive some benefits (like that 10% discount) at lots of different, unaffiliated properties.

Remember, if you’re looking to book a luxury property, it could be best to utilize a Virtuoso agent or Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts and compare the benefits you’ll receive over any savings toward a future stay with Booking.com.

Bottom line

If you book enough of the big-box chain hotels to carry elite status and earn hotel points, Booking.com may not make sense for you. Remember that for bookings made with online travel agencies like Booking.com, in most cases, you won’t earn hotel points or elite credit, and the properties don’t have to honor your existing elite status (though some do anyway). I also find upgrades to be less generous and room assignment poor when booking through online travel agencies compared to booking direct.

I do like the very low thresholds to reach the two different Genius levels, though note that unlike with the Hotels.com Rewards program where you can receive your 10% discount on virtually all properties (via its 11th-night-free deal), the discounts as a Genius are only on a limited number of properties. Genius Level 2 additional benefits like room upgrades and free breakfasts are a bit misleading, as not every property actually offers them, so this should be looked at as an occasional perk.

Logging in to the Booking.com Extranet

The Extranet is an administrative dashboard that helps you manage your property. Learn how to access your account with our step-by-step guide for first-time log-ins, password recovery, and logging in from new devices.

In this article

Logging in to the Extranet for the first time

To log in to the Extranet for the first time, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Extranet sign-in page
2. Enter your username and click Next
3. Enter your password and click Log in

Your log-in credentials are the same as the ones you entered when creating your account during the sign-up process. The log-in process is the same for all Extranet account types.

Note: If you were invited to manage a property using the Extranet and didn’t create the account yourself, you’ll need to log in using the email address and password you use to log in to your own Extranet.

Two-factor authentication (2FA)

For security reasons, logging in to the Extranet requires 2FA. 2FA is a security method that requires you to use two forms of identification to log in to the Extranet and access confidential data. You first need to enter your user credentials, then provide a PIN that you can generate via the Pulse app or receive via text. To further ensure your security, you may be prompted with multiple authentication requests depending on the actions you want to take on the Extranet.

To be able to receive your 2FA PIN and access the Extranet account at all times:

• Have the Pulse app installed on your phone to receive your second piece of authenticating info immediately and securely. To get your verification code, log in to the app and go to the More page. You have limited time to enter your PIN on the Extranet.
• Make sure your phone number is always up to date. Learn how to update your contact info or add an additional phone number in this article. We recommend adding a backup 2FA phone number in case the first number isn’t accessible or is out of reach.

Note: To protect yourself and your guests from malicious or fraudulent activity, you may be prompted to log in using 2FA multiple times within 24 hours.

Once you’ve successfully logged in, you’ll reach your Extranet homepage or your group homepage. On the Extranet you’ll be able to:

• Access your property information such as your property ID and view your property ad on our platform.
• Update your availability and room types, add photos, and request text changes to your property page.
• Discover opportunities designed to boost your performance like setting up deals and offering discounts to travelers.

If you’ve worked with us before or have previously started but not completed a registration using a specific email address, we’ll send your log-in details to that same email address after we review your new registration. We’ll also email you a link to create your personal password.

To learn more about changing or resetting your Extranet log-in details, read this.

Log in to your Group Extranet

If you manage more than one property, you may have access to the Group Extranet. Group Extranet is a management page that gathers different properties in an overview, allowing you to manage them more easily and saving you time when managing your portfolio.

To log in to your Group Extranet, follow the usual log-in steps by entering your username and password. Whether you have a primary, admin, or non-admin account, you’ll get access to the Group Extranet homepage where you can navigate and manage tasks for all the properties in your portfolio.

With a primary account, you can access all pages. With other accounts, you can’t access sensitive financial information.

Logging in to the Group Extranet may require 2FA. You might receive your second piece of authenticating info via text sent to the number in your account or via the Pulse app.

To receive the text, make sure your phone number is up to date by following these steps:

1. Log in to the Extranet
2. Click the user account icon and choose Contacts
3. Add your contact info under “Primary point of contact”

What to do if you’re locked out

If you forget your username and password, you can recover them by clicking Having trouble signing in?, then either Forgot your username? or Forgot your password? on the Extranet sign-in page.

In exceptional cases, if you can’t complete 2FA, follow these steps:

1. Select Unable to verify? when prompted for the PIN.
2. Select the reason you can’t complete the verification process.
3. Contact customer service and provide them with the PIN on your screen. They’ll provide you with a new verification code. You’ll have to provide your property ID and call from a number listed on the Extranet
4. Use the code to sign in

Note: Extranet accounts that haven’t been used for more than six months will be locked. Those that haven’t been used for more than 24 months will be disabled.

If you’re having problems logging in and need more guidance, take a look at these tips for accessing your account.

Logging in from a new device

When logging in to the Extranet from a new device on a web browser, you’ll be asked to verify your details as outlined above, either via text or a Pulse verification code.

You can choose one of these options:

• Text message – select this option to have a six-digit code sent to your phone.
• Pulse verification code – log in to the Pulse app and get your PIN by following these steps: tap More, then Settings, and Extranet PIN.

Enter your six-digit code or PIN. Now you’ll be able to access the Extranet again.

FAQs

How can I update my log-in details?

If you’ve changed your email address or phone number, you’ll need to update your log-in details and your Partner Hub info. Read this article to learn how to update your contact info.

I am an employee of the property and need Extranet access – how can I get that?

Each property ID has an Extranet account with at least one admin user. The admin user can grant you access to the Extranet depending on your function at the property (e.g. front desk manager). Find out who the Extranet admin is at your property and follow these steps on how they can grant you access to the Extranet.

Can I share my log-in details to the Extranet with others or the staff?

We recommend not sharing your log-in details with anyone due to security concerns and log-in issues. Sharing your log-in details increases the risk of your account being compromised and makes our security monitoring less efficient. Also, most log-in attempts prompt a 2FA request, and a PIN is sent via the Pulse app or text to the contact details associated with the account. Unless shared in a timely manner with those trying to log in, 2FA won’t be completed and they’ll be locked out.

Why should I add multiple users to the Extranet?

Adding multiple points of contact with different email addresses and phone numbers can allow easy access in case of changes in contact info or staff. Read this article to learn how you can do it.

I see an error message when I’m attempting to log in. What should I do?

Sometimes too much stored data in the browser causes the Extranet to display an error message at log-in. If you’re redirected to another page or get an error, start again from admin.booking.com – type this directly in the address bar and make sure the URL isn’t changing automatically. If the issue persists, clear the cache and cookies on your browser, delete any bookmarked Extranet links, and try again.

How can I remove someone’s access to the Extranet?

You can remove or limit access to someone’s account if you hold admin user rights. Read how to do it in this article.

How can I edit or grant admin rights to someone else?

You can provide admin rights to another user. Read how to do it in this article.

How can I access my Group Extranet?

The Group Extranet is a home page available to some partners who manage multiple properties listed on our platform. To access it, follow the usual log-in steps or the log-in troubleshooting steps. Once you’re logged in, you’ll land on the Group Extranet homepage where you can manage all your properties. Read this article to find out how to change or reset your Extranet log-in details.

How can I add or remove a property from my Group Extranet?

To add or remove a property from your Group Extranet, you’ll need to contact our Support team. Read this article to learn how to contact us.