Planning family travel is no small feat. Between picking kid-friendly destinations, sticking to a budget, and trying to maximize your hotel points, it can feel overwhelming. That’s why Gondola looks promising. It is a new hotel-booking tool that helps moms (and families) travel smarter, save money, and even earn free nights.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through what Gondola is, how it works, and why it’s a game-changer for moms who love to travel on points. Spoiler alert: we are really excited about this tool!

 

What Is Gondola?

Gondola is a hotel-booking tool that compares cash vs. points rates, tracks your loyalty program balances, and gives you cash back on hotel stays. It’s designed for points-savvy travelers but is simple enough for anyone to use. Whether you’re booking a family vacation, a sports-tournament hotel, or a quick weekend getaway, Gondola can help you find the smartest way to pay.

 

How Does Gondola Work?

Here’s what sets Gondola apart from other hotel booking sites:

Cash vs. Points Comparison

When you search for hotels, Gondola instantly shows you both the cash price and the points price. It even calculates the value of your points (in cents per point) so you’ll know whether to pay with points or cash. I’m checking out a three-night stay in Paris.

 

What I love here is that it tells me my cents per point, so I can see my best redemptions.

 

Sync Loyalty Programs

Instead of hunting down passwords or guessing how many points you have with Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, or IHG, Gondola lets you sync your accounts. You can also add balances manually if you prefer.

• Gondola syncs with a traveler’s email to automatically pull in a traveler’s airline and hotel points, as well as their upcoming trip info. Gondola only syncs with your travel email, not your personal emails.

 

Price Drop Alerts

Already booked your stay? Gondola monitors your reservation and will notify you if the price decreases, allowing you to rebook at the lower rate. This is a perk of this tool that I really value—it saves me a lot of time!

• The Room Rate Monitor tracks users’ upcoming stays and checks for price drops, automatically allowing them to save.  Many users who sync with Gondola can save nearly $100 on their room rates immediately.
• It will also let you know if your points redemption drops so that you can rebook and recover some points.

 

Earn Cash Back on Every Booking

When you book through Gondola with cash, you still earn:

• Hotel loyalty points

• Credit card rewards

• Plus Gondola Cash back (3–5% depending on your status)

That’s triple-dipping on rewards! And it’s booking directly with the hotel, so you still get your loyalty perks. You are NOT booking through a third party; it is a first-party booking.

All these amazing perks, and it is FREE! I don’t always want to use my points for a hotel if the price is cheap, so I can see that earning cash back can sometimes make sense. Saving my precious points for a luxury, more expensive stay can sometimes be the better choice.

 

Why Moms Will Love Gondola

Travel moms are always looking for ways to stretch budgets without sacrificing comfort. Here’s why Gondola is perfect for family travel:

• Saves Time: All the info—cash price, points price, and value—is in one place.

• Maximizes Rewards: Stack hotel points, credit card points, and cash back.

• Budget-Friendly: Price drop alerts ensure you never overpay.

• Family-Friendly Planning: You can quickly compare hotels across chains, which is a lifesaver when you need a suite or multiple rooms.

 

Example: How Gondola Can Save You Money

Imagine you’re booking two nights at a Marriott near Disney. Gondola shows:

• Cash price: $250 per night

• Points price: 20,000 points per night

• Value: 1.25 cents per point

If you use cash, you’ll earn:

• ~5,000 Marriott points

• Credit card rewards

• 3% Gondola cash back (around $15)

That’s a lot of value added—without any extra work on your part.

 

Gondola vs. Other Hotel Booking Sites

Most booking sites (like Expedia or Priceline) don’t let you earn elite night credits or loyalty points when you book through them. With Gondola, you’re essentially booking direct, so you still get all the perks of your hotel status. Plus, you get cash back on top.

 

Unlock 5% Cash Back for a Year

When you first sign up, Gondola offers a status challenge: complete three hotel stays in your first 30 days, and you’ll get 5% cash back on all bookings for an entire year. For families who travel often—whether for vacations or sports tournaments—that can add up to serious savings.

Check Gondola FAQs for answers to more of your questions!

 

Bottom Line

If you’re a mom trying to stretch your points and make family travel more affordable, Gondola is one of the smartest tools you can add to your travel toolbox. It saves time, stacks rewards, and ensures you’re getting the best value for your money and points.

The next time you’re booking a family trip, give Gondola a try—you might find yourself earning more points, saving more cash, and getting closer to that free vacation you’ve been dreaming about. I think this new hotel booking tool will be my new best friend when it comes to finding a great hotel and feeling confident that I’m getting a great redemption! You can sign up for Gondola here. Let us know your thoughts!

 

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