Is Booking Hotels Through Costco Worth It for Couples?

Couples looking to stretch their travel budget often hear glowing recommendations about Costco Travel and its hotel deals. The pitch sounds compelling: member-only rates, built-in extras, and cash back rewards that promise to make romantic getaways more affordable. Yet, as with most travel-booking platforms, the value is not one-size-fits-all.

Whether booking hotels through Costco is actually worth it for couples depends on what kind of trip you are planning, how flexible you can be, and how Costco approaches hotel and resort bookings overall.

How Costco Hotel Booking Works for Couples

Costco Travel is a subsidiary service available to Costco members in the United States and a few other regions. Instead of being a traditional online travel agency, it operates more like a curated broker. Costco negotiates bundled rates with hotel brands and resorts, then offers those rates only to members.

Hotels are often offered as part of vacation packages that can include flights, rental cars, or resort credits, but you can also find hotel-only options in many destinations.

For couples, the most common use case is a hotel or resort stay for two. Most Costco Travel hotel packages are priced based on double occupancy, which already assumes two adults in a room.

This is helpful, because the published package price often reflects what a couple will actually pay, rather than a single per-person headline that underestimates the total bill for two travelers.

Behind the scenes, Costco Travel earns commissions from travel partners instead of markups on the front-end price. In practice, that means Costco has an incentive to negotiate real value-adds so that members see the service as part of the membership’s overall appeal.

As a result, many hotel packages come with extras like waived resort fees, daily breakfast, or food and beverage credits that can be particularly meaningful on a couples’ trip.

Membership Costs, Rewards and What They Mean for Your Hotel Rate

To book any hotel through Costco Travel, a basic Gold Star or Business membership is required. In the United States, that standard membership currently costs about the mid-sixty dollar range annually.

The Executive membership level costs roughly double that and is aimed at frequent shoppers and travelers, offering an annual 2 percent reward on eligible Costco, Costco.com and Costco Travel purchases, capped at a maximum reward that is currently in the low four figures.

For couples, that Executive tier can dramatically change the effective price of a hotel booking. Because Costco Travel purchases by Executive members earn that 2 percent reward after travel is completed, a $2,500 resort vacation for two could generate about $50 in rewards, which can then be redeemed on a future Costco warehouse purchase.

If you also use the Costco Anywhere Visa card by Citi, you add a further 3 percent cash back on Costco Travel purchases, creating a stack of up to 5 percent back in value tied to the trip.

Whether that makes sense depends on how heavily you use Costco already. Executive membership alone does not discount your hotel at checkout; instead, the benefits arrive later as reward certificates and credit card cash back.

Couples who buy groceries, fuel, and home goods at Costco regularly, and who travel at least once or twice per year with the help of Costco Travel, are more likely to recoup or exceed the added Executive fee through accumulated rewards.

On the other hand, if you rarely shop at Costco outside of a single annual vacation, the math changes. You may still benefit from Costco’s negotiated hotel and package pricing, but the incremental cost of the Executive tier might not be justified solely by one couple’s trip unless it is a large, high-end booking. In that scenario, comparing hotel prices across platforms becomes even more important.

How Costco Hotel Prices Compare to Other Booking Sites

When couples compare Costco Travel to major online travel agencies and direct hotel websites, they often find that Costco’s base room rates are competitive rather than dramatically cheaper.

The real differentiation is usually in the bundled value. For example, in popular markets such as Hawaii, Southern California, and Caribbean resort areas, Costco frequently promotes packages that include daily breakfast for two, food and beverage credits, or waived resort fees. For a couple, those inclusions can add up to significant savings over the course of a multi-night stay.

Consider a four-night resort stay where breakfast would ordinarily cost $30 to $40 per person per day. A package that includes daily breakfast for two effectively saves $240 to $320 across the stay, even if the nightly rate looks similar to what you could find elsewhere.

Similarly, waived resort fees in destinations where mandatory charges can exceed $40 per night can mean an additional $160 in avoided costs for the same four nights. Couples who enjoy on-property dining and amenities are the ones most likely to realize that embedded value.

However, Costco’s hotel inventory is more curated and narrower than that of a global online travel agency. You will see many familiar chains in major destinations, but you will not find every boutique property or guesthouse.

That matters for couples who prioritize unique, design-forward hotels or smaller, romantic inns over large branded resorts. In less-touristed destinations, Costco might not offer hotel options at all, pushing you back to general booking sites or direct reservations.

Another factor is promotional timing. Many large hotel brands and airline partners coordinate sales with Costco Travel, but flash sales and members-only offers also occur directly on hotel websites or via other booking channels.

Couples willing to monitor multiple platforms and sign up for hotel loyalty programs sometimes find equally strong or better offers elsewhere, especially for off-season stays. Costco is often very competitive, but it is not a universal lowest-price guarantee.

Perks and Inclusions That Matter Most to Couples

For couples, the perceived value of a hotel booking goes beyond the nightly rate. The details of what is included can shape the entire experience. Costco Travel leans into this by bundling amenities that appeal directly to two-person travel: daily breakfast for two, spa or resort credits, complimentary parking, and sometimes room upgrades on arrival when available.

Breakfast is one of the most meaningful inclusions. Not having to think about where to eat first thing in the morning can simplify a couple’s routine and reduce stress, especially in unfamiliar cities or resort areas. It also controls costs. Knowing that your first meal is covered can make it easier to splurge on a special dinner or a sunset cocktail without worrying as much about the overall food budget.

Spa and resort credits are another couple-friendly benefit. Many Costco packages highlight a specific dollar amount in resort credit per stay or per day. While those credits are usually limited to on-site dining, spa treatments, or activities, they dovetail neatly with how couples tend to vacation together.

Using a resort credit to partially cover a couples massage, bottle of wine at dinner, or cabana rental can turn a standard trip into something more memorable without separately itemized surprises on your folio.

Parking and resort fee waivers also matter. For couples on road trips or those who rent a car to explore a destination, nightly parking charges at urban hotels or resorts can sharply inflate total costs.

When Costco packages include reduced or waived parking charges, the savings can be immediate and tangible. Similarly, waived resort fees mean fewer line items on your bill and a clearer picture of the actual cost per night that you locked in when you booked.

Limitations, Fine Print and When Costco May Not Be Ideal

Despite its strengths, Costco Travel is not the ideal solution for every couple or every trip. One of the main limitations is flexibility. Many Costco hotel offerings are packaged with specific cancellation rules that can be more restrictive than booking directly with a hotel, particularly on discounted or promotional rates. Couples who value the ability to cancel at the last minute without penalty, or who want to modify dates easily, need to review the terms carefully before checking out.

Loyalty program enthusiasts should also be cautious. While some couples do earn hotel loyalty points and elite night credits on stays booked through Costco, it is not guaranteed.

Chains vary in how they treat third-party bookings, and even when points post, elite benefits such as free breakfast or upgrades may be less consistent. If you and your partner are deeply invested in a hotel loyalty ecosystem, the lack of guaranteed recognition on these bookings could make direct reservations more appealing for important stays.

Inventory constraints are another drawback. Costco focuses on well-known brands and resort destinations. If your ideal couples trip involves a secluded eco-lodge, a small vineyard inn, or an urban boutique hotel, Costco may not have that property in its catalog. In those cases, you might be trading away a more personally meaningful stay for a more standardized resort that happens to be available through Costco.

Finally, couples who rarely visit Costco warehouses or who do not use the Costco Visa card may find that the rewards structure has less impact on their overall cost of travel.

If you are not capturing the 2 percent Executive reward or the 3 percent travel cash back, Costco’s offer shrinks down to its core: the room rate and included extras. That can still be good value, but it might no longer be a standout compared with a carefully shopped direct booking or an offer from another travel portal.

When Booking Through Costco Makes the Most Sense for Couples

There are certain scenarios where Costco Travel’s hotel options align almost perfectly with couples’ priorities. Romantic resort vacations in high-cost destinations rank near the top of that list. Think Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, or coastal California, where resort fees, parking charges, and on-site dining often add hundreds of dollars to a trip.

In those markets, Costco’s ability to package waived fees, included breakfast, and resort credits can provide a combination of savings and convenience that is hard to beat.

Couples planning special-occasion trips, such as honeymoons, anniversaries, or babymoons, can benefit from the predictability of these packages. The upfront package price often consolidates many of the extras that would otherwise surprise you at checkout.

For travelers who prefer a clear, all-in cost before departure, this can make budgeting together much easier and reduce financial stress in what should otherwise be a celebratory escape.

Costco Travel also shines for couples who like to keep things simple. If you do not enjoy parsing a dozen different booking sites, coupon codes, or member-only rates, Costco’s curated options provide a comfortable middle ground.

You can rely on the company’s reputation for customer service and its satisfaction guarantee on membership, which indirectly pressures Costco Travel to align with that standard. For couples juggling busy schedules, the time saved might be as valuable as any small price advantage.

Frequent Costco households get the strongest overall value. If you routinely spend enough to justify Executive membership and already own the Costco Visa card, then Costco Travel’s hotel bookings become another high-yield category in a broader ecosystem of rewards. In that context, choosing Costco for hotel reservations is not just about a single trip but about how your household’s overall spending and travel habits interlock.

How Couples Can Evaluate a Specific Costco Hotel Deal

Deciding whether a particular Costco hotel booking is worth it comes down to a straightforward side-by-side comparison and an honest look at your priorities as a couple. Start by identifying the exact hotel or resort, room category, and dates being advertised on Costco Travel, then replicate that search directly on the hotel’s website and on a major online travel portal. Compare the total out-the-door price, including taxes and mandatory fees, for two adults.

Next, assign a realistic dollar value to the extras Costco includes. If the package offers daily breakfast for two, estimate what that meal would cost each morning if you purchased it separately. For resort credits, look at menus or spa price lists and decide how likely you are to use the credit on services you genuinely want. It is easy to overvalue credits that would push you to spend on things you did not originally plan.

Do not forget to factor in rewards. If you hold an Executive membership and the Costco Visa, include the expected 2 percent reward on the Costco Travel purchase and the 3 percent card cash back in your mental spreadsheet.

For couples who usually redeem Costco rewards for everyday household purchases, this is near-cash equivalent. If you rarely remember to use those certificates, or if you are not on the Executive tier, those numbers should carry less weight in your calculation.

Finally, consider the softer elements: cancellation terms, loyalty point earning potential, and whether the hotel itself matches the kind of experience you want as a couple.

A technically cheaper rate can feel like a bad deal if it locks you into rigid policies or pushes you toward a property that does not quite suit your style. Your time together and the trip experience matter as much as the nightly rate on paper.

The Takeaway

Booking hotels through Costco can absolutely be worth it for couples, especially when you are heading to high-cost resort destinations and you already participate in Costco’s wider ecosystem of membership and rewards.

Executive members who also carry the Costco Visa card can achieve meaningful effective discounts when you combine competitive package pricing with rewards and cash back, particularly on larger, special-occasion trips.

That said, Costco is not a universal best option. Couples focused on boutique properties, flexible cancellation, or maximizing hotel loyalty benefits may find better value booking directly or through other channels.

In many cases, Costco’s headline prices are similar to the broader market; what truly sets the service apart are the bundled inclusions such as breakfast, resort credits, and waived fees, along with the way those benefits align with how couples typically travel.

The smartest approach is to treat Costco Travel as a powerful tool in your planning kit rather than a default. For each trip, take a few minutes to compare total trip costs across platforms and weigh the extras that matter to you as a pair.

When the numbers and inclusions line up, booking your hotel through Costco can make your shared travel both more affordable and more relaxing. When they do not, having done that comparison will give you the confidence to book elsewhere, knowing you are still making a savvy choice for your time together.

FAQ

Q1. Do couples need an Executive membership to get good hotel deals through Costco?
Couples do not need an Executive membership to access hotel rates on Costco Travel. A standard Gold Star membership is enough to book. Executive status mainly adds the 2 percent reward on eligible Costco Travel purchases, which can enhance value if you already spend heavily with Costco or are booking a higher-priced trip.

Q2. Can both partners use the same Costco membership for hotel bookings?
Yes. Costco Travel bookings are tied to the primary member’s account, but a spouse or partner listed as a household cardholder can typically be included as a traveler on the reservation. The key is that the booking itself is made through the member’s login so that eligibility and any Executive rewards are correctly applied.

Q3. Will we earn hotel loyalty points and elite benefits on Costco bookings?
Not always. Some hotel chains honor points and elite benefits on Costco Travel reservations, while others treat them like third-party bookings and may limit points or elite recognition. If elite benefits are crucial for your couples’ stay, it is wise to call the hotel directly before booking or consider reserving through the hotel’s own channels.

Q4. Are Costco hotel packages usually refundable if our plans change?
Cancellation policies vary by package and property. Some offers are fully refundable up to a certain date, while others are more restrictive or nonrefundable. Before confirming a booking, couples should review the terms carefully and decide whether the level of flexibility fits their travel style and any uncertainties around dates.

Q5. How do included extras like breakfast and resort credits work for couples?
Most inclusions are structured with two adults in mind. Breakfast is often specified as daily breakfast for two, and resort credits are per room, not per person. Credits usually must be used for on-property services such as dining or spa treatments. Couples who plan to spend time on-site are best positioned to convert those inclusions into real savings.

Q6. Does Costco Travel offer good options for city breaks, or is it mainly for resorts?
Costco Travel has a strong emphasis on resort and vacation destinations, but it also lists hotels in major cities. That said, the selection is more limited than on large global booking sites, and tends to focus on well-known chains. Couples seeking distinctive boutique stays in cities may find more options by booking directly or using other platforms.

Q7. How should couples compare a Costco hotel deal against other sites?
Start by matching the same hotel, room type, and dates on the hotel’s own website and at least one major travel portal. Compare total costs including taxes and mandatory fees for two adults, then assign a reasonable dollar value to any Costco extras such as breakfast, resort credits, and fee waivers. Finally, factor in any rewards you will earn through Executive membership or credit cards.

Q8. Is Costco Travel a good choice for honeymoons and anniversary trips?
It can be an excellent choice in high-cost resort destinations where extras like breakfast, spa credits, and waived fees significantly improve the value of a romantic stay. For major milestones, the combination of predictable package pricing and included amenities can simplify planning and reduce surprise expenses, allowing couples to focus on the experience instead of the bill.

Q9. What if one of us is not a Costco member but the other is?
Only one partner needs to hold a Costco membership to book through Costco Travel. The member can make the reservation and list both travelers on the booking. You will both enjoy the same on-property inclusions regardless of who technically holds the membership card, although rewards are tied to the member’s account.

Q10. Is booking hotels through Costco really cheaper than using hotel deal apps?
Sometimes, but not universally. Costco’s nightly room rates are often similar to other platforms, with the main advantage coming from bundled extras and rewards. Hotel deal apps may occasionally surface rock-bottom prices or last-minute discounts that beat Costco on room rate alone. For couples, the best strategy is to compare total value each time, including what is included, what is flexible, and how each option fits your travel priorities together.