Agoda Rewards or Booking.com Genius for Siem Reap Hotels

Agoda's loyalty programme is called AgodaVIP. This page uses the familiar name Agoda Rewards, so search Agoda for AgodaVIP when you look for the details. Agoda's own announcement lists the tiers Gold, Platinum and the newest, Diamond, and says that higher tiers unlock free breakfast, room upgrades and flexible cancellation at select properties. Diamond is described as bringing priority customer support and early access to limited-time coupons. Members can check their status in the Agoda app or at agoda.com/account/vip.

Tier rules and discount levels change over time, so read the current terms in your Agoda account rather than relying on a figure copied from an old article.

Booking.com's Genius page sets out three levels. Level one comes with a free account or by signing in, and gives 10 percent off stays. Level two follows five bookings within two years and gives 10 to 15 percent off, plus free breakfasts and free room upgrades at select stays. Level three follows 15 bookings within two years and gives 10 to 20 percent off, free breakfasts and upgrades at select stays, and priority support. Stay discounts apply before taxes and fees, and each reservation counts as one booking whatever the number of nights or rooms.

The Genius page adds that discount percentages vary by property, that some properties offer the same discount at every level, and that once you unlock a level it stays yours. You must be signed in to see your own level, so your account page is the reliable place to see what it unlocks for a Siem Reap stay.

Both schemes depend on the hotel taking part. A small guesthouse may offer a member price on one platform and none on the other, so the final total settles the question each time.

The sister page on why a price differs explains what else moves the total, and paying on Agoda or Booking covers card currency and fees.

Read the live rate on both platforms for your dates. Rates move with the season, and high season from November to February tends to fill rooms early.

Real bookings tend to fall into a few patterns. Each one points to a slightly different order of checks.

In every case the closing step stays the same: put two final totals side by side, with the same room, the same dates and the same cancellation terms. A discount on the headline figure counts only when the final total confirms it.

Hostel dorm beds, guesthouse rooms and $$ boutique rooms all follow this pattern. The directory lists the Google price level for each stay, and the live rate on each platform fills in the rest for your dates.

A signed-in view takes the guesswork out of the comparison. You see the same member prices the platforms show to loyal guests, and you can read the conditions of each scheme on your account page. The sister page on paying on Agoda or Booking explains what to read at the payment step.

Loyalty discounts count most on longer stays, because a percentage applied to several nights adds up. They count least on a single dorm bed at a low rate, where the cancellation terms and location matter more than a small discount.

If you already hold a Genius level, start on Booking.com and test Agoda second. If you use Agoda often, start there. A new traveller can create both accounts in a few minutes and let the final total decide.

Ratings still deserve a look beside the price. Our directory shows the Google rating and review count for each stay, and the page on hotel reviews shows how to read them.