Are these books really worth their price? Are there places that you would not normally go to listed because there is a half-off coupon?What about 4 or 5 star hotels, are these eligible for a 50% discount? Also, restaurants, for example, does Roys' honor these coupons? And, most important, are they truly a 50% discount? I would really like to know.

I LOVE these books! Because of them I have saved money at home and on vacation. If you have the ambition to do your homework on the book BEFORE you need to use it you can get ALOT out of it. If you have no patience with coupons of any kind, you can still use the fine dining and hotel section. We have stayed at resorts whose prices we normally found unacceptable. The 50% is off the RACK RATE, (that inflated rate that no one pays), but it still beats AAA and AARP discounts. Hyatt, Hilton, Westin, Wyndham, even Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotels to name a few. BUT...the most success will be if you can plan way in advance or travel off peak time, as the discount only applies until the hotel deems it will be at 80% occupancy.
My book this year was $30, down from $40 previous years. Use it just ONCE and you've recouped your investment.
If you refer to Roy's in Hawaii, no, that restaurant is not in this year, but you would be suprised how many restaurants are waiting to be discovered that you will LOVE, but would never have noticed if they weren't in "the book". There are alot more top notch chefs out there than just one!
The restaurants are buy one, get second of equal or greater value for free, with each restaurant posting their acceptable limit, which might be $15 or $30. (But please tip on the full amount BEFORE discount, for the sake of the poor working stiff waiter.)
I don't work for Entertainment, Inc. but I COULD for all my enthusiasm for the product. Try it, just once!
You can even buy online.
entertainment.com
Any further questions? I presently have LA, Vegas and Hawaii editions.

Thanks so much, Becky, You have helped alot. I am interested in this book for 2002. They are not available now. I did want to look through it to see if I recognize familiar restaurants. We would like to stay at The Renaissance in Maui.Have they been listed in "the" book? Thanksa for helpful info.

Yes, Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort is in my 2001 book. Just call them and ask away. Ph# (800) 992-4532, or (808) 879-4900. If the 800 # doesn't give you a desired answer, calling directly to the resort can help.
You can see which restaurants are in the book for 2001 by going to their website and clicking on the dining section viewing option. Most stay in year after year, but there can be a few additions/subtractions. Always plenty for a weeks vacation! Plus activities/cruises, too. I recommend Jamesons, there are 2 locations, we ate at the one in Kapalua, but the other one is closer to your Renaissance. Glad to help!

I thought the books were worth their price for what they saved us on our hotel alone, and we saved a lot on our rental cars too. I don't think we used any of the restaurant or activity discounts though. We were able to reserve the Renaissance Wailea on Maui for $155 per night which was significantly less expensive than the lowest discounted or package rate otherwise available (yes, the 50% off is off the "rack rate" which no one pays, but the other discounted rates available when we went were still a lot more -- the highest regular rate I was quoted for our room category was $289 and the lowest discounted rate aside from the entertainment rate was $255 I believe). Our trip was in October of 2000 and I know the rates fluctuate a lot at different times of the year depending on occupancy. The entertainment rate sells out though so reserve it as far ahead as you can. You can call and make your reservation now even if you don't have your entertainment book/card in hand until you go.

I hate these books, but I think people's use of them varies widely according to where they are (maybe Hawaii is a better place to use them than DC or Boston) and what people want to get out of them.

For me, the hotels that honor them are not usually where I want to stay, the restaurants that honor them are not the ones you'd want to go to if you only have a few days in a city, and very often there are so many restrictions and black-outs that it gets embarrassing to try to use them and be turned down-- which happens often. What I particularly dislike is the sour look I get at restaurants when I ask to use the coupon, even if it's the right day and meal, etc.

The savings of one car rental using The Entertainment Book more than covered what I initially spent on the book. Are they worth it? Absolutely. Just be sure to read the fine print on the coupons before using them.

I saved on the first hotel I booked, and they weren't even listed in the book. I've tried some new restaurants and saved at others that I'd go to anyway (and haven't had any sour looks). It's definitely been worth it for me.

I can generally save a $100 a year with these books without even trying. I buy my local book, and keep it in the car. I use it mostly for restaurants, but just last month I saved $25 on plane fair. And that was off the lowest price from Continental. Sometimes, hotels won't allow you to use the book, they will only sell a few rooms at that rate. (I've never been able to book a room in Chicago with the entertainment book for example.) But in areas not usually booked by many vacationers and conventioners, I've had no problem.
The looks you get from servers at restaurants when presenting the coupons or discount card stem not from using the coupon, but from the fact that some people tip based on the coupon reduced bill.

The Entertainment Book also has $5 off coupons
for groceries over $50. If you shop at Kroger, Tom Thumb, etc.
you can regain what you spent on the book easily.

I love them. They really are cheap, so it is easy for you to get your money's worth on a trip.

At the end of a trip, I give my book away to a local if I know that I will not be returning before the book expires.