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Best hotel rewards programs
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:02 am
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:02 am
Starting a new job and I will be traveling monthly. Each trip will be to a major city. What hotel brands offer the best reward programs that I can start earning free nights with if I continue to use them exclusively?
If there is already a thread on this can some one link it? I looked but didn’t see anything.
Thanks in advance!
If there is already a thread on this can some one link it? I looked but didn’t see anything.
Thanks in advance!
8
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:24 am to Happygilmore
I find that Hyatt is pretty easy and straight forward to use. I get free rooms all of the time.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:32 am to Happygilmore
I know it probably won’t be a popular choice here, but I find I get the most bang for my buck with the IHG rewards program. If you aren’t locked into a corporate travel card then I get theirs and the annual free night more than offsets the annual fee and gives you platinum status.
This post was edited on 4/13/22 at 10:35 am
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:38 am to DingLeeBerry
quote:
IHG rewards program
They just changed the program. Unsure if the change is good, bad, indifferent.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:43 am to Happygilmore
I am loyal to Bonvoy which has all the Marriotts and others. But I have their CC which boosts rewards quickly. Not sure how great it is without the CC.
And they just changed their redemption rates and tweaked a few other things. Not sure how things will look in the long term.
And they just changed their redemption rates and tweaked a few other things. Not sure how things will look in the long term.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:46 am to Happygilmore
The value for points is by far the best at Hyatt, but Marriott Bonvoy has the best hotel selection generally I think.
Generally, I worry less about hotel loyalty than airline as unless you are on the road 50+ days a year, you aren't going to make a big dent beyond elite status you can get from a credit card.
Generally, I worry less about hotel loyalty than airline as unless you are on the road 50+ days a year, you aren't going to make a big dent beyond elite status you can get from a credit card.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:53 am to usc6158
I guess it depends if you fly or drive more. You can be loyal to both an airline and hotel. I find hotels are easier since they have more selection than airline.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:58 am to Happygilmore
I will start by saying Hilton Honors may be the worst. They give the fewest points and require the most for redemption.
I am IHG platinum and have been in the program for 20 years. They used to be the best- more hotels than anywhere and I have explored places I never would have on vacation but the quality of their product has greatly diminished over the years while the points they require has increased over time. Example: Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone, MT. 65K points for one night in June or $480. Rooms are run down, old and smelly and they just don’t care.
I think Marriott has best balance of consistent quality and Ok points redemption but they did just increase the number of points/stay on higher end properties.
I am IHG platinum and have been in the program for 20 years. They used to be the best- more hotels than anywhere and I have explored places I never would have on vacation but the quality of their product has greatly diminished over the years while the points they require has increased over time. Example: Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone, MT. 65K points for one night in June or $480. Rooms are run down, old and smelly and they just don’t care.
I think Marriott has best balance of consistent quality and Ok points redemption but they did just increase the number of points/stay on higher end properties.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 2:05 pm to DeltaTigerDelta
quote:
I think Marriott has best balance of consistent quality and Ok points redemption
I agree with this. I've been traveling for work regularly for the past 15 years. I started off with Hilton Honors for several different reasons, but after Marriot merged with Starwood hotels (Westin, Sheraton, St. Regis, etc.) I quickly shifted to Marriot Bonvoy.
None of the hotel rewards programs really stand out to be heads and shoulders above the other. However, Bonvoy has little negatives compared to the others and offers the widest range of options, both in terms of standard of hotel (ex. JW Marriott versus Residence Inn) and locations.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 4:59 pm to DeltaTigerDelta
quote:
Holiday Inn in West Yellowstone, MT. 65K points for one night in June or $480. Rooms are run down, old and smelly and they just don’t care
I don't have a dog in this fight as far as comps to hotel rewards programs as I don't travel enough, but this is a weird flex and comparison. That area is very rugged, rural, and has pretty short season. Its very normal for their hotels to be extremely expensive. You can't find a hotel in West Yellowstone for under $250 and that was pre covid I'm guessing its under $400 these days. That price is set by demand not quality.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 7:46 pm to baldona
quote:
I don't travel enough, but this is a weird flex and comparison.
GFY. For a long time national chain, Holiday Inn seems to be on a downhill slide. I was just trying to provide a real life example of somewhere I stayed that was a hotel in poor condition regardless of demand in the local area. It seems like there should be some minimum standard for how often carpet is replaced and furnishings are updated.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:09 pm to DeltaTigerDelta
Yellowstone is not a good indicator of hotel rewards/points redemption.
Not a lot of options with national chains and rates wildly fluctuate with the seasons. We stayed in Idaho the last time we went and felt it was a deal.
Even your example suggested 65k points for a $480 a night. So this crappy hotel room was $480 a night.
Not a lot of options with national chains and rates wildly fluctuate with the seasons. We stayed in Idaho the last time we went and felt it was a deal.
Even your example suggested 65k points for a $480 a night. So this crappy hotel room was $480 a night.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:12 pm to Happygilmore
I travel weekly and my #1 is Hilton as they have many different hotels under that umbrella and #2 is Choice hotels.
If you fly then do the same thing with airlines and Rental cars.
I very rarely have to pay for any vacation trip because I use points for Hotel, Airplane and Car.
If you fly then do the same thing with airlines and Rental cars.
I very rarely have to pay for any vacation trip because I use points for Hotel, Airplane and Car.
Posted on 4/13/22 at 10:13 pm to Happygilmore
Something that people haven’t mentioned is Bonvoy gives you the 5th night free if you redeem 4 nights on points.
Wife and I took advantage of that when we traveled to Maldives. We got a night free in an overwater bungalow at JW Marriott. The going rate was $1,300 a night. Caught a special at 5 nights for 380,000 points.
I play the hotel game and the wife plays the airline game. She got us free flights to Maldives which were going for about $1,200 each.
Between the two of us, we saved almost $9k for our honeymoon. That’s ridiculous. Do your homework and work the deals. There is free money out there.
Wife and I took advantage of that when we traveled to Maldives. We got a night free in an overwater bungalow at JW Marriott. The going rate was $1,300 a night. Caught a special at 5 nights for 380,000 points.
I play the hotel game and the wife plays the airline game. She got us free flights to Maldives which were going for about $1,200 each.
Between the two of us, we saved almost $9k for our honeymoon. That’s ridiculous. Do your homework and work the deals. There is free money out there.
Posted on 4/14/22 at 8:43 am to DeltaTigerDelta
quote:
It seems like there should be some minimum standard for how often carpet is replaced and furnishings are updated.
There is. Some chains are better at enforcing it than others. The problem with your example though is hotels like that are cash cows. A hotel that old will generally have low overhead, so $480 a night sends a huge percentage to the bottom line. Most hotel chains will look the other way on deferred maintenance if the revenue is there.
Posted on 4/14/22 at 8:48 am to kciDAtaE
quote:
Bonvoy gives you the 5th night free if you redeem 4 nights on points.
IHG Is 4th night free unless it recently changed
Posted on 4/14/22 at 8:52 am to Happygilmore
I like Choice the best followed by Wyndham.
Posted on 4/14/22 at 9:05 am to usc6158
I redeem Chase UR mercilessly via Hyatt. Great program relatively.
Now that I have two kids getting two rooms or a suite is easy enough.
Now that I have two kids getting two rooms or a suite is easy enough.
This post was edited on 4/14/22 at 9:06 am
Posted on 4/14/22 at 7:47 pm to DingLeeBerry
quote:
If you aren’t locked into a corporate travel card then I get theirs and the annual free night more than offsets the annual fee and gives you platinum status.
Marriott also offers a free night AND 2 suite upgrades per year.
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