Hotel Rewards Programs

[Greg]

Going along with the ERE idea, I'm trying to grapple around which are considered the strongest hotel reward programs when it comes to getting free hotel nights. I'd like to see how cheaply I can go to different countries at hotels. Stating this, my job normally puts me in nicer hotels and I'm trying to figure out which hotel rewards I should join so that I can get reasonable hotels near nice locations in cool cities around the world.

I'm trying to look for places that offer potentially complementary breakfasts and cheaper stays (gaining points faster and having lower amounts of points needed to stay at a particular hotel).

It's looking like IHG Priority Club has faster point accumulations with lower thresholds for hotels in nice locations over something such as Hilton Honors Points but I wanted to get this forum's collective knowledge into this area. Thanks.

[Storm]

I've had bad luck actually redeeming my hotel rewards points.  Even when I get enough for a free night there are so many restrictions I'm not allowed to stay in any city you would actually want to vacation in.  For example, Miama, Vegas, or NYC are completely off limits to free nights.  On the other hand, you can bet than any town in the rust belt will gladly accept your rewards points for a free nights stay.

[Greg]

Well when I say "free" nights, I'm just talking about nights that I obtain through spending and collecting points and then redeeming said points. Not sure if this is the same "free" you're talking about.

[TripleB]

Check out the Flyer Talk forum. They are experts at this.

I would say to just get ALL of the reward programs for any hotel your company puts you up at. I've had good luck with Marriott point redemption. As far as I've seen, there's no blackout nights. The hotel itself doesn't even really care that you're using points because before you arrive, the points get converted into a voucher from the corporate office for a cash amount that goes directly to that hotel.

Hilton is OK too.

I'm fairly discriminatory about what "Free" programs I join because I hate junk mail and I can say that I've received almost no physical junk mail from any of the reward airline or hotel programs.

[Storm]

Well when I say "free" nights, I'm just talking about nights that I obtain through spending and collecting points and then redeeming said points. Not sure if this is the same "free" you're talking about.

That's what I mean as well... trying to redeem nights with my Holiday Inn (I think it's IHG) points in Miami or Vegas was simply a no go.  On the other hand, Kentucky or Alabama would be fine...

[Bob]

I have accumulated and used IHG points for years.  I have never had a problem using points for a free night in a Holiday Inn Express.  In fact, the last time we were in Las Vegas, we used points to stay for free in a Holiday Inn Express.  It wasn't right on the strip but they offered a free shuttle with very convenient pick up and drop off times.  I've used my points for traveling and have stayed free at a Holiday Inn Express in El Paso, Tucson, and Anaheim, CA, as well as Las Vegas.  Is IHG the best program out there?  I don't know since it is the only one I have used -- but have never had a problem with it.  Just my 'two cents" worth.