6 Hotel Loyalty Programmes for the Best Rewards

6 Hotel Loyalty Programmes for the Best Rewards

Loyalty pays.

Travel reward programmes go beyond accumulating airline miles. Frequent fliers actively choose to stay at the same group of hotels to earn points that unlock benefits ranging from complimentary breakfast, room upgrades to free stays.

Hotel loyalty programmes are easy to hop abroad. All are free to join but each hotel loyalty programme is created differently. How do you pick the one best suited for you? Here are some points to help you along:

• How many properties are under the hotel brand and its partners?
• Are these properties located where you travel to - either for work or leisure?
• How easy is it to unlock the different membership tiers and perks?
• What benefits are tied to the particular tier you will be realistically able to achieve?

Find out more about six of the most popular hotel loyalty programmes and their perks.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort photo credit: https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/danang-city/dadha/hoteldetail

IHG Rewards Club

Properties: More than 6,500, including the Holiday Inn chain and the Sixth Senses resorts

How to earn points: Club members will earn 10 points for every USD 1 spent, Diamond Elite members will earn 20 points for every USD 1 spent, at most IHG hotels

Membership structure [These are yearly targets and are reset to 0 annually]: 

• Club
• Silver Elite - Stay at least 10 nights
• Gold Elite  - Stay at least 20 nights or accumulate 40,000 points
• Platinum Elite - Stay at least 40 nights or accumulate 60,000 points
• Diamond Elite - Stay at least 70 nights or accumulate 120,000 points [10 years on Diamond Elite tier qualifies for lifetime membership]

Benefits: 

• One complimentary night starts from 10,000 to 70,000 points depending on the hotel [Estimated minimum spend of $1,000 to $7,000 to start redeeming stays]
• Subject to availability: Early check-ins and late check-outs; and room upgrades

W Hotel Verbier photo credit: https://w-hotels.marriott.com/destinations/w-escapes/

Marriott Bonvoy

Properties: Over 8,000 properties from 30 brands like Sheraton, Westin, W, St Regis and more

How to earn points: Those at the Member tier will earn 10 points for every USD 1 spent, Titanium Elite members will earn 17.5 points for every USD 1 spent, at most Marriott Bonvoy hotels

Membership structure [These are yearly targets and are reset to 0 annually]: 

• Member
• Silver Elite - Stay at least 10 nights
• Gold Elite - Stay at least 25 nights 
• Platinum Elite - Stay at least 50 nights
• Titanium Elite - Stay at least 75 nights 
• Ambassador Elite - Stay at least 100 nights and USD 20,000 in annual qualifying spend 

Benefits: 

• One complimentary night starts from 5,000 to 100,000 points depending on the hotel
• You must make a minimum booking of 5 nights to redeem your complimentary stay. You will pay four nights worth of points for a free fifth night. [Estimated minimum spend of $2,000 to $40,000 to start redeeming stays]
• Platinum Elite members and above tiers have complimentary breakfast and lounge access
• Subject to availability: Late check-out and room upgrades
  
  

BlackBook BBonus Programme

Properties: All 2.5 million+hotels on the platform

How to earn points: You earn BB coins with every completed hotel stay booked through BlackBook

Benefits: 

• BBonus is a flexible rewards programme that doesn’t restrict you to any hotel group. You can use your BB coins to offset or pay in full for the next stay booked on BlackBook.
• There is no minimum number of BB coins you need to accumulate, or minimum number of nights to stay when using BB coins to pay for your next stay. This means you can start using BB coins right after your first booking
• You can also convert your BB coins to cash. You will receive cash back into your credit or debit card (email verification and a completed hotel stay is required)
• Plus, BlackBook runs frequent BB coins giveaway contests on Facebook and Instagram so follow these accounts to win and save on your next holiday

Conrad Jiuzhaigou photo credit: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/jzhcici-conrad-jiuzhaigou/?cid=OH,CH,ConradHPDestJiuzhaigouApril22,MULTIPR,Tile,Home,SingleLink,i84231

Hilton Honors

Properties: 6,500+ in 119 countries including the Waldorf Astoria and the Hilton-branded Conrad

How to earn points: At the Member tier, you earn 10 points for every USD1 spent, Diamond tier individuals earn 20 points for every USD1 spent

Membership structure  [These are yearly targets and are reset to 0 annually]: 

• Member - Up to 6 nights stay
• Silver - 7 and more nights stay
• Gold - 28 and more nights stay
• Diamond - 42 and more nights stay [10 years on Diamond tier qualifies for lifetime membership]

Benefits: 

• One complimentary night starts from 5,000 to 120,000 points depending on the hotel 
• Must make a minimum booking of 5 nights when redeeming stays. You will pay four nights worth of points for a five-night stay meaning your fifth night is free. [Estimated minimum spend of $2,000 to $48,000 to start redeeming stays]
• Gold members enjoy complimentary breakfast during their stays
• Gold and Diamond members have executive lounge access during their stays
• You can link your Hilton Honors account to your Amazon account and spend the points on the online retailer

Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 photo credit: https://group.accor.com/en/brands/midscale/novotel

Accor Live Limitless

Properties: More than 5,200, ranging from higher-end Banyan Tree and Raffles to Novotel and Ibis 

How to earn points: Classic members earn 5 to 25 points with each EUR 10 spent, Diamond members earn 8.75 to 44 points with each EUR 10 spent, all dependent on which Accor hotel you stay at

Membership structure [These are yearly targets and are reset to 0 annually]: 

• Classic
• Silver - Spend EUR 800 or stay at least 10 nights stay
• Gold - Spend EUR 2,800 or stay at least 30 nights
• Platinum - Spend EUR 5,600 or stay at least 60 nights
• Diamond - Spend EUR 10,400 or stay at least 60 nights [10 years on Diamond tier qualifies for lifetime membership]

Benefits: 

• 2,000 points is equivalent to EUR 40. Points can be used to offset your next or current hotel stay
• Platinum and Diamond members enjoy access to the executive lounge during their stay
• Platinum and Diamonds members will receive complimentary breakfast everyday in Asia Pacific while Diamond members will receive complimentary breakfast on weekends worldwide
• Subject to availability: Room upgrades
• You can earn points when you book rides on Grab

Park Hyatt Siam Riep photo credit: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/cambodia/park-hyatt-siem-reap/repph

World of Hyatt

Properties: Over 1,000 properties in 68 countries including Andaz and Park Hyatt brands

How to earn points: Those of Member status will earn 5 base points with every USD 1 spent, Globalists will earn 6.5 base points with every USD 1 spent

Membership structure [These are yearly targets and are reset to 0 annually]: 

• Member
• Discoverist - Stay at least 10 nights or 25,000 base points
• Explorist - Stay at least 30 nights or 50,000 base points
• Globalist - Stay at least 60 nights or 100,000 base points

Benefits: 

• One complimentary night starts from 5,000 to 40,000 points depending on the hotel  [Estimated minimum spend of $1,000 to $8,000 to start redeeming stays]
• Globalists will receive complimentary breakfast and lounge access
• Subject to availability: Late check-out and room upgrades

There you have it - a quick way to stretch your dollar when you travel. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook or Instagram where we run regular giveaways and start you off with some BB coins you can use towards your next stay. 

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