Virtually everywhere has a loyalty program these days. From stores (which have had them forever) to apps and travel programs. I’m here to discuss one specific type, though, and that is hotel loyalty programs (you can read about loyalty programs in general on our Loyalty Program Page). I want to tell you why I choose to be a part of these programs, even if it means spending a little extra here and there. So, let’s dive in and see why hotel loyalty programs are something I love to participate in.
I personally opt for two programs – Marriott Bonvoy (sign up here)and Hilton Honors. These are not paid or affiliate posts in any way; it’s just a personal preference. Marriott offers many hotels worldwide, and I love even their “lower” tier hotels (AC, Moxy, Aloft). I’ll get into their rewards in a minute. Hilton also has plenty of hotels worldwide, but not nearly as many, in my opinion, as Marriott. I have status with both of these brands as a Marriott Platinum member and Hilton Gold. These are achieved through a combination of nightly stays and credit cards.
There are other programs such as IHG, which includes Holiday Inn and Accor, which has brands like Novotel as well as Hyatt’s program. Hyatt has lovely hotels, but its brand reach is far smaller. Accor also has great places, but again, not as wide of a reach and far less in the US. IHG just doesn’t fit my fancy, so I stick with Hilton and Marriott. So, let’s see why these hotel loyalty programs best suit me.
Benefits of Hotel Loyalty Programs
Room Upgrades
Different hotel loyalty programs offer different rewards, but some universal ones exist across brands.
This main benefit is getting a room upgrade. I love a good upgrade at a hotel. I book a generic standard queen or king room and, upon check-in, find myself in a suite, thanks to my status. Given my Marriott and Hilton status, I often get upgraded when I stay (this is highly dependent on location, however).
Last spring, we headed to Bahrain for brunch at the Hilton Bahrain with friends. We decided to stay at the same place, given the amount of food we knew we would be consuming. Upon check-in, my gold status put us immediately into a top-tier suite. We had a sweeping view of the harbor, a full living room and kitchen (I think even a washing machine), and a separate bedroom.
This past August, we were able to book a low-season room at the St. Regis in Abu Dhabi. A truly stunningly beautiful hotel. We arrived a bit late but got checked in and found ourselves upgraded to a suite complete with our own BUTLER. Yes, a butler. He organized events for us, such as attending the champagne sabering, dinner reservations, a tour of the really fancy Abu Dhabi Suite (it’s for the absolute uber-wealthy), afternoon tea, and providing us with a complimentary bottle of wine.
This particular upgrade really enhanced our stay. We would have enjoyed the hotel immensely otherwise, but this room made the trip a little bit more special and a bit more relaxing before we had to head back to work the next week.
While room upgrades are not my favorite reason for hotel loyalty, they are certainly up there pretty high!
Checkout – My Favorite Part of Hotel Loyalty Programs
While I discussed room upgrades, the absolute best part of being a loyal hotel member is the checkout times. Unlike smaller chains or, especially Airbnb, as a status member with hotels, I get priority check-out times.
As a Marriott Platinum member, I am pretty much guaranteed a 4 pm check out. This isn’t always true in the US, but overall, it has been guaranteed. I sign up to check out at 4 pm even if I know I need to be out by 10 am. Why? Because it’s a perk I’m offered, and it gives me peace of mind. When I am able to check out late, 4 pm is wonderful. I can wake up, enjoy breakfast, go to the pool, exercise, or enjoy the city if I want. I have all the time I need and none of the stress. However, I usually confirm my checkout time with the front desk.
This feature of hotel programs is my favorite…by far! There are, though, other perks, like lounges!
Hotel Lounges
I was surprised to learn that many hotels, like airports, have lounges. This is one of the more fun hotel loyalty program perks that I take advantage of. Having status with both Hilton and Marriott means I usually have access to a lounge (this depends on the hotel as not every hotel has one – for example, Marriott hotels that were originally Starwood, like St. Regis, do not).
What do I like about lounges? Well, first and foremost I get free food and drink. Many hotel lounges offer small snacks (cookies, bags of chips, fruit) and coffee or soft drinks throughout the day. This is a nice way to grab a free snack or coffee when you need it. But where lounges really shine are in the evenings. Many of these same lounges offer dinner and happy hour where you can choose from a full dinner to a variety of drinks from wine and beer to, at certain locations, spirits. Some lounges even serve morning breakfast.
The other lovely part of lounges, at least for me as part of a couple with no children, is a chance to be out and about and experience the hotel with no children around. That doesn’t mean children are never in the lounge; it’s certainly not uncommon, especially at dinner. Overall, however, there is little there for kids to do, so parents tend not to bring them.
Point Accumulation
One final big perk across hotel loyalty programs is accumulating points (or whatever name each chain calls them). Just like virtually every business, you can accumulate points to be spent at that business. Take a flight? You’ll get some miles. Purchase a TV at BestBuy? You’ll get something or other in terms of points from them. Stay a night at a hotel? You’ll get nights and points.
You’ll accrue points regardless of whether you have any special status or not with a hotel so long as you have a basic registered member account. As your status increases, however, so does your point accumulation. For example, I earn 50% more points for each stay with Marriott. IHG point accrual goes up 20% with each tier. All of the hotel loyalty programs increase their point accrual the higher your status.
Points may seem useless, but like compound interest, the higher your status and the more you stay, the more you accrue. Points are a great way to take a trip for “free” (free because you’ve already stayed and spent money). Points can expire or diminish in value at the whim of a chain, but again, they can be great ways to get a stay at a nice chain for virtually nothing.
Downsides to Hotel Loyalty Programs
There is really only one downside to hotel loyalty programs, and that is cost. This cost, however, can manifest in many ways.
Expensive Stays
You need to spend money to gain better status with anything, and a hotel loyalty program is no exception. For hotels, that means choosing to stay with that particular brand or chain more often than not. This is not always the cheapest option. In many large cities, there are cheaper hotels with great reviews, hostels (which are great sometimes), or even Airbnbs or the like. If you’re new to traveling and interested in places to stay, check out our page on Types of Accommodations.
Choosing to stay exclusively with one chain or brand can really rack up the cost, especially in the US, where hotels are often far more expensive than their counterparts abroad (one reason I tend to stay in Airbnbs in the US, though virtually never abroad due to fees often hidden by Airbnb hosts).
This money could be spent on dining, sightseeing, excursions, or any number of things but instead goes towards your accommodation. I try to offset this by utilizing my perks as best as I can, such as eating or drinking in the lounge, but it’s not foolproof, and we usually spend more to stay in the hotels we are loyal to than we would to stay elsewhere.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are a great way to ramp up your status in a hotel loyalty program. Some even offer automatic levels (they come with their own perks as well), but the best of these can also come at a high price.
Some of the best credit cards that offer great status do have high annual fees. For example, the American Express Platinum card offers automatic Marriott and Hilton Gold status but has a $650 annual fee. These fees can be enough to turn off many people, especially if you do not travel frequently. These cards do, however, have many other perks. If you are interested, you can apply for the American Express Platinum card here. I also get 15 automatic nights with a Marriott Bonvoy card, which makes it easier to maintain my status. That card offers automatic Silver status and has a much more manageable $95 annual fee. Check it out here!
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Final Thoughts on Hotel Loyalty Programs
On the whole, I find that these hotel loyalty programs offer me considerable benefits, from late check-out to lounge access to room upgrades. These perks may not mean much to you, but they are worth it for me. I enjoy my extra comforts with a hotel (though we still occasionally stay in private rooms at hostels), and I don’t have the hassle of Airbnb’s hidden cleaning fees or owners generally being troublesome. It does cost me a bit more, but the benefits outweigh the costs for us.
If you’d like to sign up for the programs I use, you can do so here: Marriott Bonvoy (note you get a signing bonus of points, and so do I!) or Hilton Honors (you, not me, will also earn bonus points when you sign up!).
