Platinum and Diamond elite members of Best Western Rewards now receive a choice of 250 bonus points or complimentary water and snack at properties in US and Canada. This elite amenity choice is not posted on the Best Western Rewards website that I can find, but according to several FlyerTalk members the new benefit has been around since July 1.

Best Western has been promoting an elite status match offer from any other hotel loyalty program for most of 2010.

Platinum membership regularly requires 15 nights in a calendar year. Benefits are 15% elite bonus and early check-in, late check-out privileges.

Diamond membership requires 30 nights in a calendar year. Benefits include complimentary upgrades and a 30% elite bonus.

Best Western Rewards Membership Levels and Benefits link.

Best Western Rewards implemented complimentary high speed internet for all properties in the US, Canada and the Caribbean way back in 2004.

The concept behind the Autograph Collection is high-personality independent hotels. The properties are upscale and luxury hotels located in urban and resort vacation destinations. Marriott projects around 25 Autograph Collection hotels within the next year. The independently run hotels gain access to Marriott’s worldwide promotion network and 32.5 million Marriott Rewards members gain familiarity with a new set of desirable hotels.

Marriott announced last March the first member of Marriott’s new Autograph Collection was Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine. This hotel is one of seven Kessler Collection hotels to become part of the Autograph Collection to date.

Hotel Duval in Tallahassee, Florida is the 11^th member of the Autograph Collection. The 117-room hotel originally opened in 1951. The hotel served as student housing for Florida State University in the 1970s and was remodeled into a Radisson Hotel in the 1980s. In 2007 the hotel underwent a $15 million renovation.

“Each one of the six floors of guest rooms and suites features a dedicated color palette (blue, green, neutrals, orange, red, and yellow) and you can select a color based on your mood or personal preference!”   http://www.hotelduval.com/

Some news articles state the entire Kessler Collection of hotels became part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. I came across a standout last week in Colorado. Perhaps the Beaver Creek Lodge in the gated resort community of Beaver Creek a few miles west of Vail located at 8,100 feet on the ski slopes above the town of Avon will become part of the Autograph Collection in the near future. As for now this Kessler Collection property, just a short walk from the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, is not yet a member of the Autograph Collection. However, I noticed the Spa & Lodge link on Marriott’s Autograph Collection webpage states “Coming Soon”. 

Beaver Creek Lodge would be a nice hotel addition to the Autograph Collection for Marriott Rewards members.

Beaver Creek Lodge, Avon, Colorado (Kessler Collection hotel, not yet in Autograph Collection)