Preferred Hotel Group’s loyalty program “I Prefer” has seven weeks of two night free stay giveaways through its Facebook fan page at your choice of two different Pacific Northwest hotels for each week of the sweepstakes. Preferred Hotel Group is a major hotel association representing more than 700 independent upscale and luxury hotels worldwide in 65 countries.

• Week One: Pan Pacific Hotel and The Willows Lodge (Monday, Sep 12 10:00am CT – Sunday, Sep 18 11:59pm CT)
• Week Two: The Coeur d’Alene Resort and Brasada Ranch
• Week Three: Hotel Captain Cook and Wort Hotel
• Week Four: The River Rock Casino Resort and Tulalip Resort Casino
• Week Five: Hotel Terra and Teton Mountain Lodge
• Week Six: The Allison Inn & Spa and The Heathman Hotel
• Week Seven: Hotel 1000 and The Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club and Spa

The entry period for Week One is September 12, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time (CT) and ends on September 18, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Each subsequent contest week should run Monday 12:00am CT through Sunday 11:59pm CT.

• Contest is only open to U.S. residents of 50 States and D.C.
• The stay for the Week 1 contest must be completed by March 31, 2012.

How to Enter:

1. “Like” the I Prefer Facebook page.

2. Register for the Postcards from the Pacific Northwest Contest. Answer the weekly Pacific Northwest themed question with a 140 character “postcard” and you could win a two-night stay for two at one of the two weekly featured hotels.

3. The rules state the winner each week will be selected randomly meaning this technically is a sweepstakes since you do not need to win a postcard writing contest to win the free hotel stay. The Facebook page shows the 140 character postcard entries and allows fans to vote, but the rules indicate the winner is chosen randomly from the entries.

4. Inviting your Facebook friends to enter the sweepstakes gives one additional entry for each friend who registers for the I Prefer free stay giveaway.

5. Week One Prize Value = about $750.

 

Preferred Hotel Group is also a hotel partner of Choice Privileges.  Choice Privileges members can redeem points for select properties around the globe in the Preferred Hotel Group chain at rates from 30,000 to 60,000 points for a free night.

HELP SHEET #8 – updated July 7, 2011

This Loyalty Traveler post is the 8th update for 2011 hotel loyalty promotions  and includes about 25 new promotion offers since the June 7 list. Offers marked with an asterisk (*) were added since the last update June 7.

Accor Hotels -  A-Club

Hotel Brands: Sofitel, Pullman, M Gallery, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, Adagio, All Seasons, Thalassa Spa.

* Motel 6 is the primary Accor Hotels brand in USA, however, extremely limited A-Club hotel loyalty program participation. A|Club repeats last year’s promotion allowing redemption of A|Club vouchers for stays at North America Motel 6 hotels from June 1-October 31. LT post June 29.

Accor Hotels is the largest chain of hotel brands globally outside of the USA.

Accor 10^th Anniversary World Tour Giveaway – One monthly trip consisting of Round the World flights and hotel stays in 10 cities over 30 to 40 days. Ten prizes each month for a hotel stay. (11 prizes each month from March through December 2011). LT post March 30. 

Accor A|Club Global Promotion Offers List – link (This link allows searches by continent region)

Accor Hotels A|Club bonus offers

Best Western Hotels – Best Western Rewards 

Hotel Brand Tiers: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier  

5-Key promotion – Best Western free night after three stays from June 19 to August 14, 2011. Limit one free night during promotion. Loyalty Traveler post June 4.

Best Western International Offers webpage link. The link provides a variety of promotions internationally for Best Western hotels.

Best Western Rewards Elite Status Match Offer (February 19, 2010) This offer is ongoing and still available. Best Western is a particularly useful loyalty program when traveling outside the USA. Best Western and Accor A-Club have more hotels outside the USA than all the other major hotel programs combined including Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott and Starwood.

Program Change for Elites: Elite members earn 250 bonus points for stays in US/Canada or a welcome snack. (Aug 3, 2010)

Best Western Brand Tiers Change – Best Western has designated about 25% of the chain’s higher quality hotels in the 4,000+ hotel chain as Best Western Plus (about 800 hotels) and Best Western Premier (about 100 hotels, mostly outside U.S.).

 

Carlson Hotels – Club Carlson (formerly Goldpoints Plus loyalty program)

Hotel Brands: Radisson Blu, Radisson, Country Inn & Suites, Park Inn, Park Plaza 

* Club Carlson does not currently have a major bonus points promotion since the free night after two stays promotion ended June 15. There appear to be some good discount rates (35% off two day Radisson stays – book by July 12) and Park Inn 20% off two or three night weekend stays in North America through August 31.

There are also some good values with Club Carlson double points rates where members earn 40 points/$1 for room rate. This is an extra 2,500 points on a $125 room rate that may only be $10 more than otherwise lowest rates.

These Loyalty Traveler posts describe changes with Club Carlson launch March 31, 2011: 

 Club Carlson Hotel Category Reassignment Analysis – Overview and Category 1 Hotels (April 7) – This post has links to posts for each Club Carlson Hotel Reward category with tables showing the new Club Carlson reward category and the former Goldpoints Plus reward category.

Club Carlson Loyalty program Launches March 31 – Replaces goldpoints plus (Feb 14)

Club Carlson Reward Category Changes March 31, 2011 (Feb 18)

Club Carlson Hotel Reward Category Analysis (Feb 28) This post shows the number of hotels in each category and changes from 2010 level for different global regions.

Club Med resort credit for goldpoints. $100, $250 and $500 credit.  (March 10).

Club Carlson online booking bonus – Club Carlson general members earn 1,000 bonus points for online booking. Silver and Gold elite members earn 2,000 bonus points for online booking. Concierge elite members earn 3,000 points. Club Carlson Benefits table link.

Choice Hotels – Choice Privileges

Hotel Brands: Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban, EconoLodge, Rodeway Inn, Ascend Collection.

Hotel Reward Partners: Preferred Hotels Group, Barcelo Resorts 

Stay two times for 8,000 points May 19-August 11. This promotion awards members with 8,000 total points after two stays. Four brands require a two-night stay for this promotion ay Rodaeway Inn, EconoLodge, MainStay Suites and Suburban Suites. This offer is a variable bonus offer since two $60 stays that normally earn 1,200 points ($120 x 10 points/$1) receives 6,800 bonus points for 8,000 total points, yet two $300 hotel stays that earn 6,000 base points will result in 2,000 bonus points for 8,000 total points. This offer is best bonus on low cost hotel stays. Loyalty Traveler post May 16, 2011.

Choice Privileges reward night cost analysis. Using a spreadsheet of 2010 reward cost, I calculated the percentage of hotels in various reward levels worldwide from 6,000 points to 40,000 points. This is the only breakdown of hotel reward tiers I have ever seen for Choice Hotels. Loyalty Traveler post May 1, 2011.

Choice Privileges Program Changes for Elite Members effective January 1, 2011:

Program enhancements for elites. 

• Platinum elite qualification = 20 nights in a calendar year (formerly 25 nights).
• Diamond elite bonus increased to 50% base points (formerly 40%).

Reward night booking window extended for Choice Privileges elite members:

• Gold = 50 days (formerly 40 days)
• Platinum = 75 days (formerly 60 days)
• Diamond = 100 days (formerly 90 days) 

Nordic Choice Club hotel loyalty program covers 140 Choice hotels in Scandinavia and Baltic regions of Europe. Choice Privileges members currently do not earn points for hotel stays in Scandinavia, although hotel stays are available for points. Nordic Choice Club offers points and benefits for hotels in this region. Choice Privileges members planning frequent travel in Scandinavia may want to compare the benefits of Nordic Choice Club to Choice Privileges.    (LT post Sep 9, 2010)

 

Drury Hotels – Gold Key Club

* 1,000 bonus points for enrollment in Drury Gold Key Club.

 

Expedia Rewards –

Double Rewards points for Expedia Vacation Package paid with MasterCard through August 31. Registration required. 

Expedia’s new loyalty program earns points for air, hotel and travel package bookings. This is a gamechanger for online travel agencies. Booking airfare through Expedia is a no brainer method for earning additional travel rebates since frequent flyer benefits are unaffected. Hotels are a different matter though since no hotel loyalty points with programs like SPG, Marriott, Hilton and others are earned for Expedia bookings.

Main Expedia Rewards benefits are the ability to earn points when booking travel for other people like family members and friends. And Expedia vacation packages often allow a hotel night to be added for the same price as airfare alone; particularly when traveling to Las Vegas. Loyalty Traveler Analysis March 28.

 

Fairmont Hotels and Fairmont President’s Club

Tip: Sign up for Fairmont President’s Club to receive monthly special discount rates for Fairmont Hotels. 

Four Seasons Hotels

Four Seasons Special Offers website link

 

Global Hotel Alliance – GHA Discovery – Hotel loyalty program alliance for 12 independent hotel brands including Omni Hotels, Pan Pacific, Kempinski, First Hotels, Mirvac, Anantara Resorts, Tivoli Hotels, The Doyle Collection, Marco Polo Hotels, Park Royal, The Leela Palaces, Shaza Hotels.

Overview of GHA Discovery, elite membership benefits and local experiences, Loyalty Traveler post January 30.

 

Hilton Hotels – Hilton HHonors

10 Hotel Brands: Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Conrad, Waldorf-Astoria Collection, Hampton Inn, and Home2Suites. 

* Double HHonors Points or Double Miles for stays worldwide from July 1-September 30, 2011. List of about 250 excluded hotels, mostly in U.S.. Promotion registration required. Loyalty traveler post June 24.

* HHonors Gold VIP elite after 4 stays or 9 nights in 90 days at U.S. hotels with Hilton HHonors MVP. Promotion registration required.

* Free HHonors Gold VIP elite  to August 31, 2011 for U.S. resident Visa Signature cardmembers. Complete three stays by August 31 to extend Gold VIP status through March 2013. Existing Gold and Diamond members receive 5,000 bonus points. Loyalty Traveler post June 10.

Great Getaway Hilton Summer Sale with discounts from 15% to 40%. Book May 13 to August 31 for hotel stays May 27 to Sep 5. Prepaid rates and must book 14 days in advance. Loyalty Traveler post May 19.

HHonors Point Stretcher Rewards posted for hotels through November 2011. Point Stretchers require 40% fewer points than standard HHonors rewards. Use the drop-down menu to see participating hotels in different Hilton brands. The Point Stretcher hotel awards were updated in early June.

HHonors Points & Money – Loyalty Traveler reward analysis indicates these are good value. Loyalty Traveler post May 9.

Home2Suites opens first hotel of Hilton’s new extended stay brand in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Unfortunately this new hotel brand becomes the first HHonors brand with a lower earn rate for points and miles. Loyalty Traveler post March 21.

HHonors Comprehensive Reward Charts – Members have difficulty locating the various reward charts on the Hilton HHonors sites, particularly VIP Rewards and Waldorf-Astoria rates. This Loyalty Traveler post places all the HHonors reward charts in one post. (LT post Sep 13, 2010)

Cheaper Hilton Reward nights using Priority Club points – this Loyalty Traveler analysis developed from the Priority Club Anywhere Challenge. Hotels Anywhere allows Priority Club members to spend points for hotels in other chains. My study shows there are numerous Hilton Hotels requiring fewer Priority Club points than Hilton HHonors charges its members in HHonors points for the same reward. (LT post Sep 17)

HHonors Program change: Gold and Diamond members receive complimentary internet at all Hilton Worldwide hotels beginning September 1, 2010. (Hilton – Aug 2 press release)

 

Hotels.com Welcome Rewards

Earn a free night for every 10 nights.

* Double points (up to 4 bonus points) through July 31 for new Welcome Rewards members.

Hyatt Hotels – Hyatt Gold Passport

Hotel Brands:  Park Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Vacation Club, Hyatt Resorts, Andaz, Hyatt Summerfield Suites

* 2,500 Aeroplan miles per Hyatt stay July 1-September 30. Maximum bonus is 25,000 miles after 10 stays.

* Welcome credit and 2,500 bonus points for stays paid with American Express at 75 international hotels. Loyalty Traveler post July 2. 3-key promotion.

Earn 19,000 Southwest points after 5 Hyatt stays June 1-August 31. Loyalty traveler post June 5.

Program Change – Hyatt Property Specific Bonuses: Jeff Zidell Hyatt VP, told me on March 8 the ‘property level bonus’ program is being evaluated and reinvented. We will probably only see regional hotel bonus offers until July. Specific property level bonuses that typically offered 1,000 to 2,000 points in G1, G2, and G3 offers may be gone for good. We’ll see.

 

InterContinental Hotels Group – Priority Club

Hotel Brands: InterContinental Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Hotel Indigo 

* Limited Time Rate Discount Europe – Up to 35% off for weekend stays in Europe through August 31. These rates are prepaid and nonrefundable with no changes allowed. T&C also state no points.

* Limited Time Rate Discount Europe – 2 nights for the Price of 1 – LT Note: Promotion page states this offer expired June 30, 2011, but I still found available 2-for-1 rates for August dates on July 7. This is a recurring rate promotion for several years and offers one of the greatest discounts on hotel rooms in Europe; particularly London. LT 5-key rate offer.

* Pack Your Points Tweetstakes July 1-July 31. Retweet @IHG_Deals daily message for entry. One entry per day. Prizes are 15,000 or 30,000 points for daily winners chosen in August. LT post July 4.

* IHG Priority Club Last Minute Reward Nights are posted the week before the first weekend of the month. Hotels are only posted for a few days and must be booked by Thursday prior to the Friday through Sunday dates. LT post June 30.

$75 MasterCard Gift Card for 2-night weekend stay worldwide at any IHG hotel May 19-August 31, 2011. Limit of four cards per member. Only for U.S. residents. Loyalty Traveler post May 18. 4-key offer.

IHG Double Points or Double Miles (May 16 – August 15, 2011) – 2-key offer. LT post April 21.

InterContinental Hotels in Europe 5^th Night Free rate July 14 – Sep 11, 2011. These rates are about 20% off Best Flexible Rate and equivalent to Advance Purchase rate. Loyalty Traveler post March 16.

Priority Club PointBreaks through July 30, 2011 are probably the best hotel loyalty program reward night value available at 5,000 points for a free night. Many of the hotels are discounted 80% from their normal 25,000 points for a reward night. The current list had 133 hotels on May 9 and only 27 hotels on July 6. Look for a new list of hotels posting in July.  Loyalty Traveler post May 9. (5-key offer.)

Complimentary InterContinental Ambassador membership ($200 value) after three stays at InterContinental Hotels by July 31, 2011. My Loyalty Traveler post argues for spending 32,000 points or $200 for Ambassador membership and earning benefits on three stays.

IHG Priority Club relaunch previews new reward option for Last Minute Hotel Nights at 50% points of standard reward night. Other changes are primarily cosmetic with new mobile apps, card redesign and website changes. Loyalty traveler post March 29.

IHG Priority Club partnership with Las Vegas Resorts – The Venetian and The Palazzo become InterContinental Alliance hotel partners as of April 1, 2011. Priority Club points can be earned and burned (40,000 points per night) for hotel stays and InterContinental Ambassador benefits apply. Earn 6,000 bonus points for a three night stay booked by June 30 (Loyalty Traveler April 11 post).

InterContinental Ambassador Accelerator - 20,000 points after 15 nights at InterContinental Hotels. Registration required.

Priority Club Any Hotel Anywhere American Express gift cards.

      New Price for Any Hotel, Anywhere Cards  Loyalty Traveler post Jan 25.

• $100 = 33,000 points (formerly 29,000)
• $125 = 39,000 points (formerly 34,000)
• $150 = 45,000 points (formerly 39,000)
• $200 = 60,000 points (formerly 49,000)
• $250 = 72,000 points (formerly 59,000)

3-key offer IHG Sweetheart Deal – $100 Visa card rebate for a three-day or longer stay at any IHG hotel worldwide within 90 days of 2011 wedding in U.S. or Canada. (LT Jan 11)

Points & Cash Program Change:  Priority Club Points & Cash Reward nights increased the cost of 5,000 Priority Club points to $40 from $30. The cost to buy 10,000 points remains unchanged at $60. Loyalty Traveler post (Nov 19)

Cheaper Hilton Reward nights using Priority Club points – Hotels Anywhere allows Priority Club members to spend points for hotels in other chains. My study shows there are numerous Hilton Hotels requiring fewer Priority Club points than Hilton HHonors charges its members in HHonors points. (LT post Sep 17)

IHG Friend & Family Hotel Rates (Steve Sickel). Steve Sickel is senior Vice President Relationship Marketing for InterContinental Hotels Group. During the hotel recession of 2009 he offered this link to FlyerTalk members for booking discount friends and family rates. This link is still active. And we are all friends of Steve’s. Here is a FlyerTalk thread discussing this rate deal. The link in Steve Sickel’s name leads to the offer page for a voucher to complete. Some guests mention the hotel wants the completed voucher at check-in. These rates do not qualify for points or stay credit. One of the best features of this offer is the ability to book high category rooms at steep discount.

Program Change: Ambassador Annual Membership Fee Increased from $150 to $200 as of July 1, 2010. You can also buy Ambassador membership for 32,000 Priority Club Rewards points (formerly 24,000). Renewal fee is still $100.

Priority Club Points Exchange Value and Points.com – Loyalty traveler research (Jan 20) into the exchange value of Priority Club points into airline miles through Points.com

 

Kimpton Hotels – InTouch

* Kimpton “Summer Like a Local Rate” offer gives a $25 nightly dining credit for a rate $10 over BAR May 26-September 5.

Loyalty Traveler posted an outline of Kimpton’s InTouch program showing how 21 stays in 2011 can potentially earn 7 free nights at any Kimpton Hotel. (LT post Jan 11)

 

La Quinta Hotels – La Quinta Returns

Hotel chain and hotel loyalty program overview by Loyalty Traveler,  April 12.

* New La Quinta Returns members earn Gold elite after two nights within 60 days of enrollment. Two nights may be one stay. Gold elite promotion offer for new enrollments through August 31, but keep in mind these offers are sometimes withdrawn early.

 

Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) – Leaders Club Rewards 

Leaders Club Rewards program changes: Membership fees for Leaders Club Rewards dropped to $100 annual for Access level. Access membership includes complimentary breakfast for two each day of stay and free internet. Unlimited membership is $1,200 annually. Loyalty traveler post Feb 3.

Earn a free night after every 5 stays with stays in at least two LHW properties by December 31, 2011.

LHW Hotel Special Offers link

 

Marriott Hotels – Marriott Rewards

Hotel Brands: Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Residence Inn, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites, SpringHill Suites, Edition, Autograph Collection, Marriott Vacation Club, AC Hotels. 

Marriott Rewards Earn one free night at a category 1 to 4 hotel reward after two hotel stays June 1-August 31. Registration deadline for this promotion was June 30, 2011. This offer may be earned two times during promotion. Active Marriott Rewards members may have a points offer based on 15 to 25 nights. Loyalty Traveler post May 16.

Marriott Rewards 4x miles for hotels stays June 1-August 31. Earn 8 miles per $1 or 4 miles per $1 with 13 participating airlines depending on Marriott hotel brand. Loyalty Traveler post May 27.

Program Change: All Marriott Rewards members receive complimentary internet at Asia-Pacific region hotels. Loyalty Traveler post May 2, 2011.

AC Hotels is Marriott’s newest hotel brand. AC Hotels are a Madrid-based hotel chain now partnered with Marriott and brings 90 new upscale hotels in Spain, Italy and Portugal into the Marriott Rewards system. This brand is projected to expand in Europe and Latin America. Loyalty Traveler post March 27.

Marriott Rewards Hotel Category Assignment Changes for 2011 (Loyalty Traveler March 2)

Marriott Rewards PointSavers –PointSavers reduce the points cost of a free night by one hotel category. For example, category 5 hotel requires only 20,000 points per night. 5^th night free applies to PointSavers rate. http://www.marriott.com/rewards/marriottRewardsPointSavers.mi

Marriott Points Redemption Strategy using $1,000 in Marriott Cheques. This post explains how Marriott elite members may buy $1,000 Marriott Cheques for 135,000 points. You can then pay for hotel stays and earn points and elite credit on paid stays you actually purchased indirectly with points. Loyalty Traveler post Jan 27.

Marriott Rewards Elite Rollover Nights extended for 2011. This is the third year Marriott Rewards offers elite rollover nights for elite qualifying nights over your earned elite membership. For example: Silver elite requires 10 nights in calendar year and Gold elite takes 50 nights. Stay 25 nights in 2011 and the 15 nights above Silver elite rollover to 2012 membership year. You will have earned Silver elite for 2013 from your 15 extra nights in 2011 rolled over to 2012. Confused? Don’t worry. This is a great benefit for elite members. (Loyalty Traveler 5-key offer. LT post Dec 23.)

Program change – Free internet worldwide for Gold and Platinum Marriott Rewards members beginning January 2011. This expands the complimentary internet benefit offered to elites for hotel stays in the Americas since May 2010.

 

Omni Hotels – Omni Select Guest

Member benefits include complimentary in-room Wi-Fi, shoe shine and morning beverage delivery.

Earn a free night after every 10 nights or earn 500 miles per hotel stay.

 

Preferred Hotels Group – I Prefer

I Prefer and Preferred Hotels Group special offers page.

 

Red Lion Hotels – 44 hotels in western U.S.

* Red Lion Double Points and Free Breakfast promotion code = RLDOUBLE (through Dec 31, 2011)

 

Ritz-Carlton Rewards

* Ritz-Carlton Rewards Visa – 50,000 points enrollment offer and Gold elite first year. Maintain Gold elite with $10,000 annual spending. Three confirmed Club level upgrades per year and other benefits. Loyalty Traveler post June 13.

Ritz-Carlton Rewards loyalty program launching Sep 15 (LT post Sep 14)

Reward Changes in new Ritz-Carlton Reward Tiers (LT post Sep 15)

Ritz-Carlton rewards Hotel + Air Packages Analysis (LT post Sep 16)

 

Starwood Hotels – Starwood Preferred Guest

Starwood Hotels brands: Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, Le Meridien, Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Four Points, element, aloft. 

* $40 gas card for two-night or longer stays at Four Points, Aloft or Element hotels in North America through September 15. Must book hotel stay by July 31 using rate code SSBGAS. LT post July 6.

* Four Points $25,000 contest for best story submitted on Four Points Facebook page between June 15 and August 10. Contest open to US  and Canada (except Quebec). Also weekly prizes for two-night stay and $50 in beer credit. Contest Rules.

* 3x points for Starwood Hotels in Japan for stays and dining June 1-August 31. LT post June 26.

Starwood Preferred Guest – Stay 3 and get a free Starwood Resort hotel night from May 1-July 31, 2011. Note: Promotion registration ended June 30, 2011, so too late if you are not already registered. Free nights are good for over 200 Starwood Resorts including several category 6 and one category 7 resort. Free nights are valid until December 21.  LT post April 15. (5-key promotion)

FourSquare 250 bonus points for mobile check-in at Starwood Hotels May 1-July 31, 2011. Loyalty Traveler post May 12. Note: Most of these bonuses have quickly posted for me. I need to follow up on a couple of missing bonuses.

Starwood Preferred Guest Hotel Category reward assignment changes for 2011 took effect on March 1. My LT post (Feb 22) has a list ordered by city, state and country for changes.

Starwood Hotels data on number of hotels in each brand and average rates by brand and global region. Loyalty traveler post Feb 4.

Starwood hotels Website Enhancement – Website now allows comparison of four different rate types side-by-side for hotels in one location including promotion rates, AAA, breakfast rates, senior, government and reward nights. There are monthly calendars to locate days when Cash & Points nights are available at a specific hotel Loyalty Traveler post Nov 23, 2010. 

SPG Peak Season Rates Return for 2011. Category 5, 6 and 7 hotels relaunch peak season dates and a calendar of dates and participating hotels is posted here. Book by January 9 to lock in lower rates for your hotel stays. Loyalty traveler post Dec 6. 

Starwood Hotels Policy Change: Sheraton Hotel Club Lounges will be open 7 days a week in 2011.

Starwood Preferred Guest – American Express credit card changes effective October 14, 2010. The annual fee is increasing to $65 from $45 for renewals beginning Oct 14. Benefit changes include 5 elite nights and 2 elite stays credit each year. This will have no effect for members who qualify on stays. The SPG50 certificate will be discontinued in favor of a 3^rd night free offer at Sheraton Hotels. Loyalty traveler post (August 24); Sheraton 3^rd Night Free Analysis (Nov 12)

3-key or sometimes a 5-key promotion SPG link: Pay Your Birthyear Rate -This promotion has been extended through 2011. Rates can be an incredible 5-key savings or no savings depending on the hotel and your birthyear.   LT post 4/28/2009

3-key or sometimes a 5-key discount rates Starwood Hotel Rate Discount Codes for Multiple Night Stays.

These offers are for rate discounts on stays of 2 to 6 nights. Third night free tends to be one of the best discount rates. Important to check other rates (AAA, Senior, Special Offers) as these discounts are generally based on the Best Available Rate (BAR) and may not be the lowest overall rate for some hotels. 

Starpoints Airline Direct Deposit is Better for United, Continental, and Singapore miles (March 25, 2010)

 

Stash Hotel Rewards

Stash Hotel Rewards New Member Enrollment 1,000 bonus points link.

Stash Rewards is a one year old loyalty program for over 100 independent upscale hotels in the U.S. Loyalty Traveler post Jan 19. Loyalty Traveler has found the hotel partners with Stash Rewards in Monterey, Napa and Washington D.C. are great choices for hotel travelers. Stash Rewards offers points for many high quality independent hotels that previously had no loyalty program affiliation.

Stash Hotel Specials for Bonus Points and Low Redemption Rate Hotels

 

Voila Hotel Rewards

Loyalty Traveler profiled Voila Hotels program in light of the recent signing of two New York former Starwood W Hotels as the initial hotel members in the USA for this international loyalty program for 250 independent hotels.

* 2,500 Voila bonus points per stay through August 31 and entry into 500,000 points sweepstakes.

* Double elite credit for Voila member hotel stays through July 31. Registration required.

Wyndham Worldwide -  Wyndham Rewards

Wyndham Brands: Wyndham, Wingate, Hawthorn Suites, Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, Baymont Suites, Microtel, Knights Inn, Tryp.

1,000 bonus points per Wyndham stay from June 1 –September 5, 2011. Loyalty Traveler post June 2.

* European residents only – 15,000 bonus points for two hotel stays worldwide by September 30 at most Wyndham brands. Stays must be booked by August 31. Bonus may be earned four times for 60,000 points. Loyalty Traveler post July 6.

 

Loyalty Traveler Research Articles

* Room77.com hotel room views compared to my photos. Loyalty Traveler website analysis June 22.

Comparing the value of hotel program points - compares Hyatt, Priority Club and Hilton programs, then discusses how I am planning summer travel using free night promotions. (May 2, 2011)

Hotel Loyalty Credit Cards and the Value of Hotel Points

Loyalty Traveler Analysis of Hotel Rewards Credit Cards (March 19, 2011)

Elite Status Benefits with Hotel Loyalty Credit Cards (March 21, 2011)

Hotel Credit Cards Comparison by Value of Points (September 2, 2010) 

Hotel Credit Card Comparison using NerdWallet.com Value of Points (Sep 5, 2010) 

Loyalty Traveler’s Three Rules for the Value of Hotel Points (Sep 7, 2010)

 

Hotel Points to Airline Miles Conversion Tables

Hotel Points-to-Miles Conversion Tables for 9 hotel programs and 7 U.S. airlines (March 30, 2010)

Hotel Market Segments and Hotel Brand Profiles based on JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study

Overview JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study (Aug 10)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power Luxury Segment and luxury hotel brands  (Aug 11, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power Upscale Segment Hotel Brands (Aug 11)

Loyalty Traveler Comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Full Service Brand Ratings (Aug 13, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Limited Service Brands (August 15, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Economy/Budget Hotel Brand Ratings (August 16, 2010)

Comments on JD Power 2010 Extended Stay Hotel Satisfaction Index (Aug 17)

 

Hotel Rates Survey for USA States, Cities, and Average Hotel Rates Worldwide

Hotels.com 2010 – Full Year 2010 – Global Hotel Price Index – This is a great resource for finding where hotel rates are high and low around the world. There are tables of USA average hotel rates by state and major cities.

Loyalty Traveler ranks the consumer value of some hotel loyalty promotions on a Five Key Scale.

Five Keys = one of the best hotel loyalty promotions of the year.

Four Keys = high value rebate on the cost of hotel stays.

Three Keys = good value hotel loyalty promotion or rate offer

Two Keys = a bonus value if you play, but not necessarily worth going out of your way.

One Key = There is limited or no value. You are likely paying more than the bonus value.

Rate discounts and loyalty program bonuses are two types of hotel chain incentives to consider when booking travel. 

Rankings are subjective and subject to change. Your specific travel pattern may result in some promotions ranking more favorably for you. When assigning a key rank I take into consideration the following factors and probably more: 

• The opportunity for significantly high-value return on hotel spend in terms of future hotel rebate in free nights and discounted hotel nights. 
• Current loyalty program promotions and offers from other hotel chains.
• Past loyalty program offers and rates for the specific hotel chain and loyalty program.
• Current economic conditions in the hotel location and travel industry.

Preferred Hotels Group has a Stay Longer Winter Campaign discount for I Prefer members offering 10% off Best Available Rate (BAR) for one night, 20% off BAR for two nights and 30% off BAR nightly rate for stays of three or more nights at 70 hotels wordwide. Rate code is MKTSL. Non-members can register for I Prefer loyalty membership when booking these rates.

There are some big savings on several properties I checked around the U.S. like Beaver Creek Lodge Colorado with rates normally around $200 per night dropping to the $120 to $140 range for three night stays.

Preferred Hotels Group Participating Hotels link

USA has 37 hotels in 21 states, Canada has 3 hotels, Europe has 11 participating hotels in seven countries, Asia has 6 hotels in five countries, Middle East and Africa have 5 hotels in three countries, Central and South America have 8 hotels in four countries.

US$65 per night for a suite at Vista Real Hotel Guatemala for a 3-night stay Jan 11-14 is an example of the kinds of deals available. These are not prepaid, nonrefundable rates. The Vista Real Hotel is cancellable up to day before arrival.

Hotel Vista Real Guatemala, Guatemala City

I Prefer Membership Benefits and Program Enrollment link

I Prefer has five pages of special rate offers in addition to this promotion.

Current Hotel Loyalty Promotions and News – updated November 16, 2010

Here is the update to the Current Hotel Loyalty Promotions page on Loyalty Traveler blog.

Sixty Second overview of current offers:

Choice Privileges has one of the best points reward offers with discount hotel partner rewards up to 50% off at Preferred Hotels Group properties for bookings through January 19, 2011.

Starwood Preferred Guest has a fast-track elite offer for the remainder of the year with Stays Count Double at their brands of Aloft, Element and Four Points Hotels through December 31.

Fast-track to SPG Gold elite with just four stays at these brands by January 31, 2011 with the other SPG offer. Elite status will last through February 2012.

Sheraton Club Lounges will remain open on weekends beginning in 2011. Will Marriott follow?

Priority Club Sweet Dilemma for a free night after two stays and Hyatt Gold Passport 10,000 points after 5 nights are the best points and free nights deals for hotel stays through December 31 in my opinion.

Priority Club has an instant platinum elite offer that could make Sweet Dilemma a suite opportunity. IHG also has a high value 2 nights for the price of 1 special rate offer for hotels in the UK and Europe through December 30, 2010.

Accor Hotels has more hotels in South America than most other hotel loyalty program chains put together and through the end of 2010 you can 4x Accor AClub points.

November 21 is the last night for 15,000 goldpoints with just one night at a Country Inn & Suites.

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The frequent guest has the choice of many hotel loyalty promotions with little guidance to their relative value. Here is Loyalty Traveler’s summary of current hotel loyalty promotions and limited time rate offers for the frequent guest.

Newly added offers since the last October 18 update are marked with an asterisk (*).

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Loyalty Traveler ranks the consumer value of hotel loyalty promotions on a Five Key Scale.

Five Keys = one of the best hotel loyalty promotions of the year.

Four Keys = high value rebate on the cost of hotel stays.

Three Keys = good value hotel loyalty promotion or rate offer

Two Keys = a bonus value if you play, but not necessarily worth going out of your way.

One Key = There is limited or no value. You are likely paying more than the bonus value.

Rate discounts and loyalty program bonuses are two types of hotel chain incentives to consider when booking travel. 

Rankings are subjective and subject to change. Your specific travel pattern may result in some promotions ranking more favorably for you. When assigning a key rank I take into consideration the following factors and probably more: 

• The opportunity for significantly high-value return on hotel spend in terms of a future hotel rebate in free nights and discounted hotel nights. 
• Current loyalty program promotions and offers from other hotel chains.
• Past loyalty program offers and rates for the specific hotel chain and loyalty program.
• Current economic conditions in the hotel location and travel industry.

 

Accor Hotels -  A-Club

Hotel Brands: Sofitel, Pullman, M Gallery, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, Adagio, All Seasons, Thalassa Spa.

Motel 6 is the primary Accor Hotels brand in USA, however, extremely limited A-Club hotel loyalty program participation.

 

*North America – Sofitel Hotels Triple Points 11/9 – 12/31

*UK – Mercure Hotels Triple Points Book 11/9 – 12/30 for stays through 2/28/2011.

*Latin America – Ibis, Mercure, Novotel, Sofitel, Pullman – 4x Points through 12/31 at over 150 hotels.

*Paris – Triple Points through 12/31/2010

*Australia – Double Points Dec 1- Feb 28, 2011

*Other Accor Hotels A-Club bonus offers

 

Best Western Hotels – Best Western Rewards

Hotel Brand Tiers: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier 

* Best Western Travel Card Purchase Bonus – 2,500 points or $10 gift card for every $100 Best Western Travel Card purchase transaction from November 5 – December 31, 2010. You want to make separate $100 transactions to maximize bonus.

 

3-key promotion – 1,250 miles with American Airlines or Air Canada Aeroplan after two stays Sep 12-Nov 21. Earn 750 bonus miles every second stay. There is no cap on the number of times this bonus may be earned, unlike the concurrent promotion for triple points. Registration is required and you need to set your BW account earning preference to miles to see these promotion offers.  LT promotion post (Aug 22)

2-key Promotion – Double or Triple Points, Sep 12 through Nov 21, 2010. Earn triple points (30 points/$1) on your second stay booked through Bestwestern.com. Earn double points if reservation not booked online. This bonus is earned only one time, except elite members also earn triple points on 4^th stay. Promotion code is FALL10 or for AAA BestWestern Preferred members AAAFALL10. Promotion registration required. LT promotion post (Aug 22)

Best Western Rewards Elite Status Match Offer (February 19, 2010)

Program Change for Elites: Elite members earn 250 bonus points for stays in US/Canada or a welcome snack. (Aug 3, 2010)

* Best Western Brand Tiers Change – Best Western is designating about 25% of the chain’s higher quality hotels in the 4,000+ hotel chain as Best Western Plus (about 800 hotels) and Best Western Premier (about 100 hotels).

 

Carlson Hotels – Goldpoints Plus

Hotel Brands: Radisson Blu, Radisson, Country Inn & Suites, Park Inn, Park Plaza

Country Inn & Suites -  October 3 – November 21, 2010; U.S., Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama

• 15,000 bonus points for one-night stay on a Sunday through Thursday. (Limit one bonus per member)
• 3-day advance reservation required. Promo code = 15000PTS.

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2010/09/28/country-inn-suites-one-night-stay-for-15000-goldpoints/

Goldpoints Plus program change – elite members earn 2,000 points for online booking. This change doubles the regular 1,000 online booking bonus for goldpoints elite members. (LT post July 18)

 

Choice Hotels – Choice Privileges

Hotel Brands: Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban, EconoLodge, Rodeway Inn, Ascend Collection.

Hotel Reward Partners: Preferred Hotels Group, Barcelo Resorts

*Preferred Hotels Group Reward Nights up to 50% off. Upper-upscale, luxury and boutique hotel room nights 20,000 to 30,000 points. Book between November 3, 2010 and January 19, 2011. (5-key promotion)

Nordic Choice Club hotel loyalty program covers 140 Choice hotels in Scandinavia and Baltic regions of Europe. Choice Privileges members currently do not earn points for hotel stays in Scandinavia, although hotel stays are available for points. Nordic Choice Club offers points and benefits for hotels in this region. Choice Privileges members planning frequent travel in Scandinavia may want to compare the benefits of Nordic Choice Club to Choice Privileges.    (LT post Sep 9)

 

Four Seasons Hotels

Four Seasons Special Offers website link

$100 dining/spa credit at six participating California hotels for using Gowalla. Visit three location recommendations from Four Seasons concierge through Gowalla location-based social media site during a stay of two or more nights through November 19 to earn a $100 credit.

 

Hilton Hotels – Hilton HHonors

Hotel Brands: Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Conrad, Waldorf-Astoria Collection, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Home2Suites.

 

* Sweepstakes for 200,000 HHonors points – Vote for American Airlines AmericanWay Road Warrior by November 30, 2010 for sweepstakes entry.

 

Hilton Double Points and 4x Sundays   October 12 – December 30, 2010

Stay Sunday night and the entire stay earns a bonus equivalent to quadruple base points. Elite base points are earned at regular rate of 10 points per $1. 4x Bonus ends up being 30 bonus points per $1. (LT post: Oct 8, 2010) 4-key promotion if including Sunday stay; 3-key if not.

HHonors Point Stretcher Rewards posted for hotels through December 2010. Point Stretchers require 40% fewer points than standard HHonors rewards. Use the drop-down menu to see participating hotels in different Hilton brands. This is the largest set of hotels I recall in several years offering Point Stretcher discount reward dates. (LT post Sep 9)

HHonors Comprehensive Reward Charts – Members have difficulty locating the various reward charts on the Hilton HHonors sites, particularly VIP Rewards and Waldorf-Astoria rates. This Loyalty Traveler post puts all the HHonors reward charts in one place. (LT post Sep 13, 2010)

Cheaper Hilton Reward nights using Priority Club points – this Loyalty Traveler analysis developed from the Priority Club Anywhere Challenge. Hotels Anywhere allows Priority Club members to spend points for hotels in other chains. My study shows there are numerous Hilton Hotels requiring fewer Priority Club points than Hilton HHonors charges its members in HHonors points for the same reward. (LT post Sep 17)

4-key promotion – up to 10,000 Delta Skymiles Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) for stays of two or more nights between September 1 and December 10, 2010.

HHonors Program change: Gold and Diamond members receive complimentary internet at all Hilton Worldwide hotels beginning September 1, 2010. (Hilton – Aug 2 press release)

 

Hyatt Hotels – Hyatt Gold Passport

Hotel Brands:  Park Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Vacation Club, Hyatt Resorts, Andaz, Hyatt Summerfield Suites

* Hawaii Hyatt Hotels – 10,000 bonus points for 4 or more night stay, Dec 1 – Mar 31, 2011. Must book HI10K rate by Dec 31, 2010. (Nov 12)

* Hyatt Gold Passport Program Change – No elite status matches will be given for elite membership in another hotel program. Elite status trial offer is at the discretion of individual hotel properties.

4-key promotion – ‘Great 10K’ Fall 2010 offer awards 10,000 Gold Passport points for every 5 nights September 15 – December 15, 2010. Nights do not need to be consecutive nights. Stay every night in a Hyatt Hotel and you can earn 180,000 bonus points. Register online beginning September 15 at goldpassport.com/welcome10k. LT post Aug 25. This promotion may be combined with the 3,000 AA miles per stay offer below (60,000 AAdvantage miles).

Hyatt 5,000 points for two-night stays at 27 West Coast hotels.

• September 25 – December 30, 2010, use Special Offer Code 5000GP
• 5000GP rates are reasonable and do not appear to have a mark-up like most special offer rates.

Combinable with Great 10K offer for 10,000 bonus points every 5 nights. You can potentially earn 35,000 bonus points after 10 nights. This is a good deal. Two reward nights at high-end Category-5 hotels will cost 36,000 points. 35,000 points will get 7 free nights at a category-1 hotel. And unlike other hotel loyalty programs, you will find lots of Hyatt category-1 hotels 

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2010/10/07/hyatt-5000-points-for-2-night-stays-at-27-west-coast-hotels/

Program change: Hyatt Gold Passport hotel award categories increased for 25% of hotels as of June 4, 2010. Loyalty traveler post.

 

InterContinental Hotels Group – Priority Club

Hotel Brands: InterContinental Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Hotel Indigo

* 5-key offer IHG Priority Club Instant Platinum Elite status and a $25 gift card after 5 nights within 90 days. (Nov 15) 

* IHG 2 nights for the Price of 1 in UK/Europe through December 30 – London for under $75 per night over the Christmas-New Year Holiday season. Suites under $300 per night.

* $50 flight credit for Friday, Saturday or Sunday night stay at any IHG brand hotel in the U.S. from November 5, 2010 to April 30, 2011 when you book by December 31, 2010.

* 15% points discount for retail and dining gift card Priority Club points rewards to November 30.

$50 gift cards = 17,000 points; $100 gift cards = 32,300 points

 

5-key promotion – Sweet Dilemma – Free night after two stays or double points/miles for stays between September 20 and December 31, 2010. Registration is required and member must choose to earn free nights or double points/miles. There is a limit of five free nights after ten stays. Free nights stays must be used between December 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011. Asia-Pacific region IHG hotels are not participating in free nights portion of this promotion. A big drawback to the free nights offer is members will not earn any base or elite points for the remainder of 2010, even if the free night offer is maxed out after ten stays. IHG loyalists may prefer double points or miles.

Priority Club PointBreaks through December 30, 2010 are probably the best hotel loyalty program reward night value available at 5,000 points for a free night. The current list favors the USA with 77 hotels and only 49 hotels for the rest of the world.

Some of these hotels will run over $200 per night on some dates. PointBreaks rewards reduce the reward cost for a 30,000 points per night InterContinental Hotel to just 5,000 points. That can be quite a points break for an extended stay.

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2010/10/05/priority-club-pointbreaks-hotels-list-to-dec-30-2010/

Cheaper Hilton Reward nights using Priority Club points – this Loyalty Traveler analysis developed from the Anywhere Challenge. Hotels Anywhere allows Priority Club members to spend points for hotels in other chains. My study shows there are numerous Hilton Hotels requiring fewer Priority Club points than Hilton HHonors charges its members in HHonors points. (LT post Sep 17)

5-key offer Priority Club “Crack the Case” individually targeted promotion terms. My Crack the Case offer is a 5-key promotion, however, the best offers appear to be for Priority Club members who did not stay too frequently over the past year. Members who received this promotion have until May 31, 2011 to fulfill the tasks for bonus points. You need to already be a Priority Club member and check your email offer for your own Crack the Case promotion terms.

My offer was 162,000 points for five tasks and a 91,000 points bonus for completing four of the challenges: PC credit card enrollment 60,000 points; stay two Saturdays; stay in two brands, complete a hotel stay profile survey; stay 10 room nights. I can potentially receive 157,000 Priority Club points for just two Saturday hotel nights in two different brands over the next nine months.

3-key promotion – Sep 1-Dec 30 – Stay two consecutive weekend nights (Fri, Sat or Sun) at an IHG brand hotel in conjunction with a flight and get reimbursed for one roundtrip checked baggage fee up to $50. (Aug 17)

IHG Friend & Family Hotel Rates (through Dec 26, 2009)

Program Change: Ambassador Annual Membership Fee Increased from $150 to $200 as of July 1, 2010. You can also buy Ambassador membership for 32,000 Priority Club Rewards points (formerly 24,000).

 

Joie de Vivre Hotels – Joy of Life Club (California Boutique hotels)

3-key promotion - Earn both Virgin America Elevate points and Joy of Life points for the remainder of 2010. LT post July 22.

 

Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) – Leaders Club Rewards 

3-key promotion – Earn 1 free night after every 5 hotel stays in 2010. Must stay in at least two different hotels. Bellagio in Las Vegas is LHW member. (April 13, 2010)

* LHW Hotels Special Offers link

 

Marriott Hotels – Marriott Rewards

Hotel Brands: Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Ritz-Carlton, Residence Inn, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, TownePlace Suites, SpringHill Suites, Edition, Autograph Collection, Marriott Vacation Club

* Marriott Gift Card purchases earn 10 points per US$1, up to 25,000 points through December 31, 2010. (Nov. 2)

* Earn 5,000 Delta miles for a Marriott stay and Delta flight between Nov. 1 – Jan. 31, 2011. One bonus per Delta ticket, so one-way tickets are way to maximize offer if the price is not much more than roundtrip. (LT post Nov 6)

 

Program change – Free internet worldwide for Gold and Platinum Marriott Rewards members beginning January 2011. This expands the complimentary internet benefit offered to elites for hotel stays in the Americas since May 2010.

3-key promotion – Marriott Triple Airline Miles October 1-December 31, 2010. You need to set your Marriott Rewards earning preference to miles to register for this promotion. Marriott Rewards has 30 airline partners and miles are earned at the rate of 2 miles/$1 for full-service Marriott brands (3x miles = 6 miles/$1) and 1 mile per $1 for other Marriott brands (3x miles = 3 miles/$1). The Triple Miles promotion has just five participating airlines: Air Canada, Continental, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Jet Airways. Loyalty Traveler post Aug 26.

4-key promotion – Marriott MegaBonus (Sep 15-Jan 15, 2011) various targeted offers with the basic offer being one free night after two stays paid with Visa. Limit of two free nights during promotion. Free night valid only for Category 1 to category 4 hotels.

Active Marriott Rewards members may receive bonus points offers based on total nights stayed or 5,000 points for every two stays. There are several variations mentioned for 25,000 to 50,000 bonus points. 

1-Key offer – Marriott Rewards Instant Redemption Awards (March 24, 2010)

 

Ritz-Carlton Rewards

5-key promotion – New members to Ritz-Carlton Rewards earn one free night for two stays through December 31, 2010. Limit of two free nights after four stays. You are not eligible for this offer if you are a current or past member of Marriott Rewards. I provided a guide to how new members can get $2,500 in Ritz-Carlton Hotel rooms for under $1,000. (LT post Sep 18)

Ritz-Carlton Rewards loyalty program launching Sep 15 (LT post Sep 14)

Reward Changes in new Ritz-Carlton Reward Tiers (LT post Sep 15)

Ritz-Carlton rewards Hotel + Air Packages Analysis (LT post Sep 16)

 

Starwood Hotels – Starwood Preferred Guest

Starwood Hotels brands: Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, Le Meridien, Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Four Points, element, aloft.

* 4-Key promotion – Free weekend night after 3 stays paid with MasterCard in Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa.  Stay November 1, 2010 – January 31, 2011 at over 250 Starwood Hotels. Maximum one free night may be earned per member during this promotion. Great offer, but too bad limited to one free night.

* Starwood Hotels Policy Change: Sheraton Hotel Club Lounges will be open 7 days a week in 2011.

* Starwood Preferred Guest – American Express credit card changes effective October 14, 2010. The annual fee is increasing to $65 from $45 for renewals beginning Oct 14. Benefit changes include 5 elite nights and 2 elite stays credit each year. This will have no effect for members who qualify on stays. The SPG50 certificate will be discontinued in favor of a 3^rd night free offer at Sheraton Hotels. Loyalty traveler post (August 24); Sheraton 3^rd Night Free Analysis (Nov 12)

* SPG American Express Facebook Sweepstakes – enter once each week’s prizes 21,000 Starpoints Nov 4-10; 30,000 Starpoints Nov 11-17; 36,000 Starpoints Nov 18-24; 60,000 Starpoints Nov 25-Dec 1.

Buy Starpoints at 20% discount. October 12 – December 31, 2010.  $14 per 500 points rather than $17.50.  Calendar year purchase limit is 20,000 points. $560 for 20,000 points. http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2010/10/16/buy-spg-starpoints-20-discount-oct-12-dec-31-2010/

SPG Nights and Stays Count Double at Starwood’s Four Points, Aloft and Element brand hotels.

• October 1 – December 31, 2010 

(This is basically the offer for fast-track Platinum or for an SPG member who is already just a couple of stays away from SPG Gold Elite since the other offer gives Gold elite after 4 stays.) 

SPG Fast-Track to Gold elite after 4 stays at Starwood’s Four Points, Aloft and Element brand hotels.

• October 1 – January 31, 2011 

There are about 200 hotels in these three Starwood brands, mostly in U.S.

Gold elite status good through February 2012 and earns a 50% elite bonus points. This is a great time to grab cheap elite with SPG.

 SPG Platinum members only – register for an extra Starpoint during stays from October 1-December 31. Platinum members will receive two elite bonus points for every $1 in hotel spend for stays completed after requalification for 2011 Platinum status (25 stays or 50 nights in 2010). (LT post Sep 16)

2-key promotion – Every Night Counts Double/Triple Points for stays from Sep 8-Dec 15, 2010. Earn double points beginning with your first night and triple points (applied retroactively) after10 nights during the promotion period. Registration is required by October 31, 2010. The FAQ state this promotion is combinable with other SPG promotions.

There are over 150 hotels globally not participating in this promotion, so check the list carefully. The list of non-participating Starwood properties are posted on FlyerTalk.

Every Night Counts does not thrill me as the primary Fall 2010 SPG promotional offer.  Spend $2,000 on 10 or more nights during the promotion and you will only earn 8,000 bonus points with triple points. That is nothing to get too excited about.

4-key promotion – Earn 10,000 bonus points at Starwood Resorts for a stay of four or more nights between Sep 1 and Dec 19, 2010 at any of 131 participating resorts globally. This bonus may be earned multiple times. Only stays after promotion registration are eligible for bonus. Register by Sep 30. 

4-Key Promotion – (through Dec 30) 3,000 Bonus Points for Sunday night stay at 11 NYC area Starwood Hotels through December 30. (Aug 13, 2010)

3-Key Promotion – (through Dec 31) 3^rd Night Free or Two Free nights on six-night stay in Europe, Africa, and Middle East when paying with MasterCard

SPG program change: Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards is new airline partner. Exchange rate for points-to-miles transfer is 1,500 Starpoints = 1 Rapid Rewards credit. Free roundtrip flight requires 16 credits. SPG members may also earn 0.5 credits per stay through SPG Airline Direct Deposit. (August 19, 2010)

4-Key Promotion – SPG Rewarding Returns offers members a choice after 5 stays by December 31, 2010. Promotion choices are 25% off an award up to five nights at any category 1 to 5 hotel for redemption by July 31, 2011. Discount may be combined with “5th night free award”. Other choices are $50 hotel credit certificate or 4,000 Starpoints. Loyalty Traveler post July 14.

There are variations of this offer including only requiring one stay by August 31 for targeted members. Points offer ranges from 2,000 to 8,000 points, and some members may have a free night choice. Offers are targeted.

Promotion registration is required at https://www.spgpromos.com/rewardingreturns/index.cfm.

3-key promotion SPG link: Pay Your Birthyear Rate (This promotion can be an incredible 5-key savings or no savings depending on the hotel and your birthyear.) LT post 4/28/2009

3-key discount rates Starwood Hotel Rate Discount Codes for Multiple Night Stays

These offers are for rate discounts on stays of 2 to 6 nights. Third night free tends to be one of the best discount rates. Important to check other rates (AAA, Senior, Special Offers) as these discounts are generally based on the Best Available Rate (BAR) and may not be the lowest overall rate for some hotels. 

Starpoints Airline Direct Deposit is Better for United, Continental, and Singapore miles (March 25, 2010)

 

Wyndham Worldwide –  Wyndham Rewards

Double miles with 11 airlines – October 1-December 31, 2010 

Participating airlines and travel partners are Aeromexico, Air Canada Aeroplan, Amtrak, Continental, Delta, Midwest, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, United and US Airways.

The catch is these promotions are hotel brand specific offers for most of the participating airlines, except Aeromexico and Air Canada Aeroplan.

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2010/10/06/wyndham-rewards-double-miles-with-11-airlines-oct-1-dec-31-2010/

 

Airline Bonuses:

* Qantas Airlines Sweepstakes – free flights for you and companion between Los Angeles and Adelaide for most of 2011. Enter by December 31, 2010.

* FareCompare Sweepstakes for a Rick Seaney designed Mileage Run. Enter by November 26, 2010.

 

Loyalty Traveler Research Articles

* The Promotion Variable in Hotel Loyalty Programs – Part 1 (Nov 8, 2010)

* The Promotion Variable in Hotel Loyalty Programs – Part 2 (Nov 8, 2010)

* The Promotion Variable – Part 3 – Hilton HHonors Case Study 2009-2010 (Nov 9, 2010)

Hotel Loyalty Credit Cards and the Value of Hotel Points

Hotel Rewards Credit Cards Comparison of Benefits (September 1) 

Hotel Credit Cards Comparison by Value of Points (September 2) 

Hotel Credit Card Comparison using NerdWallet.com Value of Points (Sep 5) 

Loyalty Traveler’s Three Rules for the Value of Hotel Points (Sep 7)

 

Hotel Points to Airline Miles Conversion Tables

Hotel Points-to-Miles Conversion Tables for 9 hotel programs and 7 U.S. airlines (March 30, 2010)

 

Hotel Market Segments and Hotel Brand Profiles based on JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study

Overview JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study (Aug 10)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power Luxury Segment and luxury hotel brands  (Aug 11, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power Upscale Segment Hotel Brands (Aug 11)

Loyalty Traveler Comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Full Service Brand Ratings (Aug 13, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Limited Service Brands (August 15, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Economy/Budget Hotel Brand Ratings (August 16, 2010)

Comments on JD Power 2010 Extended Stay Hotel Satisfaction Index (Aug 17)

 

Hotel Rates Survey for USA States, Cities, and Average Hotel Rates Worldwide

Hotels.com 2010-Q2 – Global Hotel Price Index – This is a great resource for finding where hotel rates are high and low around the world. There are tables of USA average hotel rates by state and major cities. (Sep 14)

One of the best benefits available through Choice Privileges is the redemption option for hotel nights at hundreds of upper-upscale and luxury independent hotels around the world affiliated with Preferred Hotel Group.

From November 3, 2010 through January 19, 2011 Choice Privileges members get discount reward nights. There are four tiers for Preferred Hotel Group through Choice Privileges.

Tier 1 Hotels = 30,000 points; limited time discount rate = 20,000 points per night

Tier 2 Hotels = 40,000 points; limited time discount rate = 25,000 points per night

Tier 3 Hotels = 50,000 points; limited time discount rate = 30,000 points per night

Tier 4 Hotels = 60,000 points; limited time discount rate = 30,000 points per night

There are some fantastic deals available using Choice Privileges points. Top tier Preferred Hotel Group luxury market segment hotels in the 60,000 points per night category are on sale for 30,000 points per night.

Places like Hotel Jerome Aspen which ranks above St. Regis Aspen in many guest reviews of Aspen Hotels.

The major drawback of Choice Privileges Reward nights is the restriction to 30 days advance for non-elite members. Bookings for international properties place all members on level playing field at 60 days advance booking, except for Choice Privileges Diamond members who always get 90 days advance booking privileges.

Preferred Hotel Group Discount Reward Details:

Redeem 20,000, 25,000 or 30,000 Choice Privileges points per night at participating Preferred Hotel Group properties for bookings made between November 3, 2010 and January 19, 2011.

Redemption is subject to availability and not all Preferred Hotel Group properties participate in this offer.

Reward nights must be booked within 30 days of arrival for locations in the U.S. and Canada and within 60 days of arrival at all other locations.

Reward nights can be booked 40 days in advance by Elite Gold members, 60 days in advance by Elite Platinum members and 90 days for Elite Diamond members.

The cancellation policy of the selected hotel applies to the Choice Privileges reward night and supersedes Choice Privileges program rules.

Bookings can only be made by calling 888-770-6800.

http://www.choicehotels.com/winterpromotion

List of participating Preferred Hotels Group properties

This might be a good time to request a Choice Privileges status match. And you might want to see if the Continental miles to Amtrak Frequent Guest points to Choice Privileges points transfer still works.

Choice Privileges has recently added another redemption tier for partner hotel awards at the boutique and upper-upscale/luxury Preferred Hotel Group properties. When I wrote last July about using Choice Hotels to pay economy rates and redeem points for luxury hotels with the Preferred Hotel Group, the program was structured with three award tiers (30,000; 45,000; 60,000 points) and just 300 participating hotels. Now Choice Privileges has four award tiers at 30,000; 40,000; 50,000; and 60,000 points and there are 500 participating hotel partners from the Preferred Hotels Group.

This is like being able to munch on 50 hotel donut holes and then eat your free fancy bakery cake too!

Choice Privileges is a fattening program.

Choice Hotels and Choice Privileges points are earned for the hotel brands of Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban, EconoLodge, Rodeway Inn, and the Ascend Collection.

Links: Choice Privileges – Redeem for Free Nights at Partner Hotels

Loyalty Traveler – Choice hotels for Economy Rates – Choice Privileges for Luxury Hotels (July 14, 2009)

Preferred Hotel Group website. Check out these properties if you are not familiar with PHG and you’ll see why there is real upscale value for budget hotel stays with Choice Hotels.

Choice Privileges has made a significant change to its hotel loyalty program for 2010 with the inclusion of reward nights as elite qualifying nights for membership status. Hilton HHonors has counted reward nights for elite membership qualification for years and now Choice Privileges is another hotel loyalty program offering elite qualification nights for hotel stays using points.

For the traveler who desires lower average room rates on paid stays and wants additional elite credit for reward nights, this is great news for Choice Privileges members. Reward nights just might be the difference you need to move up an elite level.

The primary benefit of a higher elite status in Choice Privileges is the extended advance booking window for reward nights. One of the restrictive limitations of Choice Privileges is the short booking window using points for hotels in the USA. General members residing in the US may only use Choice Privileges points for a hotel in the US within 30 days of the hotel stay. The booking window is extended to 60 days for free night bookings at international properties.

Choice Privileges Gold members can book up to 40 days in advance and Platinum members up to 60 days in advance for US hotel stays. There is no advantage for international reward bookings since General members, Gold elite, and Platinum elite can all book up to 60 days in advance for hotels outside the USA.

Only the highest elite level diamond members of Choice Privileges have a longer advance booking window of 90 days for using points. Diamond elite requires 40 nights in a calendar year. Diamond is the elite goal for Choice Privileges members seeking improved access to reward nights as this membership level gives the Diamond elite an additional 30 days for exclusive reward inventory among the nearly 10 million Choice Privileges hotel loyalty program members.

Choice Privileges Reward Nights Count for Elite Qualification

http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/GPEliteMembership

 

 

 

 

Choice Privileges Offers a Luxury Side

Hilton HHonors loses another hotel loyalty program exclusive advantage, although Choice Privileges is a different market segment of travelers and will likely have limited impact on luring Hilton HHonors members from the fold.

The eleven hotel brands of Choice Privileges may cater to the budget and mid-market hotel traveler, but there are many free night redemption options for luxury hotels with hotel partners in the Preferred Hotel Group for 30,000; 45,000; or 60,000 points per night. (link to Choice Privileges Preferred Hotel Group partner hotels)

Barcelo Resorts in Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic are one of the best values for free nights using Choice Privileges points with rates starting at 10,000 points in off-season (8.5 months of the year) or 16,000 points per night in high season (Dec 19, 2009-April 1, 2010).

Choice Privileges Barcelo Hotels link: http://www.barcelo.com/BarceloHotels/en-GB/Choice/Barcelo-Choice

Military Members Receive Instant Elite Status in Choice Privileges

Choice Privileges Armed Services program offers complimentary Gold elite membership to active duty or reserve military members, retired military, National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, and eligible spouses and dependants. Link to Choice Privileges Armed Services program.

Choice Privileges Hotel Brands

• Cambria Suites

• Clarion

• Quality Inn

• Comfort Suites

• Comfort Inn

• Sleep Inn

• MainStay Suites

• Suburban

• Econo Lodge

• Rodeway Inn

• Ascend Collection

Related Loyalty Traveler posts:

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2009/07/14/choice-hotels-for-economy-rates-choice-privileges-for-luxury-hotels/

2009 Choice Hotels Brands: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2009/07/13/choice-hotels-international-profile-by-numbers/

Book a three night stay at a Preferred Hotel Group participating hotel through March 31, 2010 and get the third night free at over 180 properties globally.

Terms and Conditions:

Must book rate online at IPrefer.com.

• Rate code MKT3YR.

• Confirmation will not reflect free night. (Ric’s note: This is the promotion terms, yet every hotel I checked stated the discount was calculated into the rate shown when making a booking.)

• Rate is adjusted to reflect 33% discount for total three-night stay package value.

• Must book and stay by March 31, 2010.

• Valid for three-night stays only.

• My check of rates at several hotels showed the 3^rd night free rate was the lowest rate I could find.

• I Prefer participating hotels for 3^rd night free.

Brown Hotel, Lexington, Kentucky (hotel website link)

Luxury King 500 square feet. = $146.73/night Jan 24-27, 2010 $529.38 after tax

A 30-day advance purchase rate is $175 per night for this same stay with a total cost of $631.40.

3^rd night free rate saves about $100 or 16% on the total rate. The rate is a savings, but not the 33% savings you might expect.

This I Prefer promotion is typical of free night rate offers where the special offer daily rate is significantly higher than the otherwise lowest available rate.

 

Alchymist Grand Hotel & Spa, Prague, Czech Republic (hotel website link)

Feb 14-17 512.55EUR Junior Suite 3 nights (includes breakfast) with Stay Two Nights, Get Third Free.

Special Offers through hotel’s own website has a Winter 2010 Early Bird Offer of 570EUR for three nights or 680EUR for four nights. In this case the I Prefer member 3^rd night free offer is the best deal for a 3-night stay, but the Winter Early Bird hotel special offer rate is a better deal for a 4-night stay.

 

 

Brown Palace Hotel & Spa in Denver (not participating in 3^rd night free)

Not all hotels are participating in this offer. For example, I was just in the historic Brown Palace Hotel in Denver yesterday. This hotel is a fine example of a historic atrium design similar to the original 1875 Palace Hotel in San Francisco.  The original Palace Hotel in San Francisco was destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and rebuilt in a different design. This makes the 1892 Brown Palace Hotel in Denver the oldest atrium design hotel in the USA.

The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. The hotel has AAA 4-Diamond Hotel recognition, and is the only 2010 Forbes Four Star hotel winner in Denver. This hotel is not participating in the third night free I Prefer promotion, but for the next week hotel rates are as low as $139 per night during the slow holiday season.

Choice Hotels sparked my attention this week after a closer look at the benefits and value of the Choice Privileges hotel loyalty program.  In my August column for Inside Flyer I rank some summer hotel loyalty promotions. I rated the Choice Privileges $50 gift card for three Hotel Stays a 2 of 5 hotel keys.

My gut feeling was a loyalty member would receive better value using 14,000 Choice Privileges points for a hotel stay rather than a $50 gift card. Now I have some data to back up this claim and I will share what I think is a good strategy for earning and spending with Choice Privileges points.

Choice Hotels Summer Promotion – 3 Stays Earn 14,000 points

Offer: Earn 14,000 points after 3 separate stays in Choice Hotels between May 21 and August 13. Only the Choice Hotels brands of Clarion, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Cambria Suites, Ascend Collection, and Quality Inn are participating in this promotion. Restricted to residents of the US and US territories.

There is a separate promotion offering double points for stays at Econolodge, Rodeway Inn, Suburban, and MainStay Suites for residents of the US and Canada.

14,000 Points after 3 stays Promotion Link:

http://www.choicehotels.com/summerpromotionmidscale

 

Double Points Promotion Link:

http://www.choicehotels.com/summerpromotion

These offers do not require registration.

The 14,000 points offer is promoted as:

“ Stay 3 separate times. Earn a free $50 cash card! “

The fine print states, “After every third qualifying stay between 5/21/09 and 8/13/09, enough points will be added to points earned to reach the 14,000 point level, which can be redeemed for a prepaid $50 cash card.”

 

This Choice Privileges promotion works differently from most hotel loyalty promotions offering a set amount of bonus points. The promotion wording here is “enough points will be added to reach the 14,000 points level”.

Here is an example to show the disparity this promotion can have for different types of Choice Privileges frequent guests.

Brad is a business traveler who stayed in a Quality Inn on Monday through Thursday night for three weeks while taking a computer training course.   Brad spent $1,000 on three separate 4-night stays. He has no elite status and earned the regular 10 points per $1 in hotel spending (tax excluded from points earning).  Brad earned 10,000 base points from hotel spending and only 4,000 bonus points from the Summer 3 Stays promotion. Brad earned 14,000 Choice Privileges points after 12 nights and $1,000 in hotel spending.

Jean is a leisure traveler who drove from Los Angeles to Seattle to visit her sister. Jean spent $150 for three separate 1-night stays in two Comfort Inns and a Quality Inn.  Jean earned 1,500 base points for her hotel spending and 12,500 points for the Summer 3 Stays promotion. Jean earned 14,000 Choice Privileges points after 3 nights and $150 in hotel spending.

Strategy Talk – Redeeming Choice Privileges points for Upscale Hotels

I keep in mind the potential value of earned hotel points when planning hotel stays. I generally have a plan for using the hotel points I will earn. The past decade has taught me one thing is for sure in the hotel loyalty world – Sit on your points too long and they will buy less.

Barcelo All-Inclusive Resorts

Choice Privileges has a points spending opportunity with hotel partner Barcelo for hotel nights at several of that hotel chain’s all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Stays during low-season are only 10,000 points per night plus $35 per adult per day for all-inclusive program which includes meals and drinks, including alcohol. Low season runs until December 18, 2009 and resumes on April 2, 2010. High season redemption rate is 16,000 points for stays December 19, 2009 to April 1, 2010.

There are good opportunities to leverage the value of your 14,000 points after 3 stays for much better value than $50.

Barcelo Properties Available with Choice Privileges points:

Mexico

            Barcelo Ixtapa Beach, Ixtapa

            Barcelo Huatulco Beach, Huatulco

            Barcelo Tucancun Beach, Cancun

            $150.00US per night for Dec 1-5, 2009, Superior room

            Barcelo Costa Cancun

            Barcelo La Jolla de Mismaloya, Puerto Vallarta

            $160.00US/night for Dec 1-5, 2009, Junior Suite Sea View

            Barcelo Karmina Palace, Manzanillo

            Barcelo Maya Beach, Mayan Riviera

            Barcelo Maya Caribe Beach, Mayan Riviera

Dominican Republic

            Barcelo Dominican Beach, Punta Cana

            Barcelo Puerto Plata

            Barcelo Punta Cana Beach Resort

            Barcelo Bavaro Palace, Punta Cana

            $148 per night, Dec 1-5, 2009, superior room          

$308 per night, Jan 24-29, 2010, superior room

 

Costa Rica

            Barcelo Tambor Beach, Playa Tambor

            Barcelo Langosta Beach, Tamarindo 

$149.40/night Mon-Thur, Nov 30-Dec 4, 2009

$277.20 per night, Jan 24-29, 2010

Nicaragua      

Barcelo Montelimar Beach, Playa Montelimar

Link: http://www.barcelo.com/BarceloHotels/en-GB/Choice/Barcelo-Choice

 

The high winter rates offer a much higher value for points redemption at 16,000 points per night during high season. The per day cost of all-inclusive food and beverage remains the same $35 per adult or $25 for children under 12. An extra 6,000 points per night buys a whole lot more value during the high season.

And you can always try to upgrade your room type before your stay. Extra cash goes a long way these days at hotel properties struggling for occupants.

I stayed at a Barcelo all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic during my last mileage run segment for the LatinPass 1,000,000 miles promotion back in June 2000. I traveled alone and drank too much and was lured into too many sports activities by the resort activity directors. I remember swallowing lots of water and feeling like I was going to drown competing in pool games with some Hungarian woman on my shoulders. Kelley had no sympathy for me when I called her up to say I’d lost my bank atm card.

Preferred Hotel Group:

Choice Privileges also partners with the Preferred Hotel Group for points spending opportunities with over 300 independent upper-upscale and luxury hotel properties around the globe.

There are three categories of hotel redemptions for these high-end properties at 30,000 points, 45,000 points, or 60,000 points per night.

Choice points can be redeemed for a free night at the Carlton New York or the Alchymist Grand Hotel, Prague, CZ for 60,000 points. Daily rates run about $275 per night in September.

http://www.phgoffers.com/searchResults.aspx?id=134

There are numerous high value redemption opportunities with Preferred Hotels Group for better value from Choice Privileges points spending than a member will typically receive using points for free nights at most Choice Hotels or $50 gift cards.

 

 Average Rates at Choice Hotel brands

 

 

Choice Hotels International brands Market Segment- Number Hotels (March 2009)	U.S. Average Daily Rate and 12 month ADR rate change (March 2009)	Average Occupancy rate for Q1 2009   (March 2009)
Comfort Suites Midscale w/o F&B 560	$84.48 (-1.8%)	47.1% (-6.9)
Clarion Midscale with F&B 155 (US)	$74.03 (-7.2%)	37.0% (-4.4)
Comfort Inn Midscale w/o F&B 1,452 (US only)	$73.96 (+0.4%)	45.9% (-4.6)
MainStay Suites Extended Stay 37	$71.08 (+3.0%)	50.5% (-7.7)
Sleep Inn Midscale w/o F&B 366 hotels	$67.49 (-0.3%)	44.9 (-5.3)
Quality Inn Midscale with F&B 926 (US)	$64.73 (-2.5%)	39.1% (-4.2)
Econolodge Economy 821	$51.65 (+1.4%)	37.1% (-1.4)
Rodeway Inn Economy 352	$49.60 (+0.2%)	37.0% (-3.9)
Suburban Extended Stay 64	$42.60 (+3.8%)	52.0% (-7.3)
Ascend Collection Upscale 21	No data	No data
Cambria Suites Upscale 13	No data	No data

 

Hotel Valencia, A Preferred Hotels and Resorts “I Prefer” loyalty program member hotel

Santana Row shopping district

I first became aware of the Santana Row high end shopping district of San Jose when the original buildings burned down in a huge fire just as the shopping street was soon to open in 2002. The street Santana Row reminds me of the shopping centers of the fashionable shopping centers of Las Vegas with the palm trees and Disneyesque facades. There is a Borders bookstore amid the Gucci and Burberry shops. The real pleasure of the street is the Hotel Valencia, a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts. and a participant in the “I Prefer” hotel loyalty program.

Hotel Valencia courtyard fountain

This hotel is urban boutique and chic. I could try to think of descriptors for the rooms, courtyard, bar, and public spaces, but their website is accurately descriptive in parts I reviewed and the hotel is impressive for an urban boutique hotel as may be seen in photos. This is the premier hotel in the San Jose area as far as I have seen in the Silicon Valley. I guess there is also the Four Seasons in East Palo Alto if you really seek a luxury hotel in Silicon Valley, and the Four Seasons is within walking distance of IKEA or a ride to Stanford Shopping Mall. Hotel Valencia is a comfortable hotel getaway in the middle of the city.

Even the reviews on TripAdvisor are mostly highly favorable of the Hotel Valencia experience.

View to west from 7th floor Cielo restaurant patio

5th floor Ayoma Spa. The pattern effect on the walls is created by metal grate covering ceiling lights and is featured on all room floors. The lighting design is so inexpensively clever.

Rooftop 5th floor swimming pool and hot tub overlooks Santana Row on the right and the hotel courtyard on the left.

Mood lighting in the VBar.

Hotel Valencia, Santana Row, San Jose, California
Member of “I Prefer” hotel loyalty program.