Wyndham Rewards seems to not have thought through its restructured seven tier award categories last month. The program now plans to change to eight award tiers March 14 in what looks to be a global realignment of hotel awards.

Free Nights Just Got Faster

Get a free night faster than ever before. Starting March 14, 2013, we are introducing our lowest point level ever and lowering other tiers so you can experience a free night faster!

• Our lowest tier is decreasing from 6,000 to 5,500 points!
• We are adding a new 8,000 point tier between 5,500 and 10,000 points so you can stay at hotels for FREE more quickly
• Our highest point tier will be 30,000 points. The 35,000 and 45,000 point tiers are being eliminated.
• Properties within the current point level may move into different point levels. This means that point levels for individual hotels may increase or decrease beginning March 14. You’ll be able to see the new point levels on March 14.*

Wyndham Rewards

• Tier 1 = 5,500 points
• Tier 2 = 8,000 points
• Tier 3 = 10,000 points
• Tier 4 = 14,000 points
• Tier 5 = 16,000 points
• Tier 6 = 20,000 points
• Tier 7 = 25,000 points
• Tier 8 = 30,000 points

Read More…

Conde Nast Traveler Gold List 2013 is the annual list of best ranked hotels by CN Traveler readers. 47,000 participants in the Readers Choice survey selected about 500 of the world’s best hotels for the 2013 list. Hotels making the Gold List five consecutive years are designated Platinum Circle status. The Platinum Circle list has 182 slides of hotels.

The 2013 CN Traveler Gold List grabbed my attention when I saw Marriott had published the list on the Rewards-Insiders.Marriott.com forum site.

Dromoland Castle in County Clare, Ireland is a Platinum Circle member of the 2013 CN Traveler Gold List. Read More…

Business Traveller 2008 Hotel Awards – SPG Best Hotel Loyalty Program

Starwood Preferred Guest came out on top as best hotel loyalty program in the Business Traveller 2008 reader’s survey released last month.  Starwood Hotels Sheraton brand was awarded top hotel brand worldwide.  I just saw a post on Starwood’s The Lobby website about the survey. 

Marriott took top honors for Best Business Hotel Chain in North America. 

All the top honors for Best Business Hotel in North America went to NYC properties with Hilton’s Waldorf-Astoria and Starwood’s St. Regis taking spots behind the Four Seasons New York.   Just remember that hotel loyalty points won’t get you a free night at the Four Seasons.

Hilton ranked as top business chain for Europe.  Starwood Hotels ranked high in the Conde Nast 2008 awards for Europe.  For leisure it seems Starwood’s elegance wins out in Europe and for business Hilton’s a winner. 

Hyatt Hotels only appearance as a chain is for Asia-Pacific region.  Hyatt also scored well in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008 awards earlier this year for Asia-Pacific. 

Business Traveller 2008 Awards Hotel Survey Results 

(Business Traveller link to view extensive airline rankings on BT website)

 

HOTELS

 

Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme

1 Starwood Preferred Guest

2 Hilton HHonors

3 InterContinental Priority Club

4 Marriott Rewards

 

Best Business Hotel Chain Worldwide

1 Sheraton

2 Hilton

3 Four Seasons

4 Marriott

 

Best Business Hotel Chain in the UK

1 Hilton

2 Malmaison

3 Marriott

4 Holiday Inn

 

Best Business Hotel Chain in Continental Europe

1 Hilton

2 Sofitel

3 Sheraton

4 InterContinental

 

Best Business Hotel Chain in North America

1 Marriott

2 Four Seasons

3 Hilton

4 Westin

 

Best Business Hotel Chain in the Middle East

1 Jumeirah

2 Hilton

3 InterContinental

4 Sheraton

 

Best Business Hotel Chain in Asia-Pacific

1 Shangri-La

2 Mandarin Oriental

3 Hyatt

4 InterContinental

 

Best Business Hotel Chain in India

1 Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces

2 Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

3 Hilton/Trident Hilton

4 The Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts

 

Best Budget Hotel Chain

1 Premier Inn

2 Express by Holiday Inn

3 Ibis

4 Travelodge

 

Best Luxury Hotel Chain

1 Four Seasons

2 Shangri-La

3 Ritz-Carlton

4 Mandarin Oriental

 

 

Best Smaller Hotel Chain

1 Hotel du Vin

2 Malmaison

3 City Inn

4 Jumeirah

 

Best Business Hotel Worldwide

1 Shangri-La Singapore

2 The Peninsula Hong Kong

3 InterContinental Hong Kong

4 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai

 

Best New Business Hotel

1 Grosvenor House Dubai

2 St Regis Singapore

3 Four Seasons Hong Kong

4 Hilton London Canary Wharf

 

Best Business Hotel in Western Europe

1 Four Seasons George V Paris

2 London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel

3 InterContinental London Park Lane

4 Hotel Kamp Helsinki

 

Best Business Hotel in Eastern Europe

1 Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest

2 Warsaw Marriott

3 Hilton Prague

4 Hilton Warsaw/

4 Hyatt Warsaw (joint)

 

Best Business Hotel in North America

1 Four Seasons Hotel New York

2 The Waldorf Astoria New York

3 St Regis New York

4 Mandarin Oriental New York

 

Best Business Hotel in the Middle East

1 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai

2 Burj Al Arab Dubai

3 Grosvenor House Dubai

4 Shangri-La Dubai

 

Best Business Hotel in Asia-Pacific

1 Shangri-La Singapore

2 The Peninsula Hong Kong

3 InterContinental Hong Kong

4 The Peninsula Bangkok

 

The Peninsula Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

Best Resort Hotel

1 Jumeirah Beach Hotel Dubai

2 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Muscat

3 Madinat Jumeirah Dubai

4 Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Penang

 

Best Airport Hotel

1 Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong

2 Hilton London Heathrow Airport

3 Sofitel London Gatwick

4 Hilton Copenhagen Airport

 

Best Business Hotel in the UK

1 London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel

2 InterContinental London Park Lane

3 Hilton London Canary Wharf

4 Four Seasons Canary Wharf

 

Business Traveller 2008 Awards Hotel Survey Results 

 

 

 

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/2008-business-traveller-awards

 

Related link:  Loyalty Traveler post on Conde Nast 2008 Hotel Gold List

http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2008/02/13/major-hotel-loyalty-program-brands-on-conde-nast-traveler-2008-hotel-gold-list/

 

 

The Conde Nast Traveler Gold List describes itself as the “Best Places to Stay in the World, selected by readers of Conde Nast Traveler.”

Loyalty Traveler has examined a subgroup from this list to determine the hotels which also are part of major hotel loyalty programs. These hotels have the attribute of being available using hotel points.

Europe

Hilton Gold List Hotels with links to CN Traveler ratings and description.
Reserve Hotels listed in the print magazine do not appear to be online.

Mount Juliet Conrad, County Kilkenny, Ireland
HHonors Category 6
Free night = 40,000 points/night or 175,000 points/6-nights

Rome Cavalieri Hilton, Rome, Italy 

HHonors Category 6
Free night = 40,000 points/night or 175,000 points/6-nights

Conrad Brussels, Belgium (Reserve List)
HHonors Category 5
Free night = 35,000 points/night or 150,000 points/6-nights

Conrad Istanbul, Turkey (Reserve List)
HHonors Category 4
Free night = 30,000 points/night or 150,000 points/6-nights
PointStretcher Awards for 18,000 points/night may be available
PointStretcher Dates Jan 1-12; Feb 10-17; Mar 9-16

Hilton Budapest, Hungary (Reserve List)
HHonors Category 5
Free night = 35,000 points/night or 150,000 points/6-nights
My wife commented recently that our stay at the Budapest Hilton was the best hotel room we ever had. That is a big claim. We stayed in the King Duna Suite on a PointStretcher award.

Hyatt Hotels available with Gold Passport Points

Park Hyatt, Milan, Italy
Gold Passport Category 5
Free night =18,000 points

Park Hyatt, Zurich, Switzerland
Gold Passport Category 5
Free night =18,000 points

Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome, Paris, France (Reserve List)
Gold Passport Category 5
Free night =18,000 points

InterContinental Hotels Group

InterContinental Carlton, Cannes, France
Priority Club Rewards Free Night = 40,000 points

Ceylan InterContinental, Istanbul, Turkey
Priority Club Rewards Free Night = 40,000 points

InterContinental Amstel, Amsterdam, Netherlands (Reserve List)
Priority Club Rewards Free Night = 40,000 points

Marriott Corporation Brands

JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, Bucharest, Romania
Marriott Rewards Category 4
Free night = 20,000 points/night to 105,000 points/7-night stay

JW Marriott Tiberio Palace, Capri, Italy
Marriott Rewards Category 7
Free night = 35,000 points/night to 150,000 points/7-night stay

Marriott Berlin, Germany
Marriott Rewards Category 5
Free night = 25,000 points/night to 115,000 points/7-night stay

Renaissance Chancery Court, London, UK
Marriott Rewards Category 7
Free night = 35,000 points/night to 150,000 points/7-night stay

Ritz-Carlton Berlin, Germany
Marriott Rewards Tier 1 Partner Hotel Award
Free Nights = 45,000 points/night to 175,000 points/7-night stay (25,000 points/night)

Ritz-Carlton Hotel Arts, Barcelona, Spain
Marriott Rewards Tier 2 Partner Hotel Award
Free Nights = 70,000 points/night to 250,000 points/7-night stay (35,714 points/night)

Starwood Hotels Brands

Le Meridien Beach Plaza, Monte Carlo, Monaco
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Le Meridien, Vienna, Austria
SPG Category 4
Free Nights = 10,000 points/night or 40,000 points/5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $60 + 4,000 points

Le Royal Meridien Bristol, Warsaw, Poland
SPG Category 3
Free Nights = 7,000 points/night or 28,000 points/5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $45 + 2,800 points

Hotel Imperial, The Luxury Collection, Vienna, Austria
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Hotel Kamp, The Luxury Collection, Helsinki, Finland
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Villa Cipriana, The Luxury Collection, Asolo, Italy
SPG Category 4
Free Nights = 10,000 points/night or 40,000 points/5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $60 + 4,000 points

Hotel Bristol, The Luxury Collection, Vienna, Austria
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Alfonso XIII, The Luxury Collection, Seville, Spain
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Hotel Maria Cristina, The Luxury Collection, San Sebastian, Spain
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Grande Bretagne, The Luxury Collection, Athens, Greece
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Hotel Gritti Palace, The Luxury Collection, Venice, Italy
SPG Category 7
Free Nights = 30,000-35,000 points/night or 120,000 – 140,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = Not Available

Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Salzburg, Austria
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Westin Palace, Madrid, Spain
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Westin Excelsior, Florence, Italy
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Westin Europe & Regina, Venice, Italy
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, Scotland, UK
SPG Category 5
Free Nights = 12,000-16,000 points/night or 48,000 – 64,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $90 + 4,800 points/night

The Lanesborough, St. Regis Hotel, London, England, UK
(This Starwood Hotel does not participate in SPG loyalty program).

Blue Palace Resort & Spa, The Luxury Collection, Crete, Greece (Reserve List)
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Hotel Cala di Volpe, The Luxury Collection, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy (Reserve List)
SPG Category 7
Free Nights = 30,000-35,000 points/night or 120,000 – 140,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = Not Available

St. Regis Grand, Rome, Italy (Reserve List)
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night

Westin Excelsior, Rome, Italy (Reserve List)
SPG Category 6
Free Nights = 20,000-25,000 points/night or 80,000 – 100,000/ 5-night stay
Cash & Points Night = $150 + 8,000 points/night