I spent the afternoon checking up on my various hotel rewards programs, and I'm not too happy! E.g. Hilton Honors - despite following up a few times after my last stay at a Hilton, I never got any points posted to my account. Ticked me off enough that I have not stayed in any Hilton since. It's been at least 2-3 years.
Starwood Preferred Guest (spg.com) I had not checked up on for awhile. Silly me! Especially after spending a small fortune (at least to me) on my last 2-night stay. Got my points, no problem. But when I started digging into details on redeeming awards, I found the same hotel where I last stayed requires 7,000 points for one free night. At a mere 2 points per dollar spent, that means spending $3500 to get a free night, when their coupon-book rate on weekends is just $79.00, and regular rate is around $119. Even the program's elite members merely get 3 points per dollar. That really amounts to such a negligible payout that it is hardly worth the bother.
Wyndham has me royally ticked! I spent quite a few nights in various member hotels on a long trip last winter, and not one point accrued to my account. Yet I know I gave my membership number to each of those hotels. Gross incompetence on their part is the only reason I can come up with. Gross neglect on my part for failing to check up on them immediately after each & every stay.
Moral of that story: Check up on your hotel & airline programs religiously! However, even that does not always work, as witnessed with Hilton.
However, I have one that seems to be working pretty well. Red Roof Redi-Card! The chain is really quite modest, but so far, always clean, decent condition, friendly front desk staff. Far from luxury, but perfectly acceptable. They're good on all the basics, and sometimes that's all you need or want. The ROI on their Redi-Card program is worth checking out! You get 10 points per dollar spent, and 6000 points (expenditure of $600) results in a free night. Return on your investment comes out a bit over 10% using room rates of, typically, $60 and up. Sounds like this organization really wants its customers to keep coming back! I love luxury (who doesn't?!), but cleanliness, courtesy, and just keeping everything - including the rewards accounting - straight do count for a lot.
Better a very modest but well managed hotel, nice people at the desk, and such than high bills and nothing to show for it.
Check your rewards programs if you have not done so recently. Really investigate their program - surprises can come up with a little serious digging through the website. E.g. finding out which "category," therefore points-cost for a reward, a particular hotel falls within can take some research on the spg.com website.
To make these reward programs pay off better than bargain coupon-book rates or last-minute "fire sale" bookings, you need to make your money do double- or triple- or quadruple-duty. Check out your credit cards to see if you get cash back on what you spend. Or whether you can get airline miles or free hotel nights through your credit card as well as your hotel/airline rewards program.
Got any more ideas for maxing your money? Tell, tell!
May your road rise to meet you!
Ann
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