Hotel rewards programs are worth your attention!

While budgeting trips, most of us primarily concern ourselves with airfares, often not paying as close attention to the other significant component of the budget, the lodging! If your stay extends over a weekend, you have all the more reason to examine your lodging expenses in detail. Our UNIGLOBE experts share why you should take an important aspect of lodging - hotel rewards programs more seriously.

1.There are fewer restrictions and much easier redemption policies and processes

Hotel programs tend to have fewer restrictions on redeeming awards. Most hotel loyalty programs allow you to book award stays right on their websites. Also hotel points have tremendous flexibility, typically have ‘points and cash,’ which allow you to maximize your value and extend the use of what points you may have. In fact, with many hotel programs, it is standard practice to allow you to redeem points during your stay – forget about planning six months ahead. You can cash in points for anything that can be charged to your room during your stay, including meals, golf, room upgrades, late check-outs, even an extra day’s stay.

2. You can use the points all over the place

Hotel chains offer a number of options at most popular destinations across the world, from luxury to roadside and extended-stay hotels. In fact, you might be surprised by the presence of some of these chains in more remote locales. So if you are moving around on your next trip, you can use points for stays in any number of places, night after night; talk about freedom for free.

3. Hotels are constantly offering special deals to rewards members

From hotel room laptop, free room service breakfast, free Wi-Fi for all program members, occasional late check-out permissions, to free on-site parking and other amenities, there are a host of benefits that come with your rewards hotel programs.

4. They allow you to earn points, and then choose at which level hotel to redeem your points

You earn a lot of points at particular hotel group because of company business, but to make them go farther, you can redeem them at other properties from the group at a different location.

Room upgrades, occasional complimentary internet and parking, and a members-only breakfast on concierge-level floors and more, it would hotel rewards programs are certainly worth your while!