Hotel loyalty programs reward frequent travellers with perks like free nights, upgrades, and exclusive benefits. From boutique stays to luxury chains, these programs are essential for maximising the value of your hotel bookings. Check below for tips and guides on how to make the most of hotel loyalty programs.
Hotel loyalty programs offer some worthwhile benefits to frequent travellers. Arguably the best of these benefits is the opportunity to upgrade to a better room – or even a suite – for free. Not all programs offer this benefit, but one that does is Hyatt Gold Passport. This is the loyalty program of all hotels in … Continued
If you have an overnight stopover or early morning departure in Sydney, you may need to spend a night at an airport hotel. There are numerous hotels near both terminals at Sydney Airport, with each offering different prices and levels of service. One particular hotel is located very conveniently to the international terminal. Others are … Continued
It’s always nice to get an upgrade. Upgrading flights to Business and First Class is often discussed on our forums. But hotel rooms can also be upgraded – sometimes for little or no cost! Hilton Hotels offers two different ways to upgrade. These methods can be used to upgrade at Hilton properties including Conrad, Waldorf … Continued
Hotel loyalty programs, such as the Hilton Hotels “HHonors” scheme are sometimes overlooked. But for frequent travellers, there are some fantastic benefits on offer. The key benefits of hotel status, apart from free hotel nights, come with elite status. Hilton’s program has three premium status tiers; Silver, Gold and Diamond. Silver status is earned after … Continued
After many years of loyalty to certain hotel chains, through membership of their loyalty programs, one member has taken a step back to look at the bigger picture. They wonder whether their loyalty was worth the extra time and cost, or whether promiscuity is actually a better strategy for choosing a hotel? In the past, … Continued
This week our members discuss a common topic of debate – hotel room theft. Obviously you wouldn’t steal a TV or bed from a hotel room, but what about the little things like soap, shampoo and towels? While our members’ opinions somewhat divided on where the line should be drawn, most agree that disposal toiletries … Continued
Our members are divided over changes recently announced by Intercontinental Hotels Group to its loyalty program, IHG Rewards Club. Are the changes a positive thing for customers or not? A major part of the announcement is the creation of a new tier above Platinum, which is currently the highest tier. At the same time, IHG … Continued
Ahead of an upcoming trip to Canberra, one member asks for advice on hotels in the national capital from our community. I will be travelling to Canberra early May to receive an posthumous award on behalf of my father. I need somewhere central to stay, nice but not too expensive if you understand. It is … Continued
This week our members discuss the advantages and pitfalls of booking mystery hotels. Hotel booking sites Wotif.com, Lastminute.com.au and Hotwire.com are among a range of websites that offer such mystery hotel deals. Customers can blindly book a hotel, which remains a surprise until after the room has been paid for. The sites promise big discounts, … Continued
For a long time, Melbourne’s Hilton on the Park (HOP) has been a favourite amongst members. With Hilton Diamond status a benefit of Virgin Platinum, many of our members are elite members of the Hilton Honors program. Being close to the city but not in it, close to the MCG and looking after elite members … Continued
In recent years, thanks to protest and coup activity, Bangkok has not been as popular a destination as it once was. Throw in a relatively new airport with different transport options, and when it comes to finding a place to sleep, a returning visitor may struggle to find the right solution. Got two overnight stays … Continued
Booking hotels these days has never been easier. Thanks to the internet, hotel chains can easily take reservations online. If you want to look at hotels across a variety of chains, there are plenty of third party sites that can help. However, not all sites are cheap, easy to use, or cover a good choice … Continued