If you're a frequent traveller, you'll be well-accustomed to a variety of different hotel rooms. From the standard hotel room to the luxurious hotel suite, you're sure to know the ins and outs of hotel accommodation like the back of your hand. But there's one thing you might not know: hotel accommodation on your vacation doesn't have to simply involve you paying the hotel for the pleasure of your stay; you'll often also be able to claim benefits back from hotel stays with a hotel points reward system.
Earning points with hotel accommodation couldn't be easier - the more points you collect from your hotel stays, the greater the number of prizes and rewards you could win. It really is as simple as that! For instance, if you're planning a vacation to Florida this summer, why not stay at a hotel that runs an honors points and miles scheme? A week's stay will mean that you'll accrue a significant number of points that you can redeem in the future. What's more, many hotel rewards schemes extend to certain airlines. So if you're flying to Florida on a participating airline, you'll also be able to stack up those valuable points!
The rewards you can earn from hotel rewards systems are vast. If you're a business traveler, for instance, you'll appreciate any free hotel nights that a hotel points system might grant you. Often, you'll also have the opportunity to upgrade to a bigger room or an all-inclusive luxury resort. And, if you're hoping to hire a car on your travels, membership to a particular hotel rewards system could even get you a discounted rental car or, in some cases, free car hire.
If you're planning to fly with an airline that is associated with your
hotel honors system, you might even enjoy the benefits of an express check-in service, a priority label on your luggage, or complimentary food or beverages in the departure lounge - luxuries that may well come in handy if you're travelling with small children or you're prone to being late!
What's more, many hotel points schemes will also let you redeem your points for entertainment services offered by any of their partners. The Hilton hotel honours system, for instance, allows you to redeem points when you're on a family holiday to Disneyworld, while many other hotel rewards schemes offer similar benefits for theme parks around the country. Particularly developed hotel rewards schemes will also allow you to redeem points in their overseas hotels - so if you're taking your partner on a romantic holiday to Paris, you might even be able to upgrade to the honeymoon suite for free.
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Adam Singleton is an online, freelance journalist and keen amateur photographer. His portfolio, called Capquest Photography is available to view online.
