TripRewards hotels & motels: Stay twice, get $25

I’ve tried a few high-end-hotel frequent-guest programs before. I joined Hilton HHonors just to get speedier check-in at the Las Vegas Hilton, but the points expired before I had accumulated enough for a free-stay award. I signed up for the Starwood Preferred Guest program for access to special deals on Hawaii hotels, but it never really paid off. Are there any frequent-guest programs out there for travelers on tighter budgets, who stay at motels just as often as hotels?

Deal: There’s TripRewards, a frequent-guest rewards program that includes less-expensive chains such as Ramada, Howard Johnson, Days Inn and Super 8. I’ve already racked up enough points for a free hotel or motel stay — and gotten a $25 gas card too. From now through mid-December, TripRewards is offering a special deal: Stay twice at any participating hotel, and earn enough points for a $25 gift card that you can redeem at retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Macy’s and Target, or even at Shell gas stations.

Who’s got the best hotel frequent-guest rewards program? Recommend them in the Comments section below.

Details: For the special offer of a $25 gift card, you must register for the promotion separately after signing up for the TripRewards program. Book 2 participating hotel or motel stays on the TripRewards website and complete both of your stays by Dec. 27, 2007. The extra points will be automatically credited to your TripRewards account, which you can redeem online for a $25 gift card.

Caveat: Occasionally, booking a hotel or motel through the TripRewards website rather than the property’s own website costs a couple of dollars more. Also, reservations made through TripRewards don’t have the same flexibility with cancellations or changes, so read the fine print carefully before booking online.

Go: If you’re a budget-conscious road tripper who doesn’t mind staying at motels.

Don’t Go: If your company foots the business-class-hotel bill.

Connect/Disconnect: The TripRewards program covers a range of hotel chains. Some budget-priced properties don’t have reliable high-speed Internet access. When they do, it’s usually free Wi-Fi.

Contact: TripRewards, (800) 367-8747

Related links:
Checking out hotel check-ins via the Internet
It’s tough to be true to a hotel chain, even if there’s a reward
Hawaii: 10,000 Hilton HHonors points & 2x miles

— Sara Benson

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 5:43 pm by Sara Benson and is filed under News, Tips & Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.