Past the Massive 4: Different Lodge Loyalty Applications

Nearly each resort chain gives some type of advantages to dedicated members to be able to foster model loyalty.

We’ve extensively lined the ins and outs of the “Massive 4” main packages – Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, and World of Hyatt – that are largely standard as a result of ease of incomes factors (primarily by way of co-branded bank cards), the resort chains’ international footprint, and the construction of the loyalty packages.

Nevertheless, these 4 resort loyalty program giants should not the one packages price exploring.

On this information, we’ll take a more in-depth take a look at three various resort loyalty packages, Accor Stay Limitless (ALL), Wyndham Rewards, and GHA Discovery, and see how they stack up in opposition to the Massive 4.

Accor Stay Limitless (ALL)

Accor is the most important resort chain in Europe and has a worldwide footprint of over 5,000 properties in 110+ international locations.

There are over 50 Accor resort manufacturers which embrace Ibis, Mercure, Novotel, Pullman, Sofitel, Raffles, and Fairmont.

Accor Stay Limitless (ALL) differs from most resort loyalty packages in that it makes use of a fixed-value redemption mannequin, that means factors are redeemed for a set money low cost fairly than free nights outright.

Earn ALL Reward Factors

You’ll earn ALL Reward factors on all eligible stays at Accor properties. The variety of factors you earn depends upon your ALL elite standing stage and the resort that you just’re staying at, with the vary extending from 5 ALL Reward factors all the way in which up 50 ALL Reward factors per €10 spent on eligible motels.

On the highest elite membership stage, Diamond elite members can earn as much as 50 ALL Reward factors per €10 spent at eligible motels.

On the lowest stage, Basic members will earn not less than 5 ALL Reward factors per €10 spent at eligible motels.

You may as well earn ALL Reward factors by transferring factors from the next packages:

Redeeming ALL Reward Factors

ALL Reward factors could be redeemed at a fee of 1,000 ALL Reward factors for €20 off your resort invoice, together with taxes and incidentals.

You may as well use ALL Reward factors for bookings made by way of Onefinestay.

To make use of your factors this manner, as an alternative of a redemption fee of 1,000 factors for €20 off your keep, you possibly can redeem your factors for vouchers legitimate for one 12 months which are redeemable at Onefinestay.

The redemption charges for this feature are as follows:

• 7,200 ALL Reward factors = €100 voucher
• 36,000 ALL Reward factors = €500 voucher
• 72,000 ALL Reward factors = €1,000 voucher
• 360,000 ALL Reward factors = €5,000 voucher

The vouchers present a redemption worth of round 1,000 ALL Reward factors = €14, which is notably lower than the default redemption worth of 1,000 ALL Reward factors = €20.

Lastly, ALL Reward factors could be transferred to greater than 30 airline loyalty packages. Most switch charges should not notably enticing; nonetheless, just a few stand out:

• Air France KLM Flying Blue: When accounts are linked by way of the ALL x Flying Blue partnership, transfers can be found at 2,000 ALL Reward factors = 2,000 Flying Blue miles.
• Iberia Plus: Transfers can be found at 3,000 ALL Reward factors = 3,000 Avios.
• Virgin Australia Velocity: Transfers can be found at 4,000 ALL Reward factors = 4,000 Velocity factors.

Membership Tiers

There are 5 ALL elite membership tiers, and you may achieve entry to every stage by incomes Standing factors and/or by incomes qualifying nights by way of stays at eligible ALL properties.

The 5 elite membership tiers and related necessities are as follows:

• Basic: All members are assigned this stage after they join this system
• Silver: 10 nights or 2,000 Standing factors (i.e., €800 spent)
• Gold: 30 nights or 7,000 Standing factors (i.e., €2,800 spent)
• Platinum: 60 nights or 14,000 Standing factors (i.e., €5,600 spent)
• Diamond: 26,000 Standing factors (i.e., €10,400 spent)

The advantages related to every tier are cumulative, so with every new stage you entry, you’ll take pleasure in increasingly perks.

On the first elite stage, Silver members can take pleasure in a welcome drink and late check-out. Subsequent, Gold members can have each of those advantages plus early check-in and room upgrades (when out there).

Platinum members will obtain the entire beforehand talked about advantages plus Suite Night time Upgrades and lounge entry, and on the highest stage, Diamond members obtain all the opposite advantages and free breakfast on weekends, eating and spa rewards, and free Gold standing for an individual of their selection.

Program Candy Spots

For the reason that ALL program has a set redemption worth for factors, you received’t discover conventional candy spots such as you would possibly in different resort loyalty packages.

Nevertheless, if you wish to get essentially the most out of your Accor stays, reserving by way of Prince Assortment, our in-house journey company, could be a good various.

By means of Prince Assortment, you’ll have entry to Accor’s most popular accomplice packages, which may embrace advantages similar to complimentary breakfast, room upgrades (when out there), property credit, early check-in, and late check-out.

Better of all, these perks are sometimes supplied on the identical value as one of the best versatile fee publicly out there, permitting you to take pleasure in enhanced advantages while not having to carry elite standing or redeem factors at a set worth.

How Does Accor Stay Limitless Evaluate to Different Applications?

Because of the fixed-value redemption construction, the ALL program doesn’t fairly measure as much as different resort loyalty packages that supply the chance to attain outsized worth.

For those who keep at Accor properties, then it’s nonetheless price it to sign-up for a free account with this system and earn factors that may then be redeemed for cash off future stays; nonetheless, as we talked about earlier than, you received’t be capable of redeem your factors for unbelievable worth.

Wyndham Rewards

Wyndham Lodges and Resorts has over 9,000 areas and over 20 resort manufacturers that vary from easy no-frills manufacturers like Tremendous 8 and Days Inn to the luxurious Registry Assortment.

Whereas Wyndham is commonly related to lower-cost lodging, its loyalty program stays one of many extra attention-grabbing options to the Massive 4 because of its easy incomes construction and stuck award pricing.

Earn Wyndham Rewards Factors

On resort stays, you earn 10 Wyndham Rewards factors per US greenback spent or 1,000 factors for each certified Wyndham Lodges and Resorts keep (whichever is larger).

On eligible resort stays, members earn 10 Wyndham Rewards factors per US greenback spent or a minimal of 1,000 factors per keep, whichever is larger. This construction could be notably rewarding on brief or cheap stays, the place the 1,000-point minimal successfully boosts your return.

Some extended-stay manufacturers earn at a diminished fee, however the core incomes construction applies throughout most Wyndham properties.

Wyndham Rewards factors can be earned by way of co-branded Wyndham bank cards in the US, or by transferring factors from the next packages.

Redeeming Wyndham Rewards Factors

Wyndham Rewards makes use of a easy, zone-less award chart with simply three value factors:

• 7,500 factors per evening
• 15,000 factors per evening
• 30,000 factors per evening

There’s no peak or off-peak pricing, and no dynamic award fluctuations primarily based on demand. A resort that prices 15,000 factors will at all times price 15,000 factors, no matter season or money value.

Along with free nights, Wyndham additionally gives discounted Factors + Money redemptions, beginning as little as 750 factors, which could be helpful if you wish to stretch a smaller steadiness throughout a number of stays.

Wyndham Rewards factors can be transferred to Caesars Rewards at a 1:1 fee, permitting you to redeem Reward Credit towards resort stays at Caesars properties in locations similar to Las Vegas and Atlantic Metropolis. Resort charges, nonetheless, should not lined by factors and should be paid in money.

Elite Membership Tiers

There are 4 Wyndham elite membership tiers, and you may earn every standing stage primarily based on the variety of nights stayed at eligible properties annually. The Wyndham elite membership tiers and the required variety of qualifying nights are as follows:

• Blue: Assigned upon becoming a member of
• Gold: 5 qualifying nights
• Platinum: 15 qualifying nights
• Diamond: 40 qualifying nights

Elite advantages are comparatively modest in comparison with the Massive 4. Gold and Platinum members obtain late check-out and bonus factors on stays, whereas Platinum members additionally obtain early check-in when out there and the power to match standing with Caesars Rewards.

Diamond members obtain further perks similar to a welcome amenity and suite upgrades at collaborating motels.

Notably, free breakfast isn’t a printed profit at any Wyndham elite tier, which is a disadvantage in comparison with many competing packages.

Program Candy Spots

There’s lots of worth to be discovered within the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program.

For those who take pleasure in snowboarding, you would select to make use of your Wyndham Rewards factors to e book a one-bedroom apartment at WorldMark Massive Bear Lake for less than 15,000 factors per evening.

This property is near Bear Mountain and Snow Summit in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains and is supplied with a full kitchen and spacious lounge.

How Does Wyndham Rewards Evaluate to Different Applications?

In comparison with among the extra standard (“large 4”) resort loyalty packages, Wyndham Rewards factors will not be as straightforward to earn for some folks; nonetheless, when you’ve got one of many program’s co-branded bank cards or Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Miles, or HSBC Rewards (USA), there’s lots of worth to be discovered.

GHA Discovery

The World Lodge Alliance (GHA) is the most important alliance of unbiased resort manufacturers on the planet, and has over 950 properties in 100 international locations.

Not like conventional resort chains, GHA operates as a set of unbiased manufacturers underneath a shared loyalty umbrella.

Taking part manufacturers embrace Kempinski, Anantara, Capella, Pan Pacific, NH Assortment, and a number of other others, a lot of which function upscale or luxurious properties.

Much like Accor’s loyalty program, GHA Discovery is a fixed-value loyalty program, and it allows you to earn Discovery {Dollars} (D$), that are every price $1 USD.

Earn GHA Discovery {Dollars}

GHA Discovery {Dollars} are earned solely by way of eligible stays at collaborating GHA properties.

You’ll earn 4–7% again in Discovery {Dollars} relying in your elite standing tier. Discovery {Dollars} are earned on eligible room charges and sure on-property spending, however not on taxes or charges.

There aren’t any co-branded bank cards and no transferable factors companions, which makes Discovery {Dollars} tougher to earn in comparison with packages like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors.

Redeeming GHA Discovery {Dollars}

GHA has a easy redemption mannequin. One Discovery Greenback could be redeemed for $1 US greenback off your resort invoice (not together with tax, suggestions, and charges).

You want a minimal of $10 Discovery {Dollars} to make a redemption, and after the primary $10, you possibly can redeem in increments of $1 Discovery Greenback.

Due to the fixed-value construction, there aren’t any alternatives for outsized redemptions, however the system is straightforward and clear.

Membership Tiers

There are 4 GHA Discovery membership tiers, and every stage could be accessed by incomes qualifying nights by way of stays at eligible GHA properties or by assembly a spending threshold.

The 4 elite membership tiers and related necessities are as follows:

• Silver: Assigned upon becoming a member of
• Gold: Keep 2 nights or spend $1,000
• Platinum: Keep 10 nights, spend $5,000, or keep at 2 totally different manufacturers
• Titanium: Keep 30 nights, spend $15,000, or keep at 3 totally different manufacturers

With the GHA Discovery membership tiers, there aren’t any advantages price noting till you attain the Platinum stage, at which level you’ll be eligible for a room improve, late check-out, and a welcome amenity.

Titanium members are moreover eligible for a double-room improve (topic to availability), early check-in, complimentary breakfast, and extra.

Program Candy Spots

Much like Accor’s ALL loyalty program, there aren’t any actual candy spots with GHA Discovery. With a set worth for redemptions, you should use factors to offset the price of your resort keep, and that’s about it.

The place this system stands out is thru its frequent standing match and fast-track promotions, which may present entry to Platinum or Titanium standing with comparatively little effort.

How Does GHA Discovery Evaluate to Different Applications?

When you’ve got any plans to remain at a GHA property then the GHA Discovery program could also be price your time.

The truth that you possibly can attain the best Titanium membership tier by way of a standing match or by solely staying a complete of three nights at three totally different resort manufacturers is an remarkable stage of elite membership generosity.

Sadly, regardless of this generosity round elite membership tiers, you received’t discover any actually good redemption offers with GHA Discovery as a result of nature of the fixed-rate redemption construction.

Ought to You Take part in Lesser-Recognized Lodge Loyalty Applications?

Lodge loyalty packages are nearly at all times definitely worth the couple of minutes it takes to enroll in a free membership account when you’ve got an upcoming stick with that resort chain.

Nevertheless, it normally doesn’t make sense for many travellers to actively decide to a number of resort manufacturers, particularly packages with harder-to-earn rewards and restricted redemption choices.

That mentioned, there are conditions the place lesser-known resort loyalty packages could make lots of sense. One widespread situation is while you’re travelling to a vacation spot the place the Massive 4 have a restricted footprint.

In lots of elements of Europe, Asia, and secondary cities all over the world, manufacturers like Accor or GHA could provide much more (and better-located) choices than Marriott or Hilton.

One other underrated benefit is elite recognition. As a result of these packages lack sturdy co-branded bank card ecosystems, there are merely fewer elites competing for a similar advantages.

Evaluate that to Marriott, the place half the check-in line appears to be Platinum because of bank cards, and it’s not exhausting to see why upgrades, late check-out, and even breakfast high quality can really feel watered down. In much less crowded packages, elite advantages are likely to really feel a bit extra… actual.

For those who do need to discover a brand new resort chain with out committing long-term, reserving by way of most popular accomplice packages by way of a journey company like our personal Prince Assortment could be a good center floor.

You’ll usually obtain elite-style perks similar to breakfast, upgrades, and property credit, even if you happen to don’t maintain any standing with that resort model.

Conclusion

Whereas the Massive 4 resort loyalty packages proceed to dominate for good purpose, they aren’t at all times one of the best or solely choice for each journey.

Applications like Accor Stay Limitless, Wyndham Rewards, and GHA Discovery can quietly outperform expectations in the appropriate conditions, particularly while you’re travelling to locations the place the Massive 4 have restricted presence or while you worth constant recognition over chasing headline-grabbing redemptions.

Fewer co-branded bank cards additionally imply fewer unintended elites, which regularly interprets into higher upgrades, extra attentive service, and advantages that really really feel like advantages.

That doesn’t imply that you must go all-in. For many travellers, the candy spot is staying versatile: join free accounts when wanted, lean on transferable factors the place attainable, and use most popular accomplice packages supplied by our journey company to unlock elite-style perks with out long-term dedication.

In different phrases, loyalty doesn’t at all times must be unique. Generally, being selectively loyal is the smarter play.