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Hotels.com Free Night and Elite Status

June 04, 2011
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3 min read
Hotels.com Free Night and Elite Status
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I've never booked a hotel stay through Hotels.com, but I have several family members who swear by it and who have earned free nights through their Welcome Rewards program. However, my name is The Points Guy, so I just can't imagine booking through sites that could possibly invalidate my point earning. I can usually find discounted rates or use my corporate rate to find competitive prices. Additionally, my travel plans are usually fickle, so I don't do non-refundable bookings and I generally like booking with hotel chains directly.

However, Gary Leff's recent post about Hotels.com's new "Great Unloyaling Promotion" piqued my interest. Basically, if you've stayed with three hotel chains from January 1, 2010 (not 2011 like I originally thought) to present and were a member of their loyalty programs, then Hotels.com will give a free night when you book a night through them. All you need to do is email/fax them statements that show activity from three different hotel chains. There's nothing in the rules excluding award stays and I bet they will be lenient with the interpretation since the whole point of this promotion is to bring in more members - not to make people angry. Also, Hotels.com's program is based on simplicity, so I bet they won't be sticklers on what exactly constitutes activity. This is for new members only, but I imagine if you used a new email and address you'd be eligible.

Seems like a pretty solid deal. Per their normal loyalty program, you get a free night after you pay for 10 nights. Your free night is capped at the average nightly rate of your 10 paid stays, but you can pay the difference if you want to redeem for a more expensive night.

Additionally, you get hotels.com elite status, but there doesn't appear to be any tangible benefits of Fivestar status, beyond enhanced customer service.

I have a couple nights coming up where I will be staying in cities with no major chains, so I will probably use hotels.com for it so I can get the free night. What are your thoughts on hotels.com and its loyalty program? I've heard rumors you can still get points (hit or miss) and elite recognition (standard) when using hotels.com - anyone with first-hand experience out there?

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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
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4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.