Is travelling your key to a fulfilling life? If you travel a lot and think that five-star hotels are the best, then these loyalty programmes are ideal for you. Keep reading to know more.
Some of the benefits include room upgrades, discounted prices, and complimentary stays. Other common perks include free Internet, complimentary breakfast, and conversion of the accrued points into airline miles.
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Are you considering enrolling yourself in a loyalty program? Then, it’s important that you are aware of exactly how to earn points and the ways to use them. Too much work? Don’t you worry! Here are the top five luxury hotels that have the most rewarding offers and how they work:
Oberoi Advantage
One of the finest luxury hotel chains in India, Oberoi Hotels & Resorts offers the Oberoi Advantage programme. Unlike reward programmes offered by other hotels, this programme does not involve the accrual and redemption of points. Instead, the benefits offered can be enjoyed without any hassle.
On staying for five nights at their properties across India (or Dubai), you will be eligible for a free stay or a room upgrade. Apart from India and Dubai, this also applies to the Oberoi properties in Indonesia, Egypt, and Mauritius.
Terms and conditions: The offers under the Oberoi Advantage are updated every year, stay valid only for limited time periods, and are applicable to certain properties only. Also, in order to avail the offer, the initial stay should fall between certain set dates in which the offer is available.
Enrolment: You can enrol for free. Just provide an e-mail address at the time of check-in to enrol.
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Club ITC
Club ITC is ITC’s reward programme that is operative only in India. It combines top-tier fashion and first-rate living. Only eligible spends made at the participating ITC hotels and at Wills Lifestyle stores across India fetch reward points.
Tier System: Membership levels include Silver, Gold and Platinum.
How to earn points: You can earn points at the rate of 3%, 4% and 5% respectively for Silver, Gold, and Platinum membership levels.
Where to redeem points: You can redeem points for expenses made at Jet Airways, Air India, Wills Lifestyle stores, any of the ITC hotels, and other stores such as John Players and Bose.
Terms and conditions: Each membership requires the fulfillment of an annual spend value. You can upgrade your membership by meeting the required eligible spend value of the membership level you are at.
For Gold, the eligible spend is Rs. 25,000 at Wills Lifestyle, or 8 stays/16 nights at any ITC hotel. For Platinum, it is Rs. 50,000 at Wills Lifestyle stores, or 16 stays/30 nights at an ITC hotel.
Enrolment: For the Silver membership, you must either stay for a night at an ITC hotel or spend Rs. 7,500 or more at any Wills Lifestyle store. No enrolment charges are involved.
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Starwood Preferred Guest
Launched in 1999, the Preferred Guest reward program offered by Starwood Hotels & Resorts is one of the best loyalty programs in India due to the extensive presence of the chain in the country. These hotels are available in Agra, Srinagar, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Goa, and Amritsar, among other locations.
Tier system: Preferred, Gold and Platinum are the three membership levels.
How to earn points: You can earn two points for every eligible US dollar spent at the Preferred level, and three points each at the Gold and Platinum levels.
Points required for free stay: You will need 3,000 – 7,000 points to qualify for a free stay in hotels in India.
Where to redeem: Reward points can be redeemed at their hotels and associated brands present across 100 countries. These include The Westin, Sheraton, St. Regis, and Le Meridien. You can also redeem these points through a host of associates, including airlines.
Terms and conditions: The membership expires in case of 12 months of account inactivity. For membership upgrades, you will need 10 stays/25 nights per year for Gold, and 25 stays/50 nights for Platinum.
Enrolment: You can visit their website and enrol online for free.
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IHG Rewards Club
The IHG Rewards Club by the Intercontinental Hotel Group is the world’s oldest and largest hotel loyalty programme. Benefits include free Internet and the PointBreaks promotion which allows members to stay at certain hotels for lesser points.
Membership levels: Club, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, and Spire Elite are the various membership levels.
Points earned: In the Club membership, you earn 10 points on every eligible US dollar spending. At the Gold, Platinum and Spire levels, a member earns a bonus of 10%, 50%, and 100% respectively.
Points required for free stay: 10,000 – 30,000 points can get you a free stay.
Where can earned points be redeemed: Points can be redeemed in over 4,500 hotels worldwide, including the Holiday Inn Express, Intercontinental Hotels, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, and Indigo Hotels. Points can also be redeemed on shopping and flight bookings.
Terms and conditions: With the exception of Elite members, reward points expire if members do not have any account activity in the last 12 months. For membership upgrades, you must stay for 10 nights per year at IHG hotels for Gold Elite. Similarly, for Platinum Elite and Spire Elite, you need to stay for 40 nights and 75 nights respectively.
Enrolment: This hotel chain offers the facility of free online enrolment.
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Marriott Rewards
Marriott Rewards is the hotel chain’s international loyalty program. In India, the hotel chain offers the Club Marriott dining loyalty program.
Membership levels: Member, Silver, Gold and Platinum are the four levels of membership that you can enjoy.
Points earned: 10 points can be earned for every eligible US dollar spent at the Member level. The Silver, Gold and Platinum levels offer a bonus of 20%, 25%, and 50% respectively.
Points required for free stay: Points range from 7,500 points per night for a Category 1 hotel to 45,000 points per night for a Category 9 hotel. Most Marriott properties in India need only 7,500 – 15,000 points.
Where to redeem: The points you earn as a member can be redeemed at over 4,000 participating hotels and in associated brands located in 70 countries. These include the Marriott, the Courtyard, Renaissance, and Ritz Carlton.
Points can also be used in multiple ways. For instance, points can be converted to frequent flier miles. They can also be used to hire cars.
Terms and conditions: In the event of inactivity of more than 24 months, the membership expires. Membership level upgrades require a member to stay at Marriott hotel brands for 10 nights for Silver, 50 nights for Gold, and over 75 for Platinum.
Enrolment: The hotel chain offers free online joining.
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For many of us, the soul of a good tour is a luxurious and comfortable stay. If you are judicious about your choice of hotels, then you should become a member of the rewards and loyalty programmes offered by hotels programmes and take advantage of the benefits.
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