When it comes to traveling, hotels can take an inexpensive vacation to a very expensive vacation in a blink of an eye. As the hospitality industry can be very competitive, most major chains offer a customer loyalty rewards program. While most travelers have their preferred hotel chain, some travelers (like me) really just care about the bed and, if we’re lucky, a free breakfast. This can make choosing a rewards program rather difficult- especially when you add a credit card in the mix! My goal is to examine four popular rewards programs and try to determine which one helps you accumulate free rooms faster (this is ignoring the credit card options which can help you earn rooms the fastest).

The Hilton’s reward program is called Hilton HHonors and includes partners such as Embassy Suites and Hampton Inn, to name a few.

Quick Facts:
*can be redeemed at over 3,000 hotels worldwide
*has no blackout dates
*can use free room (category 1) at 7,500 points
*the more you stay the higher your status becomes (VIP) which means the faster you accumulate rooms
*best option for accumulating rooms is getting 15 points for every $1 you spend on your room

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