If you travel on a regular basis, earning points with hotels is the equivalent of earning “status”. In fact, your status level can go from Gold to Silver to Platinum and the perks of these status levels is well worth the loyalty. Some benefits of having status with a hotel brand include free breakfast, room upgrades, access to the concierge lounge, bonus points and free snacks in your room. The most important benefit is customer service. Hotels bend over backward for loyal customers to handle last-minute reservations, early arrivals and late check-outs.
Use a credit card to pay for your hotel room that also earns points. American Express offers the Marriott Bonvoy card. The card works the same as any other American Express card but offers specific perks for those loyal to Marriott. You earn 6 points for every dollar spent at a Marriott hotel, 3 points for every dollar spent in restaurants, an annual $300 credit toward a Marriott stay, one free night per year and automatic Gold Elite status. All of these points start to add up and you can use them to get cash back, free vacations, and more.
Railroad tracks next to a hotel are not a good thing. You can easily see this on Google maps. Find out what dining options are available to you within walking distance. It’s never good when your car service drops you off at a hotel after the restaurant has closed and there are no food options nearby. Look for convenience stores, Starbucks or any other human creature needs you might want to have nearby.
If you have an early morning flight, get a hotel close enough to the airport that you don’t have a long commute or any chance of getting stuck in traffic. You’ll get a little extra sleep as well. Just because you stayed in the city for your meetings doesn’t mean on your final night that you can’t move to a hotel closer to the airport on your final night.
You should never choose the cheapest hotel. You know what they say: “You get what you pay for”. Hotels should be chosen based upon COVID-19 property policies, overall cleanliness, proximity to your destination, the age of the hotel, whether a free breakfast is included or perhaps a complimentary cocktail party is hosted each night by the manager. These cocktail parties often serve enough food to call it dinner. The most important factor in choosing a hotel is the reviews from a credible source such as Yelp or TripAdvisor.