Breaking the Chains: 3 Unique Hotel Rewards Programs

We highlighted the myriad benefits of membership in a hotel rewards program, such as free stays, room upgrades and other perks, in 7 Smart Reasons to Join a Hotel Rewards Program. But for many independent travelers, there’s one major drawback: Who wants to stay in bland chain hotels all the time?

If you’re the type of globetrotter who seeks out cozy B&B’s, stylish boutique hotels or unique local properties, you don’t have to forgo hotel rewards programs. We’ve unearthed three intriguing loyalty programs that go beyond the usual Starwoods and Hyatts.

Tablet Plus

TabletHotels.com is a portal for boutique and luxury hotels around the world, many of them independently owned. The site’s loyalty program, Tablet Plus, offers complimentary upgrades, advance access to private sales, and fun extras like free cocktails and cooking classes at hundreds of participating hotels. Membership costs $195 a year.

Select Rewards

An alliance of more than 300 inns and B&Bs across North America, SelectRegistry.com offers a rewards program that’s refreshingly simple: Stay 12 nights, and get a reward certificate of $100 to be used toward your next stay at any Select Registry property. There’s no cost for the program, but you’ll need to accumulate your 12 nights within a two-year period to qualify for the $100 reward.

DISCOVERY

We’re cheating a little by including the Global Hotel Alliance in this list, since it’s a network of small luxury hotel chains (including Anantara, Omni and Pan Pacific) — but its rewards program is unlike most others in the world. The DISCOVERY program offers not free stays but unique local experiences, such as surfing lessons, spa treatments, after-hours access to museums or meet-and-greet sessions with local public figures. The more nights you stay, the more exclusive the experiences available to you. Membership, which is free, also includes more conventional loyalty perks such as free Wi-Fi, your choice of newspaper and room upgrades.