A lot of hotel chains run loyalty programs these days, all designed to keep you coming back. That said, they all have different takes on them, and they fall into a range of flavours. These include
- The classic points-based system: you earn points every time you spend money at the hotel, and later you can trade those points in for free nights or sometimes even other perks and merchandise.
- Status-Based (Elite Tier) Programs. These programs reward you with perks rather than just points. In many cases, loyalty programs offer both points and status benefits
- Subscription Programs: You pay an annual fee, and in return you get benefits like discounted room rates or deals on food and drinks. In some cases, these subscription programs are layered on top of the traditional points system, giving frequent guests a little extra on the side.
- Direct‑Booking Perk Programs: The no-frills loyalty scheme, often used by some of the smaller chains. There’s no points and tiers, but you can get perks (such as discounts, late check-out) by booking directly.
Loyalty Programs
Hotel loyalty programs usually mix two things: status perks and rewards. Every brand blends these a little differently, so no two programs feel exactly the same.
On the rewards side, most programs let you earn points from your stays and then redeem those points for free nights. The tricky part is that each program has its own way of calculating how many points you earn. Many base it on how much you spend on your room and any extras you charge to it, but some keep it simple and just give you a flat number of points per stay, no matter the cost.
Then there’s the status side—similar to airline loyalty programs. As you stay more often, you can climb into elite tiers, and that’s where the perks start to show up. Depending on the program, you might get room upgrades, access to an executive lounge, late checkout, welcome drinks, or even complimentary breakfast.
Programs that are available include
| Chain | Program | Hotel Brands |
| Accor | ALL Accor (Accor Live Limitless) | Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure, Ibis |
| Ascott | Ascott Star Rewards | Ascott, Oakwood, Lyf |
| Hilton | Hilton Honors | Conrad, Hilton, Doubletree |
| IHG | IHG One Rewards | InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn |
| Marriott | Marriott Bonvoy | Sheraton, Marriott, Le Meridien, Four Points |
Subscription Programs
The subscription program used to be fairly common in the Asia Pacific market. There is generally an annual fee to be a member of these programs, and benefits that they may include are:
- Accommodation based benefits including free or discounted rooms,
- Dining Benefits which usually provides a discount on meal purchases, sometimes including the beverage component,
- Linkage to the ‘free’ loyalty program, such as a status boost,
- Other marketing engagements, such as member only activities.
There are a range of subscription programs available in Australia. These include:
- Accor Plus (Accor)
- Ambassador (IHG)
- Senators Club (Stamford) (May have been discontinued)
- IHG Dining Rewards (IHG) (Discontinued)
Direct Booking Programs
Direct‑booking perk programs are the simplest form of hotel loyalty. There’s no points to track, no elite tiers to chase, just straightforward benefits for booking directly with the hotel. These programs are especially popular with smaller chains and boutique brands that want to encourage guests to skip the online travel agencies and come straight to them.
The perks are usually modest but genuinely useful: things like a small discount on the nightly rate, complimentary Wi‑Fi, late checkout when available, or a welcome drink on arrival. It’s a “what you see is what you get” approach that works well for travelers who don’t stay often enough to build up points but still appreciate a little extra value.