Complimentary Stay Hotel Cards
Hotel brands have long been in the business of providing their customers with exemplary service, and attention to detail is often key to their reputation. Competition is fierce, and hotels often look for ways to stand out. One way these companies set themselves apart is by offering a free night stay as an incentive for loyal guests to book a room with them.
“Complimentary” is a term that is often used in the tourism and hospitality industry; complimentary services (or products) are essentially services, such as a hotel room, that are given to a customer without charge. A free night stay means that a hotel’s client does not need to pay for one (or more) nights with cash or points; the hotel provides a room as a courtesy.
A complimentary night can be achieved in multiple ways. Some hotels offer limited-time campaigns that function like a coupon – “Book two nights, get the third free!” Other ways to score a complimentary stay include:
- Joining a hotel loyalty program
- Opening a co-branded hotel rewards credit card account
- Booking a hotel using rewards points
Hotel Loyalty Programs
Some hotels offer a complimentary stay as a perk or benefit for achieving a higher status level in their loyalty programs. For example, IHG Rewards Club members who achieve Spire status receive a complimentary night stay at new Kimpton Hotels in addition to the plethora of benefits available. Members who purchase InterContinental® Ambassador status receive a complimentary weekend night stay at InterContinental hotels and resorts. Spire is the highest status within the IHG Rewards Club program; typically, in order to receive a complimentary night’s stay through a hotel loyalty or rewards program, members must reach the highest level by booking hotel rooms and accumulating enough points to move up. Additionally, loyalty programs award points each time members book a hotel stay and provide their membership info. Those points can accumulate to be redeemed for a complimentary stay, as well.
Hotel Rewards Credit Cards
A co-branded hotel rewards credit card is a great way to earn rewards points towards a complimentary stay; some cards even offer complimentary nights as part of their signup bonus. For example, with the World of Hyatt credit card, you’ll earn up to 50,000 bonus points by spending a total of $6,000 on purchases within six months of opening your account. 50,000 rewards points can be redeemed for up to ten complimentary stays (depending on the type of room you’d like to book, the location and property type, and the time of year – availability also applies). Similarly, Marriott’s co-branded Bonvoy™ credit cards offer introductory bonuses that award enough points to redeem directly for a free stay just for opening the card and fulfilling the signup spending requirements.
Using Rewards Points for a Complimentary Stay
Aside from introductory bonuses, co-branded hotel rewards cards allow cardholders the opportunity to earn rewards points that can be redeemed for a variety of goods and services, including complimentary stays. When the rewards from a co-branded hotel card are combined with the rewards from a hotel’s loyalty program, this can be a powerful tool for earning a free night’s stay quickly. Check out our comprehensive hotel credit card reviews and decide which hotel card is the right fit for you – and start earning points towards a complimentary night’s stay!
Editorial Disclosure — The opinions expressed on HotelCards’ reviews, blogs, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author. They are not reflective of any card issuer or financial institution and have not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless otherwise noted. Further, HotelCards lists credit card offers that are updated daily with information believed to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.