KnowYourTrip.com

Part 3 in a series of how I traveled to Europe and back for three weeks on a budget.

Hey Trippers,

Today I will focus on using hotel points, awards, how to acquire them, and when to redeem them.  Hotel costs regularly exceed airfare and transportation costs on any holiday.  This is an important way to reduce your trip overhead.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT ENDORSE ANY PRODUCT BELOW.  I am using them only as an example.

Join a Rewards Program and CHOOSE CAREFULLY – Choose a reward program and think it through.  Personally, I keep my hotel choices within hotel groupings that are in only two programs.  I do have memberships in a few other programs but focus on Hilton Honors and Starwood Preferred Guest.  For the most part, these two programs fulfill my needs domestically and internationally.  (I fill in the gaps with local hotels that are culturally significant at reasonable rates)  Both Award Programs have a spectrum of accommodation rates and property quality from BUDGET to LUXURY, which is what you want the programs you choose to have.

Hotel Reward Program Credit Cards – Sign up for a Hotel Rewards Credit Card (See programs below) for a group of hotels that have a broad spectrum of accommodation classes.  Personally, I have a Hilton Honors American Express and a Starwood Preferred Guest American Express.  Some of the credit cards charge yearly fees and some don’t.  Makes sure you confirm the one you use.  DO NOT do this if you cannot pay your credit card balance off in its entirety every month (interest rates approach loan shark rates) or if you are prone to be late paying bills (penalty fees are ridiculously high).

Point Acquisition – The programs will award you anywhere between 10 points and 1 point per dollar depending on what you spend your credit card on; the hotels themselves, gas stations, credit cards, on-line malls, or grocery stores.   You can usually acquire the most points for actually paying for a hotel stay and dining on the property.

Pay Low Redeem High - The trick is when it is on your dollar; you stay in one of their accommodations as cheaply as possible to earn points.  When you go away on personal business, visiting Grandma, or other non-holiday hotel stays, that’s when you stay in a modest accommodation within the hotel reward program.  Then, during the dream trip or holiday stay in the more expensive or popular hotels using points.  For instance, when on non-holiday accommodation stays; stay at a Hampton Inn or Hilton Garden Inn and when on your dream trip stay at the Hilton or Conrad using points.

On my trip, while in England and Austria, I paid to stay at Hilton Hotels (2 – 3 Star) at great rates (earning points and stays).  I found and booked the Hilton Hotels in England on-line and booked the Innsbruck Hilton last minute (most stays included breakfast).  The England Hilton stays ranged between £69.00 (US$113.00) in Bromsgrove, Midlands, £89.00 (US$146.00) in London, and Innsbruck, Austria, €89.00 (US$127.00) per night.  Both hotels included breakfast as part of the room rate.  In London, my Hilton Honors status enabled me to get a room upgrade and breakfast included.  I used Starwood Preferred Guest points to stay in a Venice 5 Star Hotel.  I redeemed points for my 5-night stay at The Europa and Regina Hotel on the Grande Canal.  The Premium Deluxe Room I stayed in was €380.00 (US$540.00) per night when booked on-line in advance.  The breakfast buffet was €52.00 (US$74.00) per person and I used points for that – only once!  Overeating is no way to start a busy day of exploring.

Double Dipping - This is a good way to acquire double points.  When staying at an accommodation, use the same Reward Program Credit Card to pay for your stay.  Many of the hotel chains also award a block of air miles for each stay (one or more nights consecutively).  Many Rental Car Companies also award hotel points.  Check before you book.

Advance Booking - Redeeming points for hotel stays has to be done WELL IN ADVANCE.  The programs are popular!  There are only so many rooms they set aside for point redemption.  Peak times at popular hotels have the fewest point redemption rooms available.

Optimizing Redemption – Starwood Preferred Guest is the only program offering “Free Night Awards”.  This aspect awards you a fifth night free with every four nights you book with award points.  There is limited availability, so book ASAP.

Remember to optimize the points you acquire when making large purchases; furniture, cars, electronics (including computers), home repairs, landscaping, etc.  Negotiate as a part or all of payment to be able to use a credit card.  When I purchased my last car, I negotiated as a part of the deal to charge $10,000.00 on my Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card.  That is a 5 night stay on many of their  properties.

Membership or Status Levels – Within a particular Reward Program, if you stay enough times and or acquire enough points (within a calendar year) your status within the program will get you additional perks.  Example: Hilton Honors has (lowest to highest) Blue, Silver VIP, Gold VIP, and Diamond VIP. Depending on property and availability, Gold VIP and Diamond VIP will get you an upgrade to the Executive Lounge Floor, which (depending on property) will afford you complimentary breakfast, snacks, and drinks throughout the day and evening.

Here’s a list of hotels and their programs;

Starwood Preferred Guest Program – Hotels include: Meridien, Four Points by Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, St. Regis, Sheraton, aloft, and the Luxury Collection

Hilton Honors – Hilton, Conrad, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, The Waldorf Astoria Collection, and Home2 Suites

Priority Club Rewards – Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites, and Candlewood Suites

Wyndham Rewards – Wyndham, Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Wingate, Baymont Ins & Suites, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, Knights Inn, Microtel, and Hawthorn.

Marriott Rewards – Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, and Fairfield Inn.

Choice Privileges –    Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion, Cambria Suites, Main Stay Suites, Suburban, EconoLodge, Rodeway Inn, and Ascend Collection

Best Western Rewards – (Earn Points or Air Miles) Good at over 4000 Best Western Hotels in 80 countries.

Hyatt Gold Passport – Hyatt, Hyatt Place, and Hyatt Summerfield Suites

This should be a good start for you.  I know it can be complicated at times.  But once you get the hang of it, it’ll make sense.  There is more Hotel Reward Programs listed in the KNOW YOUR BUDGET download on the KNOW YOUR TRIP HOME PAGE.

Happy Point Acquisition,

Carter

Hey Trippers,

Here’s the itinerary of my latest trip to Europe in May.  It was an intense and focused affair (99% of trips are) because I was gathering info for the Know Your Trip Website.

My itinerary was as follows:

Day 1: Fly into London, UK – drove to Birmingham
Day 2: Drove to Liverpool
Day 3: Drove to Birmingham
Day 4: Drove to Stratford-Upon-Avon – Drove to London (gave up car)
Day 5: London (public transport)
Day 6: London (public transport)
Day 7: London (public transport)
Day 8: London – Munich – (picked up car) drove to Salzburg, Austria
Day 9: Salzburg, Austria –  drove to Trieste, Italy (parked car)
Day 10: Trieste, Italy (public transport)
Day 11: Trieste, Italy – drove to Venice, Italy (parked car for entire Venice stay)
Day 12: Venice, Italy (public transport)
Day 13: Venice, Italy (public transport)
Day 14: Venice, Italy (public transport)
Day 15: Venice, Italy (public transport)
Day 16: Venice, Italy (public transport) –  drove to Verona, Italy
Day 17: Verona, Italy – drove to Lake Garda – drove to Innsbruck, Austria
Day 18: Innsbruck, Austria – drove to Munich, Germany (gave up car)
Day 19: Munich, Germany (public transport)
Day 20: Munich, Germany (public transport) – flew to Frankfurt, Germany (public transport)
Day 21: Frankfurt, Germany – flew to Seattle, USA

I’m printing this because I want to assure everyone that I gather virtually all my information.  I use other experienced travelers and on-the-ground research whose opinions I trust for any gaps.

When I hand out travel advice and suggestions, it is based on personal experience.  I live what I preach because meaningful, enjoyable travel can be done on a BUDGET.  Sometimes I do splurge because I want to experience that particular part of a trip or destination.  Sometimes I regret it but most of the time I don’t.

When I endorse an attraction or business, I pay my way and get nothing for free (unless its free for you too).

I rent cars and/or use public transport.  I use air miles and/or pay fares.  I pay for accommodation and/or use points.  I pay when I dine everywhere.  No freebees there.  Nothing is really free.

There are many destinations that won’t make it on to the Know Your Trip website for quite sometime because I don’t believe they can be done on a BUDGET, are over-touristed, too dangerous, or Trippers just won’t find the place very enjoyable.

My subsequent blog posts will break down parts of the above trip to show you where I found savings and where I could have done better.  Traveling is not only a passion for me but I learning experience – every trip.  My last blog post was a segment of that trip.  I’ll start the flow of information and experiences tomorrow . . . .

Happy Tripping,

Carter