Points + Cash = Great Deals

I think by now everyone knows I like Marriott but when Marriott blows it I am not afraid to tell them so.  Marriot came out with a points and cash program and I got excited until I found out what they meant by points and cash.  Marriott's definition of points and cash is you can book one night with points while maintaining your reservation and booking another night with cash.  Previously, you had to book your points night under one reservation number and your cash night under another number. You then had to call and get the reservation consolidated so you didn't have to check out of the room.  Ughhh.

SPG (Starwood, Westin, etc) and IHG hotels (Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Crown Plaza, etc.) know the true meaning of points and cash.  With these hotels you can book part of your stay with points and the other point with cash, even if it is just for one night.

Next month I am going to New York and so I was looking at the best way to make hotel reservations.  I am spending the first night at a Marriott hotel because it is near the airport and I get in late.  It offers a free breakfast, free shuttle from the airport and is the only JFK hotel to provide transportation to the subway.  The following night I will be staying in Times Square on a 2 for 1 coupon.  The big decision was where to stay the final night.  

Right now Ebates (See July 2 Blog or click on right side of website) offers 13.5% back for IHG Hotels.  If you are making  a reservation with points plus cash you will receive 13.5% back on the cash part.  My friend Russ is also going to New York.  If he had points with IHG he could use the points and cash option to stay three nights at the Candlewood Suites in Times Square.  Instead of paying $324 per night he would use 30,000 points (10,000 per night) plus $210 ($70 per night).  Another option is 20,000 points per night which gets the hotel room for FREE.  Based on this I know that 10,000 points is valued at $70.00.  What does all this mean?  For a $140 a night value Russ could get a room that would normally cost $324 a night just by using the points and cash option.

The best way to get lots of hotel points is to get a hotel branded credit card.  If you check on the right side of my blog you can compare travel credit cards.  Your credit is very important so take this in to consideration when applying for any form of credit.