IHG, Marriott, and Best Western hotels offer a variety of perks, such as FREE laundry, Free happy hours, and FREE nights! Learn how to make the most of the perks these brands have to offer. Who doesn’t like FREE laundry, FREE happy hours, FREE nights?
When looking for a homey feel, especially an outdoor space, we gravitate toward Airbnb, VRBO, or local rental companies, which can be found in popular tourist destinations. When looking for flexibility, including cancelling or adding dates, we now recommend extended stay hotels. Since 2020, Airbnb fees have gone up (from 11 percent to 17 percent for shorter stays). Plus, with increased demand, there is less chance you’d be able to extend an Airbnb or VRBO stay.
Plus, cancelling a reservation with Airbnb results in having to pay their fee, even if it states “full refund.” At least that’s what happened in August of 2021, even after I read through their policy. Ugh! Don’t get me wrong, we really like and trust Airbnb. We’ve stayed at 103 so far, and only had one that wasn’t ready due to a sloppy contractor’s work. Plus the kind and honest host fully refunded our stay without a hassle and without having to go through Airbnb support.
Super Discount Tip:
We also discovered a cool trick: if you’re booking for 6 nights, check the rate for 7 nights, since with the TownPlace Suites Marriott we were booking in Branchburg, New Jersey, it offered such a good discount that it was less expensive to book for 7 nights than for 6 nights!
Once, we extended our stay at a Staybridge from 6 nights to 8 nights then to 14 nights. The price per night came down at each interval for every single night we were there. What a deal! Marriott does not do that retroactive discounting. Meaning, if you book 6 nights, then add a 7th, you won’t get a cheaper rate for each night.
When we had our border collie, Rocky, with us at the beginning of the journey, we stayed at any hotel that would take a dog. Prices for pets, weights of allowed pet, and allowed breeds vary greatly. We found it easier to simply call the hotel to learn about their pet pricing and policy.
But when I discovered the reward of hotel points, I gravitated toward particular brands, including IHG (known to many as Holiday Inn properties), Marriott, and Best Western. My father told me way back in 1970, you can trust Holiday Inns to be clean and of reliable quality. We find you get more for your dollars with IHG, often including refrigerators, coffee makers, and even microwaves.
Marriotts provide a change and have a clean, sleek design. Sometimes they offer a better location than a Holiday Inn. Their prices can be comparable to IHG properties, too.
Best Westerns are much nicer outside the Northeast, and they often provide the best hot breakfasts and by far the BEST deals for quickly earning free nights.
Keeping up with all the promotions, for which you usually have to sign up, takes time and practice. Be sure to sign up to receive promotions from IHG and Best Westerns. With Marriott I have not found any special promotions to get extra points for a free night except when getting their credit card.
Tip: Using a AAA (Automobile Association of America) credit card is such a great deal, as you get no exchange fees when charging in other countries and a cash back on all hotel stays up to a certain limit.
A note about city hotels:
Be aware that many hotels in cities charge a parking fee. Some hotels, especially in New York City, charge a “resort” fee. Read the small print or call the hotel directly to ascertain what fees will be charged when you check in. Also note, that Internet is not always free or included. Sometimes only basic, slower wifi is provided for free and faster wifi requires a fee.
IHG Intercontinental Hotel Group
Includes Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, and many others, including upscale and wellness-focused hotels such as EVEN
- App: Has an awesome app – easy to use, super easy to book, easy to find special promotions
- Your best rate when booking through the app will probably be the AAA rate, rather than the “best available” or member rate.
- Kitchens with full size frig and cooktops in Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites
- Rack up the points and don’t use too many of them until you get to Spire or Spire Elite because when you get to these levels, you receive more welcome bonus points for each stay
- Sometimes for only $10 to $30 extra dollars you can get a 1 bedroom suite, which means a living room and desk with a door to the bedroom
- Staybridge Suites has an L-shaped sofa – so nice to have a lounging area on the sofa
- The EVEN hotel in New York City had yoga mats in the room and the hotel gym included a ping pong table! Also nice common balcony on second floor near the lobby/check in area.
My favorite Perk:
- Perk: Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites gives you access to
FREE laundrymachines right next to their fitness centers! No need for quarters!
Keith’s favorite perk:
- Perk: Staybridge Suites offers happy hours with FREE unlimited beer and wine and free real meals on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays (before Covid). Meals could be sausage sandwiches and garden salad, pasta and Caesar salad, or meatball sandwiches and pasta salad.
- Perk: Gas grills and grilling tools are available at Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites
Marriott
- App: Has an awesome app – easy to use, super easy to book
- TownPlaces Suites, Springhill Suites, and Residence Inns provide kitchens with a cooktop and usually an oven, which is a good find
- TownPlaces Suites, Springhill Suites, and Residence Inns also provide grills and inviting patios for socializing
- Residence Inns ofttimes have play areas that include basketball courts
- TownPlace Suites are quite affordable
- Other Marriott properties are called “suites” but do not provide kitchen facilities
- A “suite” does not mean a room with a door separating a bedroom from the other room, as it does for IHG; however the rooms are bigger
Best Western
- Their app has improved, and is also easy to use, but sometimes gives “timed out” message, even though I’m currently on fast wifi.
- Rooms often include a sofa area
- Bathroom sinks are usually outside of the toilet and shower area, allowing more people to get ready quicker or to wash your Yeti mugs not near the toilet
- Some Best Westerns offer large indoor family friendly pools
- The Best Western in Mackinaw City, Michigan near Mackinaw Island, https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-mackinaw-city/best-western-plus-dockside-waterfront-inn/propertyCode.23098.html, even offered a co-ed sauna near their huge indoor pool and hot tub
- Breakfasts, even after Covid, are often served by staff in a kind of buffet style
- Many Best Westerns take on the local character of an area, such as Beaufort, South Carolina
- BEST BEST hotel chain we found to offer free nights quickly. For instance, after staying 4 nights in February of 2021, we earned a free night and used that night at the Best Western near the south rim of the Grand Canyon, saving us $309! Best Western is where you need to spend your time watching for emails and these amazing deals.
Plus, cancelling a reservation with Airbnb results in having to pay their fee, even if it states “full refund.” At least that’s what happened in August of 2021, even after I read through their policy. Ugh! Don’t get me wrong, we really like and trust Airbnb. We’ve stayed at 103 so far, and only had one that wasn’t ready due to a sloppy contractor’s work. Plus the kind and honest host fully refunded our stay without a hassle and without having to go through Airbnb support.