Stash Hotel Rewards Celebrates 1st Birthday

To celebrate its first birthday this week Stash Hotel Rewards is offering Stash member guests 1,000 bonus points for stays at a Stash Rewards hotel partner this week from Monday, May 16 through Friday, May 20.

There are a couple of good bonus opportunities currently running with Stash Hotel Rewards including Loyalty Travelerâ€™s very own new member sign-up link for 1,000 bonus points. Full disclosure: Loyalty Traveler receives no incentive bonus for new members using this link to join Stash Hotel Rewards. Jeff Low, CEO of Stash Hotel Rewards, had lunch with me a few months ago in Monterey and set up this Stash Rewards new member link for 1,000 bonus points as a courtesy to Loyalty Traveler readers.

Affinia Hotels in New York and Chicago offer first time guests 5,000 bonus points for stays through July 31 on reservations booked by May 31, 2011.

Several hotels on the Stash Rewards Specials page currently have free night offers or Double, Triple and 2,000 bonus points offers.

What are Stash Hotel Rewards points worth?

Stash Rewards points are a little more difficult to value than other major hotel loyalty programs due to a dynamic reward night system. Priority Club charges 25,000 points for any Crowne Plaza Hotel all year long and Hilton HHonors charges 40,000 points for a free night at a category 6 hotel all year long. The price is the same whether the travel season is peak season or the middle of the off-season. In contrast Stash Rewards free nights vary in cost depending on the date and the independent hotelâ€™s revenue management rates for the date you are looking to book. In general the price of the reward night will cost more points for any specific hotel on a night when the rate is $250 and fewer points on a night when the rate is $150 points per night. And since each hotel is independent the cost in points for a $200 room rate hotel in one location may not be the same points cost for a $200 hotel in another location.

Monterey Plaza Hotel, Monterey, California

Wednesday May 25-Friday, May 27, 2011

Inland View Room with Balcony = 31,338 points for 2 nights. $237 per night or $521.90 after tax for Stash Rewards points value = $16.65 per 1,000 points.
Deluxe Oceanview room with balcony = 67,828 points for 2 nights. $474 per night or $1,043.80 after tax for Stash Rewards points value = $15.39 per 1,000 points.

Friday May 27 â€“ Sunday, May 29

Inland View Room with Balcony = 35,631 points for 2 nights. $269 per night or $592.36 after tax for Stash Rewards points value = $15.39 per 1,000 points.
Deluxe Oceanview room with balcony = 77,129 points for 2 nights. $539 per night or $1,186.93 after tax for Stash Rewards points value = $15.39 per 1,000 points.

Oceanview from Monterey Plaza Hotel balcony

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Earning Stash Hotel Rewards

When valuing points it is important to consider the earn rate which is 5 points per dollar for Stash Rewards. Earning 68,000 points for a 2 night Deluxe Oceanview room with balcony at the Monterey Plaza may take as much as $13,600 in partner hotel spend. Stash Rewards bonus points specials provide opportunities to lower this hotel spend level.

One nightÂ with aÂ $474 paid room rate at a Stash Rewards member hotel earns 2,370 points. A member needs 14 paid hotel nights to earn the points for one free night at this property which is about average for hotel loyalty programs when comparing base earn rates. See NerdWallet.com Hotel Rewards Cheat Sheet for a comparison of paid nights needed to earn a free night in major hotel loyalty programs. Remember this kind of comparison does not account for bonus points promotions. And loyalty promotions make a world of difference in how fast members earn free nights in hotel loyalty programs.

Stash Rewards claims it is fastest growing hotel loyalty program over the past year

Stash Hotel Rewards launched in May 2010 with 65 partner hotels in the U.S. One year later the hotel loyalty program for independent hotels has grown to 146 hotels for 125% annual growth in hotel members. Several upscale brands have partnered with Stash Rewards over the past year including some Affinia Hotels with locations in several major cities including New York, Chicago and Washington D.C.

Avia Hotels has properties in Savannah, Georgia, The Woodlands TexasÂ and Long Beach California in addition to itsÂ modern hotelÂ in downtown Napa as an alternative to the generally higher priced Westin Verasa Napa and high-cost B&Bs in Napa Valley. River Terrace Inn is adjacent to the Westin Napa and also a Stash Hotel Rewards partner.

a building with many windows — Avia Napa Hotel

My favorite hometown hotel is the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa on Cannery Row that partnered with Stash Rewards a couple of months ago, as well as Larkspurâ€™s Casa Munras in another popular hotel location in the center of old town Monterey.

Despite industry leading growth for a hotel loyalty program over the past year, Stash remains selective about its hotel partners.

Only the Most Loved

Even during a period of such remarkable growth, Stash continues to be highly selective of potential partners, with a unique focus on guest satisfaction. Over the last year, Stash has turned away more than 400 hotels interested in joining the program, ultimately accepting just 17% of interested properties.Â The result:Â a curated network of upscale resorts, landmark hotels, rustic inns, and distinctive business-class properties that represent some of the countryâ€™s most-loved hotels. The measure of that love?Â Stash partner hotels have an average recommend rating of 84% on TripAdvisor, the highest rating among any major hotel loyalty program in North America.

Recently-added Stash hotel partners include:Â