Hotels.com WelcomeRewards Challenge can be 20% to 30% rebate

This two bonus nights promotion is only for new U.S. members to the Hotels.com WelcomeRewards hotel loyalty program. The basic deal with Hotels.com WelcomeRewards is a free night after every 10 nights at any of 65,000 hotels booked through Hotels.com. This Challenge promotion gives an extra free night bonus  after 15 nights and 30 nights completed by October 1, 2011.  Bonus free nights have a $150 value.

Hotels.com WelcomeRewards Challenge  promotion link.

WelcomeRewards free night is normally the average rate paid from the 10 nights you purchased at Hotels.com. This WelcomeRewards Challenge has the feature of offering a bonus night after 15 nights and 30 nights worth $150 in Hotels.com credit. This gives a promotion leverage potential for anyone paying under $150 night average rates.

One of WelcomeRewards terms appears to allow only one free night per hotel booking.

“Limit one (1) reward night per booking. If you have accumulated more than one reward night, you may choose which reward night to apply to a particular booking.â€

WelcomeRewards Terms & Conditions

WelcomeRewards Example: $100 per night average room rate

• Assume you pay an average $100 per night at Hotels.com.
• After completing 10 purchased nights you earn a $100 credit for another hotel night at Hotels.com.
• After 15 nights earn another $150 credit with WelcomeRewards Challenge.
• Pay $1,500 for 15 hotel room nights and get $250 in hotel credit = 16.7% rebate.
• Pay $3,000 for 30 hotel room nights and get $600 in hotel credit = 20% rebate.
• After 30 nights by October 1, 2011 you will be able to book two future hotel nights with $150 per night credit and three hotel nights with a $100 per night credit
• You can always book a more expensive room at Hotels.com for your free night and pay the rate difference of your credit and the hotel room rate.

 

WelcomeRewards Example: $50 per night average room rate

• Assume you pay an average $50 per night at Hotels.com.
• After completing 10 purchased nights you earn a $50 credit for another hotel night at Hotels.com.
• After 15 nights earn another $150 credit with WelcomeRewards Challenge.
• Pay $750 for 15 hotel room nights and get $200 in hotel credit = 26.7% rebate.
• Pay $1,500 for 30 hotel room nights and get $450 in hotel credit = 30% rebate.
• After 30 nights you can book two future hotel nights with $150 per night credit and three hotel nights with a $50 per night credit.
• You can always book a more expensive room at Hotels.com for your free night and pay the rate difference of your credit and the hotel room rate.

 

welcomerewards® Refer-a-Friend Email Program

There is a referral program to give a free night to a WelcomeRewards member referrer for any member referee who signs up for the challenge and stays 15 nights. If this Challenge looks like something of interest to you -please consider using my email, ricgarrido@loyaltytraveler.com as referrer.

I’ll check back in a year and see if I have any free night credits.

Or pick a spouse, relative or friend to earn more free nights by using the referrer-referee opportunity.  

 

WelcomeRewards Challenge Quiz

There is a sweepstakes quiz portion to the challenge for current members of WelcomeRewards. Answer three simple questions about Hotels.com and WelcomeRewards and be entered to win a Flip Ultra Camcorder. You can enter once per day through December 31.

WelcomeRewards Challenge Quiz rules.

Hotels.com advantage over traditional hotel loyalty programs

65,000 hotels are a competitive advantage for Hotels.com. Wyndham Rewards, Choice Hotels, and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) are the three largest hotel chains globally.

Wyndham has 13 brands with over 7,000 hotels and continues to acquire new hotel brands every year.

Choice Hotels has 11 hotel brands and more than 6,000 hotels globally.

Wyndham Rewards and Choice Privileges provide hotel loyalty programs for hotels priced in the economy hotel market segment. These tend to be more Mom & Pop type owned and managed hotels.

IHG has around 4,500 hotel properties, most famously Holiday Inn brands, and IHG is the largest hotel chain globally by number of rooms.

Hotels.com Welcome Rewards has the advantage of many hotel choices across all hotel chains. There is a rebate potential in the 20% to 30% range if you use this promotion on inexpensive hotel nights through the WelcomeRewards loyalty program.

WelcomeRewards is a good rebate opportunity when staying at hotels that are not otherwise in a hotel loyalty program like Priority Club, Wyndham Rewards, Choice Privileges and such. You will generally get a better rebate value, potentially in excess of 30% by taking advantage of hotel loyalty program promotions from the major hotel chains.