How does being a loyal member of IHG’s Priority Club Rewards program help you score a stay at Hilton and Marriott hotels? That would be through Hotels Anywhere – a new concept under which Priority Club members will be able to redeem points for stays even at hotels not run by IHG.

Hotels Anywhere

Don Berg, vice president, Loyalty Programs, IHG, explains the concept - “Even with more than 4,400 IHG hotels worldwide, we know we can’t be everywhere. Hotels Anywhere gives our members the freedom and convenience to instantly book at tens of thousands of hotels worldwide using their Priority Club points; that’s more hotel choices than all of our major competitors’ hotel portfolios combined.”

In other words, just because IHG has little or no presence in places like Las Vegas and Hawaii, they don’t want to lose members who would otherwise be forced to join a rival loyalty program to collect points for a stay in Hawaii or Vegas.

So  35,000 Priority Club points now gets you one night at the Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio or at Wynn Las Vegas.

It does have a certain warped logic, but it’s going to test the loyalty of Priority Club members. What happens if IHG’s 48 million loyal members prefer to stay with competitors even in locations where IHG properties are available?

That’s not likely to happen often, though, since members won’t earn points for a booking made via Hotels Anywhere, thus ensuring that they use it only as a last resort if no suitable IHG properties are available.

The striking thing is that they’re listing competitors’ hotels with price, photos and virtual tours. You can search for a hotel by price, star rating or amenities. The point cost for a room on Hotels Anywhere is variable, based on the US dollar amount that the hotel in question is currently charging for the room you want to book.

Given that the basic function of a loyalty program is to keep the flock from wandering over to a competitor, do you think Hotels Anywhere is going to work? Will Marriott, Hilton and other hotel companies respond in kind, or is this just a passing fancy? One thing that can’t be denied is that it gives the consumer more choice.

More info:- http://www.priorityclub.com/hotelsanywhere

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Hello, Cheap.

I have two passions in life.

Writing and traveling.

Unfortunately, Passion A has yet to produce the funds required to do Passion B in the manner to which I would like to become accustom.

Translation: I am too broke to travel the way I’d like to, but too stubborn to just stay my butt home.

As a result, I have had to learn how to travel on the cheap.  I firmly believe that money should not keep you from your passions.  Where there is a will, there is a way, and all that.

7 Ways To Save Money On A Hotel

1. Share a room. The easiest way to save money on a hotel is to split the bill.  Of course, this doesn’t work if you’re sharing a room with your spouse – so I highly recommend you convince them that traveling is stupid.  For your budget’s sake.

2.  The more, the merrier. The more people you shove in a room, the smaller your chunk of a bill is.  Don’t be afraid to cozy up to a girlfriend in a double bed.  Just be sure everyone brings pajamas.  See also: “you’re not too good to spend a night on the floor” and “that pull out couch represents one more person who can pay a share”.

3.  Name your own price on Priceline. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars by using the “name your own price” tool on Priceline.  Here’s an article on how to name your own price on Priceline without getting ripped off or sleeping in the slums.

4.  Eat the continental breakfast. Technically, this won’t save you money on your hotel bill, but it will take away from your overall travel expense.  And if you bring back a muffin for a midday snack, you receive the Official Cheap Traveler Ninja Gold Star.

5.  Book a hotel away from the tourist attractions, but on a bus line. If you’re staying in a city with great public transportation (like New York City), you can take advantage of drastically lower hotel rates by staying farther out from the “hot spots”.  Just make sure you’re saving more on your hotel than what you’ll pay for a subway pass or bus ticket.  Obviously.

6.  Get a credit card with hotel reward points. Visa and American Express (and others, I’m sure) offer membership rewards programs that allow you to use your points towards free hotel stays.  Now, I’m not suggesting you rack up credit card debt.  But if you have the financial discipline to do so, get a credit card that you use to pay bills, buy groceries, get gas, and pay it off in full each month – and save up for free travel bonuses.

7.  Join hotel rewards programs. Hotel rewards programs will also offer perks like free upgrades, reduced rates and, in some cases, free stays.  You’ll build up these points faster if you find a family of hotels that you like and stick with booking within that chain.

Do you find creative ways to stretch your travel budget?  What’s your top secret tip for saving money on a hotel?

Photo by psd on Flickr.

Choosing the right hotel for your traveling needs begins with considering what kind of traveling you’ll be doing.

I’ve already discussed booking a kid friendly hotel for family vacations.  On the complete opposite of the travel spectrum, we have the most exotic sounding and, typically, least enjoyable experience of traveling for business.

A hotel that is great for families is not necessarily great for business travel.  Finding a hotel that caters to the business traveler can go a long way towards making long days on the road and nights away from family more bearable – and more productive.

Hotels for Business Travelers – What To Look For

1.  Internet Access

When I travel for work (or rather, when I used to travel for work), the very first thing I ask about when I’m booking a hotel is Internet access.  Is it available in-room, or just via a business center?  Is it wireless, or will I be sitting at a desk plugged into an ethernet cord?  And, most importantly, how much is it going to cost me?

The best hotels for business travelers will have free wireless internet access in the hotel rooms.  At the very least, you’ll have the option to purchase wireless internet access at a reasonable rate.  When booking your room, be sure to ask if the hotel has a membership program that offers free internet to its members.

2.  Work area in the room

My favorite hotels to stay in for business are Embassy Suites.  This is primarily because most of their rooms offer a separate seating area with a large desk and comfortable chair – one that is actually designed to sit in for long periods of time.  Sure, I can check my email sitting on my bed with a laptop perched on my legs.  But if I have hours of work to do, I’d prefer the option of an actual workspace.

3. On-site restaurant

While I avoid hotel restaurants when I’m traveling with my kids, I tend to spend a lot of time in them when I’m traveling alone for business.  It’s nice not to have to hunt down a local restaurant for every meal, and it’s also a convenient meeting area for clients and colleagues you may need to meet with while you’re in town.

4.  Fitness center

If you’re used to exercising regularly at home, a business trip that messes up your workout routine can really affect how well you do your job.  Look for a hotel with a fitness center and make a point of using it at roughly the same time you would go to a gym at home.  The nice thing about traveling alone is that you won’t be leaving anyone alone in your room while you go sweat your stress off for 30 minutes on a cardio machine.

5. Rewards programs

If you travel often, make a point at staying at hotels that offer membership reward programs.  This is a lot easier today now that so many hotels are part of a larger “family” company, with all properties sharing points and perks.  Even if you’re not the one footing the bill, being able to prove you’re a repeat guest may entitle you to added benefits (like nicer rooms, and that free internet access) that will make your stay more enjoyable.

6. Avoid kid-friendly hotels

If a hotel provides great accommodations for a family, it isn’t automatically disqualified as being good for business travelers.  But if there’s an in-house water park and a 1500 square foot arcade, chances are good you’ll hear the pitter patter of little feet running up and down the halls outside your door in the middle of the night.

The key to making the best of business travel is to make yourself as comfortable as possible.  No hotel will be quite like home, but choosing hotels that cater to the specific needs of the business traveler makes a difference.

What tips do you suggest for other business travelers?