I Prefer Hotel Rewards: A Niche Program Actually Worth Your Attention?

The I Prefer Hotel Rewards program doesn’t have the name recognition of Marriott Bonvoy^® or Hilton Honors — but that doesn’t mean it should be dismissed. Backed by Preferred Travel Group’s portfolio of mostly upscale, independent properties, I Prefer can be compelling if you gravitate toward boutique and luxury stays. This guide covers how the program works, where it shines (and doesn’t), and how to decide if it belongs in your hotel strategy.

What is the I Prefer Hotel Program?

The I Prefer program is the loyalty program for the Preferred Travel Group, which operates various hotel brands worldwide, including:

• Preferred Hotels & Resorts
• Beyond Green
• Historic Hotels of America
• Historic Hotels Worldwide

In terms of footprint, I Prefer program is a global brand with over 650 participating properties in 85 countries. However, these locations aren't evenly spread out. Most of the properties are in North America, Europe, and Japan. However, there are multiple hotels and resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico.

Credit: I Prefer

When it comes to the type of property, a glance through the portfolio shows that most of the properties are middle to high-end — although there are a couple of lower-end offerings sprinkled around here and there.

While the I Prefer program encompasses various brands and hotels, the company categorizes its properties into four distinct categories.

Legend

These are the top-tier, most luxurious properties in the I Prefer portfolio.

L.V.X.

Again, these are high-end properties that deliver a wide range of amenities and luxury, although not on par with Legend-tier hotels.

Lifestyle

The company brands this as both affordable and stylish, yet chic. While still upmarket by most hotel standards, they are affordable.

Preferred Residences

Residence-style suites and villas for longer stays.

Joining I Prefer Hotel Rewards

Joining the program is straightforward — and free. Head over to the website, click on the join option, and you will be guided through the process like any other program. You'll provide your name, email, and so forth.

I Prefer Hotel Rewards Elite Status Tiers

The I Prefer Hotel Rewards program has three levels of elite status as follows:

Silver

Silver is the entry-level tier. However, it still has a substantial list of features and benefits, including:

• Complimentary in-room internet access or enhanced access
• Access to exclusive member rates
• Late checkout and early check-in when available
• Enhanced room upgrade when available
• Access to partner offers
• Access to Rewards Suite, I Prefer Auctions, and points bookings
• Digital Preferred Travel Magazine

Gold

Once you earn 25,000 points in a 12-month period, you will receive Gold status. Gold status provides all the benefits of Silver, plus:

• A welcome amenity, which varies by hotel
• 20% bonus points on paid stays

Considering the earning rates per dollar spent (see below), reaching Gold status is not too difficult. It only involves spending $2,500 on stays.

Titanium

Titanium is the top status tier with the I Prefer Hotel Rewards program, and you will need to earn 50,000 points or more to reach it. Benefits of Titanium elite include all those with Gold, plus:

• 50% bonus points on paid stays
• Access to special offers and experiences
• Food and beverage voucher (varies by hotel)
• Digital anniversary gift

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

How I Prefer Hotel Rewards Benefits Stack Up

The list of I Prefer program benefits is relatively underwhelming. When it comes to the value of each award, arguably the most convenient and practical is early check-in and late checkout. While this benefit is only possible when available, and is not guaranteed for elites, it is still the most handy of all the program's benefits.

Similarly, the enhanced room upgrade could be useful. But again, it is subject to availability and not guaranteed, even for top-tier members, which is disappointing.

How Does I Prefer Elite Status Compare to Major Hotel Elite Statuses?

How the status stacks up against the other big brands is a bit of a mixed bag. On the downside, elite status with I Prefer Hotel Rewards does not provide as many perks and benefits as top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond Elite or Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite.

There's no fourth or fifth night free, lounge access, or complimentary elite status with an airline. However, achieving I Prefer top-tier status is substantially more straightforward in some aspects. For instance, Hilton Honors Diamond Elite requires 60 nights, 30 stays, or 120,000 Base Points. At an earning rate of 10 base points per dollar, that requires spending of $12,000.

Achieving top-tier Ambassador Elite status with Marriott is even more challenging, requiring 100 nights and $23,000 in annual spending.

If you are willing to spend, top-tier status with I Prefer is straightforward. At an earning rate of 10 points per dollar, you only need to spend $5,000. Furthermore, there is no minimum night or stay requirement, so staying at high-end luxury properties can substantially boost your status.

For example, a stay at the stunning Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California, is expensive, but a two-night stay will earn you enough points for Gold status. A three-night stay will earn enough points for I Prefer Titanium elite status.

Credit: iprefer.com

However, “how much you spend” isn't the full story in other programs. You can achieve status with inexpensive stays at budget hotels, spending low dollar amounts while you meet the required stay thresholds for elite status tiers.

And then there are status match opportunities. Plus, certain credit cards provide elite status in other programs automatically, such as complimentary Hilton Diamond status from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card or complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. This feature is absent in I Prefer Hotel Rewards.

If you have status in another program, you can email members@iprefer.com to request a status match.

Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.

What Are I Prefer Hotel Properties Like?

A quick look around the I Prefer property portfolio shows there is something for virtually every taste. Although, as mentioned above, the properties tend to be on the mid to high end of the scale.

For instance, lovers of the outdoors will feel at home at The Brush Creek Luxury Ranch Collection in Saratoga, Wyoming.

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

On the other hand, if you are into golf, look no further than the home of golf at the Old Course Hotel Golf Resort and Spa, St. Andrews, Scotland. The opportunity to play the course where the game was invented more than 250 years ago is on many golfers' bucket lists.

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

If you are more into city breaks, then the I Prefer Program still has lots to offer in various locations worldwide, from Paris and London to New York and Tokyo. These include stays at the stunning Baccarat Hotel in New York City.

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

How To Earn I Prefer Hotel Rewards Points

The earning structure with the I Prefer program is straightforward since the program is less developed than others. There are no options to earn through shopping, a co-branded credit card, spending, and so forth. To earn points, you must book your stay via an eligible booking channel, including:

• IPrefer.com, PreferredHotels.com, StayBeyondGreen.com, and associated websites.
• I Prefer or Preferred Travel Group call centers.
• Participating hotel websites or directly with the hotel.
• Travel agent bookings using official Preferred Travel Group booking codes.

Earn points on stays

You’ll earn points on eligible room charges as follows:

• 10 points per dollar (or equivalent after conversion) at I Prefer Brands, except for Vermejo, A Ted Turner Reserve or The Brando.
• 5 points per dollar at the Vermejo, A Ted Turner Reserve or The Brando.

To muddy the waters a little, some properties may allow you to earn more points on items like spas, restaurants, gift shops, and resort charges. However, these vary from property to property, so you must keep an eye out for the details when booking or visiting a property.

Bonus points for AARP members

AARP members receive exclusive rates and benefits when booking stays at I Prefer Properties, including:

• Receive Gold elite tier status and 2,500 bonus points after their first completed stay
• Exclusive I Prefer member-only rates
• Receive a 20% bonus on earned points for your stays
• Welcome amenity and complimentary upgrades when available
• Free Wi-Fi

Notice that these perks mirror much of what you get with I Prefer Gold status (the middle tier).

How To Redeem I Prefer Hotel Rewards Points

When it comes to redeeming your I Prefer Hotel Rewards points, you have two options. You can redeem them for a Reward Certificate or a free night at a participating hotel. One thing to note is that you can book free nights for friends and family.

I Prefer Hotel Rewards Certificates

You can redeem your points for a set-value Reward Certificate that can be used as cash at a participating hotel. You can redeem points for five denominations of certificates as follows:

Interestingly, unlike I Prefer points that expire after 24 months of inactivity, Reward Certificates do not expire and are valid until they're redeemed at a participating property. This offers you a great way to have your cake and eat it, too, in terms of validity. Cashing in some points for a Rewards Certificate extends the validity of your remaining balance while preserving some of the value (but not much) of the points you redeemed.

One unique and interesting aspect of the Reward Certificates is that you can gift them to friends and family members. All you need to do is forward the email with the certificate. Then, they can use the certificate against their booking at a participating hotel.

What are I Prefer Hotel Rewards points worth?

Unfortunately, when redeemed for Reward Certificates, I Prefer Rewards points stack up incredibly poorly against other hotel brands. Redeeming your points for Reward Certificates, you get the less-than-stellar rate of 0.2 cents each. There is no extra zero there; your points are worth two-tenths of a cent, which is a shockingly poor value.

Consider World of Hyatt points that AwardWallet members have, on average, been able to leverage for 2.19¢ of value. That is more than 10 times the value of I Prefer points. On average, even the less-valuable Marriott Bonvoy^® points have been redeemed for 0.93¢ by AwardWallet members, which is nearly five times the value of I Prefer points.

I Prefer Nights with Points

While award space seemed very restrictive last year, it now appears that I Prefer has addressed this. Award space was plentiful when we surveyed all 205 properties you can book using I Prefer points.

The I Prefer program advertises award nights from 15,000 points, and indeed, we found multiple hotels priced that low. In terms of award pricing bands, by all accounts, it appears I Prefer has six pricing bands as follows:

• 15,000 points
• 30,000 points
• 50,000 points
• 75,000 points
• 100,000 points
• 150,000 points

Looking at properties priced at 15,000 points, there is a variety available around the world, such as Lancaster, Bangkok, or Galeria Plaza, Irapuato, and finally, The Park Kolkata. While on the lower end of the I Prefer hotel spectrum, they are still decent properties for a stay.

Credit: I Prefer

When it comes to hotels costing 30,000 points, the footprint is equally varied, with properties including EK Hotel in Bogota, Hotel Monville in Montreal, and Sherwood Suites Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Credit: I Prefer

Moving up there is still plenty of award availability for properties costing 50,000 points per night. These include The Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast, The Colonnade Hotel Boston, and Erinvale Estate Hotel & Spa, Cape Town, South Africa.

Credit: I Prefer

Looking at hotels costing 75,000 I Prefer points. We are entering the exceptional end of properties on offer. These not only include luxury, but also those located in the heart of expensive cities. We found awards at the Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & Spa, Rome, Italy; The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney, Ireland; and The Mosaic Hotel Beverly Hills.

Credit: I Prefer

At 100,000 points, we are near the top end of the I Prefer property food chain, with plenty of nights available in some of their most luxurious properties. These include The Ranch at Laguna Beach, California, The Laurel Hotel & Spa in Auburn, Alabama, and Borgo Scopeto Wine & Country Relais, Tuscany, Italy.

Credit: I Prefer

With 150,000 points, you have your pick of the best properties I Prefer has to offer, and it shows. Yet there is still lots of availability at some truly luxurious properties, including The Wall Street Hotel, New York, Borgo Pignano, Volterra, Italy, and Andronis Arcadia, Santorini, Greece.

Credit: I Prefer

Points and cash

Points and cash bookings start at 3,000 points, but still don't provide the most exciting value. Take the Corso 281 in Rome, Italy. A single night will set you back $699.13 in cash.

Credit: I Prefer

Using points and cash will set you back $575.97 plus 30,000 points for the same night.

I prefer 30k Hotels

Essentially, you are redeeming 30,000 points for a value of $123.18, which is an incredibly underwhelming value of 0.41 cents per point.

Returning to the US, we found equally poor value at the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles. A single night will set you back $260.00 in cash.

Credit: I Prefer

Using points and cash will set you back $220.84 plus 10,000 points for the same night.

Credit: I Prefer

Crunching the numbers, you are redeeming 10,000 points for a value of $39.16. This works out at a much-improved value of 0.39 cents per point.

While there is some variance between the properties, the value of points redeemed for points and cash bookings is poor, to say the least. That is why you will be better served sticking to using your points for free nights and avoiding points and cash bookings.

Do I Prefer Hotel Rewards Points Expire?

Your I Prefer Hotel Rewards points will expire if your account has no activity for 24 months. Eligible activities to reset the validity of your points include an eligible stay or reward redemption.

Once you have reached the 24-month threshold, your points balance will be forfeited, and your status will be downgraded to the appropriate level.

Final Thoughts

I Prefer is a niche loyalty program that can work well for travelers who book independent, higher-end hotels — especially in North America, Europe, and Japan. Elite benefits are modest and often “subject to availability,” and point values lag larger chains, but status is easier to earn, and award night availability has improved.

If you prioritize boutique experiences and are comfortable paying cash more often than redeeming points, I Prefer can be a useful secondary program. If your goal is maximizing redemption value and guaranteed perks, the big chains will usually serve you better.

Have you used the I Prefer hotel program before? Let us know in the comments below.

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