Should You Care About the “I Prefer” Hotel Rewards Program?

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The I Prefer Hotel Rewards Program is not one of the biggest or well-known programs — especially when compared to other big players, such as Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. However, size alone doesn't mean the program should be ignored. The important question to ask is: Is it a hidden gem or just another hotel rewards program?

If you prefer to stay at mid-tier and higher-end properties, then the I Prefer Program may be worth a closer look.

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, while the I Prefer program is a global brand with 600+ properties in 80+ countries, they are not evenly spread out. Most of the properties are in North America, Europe, and Japan. However, there are multiple resorts and hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico.

 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.

Joining I Prefer Hotel Rewards

Joining the program is straightforward. 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 befits 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 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 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.

Things are even more challenging to hit top-tier Ambassador Elite status with Marriott, requiring 100 nights plus $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 Elite Titanium Status.

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 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, 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 direct with the hotel.
• Travel agent bookings using official Preferred Travel Group booking codes.

Earn points on stays

You'll earn points on reservation expenses but not other expenditures, earning 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 2,500 bonus points on 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 0.94¢ by AwardWallet members, which is nearly five times the value of I Prefer points.

Nights with points

One thing to note is that finding award space with I Prefer hotels is incredibly difficult. I Prefer advertises that free nights start at 15,000 points, but we searched multiple hotels in multiple cities and destinations worldwide and could not find a single pure points award stay. On numerous searches, points and cash bookings would populate despite each hotel's “calendar” showing what looks like award space.

Credit: I Prefer

That said, it's possible to secure deals by booking with points, provided you can lock in a room. For example, a night at the Royal Park Hotel Iconic Tokyo Shidome will set you back roughly $265 after taxes and currency conversions.

Credit: I Prefer

I Prefer suggests this hotel is bookable for 30,000 points. That's 0.8 cents per point, which is a comparable better value than redeeming for Reward Certificates, and in line with what you'd conceivably find at other properties.

Award rates at the Royal Park Hotel Iconic Tokyo Shidome. Credit: I Prefer

One potential workaround is to call I Prefer at 866-990-9491 to try to secure bookable award nights by working with a representative.

Only time will tell whether this scarcity of award space is a policy or just a coincidence. However, if it is a policy, then it substantially devalues the program (what is the point of points you can’t use?) and its points.

Points and cash

Points and cash bookings, while more readily available and start at 3,000 points, are still not the most exciting value we have seen. Take the Corso 281 in Rome, Italy. A single night will set you back $621.17 in cash.

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

Using points and cash will set you back $499.81 plus 30,000 points for the same night.

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

Essentially, you are redeeming 30,000 points for a value of $129.36, which is an incredibly underwhelming value of 0.43 cents per point.

Returning to the US, we found better value at the Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles. A single night will set you back $299.09 in cash.

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

Using points and cash will set you back $205.09 plus 10,000 points for the same night.

Credit: I Prefer Hotels

Crunching the numbers, you are redeeming 10,000 points for a value of $94. This works out at a much-improved value of 0.94 cents per point.

This highly variable value means you must spend time hunting around to get the best value for your points. While a value of 0.94 cents per point is acceptable and worth considering, a value of 0.43 cents per point is not worth your effort pursuing.

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

The I Prefer Hotel Rewards program seems like a somewhat niche program, depending on whether you like the kind of properties on offer and the levels of perks and benefits. The program could be very interesting if you happily pay for most of your stays and prefer more high-end properties. However, if you are purely interested in maximizing value and more budget-oriented travel, then you are best served elsewhere.

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

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