I recently wrote about my new hotel love interest, Kimpton InTouch. While Kimpton is certainly my favorite alternative to the big hotel programs, there are other options out there. One that comes immediately to mind is Hotels.com. Hotels.com is pretty simple, search for hotels in the locale you are traveling to, and they offer you choices from high dollar to economical across multiple chains. Book your room, pay for your room, done.

Hotels.com even offers its own loyalty program, Welcome Rewards. No need for a dissertation to explain it. Stay 10 nights in hotels booked through Hotels.com, get one night free. The maximum value of your free night is the average daily rate of your 10 nights stayed. You can read more about the Terms and Conditions of the program here.

I’ve used Hotels.com in the past, but not as much since I started traveling more extensively for business, and focused on obtaining and maintaining elite status with a big chain program. A business traveler would likely be better served by loyalty to one or two of the major programs, perhaps even three. A combined strategy of the major programs backed up by a service like Hotels.com might serve others just fine. On the other hand, an individual, traveling on their on dime might be better served by focusing on Hotels.com or a similar offering. The bottom line, there are all kinds of loyalty options out there when it comes to hotels, you just have to find the one that’s right for you.

Coming soon, a word on my return to Marriott Rewards elite status and why it is working well for me.