Solo Travellers

The Best Hotel Rewards Programs in the World

Published

4 days ago

August 6, 2025

This story is part of The New Era of Work Travel, a collaboration between the editors of Condé Nast Traveler and WIRED to help you navigate the perks and pitfalls of the modern business trip.

Joining a hotel’s rewards program can feel like being admitted to an exclusive club. By frequently staying at a particular brand’s hotels, you can accrue points that are redeemable for all kinds of perks, including free or low-cost room upgrades, a meal on the house, and even a free night’s stay.

Choosing the best hotel rewards program for you depends on a variety of factors, most importantly, where and how often you travel. But just as crucial is your travel style: Are you content with small comforts like free breakfast, or do you expect top-tier service and exclusive upgrades?

Keeping these nuances in mind, we’ve carefully evaluated all the major hotel groups to highlight the best loyalty programs that deliver meaningful perks, seamless upgrades, and genuine benefits in exchange for your loyalty. Whether you’re hopping between business hubs or seeking boutique luxury escapes, this guide breaks down the nine standout hotel rewards programs that consistently elevate the travel experience worldwide.

How do hotel rewards work?

Hotel rewards programs allow members to earn points or credits during eligible stays and while spending at participating hotels. These points can typically be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, dining, and experiences, or transferred to airline miles. Most programs have tiered status levels that unlock additional perks like late checkout, lounge access, and priority upgrades, rewarding frequent guests with enhanced benefits.

What are qualifying nights and base points?

A qualifying night is any night that you stay at a participating hotel and pay an eligible rate—meaning the booking was made through the hotel directly or an approved partner. Base points are the standard points you earn on eligible spending before any bonuses are applied, and they often determine your progress toward elite status tiers.

How do I earn points faster or reach elite status quicker?

You earn points primarily by booking stays and spending money at hotels within the program’s portfolio. Many programs also offer bonus points for spending on services at the hotel, like dining or spa treatments, or through cobranded credit cards. To reach elite status faster, frequent travelers can accumulate qualifying nights or base points quickly, often accelerated by promotions or “elite challenges,” where you can earn status faster over a condensed period. Booking with a hotel’s preferred credit card or during promotional periods can help you earn more points than you normally would.

Are hotel points worth collecting, or should I just book the cheapest hotel each time?

If you travel regularly—especially for business or extended leisure—hotel loyalty points can add significant value. However, if your travel is infrequent or primarily price-driven, the value of points might be limited. It’s best to choose a program aligned with your travel patterns and preferred brands to maximize rewards without sacrificing convenience or comfort.

Jump to:

World of Hyatt

For business travelers who toggle between boardrooms and boutique stays, World of Hyatt offers a loyalty program that’s both intuitive and indulgent. What sets it apart isn’t just its sense of discreet luxury or its polished properties—it’s the way the program streamlines status, upgrades, and rewards into a system that feels more like a relationship than a transaction.

Elite tiers are remarkably attainable, especially for those who log regular, if not relentless, miles: Discoverist kicks in after just 10 nights, while Globalist—Hyatt’s top-tier status—unlocks at 60 nights and delivers standout perks like 4 p.m. late checkout, free parking on stays booked using points, suite upgrades, and access to Hyatt’s Club Lounges where the free snacks and Wi-Fi make layovers feel like retreats. Then there’s Milestone Rewards, which adds flexibility to the tier structure and kicks in as early as 20 nights, offering confirmed suite upgrades, Guest of Honor bookings (which let your colleagues, clients, or family enjoy your elite perks), and valuable free night awards. Points go further than you’d expect, with off-peak redemptions starting at just 3,500 points and access to aspirational brands like Park Hyatt, Alila, and Andaz. The portfolio leans quality over quantity, but spans everything from high-functioning business hubs like Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Connecticut and Thompson Washington, DC, to design-forward accommodations perfect for off-the-clock decompression.

Marriott Bonvoy

With a staggering portfolio of over 8,500 properties across 30 brands in over 130 countries, Marriott Bonvoy promises global coverage. For business travelers whose calendars swing between red carpets and red-eyes, Bonvoy offers the kind of flexibility and depth that turn routine trips into upgraded experiences at the drop of a hat. The tier system is expansive but attainable: Silver Elite kicks in at 10 nights, Gold at 25, Platinum at 50, and Titanium at 75. Once you begin to earn, expect guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, lounge access, suite upgrades, and 50% bonus points—plus Annual Choice Benefits like confirmed suite nights or the ability to gift elite status benefits to another person. The system feels vast but navigable, whether you’re checking into a minimalist Moxy in Munich or a legacy-rich Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo.

Bonvoy’s points are as adaptable as its portfolio. Redeem for free nights, flight upgrades, or unforgettable “Marriott Bonvoy Moments” that range from VIP access to concerts and Formula 1 races to culinary masterclasses. Dynamic pricing means point values fluctuate, but elite members get priority on upgrades and availability windows. Cobranded Amex and Chase credit cards accelerate point-earning potential, and often provide automatic elite status, making them a powerful tool for even occasional travelers.

Hilton Honors

Hilton has a footprint of over 7,600 properties across 20+ brands, from the name-brand Conrad and Waldorf Astoria to business-leaning stalwarts like Hilton, DoubleTree, and Canopy. The tier system of the Honors program is refreshingly straightforward: Silver status arrives after just 10 nights, Gold at 40, and Diamond at 60 nights or 120,000 base points. The points earn you things like room upgrades, executive lounge access, premium Wi-Fi, and the rare but golden fifth night free on stays booked with points. The most alluring feature, Hilton’s elite Diamond tier, can also be reached more quickly if you have a cobranded credit card. Redemption is flexible, too—points can be used not just for rooms but for Amazon purchases, Lyft rides, concert tickets, and even charitable donations, though the highest value still comes from free nights, especially during peak conference seasons. Thanks to dynamic pricing, savvy travelers can still find exceptional value with a little research. Members using points sometimes benefit from lower redemption rates than non-members paying cash, making the rewards program a strategic advantage.

Alex Green

IHG One Rewards

With a refreshed tier system, stronger elite perks, and a global portfolio that includes InterContinental, Kimpton, Crowne Plaza, and Vignette Collection, IHG now plays in the same league as its flashier competitors but with a quieter, more down-to-earth charm. The new rewards structure, ranging from Silver at 10 nights to Diamond at 70 nights, delivers tangible benefits fast. Platinum, unlocked at 40 nights or 60,000 points, is the sweet spot for frequent flyers, offering perks like 2 p.m. late checkout and reward night discounts, which range from early access deals to a percentage off the points required to redeem a free night’s stay. If you’re a Diamond member, you can add free breakfast to the list of perks.

What sets IHG apart is its Milestone Rewards program, where travelers can choose from benefits like confirmed suite upgrades, food and beverage credits, or annual lounge memberships, making the loyalty program customizable rather than a cookie-cutter list of options. The point redemption game is flexible, too: dynamic pricing means deals if you’re savvy, and free nights start around 10,000 points. Plus, IHG’s cobranded credit cards make it possible to rack up points even when you’re not on the road.

Choice Privileges

Encompassing over 7,000 properties globally, including brands such as Cambria, Ascend, Comfort, and the recently acquired Radisson, Choice is a good fit for individuals who want to stay at reliable, often well-located hotels with just enough personality to keep things interesting. The program shines not through luxury add-on perks, but through ease: elite status can be earned quickly (Gold at just 10 nights), and rewards kick in right away. Platinum arrives at 20 nights, Diamond at 40, and the perks are practical and consistent: room upgrades, early check-in, late checkout, and dedicated customer support.

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Solo Travellers

Solo Travel Just Got Smarter: 8 Tips Every Traveller Needs to Know – The Times of India

Published

1 hour ago

August 10, 2025

TOI Lifestyle Desk

Solo Travel Just Got Smarter: 8 Tips Every Traveller Needs to Know The Times of India

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Solo Travellers

Kim Jun-ho flirts with shop assistant before upcoming wedding on Solo Travel 4 – CHOSUNBIZ – Chosun Biz

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7 hours ago

August 9, 2025

the Editor

Kim Jun-ho flirts with shop assistant before upcoming wedding on Solo Travel 4 – CHOSUNBIZ Chosun Biz

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Solo Travellers

Tracee Ellis Ross on Creating ‘Solo Traveling,’ Teases Season 2

Published

8 hours ago

August 9, 2025

Aramide Tinubu

Tracee Ellis Ross is known for starring on hit television shows like “Black-ish” and “Girlfriends.” But now, audiences are getting up close and personal with Ross in her hit Roku Original series, “Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross.” The series debuted to rave reviews last month and quickly became the most-watched unscripted series in Roku history, earning a Season 2 renewal.

Ross has always adored traveling, but it took a moment for the Emmy-nominated actress to realize that fans were flocking to her social media accounts to get a glimpse at her stunning vacations. “I came home from my regular summer trip that I do with my friends every year,” she tells Variety at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF), where the series screened to a sold-out crowd on Friday night. “And the guy that was helping me at the airport was like, ‘Girl, every year we wait for your first dip and we wait for your Paris fashion.’ He said, ‘I can’t even wait to see what you’re wearing.’ I said, ‘Are you serious?!’”

Upon realizing that there was an audience that was intrigued by her travels, Ross took the idea and ran with it. “I called my manager and I was like, ‘Is there any world where we could do a travel show that felt like the volume was turned up slightly from my social media?’ she says. “And he was like, ‘I don’t know, let’s figure it out.’” From there, “Solo Traveling with Tracee Eliis Ross” was born. But she had one stipulation: “For me, a lot of it is about the prep and packing, and if we couldn’t show that, then I didn’t want to do it. No one understood that [at] first.’”

Once she got production to buy into the packing segments, though, Ross was on a roll. The first season of “Solo Traveling,” which consists of three episodes, follows Ross (and her iconic wardrobe) as she adventures in Morocco, Mexico and Spain. Like most travel series, it showcases gasp-worthy locations, but what makes the show unique is the actor’s vulnerability, her distinct worldview and how she handles the emotional highs and lows that come with being alone in a new environment.

Solo traveling has been a part of Ross’s life for over 25 years; she took her first voyage in her 20s. “I had finished this show and I had more money than I’ve ever had, which is not a lot,” she recalls. “But I had money, and I thought, ‘I want to go away.’ My friends were working, and no one was available to go with me. And I was like, ‘I’m just going to go.’ I had seen the Pink Sands Resort [in the Bahamas] in Condé Nast Traveler. I don’t remember being frightened or anything like that. I felt safe and comfortable, and I remember it was a great experience.”

That holiday informed the way Ross travels to this day. “I talk about the fact that there are all different kinds of solo travel,” she explains. “Some people travel for adventures. Some people travel to meet people. Some people travel to escape their daily lives. Some people travel to decompress, like I do. Since then, I think I go on at least one solo trip a year if not two.”

While Ross is an experienced traveler in real life, it took a bit of work to get the tone of the show just right. “It was a delicate balance,” Ross explains. “Some of the first cuts that came back, they filled them in with music, and I was like, ‘No.’ It was losing the intimacy of some of these quiet, solitary moments.” Ross also notes that she travels with a skeleton crew to film the series. “I made a conscious decision not to use a stylist or hair and makeup. I was like, ‘That’s not how I travel. So it should look the way I travel.’ That was important to me,” she says. “And I found the show refreshing when I watched it.”

Safety and anxiety are barriers for many people who fear solo traveling, especially women. For Ross, safety is imperative, as is deciding what you want from your experience. “Once you determine that for yourself, you can figure out where that would be,” she says. “I like to remind people that you should ask yourself if there are parts of your identity that are the most empowered, beautiful parts of you, but perhaps might leave you vulnerable in other environments, whether that’s being LGBTQ, non-binary, a Black woman, differently abled, whatever those things are. And it might not even be those kinds of questions. It might be that I don’t like rain.”

Still, even with tons of preparation (and packing for any and all scenarios), Ross reminds us all that sometimes you can’t anticipate what might happen. For example, during her trip to Spain for episode 3, Ross had a horrific bout of food poisoning and was unable to film or even leave her hotel bed, but she wanted to keep the cameras rolling. “There was nothing I could do about it because we had a short window for shooting,” she says. “That was why I left that crying bit in. Because not only did I feel physically bad, but I felt like I was disappointing everybody. But that was what we had. And it was okay with me. We had to edit around the story because no one wants to hear the graphic behind-the-scenes. It was so fucking awful. Oh my God! But I felt it was important to leave in. It is part of what happens. Things don’t always go as planned.”

Solo traveling has also changed the way Ross views herself. Sprinkled throughout the series are gut-wrenchingly honest video diaries where Ross gets candid and emotional about loneliness and singleness. “What I love about how the show is resonating is the intention of the show,” she says. “It’s not about travel, but can you be yourself, by yourself, out in the world? Can you be who you are? It’s taken me years to discover who I am, then have the courage to be that person, and even more to live as that person. This show is an expression of living as that person. And it’s about knowing oneself, making choices that truly honor who you are and what you know about yourself. The fact that that’s what’s resonating — the sense of being responsible for your own happiness — is very moving to me.”

With fans so eager to voyage across the globe again with Ross in Season 2, she’s already considering where she’ll end up next. “When we did this season, I gave a long list of all the places I wanted to go, so there’s still a whole list of places,” she teases. “I have a dream list. I’d love to hear from other people and get new ideas. I want you to go to all the places, and we want to go along with you.”

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