Why This Brand Won Best Hotel in 2024

This time final yr, Alternative Accommodations wasn’t even a contender in NerdWallet’s annual evaluation of lodge manufacturers and their loyalty packages.

In previous years, we didn’t gather information on Alternative as a result of its award search did not present sufficient availability. (As a part of our evaluation, we gather information on bookings eight months from the time of search.)

However expertise updates addressed reserving points, and Alternative’s latest acquisition of Radisson introduced new curiosity to this system. In 2022, the $675 million deal introduced 9 Radisson manufacturers into the Alternative portfolio, including some higher-end manufacturers to an organization that was extra identified for funds manufacturers like High quality Inn and Sleep Inn.

The merger went into full impact when the Alternative Privileges rewards program absorbed the Radisson Rewards Americas program in July 2023. In response to the press launch after the merger, the Alternative Privileges program had grown to 60 million members. That is about half of the members enrolled within the Marriott Bonvoy or the Hilton Honors packages, and about double the quantity in World of Hyatt.

So for our most up-to-date evaluation on greatest lodge manufacturers and rewards packages, Alternative was too massive to disregard. How does it stack up in opposition to opponents? And must you take into account switching loyalty?

In NerdWallet’s 2024 evaluation of greatest lodge manufacturers, we collected information on lots of of lodge bookings throughout seven lodge manufacturers. Every one needed to have properties within the majority of states within the U.S. and provide a loyalty program with a publicly obtainable rewards search calendar with rewards reserving availability from 15 days to eight months from the time of the search.

We rated every firm on a five-point scale (with 5 being the very best) on 4 components:

1. Charges: the price of resort charges and parking charges in contrast with the room fee. 

2. Pet insurance policies: the proportion of resorts that permit pets, pet charges and different insurance policies.

3. Rewards fee: how rapidly guests earn factors and the worth relative to {dollars} spent.

4. Elite rewards: the worth of elite standing advantages in contrast with the amount of cash members must spend to earn elite standing.

Right here’s how Finest Western, Alternative, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott and Wyndham carried out throughout these classes.

So how did newcomer Alternative slot in? The model shined in a single space specifically: lack of charges. On the five-point scale, Alternative scored an ideal 5.0. The subsequent closest manufacturers didn’t crack 4.0.

Alternative Privileges additionally rated respectably within the center for its rewards fee.

These components mixed led it to be named NerdWallet’s greatest lodge model of 2024.

Discovering a lodge with cheap charges is a problem. Even President Joe Biden is asking for the tip of “junk charges” in journey and different industries. In response to the American Lodge and Lodging Affiliation, 6% of resorts cost resort charges, and the typical resort charge is $26 per evening.

Of the pattern stays we analyzed, the typical resort charge at Alternative properties hovered nearer to $22, beating the trade common. Different manufacturers had been charging a mean of as much as $60 per evening for resort charges.

Alternative additionally retains parking charges to a minimal, averaging lower than 3% of the room fee. In the meantime, Marriott and Hilton parking charges are nearer to 12% and 13%, respectively. Which means you may save as much as 10% on equally priced rooms by staying at a Alternative lodge with a decrease parking charge.

Alternative Privileges members can accumulate factors for a future award keep comparatively rapidly. Alternative is one in all solely three lodge packages that provide rewards charges of at the least 10% (which means should you spend $100 on the lodge, you’ll earn at the least $10 in factors).

Wyndham Rewards, World of Hyatt and Alternative Privileges provide the very best rewards charges, at 12%, 11.5% and 10%. Comparatively, Marriott Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards members can anticipate to earn 8% again in worth. Hilton Honors members earn 5% again.

Alternative’s low charges and excessive rewards fee counsel that it shouldn’t be missed, significantly for vacationers who’re trying to find inexpensive lodging and wish to earn extra lodge factors with much less spending on stays. These are nice options, however they don’t apply to everybody.

Listed below are some issues to think about.

In the event you steadily keep at manufacturers like Cambria Accommodations or Woodbridge Suites, then strategizing your spending to make the most of Alternative Privileges advantages can be helpful. It is likely to be value familiarizing your self with a few of Alternative’s lesser-known manufacturers, just like the boutique Ascend Lodge Assortment.

Right here’s a full listing of Alternative manufacturers:

Alternative Privileges has greater than 7,400 resorts around the globe. Marriott, in the meantime, has virtually 8,900 areas, which suggests you’ll seemingly have extra choices in additional locations with Marriott loyalty. That mentioned, the dimensions of a lodge’s footprint isn’t all the pieces. Hyatt, NerdWallet’s 2024 winner for the greatest lodge rewards program, has just one,300 resorts.

One essential caveat is {that a} totally different firm owns Radisson properties outdoors of North and South America. In the event you plan on utilizing lodge factors for worldwide journey, you would possibly wish to test availability with different Alternative manufacturers.

A well-rounded lodge loyalty technique typically contains journey bank cards. Alternative Accommodations gives its personal co-branded lodge bank cards, and the most recent launched in spring 2023.

Alternative Privileges switch companions embody American Categorical Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One miles. If you have already got a bank card that earns a type of sorts of factors, you have already got a technique to begin reserving Alternative resorts with journey rewards.