Let’s face it, other than George Clooney “Up in the Air” movie clones, most of us don’t have jobs that require a semi-permanent residence at various hotels around the world, and to be honest, most women would prefer to avoid that kind of lifestyle. Unfortunately, as a result of not being a serial hotel user, you end up losing out on the perks that can accumulate only through multiple stays at big chain hotels via their loyalty program.

For us ordinary folk, who tend to go on holidays only once or twice a year (if we’re lucky), loyalty cards don’t seem to be such a great deal. But there are a few forward thinking hotels that have taken this into consideration and offer a card or program that has immediate perks right from the moment you sign up and arrive on the doorstep of their hotel.

Omni Hotels

Omni’s loyalty program is my favorite; it has some wonderful perks to make your travels away from home a little sweeter. The hotel offers fresh fruit in the lobby, and as a member of their rewards program you also receive complimentary morning beverage delivered to your door. I love this, when I stay at Omni, my morning starts with the delivery of a carafe of freshly perked coffee, and orange juice, what a great way to start the day. Some other rewards offered to members include free in-room wifi, newspaper, a bottle of water, and 2 items of clothing freshly pressed, now that’s a service I’d definitely use!

DoubleTree by Hilton

Who wouldn’t love a warm cookie when checking into a hotel? It’s almost as good as a warm hug! For the past 25 years DoubleTree by Hilton has been handing out yummy cookies to travelers all over the world. They give out approximately 60,000 chocolate chip cookies each day adding up to more than 21 million cookies annually – that’s a heck of a lot of cookies!

Fairmont Resorts

Fairmont Hotels centers its rewards program, Fairmont President’s Club, on personalization. Guests complete a profile upon registration sharing their preferences on important details such as the type of bed they like, their ideal floor level, favorite newspaper and whether they drink carbonated or still water.

One of the nicer perks offered by Fairmont came as a result of listening to their members about the importance of health and wellness on the road but how this can be difficult for those who travel light. So, Fairmont partnered with Adidas to create a program to make available Adidas shoes and apparel, yoga mats, stretch bands and use of a MP3 player, to members who request it. The new perk has been a big hit. Some other benefits include free in-room wifi, newspaper, and access to bikes at select hotels.

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