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I am planning a trip to Couer d’Alene in Idaho and there’s a nice lakefront The Coeur d’Alene Resort that is part of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Group.
This is my first time staying at a Preferred Resort, so I am not sure what to expect, but I am intrigued by its generous rewards program and all the benefits that I can receive during my stay without any elite status.
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| Photo Credit: Preferred Hotel – Montage Laguna Beach |
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I Prefer Hotel Rewards
I Prefer is the name of the rewards program that belongs to the Preferred Hotels & Resorts. There are 3 membership tiers:
- Insider – Members who earned 0-24,999 points in a year.
- Explorer – Members who earned 25,000-49,999 points in a year.
- Elite – Members who earned 50,000+ points in a year.
What’s interesting about the I Prefer rewards program is that the base membership tier Insider is eligible to receive Enhance Room Upgrades & Early Check-In, Late Check-Out benefits right away after enrollment. Compared to other hotel rewards programs out there, this is pretty generous.
Benefits |
Insider |
Explorer |
Elite |
| Points Required | 0 – 24,999 points | 25,000 – 49,999 points | 50,000+ points |
| Base Points Earned in Reservation Spend (Excluding taxes and fees) |
10 points at most properties
5 points at select properties |
10 points at most properties
5 points at select properties |
10 points at most properties
5 points at select properties |
| Bonus Points | – | 20% | 50% |
| Exclusive Member Rates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Complimentary In-Room Internet Access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Early Check-In, Late Check-Out (Based on availability) |
Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enhanced Room Upgrades (Based on availability) |
Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Access to I Prefer Loves Partner Offers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Access to Rewards Suite | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Beyond Green Enrichment Activity Bonus Points | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Preferred Travel Magazine | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Welcome Amenity | – | Yes | Yes |
| Access to Special Offers and Experiences | – | – | Yes |
| Food & Beverage Offering | – | – | Yes |
| Digital Anniversary Gift | – | – | Yes |
A few things to note about the I Prefer rewards program:
- Base tier Insider members can receive complimentary in-room Internet access, early check-in and out, and complimentary room upgrades based on availability right away after enrollment.
- Enroll through the following link and you will also receive an additional 1,000 bonus points:
- Go to Direct Link to Enroll in I Prefer Hotel Rewards
- On the sign-up page, make sure you enter c0f72f1a-63e8-47f3-a99c-ac6ad416a6a0 in the enrollment code section to receive your extra 1,000 bonus points.
- The welcome amenities for Elite members vary by property. These can range from bottles of wine or local craft items to resort credits.
- The food & beverage offering benefit for Elite members can range from a complimentary cocktail to a discount on dining during the stay.
- Status match up to Elite membership tier is also possible. See below.
Does Preferred Hotels Offer Status Match?
Yes. It is possible to request a status match with the I Prefer program:
- Contact [email protected] and,
- Provide proof of your status at another hotel rewards program.
I requested a status match using my Hilton Honors Diamond elite status (complimentary through American Express Hilton Aspire Card). The same day after sending my status match request email, I received a quick response right away that my I Prefer membership tier had been upgraded to Elite effective immediately. Here’s the response email:
Thank you very much for your interest. We are delighted to upgrade you to Elite status effective immediately.
To receive I Prefer benefits, you must include your I Prefer member number in your reservation and book via the following channels:IPrefer.comPreferredHotels.comI Prefer or Preferred Hotels & Resorts reservations lineParticipating hotel websites or by calling directlyTravel agent bookings via official Preferred Hotels & Resorts booking codesWe look forward to welcoming you at a Preferred Hotels & Resorts property soon – please visit www.IPrefer.com to find special offers from our worldwide collection of participating hotels.
How to Redeem I Prefer Points?
Similar to the Accor Live Limitless program, you can redeem I Prefer points for cash-value Reward Certificates that you can use to redeem for Reward Night stays.
- I Prefer Reward Certificates:
- US $25 – 12,500 points required.
- US $50 – 25,000 points required.
- US $100 – 50,000 points required.
- US $250 – 125,000 points required.
- US $500 – 250,000 points required.
- Reward Certificates do not expire.
- The certificates function like gift cards. You can use each certificate instantly when you make a reservation or you can present it at the hotel’s front desk to pay for your room’s reservation.
- You can also forward the certificate to friends and family as a gift for them to use for their own stay.
Do I Prefer Points Expire?
While the I Prefer Reward Certificates do not expire, I Prefer Points will expire after 24 months of membership inactivity.
I Prefer Hotel Rewards Enrollment Code
If you are new to I Prefer, there is no cost to join I Prefer Hotel Rewards.
By enrolling through the following link, you will also receive 1,000 bonus points in your I Prefer account. Here’s how you do it:
- Go to Direct Link to Enroll in I Prefer Hotel Rewards
- On the sign-up page, make sure you enter c0f72f1a-63e8-47f3-a99c-ac6ad416a6a0 in the enrollment code section to receive your extra 1,000 bonus points.
Is there a Preferred Hotels credit card?
Unfortunately, the Preferred Hotels & Resorts (Preferred Hotels Group) currently does not offer a credit card at this time. So you’ll have to earn the I Prefer points the hard way!
It’s worth mentioning though that Preferred Hotels & Resorts do partner with credit card companies out there such as Amex, Mastercard, and Visa to offer some deals and discounts. More below.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts Promotions and Offers
Preferred Hotels & Resorts has a dedicated page on their official website. But the page does not list all available promotions. To view all offers, do the following:
- Go to Preferred Hotels main page website
- Hover your mouse over the OFFERS menu. That’ll bring all Preferred Hotels available offers including credit card offers and limited-time offers.
Preferred Hotels Amex Free Night
If you are looking for a free night deal, Amex and Preferred Hotels & Resorts offer one complimentary night when you book two, three, or four consecutive nights and pay with an American Express card at select Preferred properties:
More ways to save on Preferred Hotels stays with American Express:
- Check out the Amex Offer – currently, there’s an Amex Offer that you can add the offer to your Amex card for spending $300 or more at Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and receive $60 back. I have this offer available on my American Express Platinum Card. The offer is set to expire on December 15, 2021.
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts are also part of Amex travel’s premium hotel programs such as The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR). This means that if you have an American Express Platinum Card, you can receive $200 hotel credit every year when you book one of those hotel programs through Amex Travel.
Redeeming Choice Points For Preferred Hotels & Resorts
For points enthusiasts, you will be happy to know that you can use Choice Privileges points to redeem for free night stays at Preferred Hotels & Resorts in the world.
The majority of properties under the Preferred Hotels & Resorts offer unique and luxurious amenities making your Choice points incredibly valuable.
- You can redeem Choice points starting from 25,000 to 55,000 points per night for Preferred Hotels & Resorts rewards nights.
- Reward night varies by each Preferred property based on the following four (4) award tiers:
- 25,000 points per night
- 35,000 points per night
- 45,000 points per night
- 55,000 points per night
- Unlike the Choice Privilege program for Choice’s own properties, redeeming Choice points for Preferred Hotels and Resorts do not change based on the date you book.
How to Redeem Choice Points for Preferred Hotels & Resorts
- First, you need to check availability and find out how many Choice points are needed for participating Preferred hotels using Choice Privileges rewards here.
- Please note that the site does not work on mobile browsers. It hides the section where you check the availability. So be sure to use your computer’s browser to view the site instead.
- Once you are ready to make your reservation using Choice Privileges points, you must call 1-888-770-6800 to book. Currently, it is not possible to make such reservations online.
How to Earn Choice Hotels Points
Preferred Hotels & Resorts List
There are 3 ways to view the list of Preferred Hotels & Resorts in the world, depending on how you want to make your reservation:
- Go to Preferred Hotels main page website and click on HOTELS or RESIDENCES from the main menu to see properties by Collection, Experience, and Region.
- Go here for participating Preferred Hotels & Resorts with Choice Privileges rewards.
- Go here for American Express participating Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
