PHOENIX—Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ (BWHR) loyalty program—Best Western Rewards—is launching Pay with Points. BWR members can reserve their next hotel stay using accumulated loyalty points to pay for part of their booking, allowing for added flexibility when planning their next hotel stay. By using Pay with Points, BWR members no longer have to wait to reach the free room night threshold and can tap into their points right away to redeem discounted room rates at hotels across North America.
Prior to rolling out the new benefit, BWHR tested Pay with Points through a beta program featuring select properties across North America. Each of these hotels offered discounted rates to BWR members who had accrued at least 5,000 BWR points, which could be used towards part of their hotel stay. During the beta test, a third of BWR members used a combination of BWR points and cash to book stays of two nights or more, which boosted the bottom line for participating hotels.
“Pay with Points is designed to help both BWR members and our hoteliers. BWR members can now redeem points to pay for part of their hotel stay and our hotel owners will benefit because BWR members are being introduced to new properties within our portfolio,” said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for BWHR. “We’re always looking to provide our rewards members with new promotions and benefits, and we’re excited to introduce Pay with Points to Best Western-branded hotels across North America.”
To redeem Pay with Points, a minimum of 5,000 points is required, which translates to a $25 saving on a hotel booking. BWR members will also earn 10 points for every dollar spent on the paid portion of the Pay with Points reservation.
BWR’s tagline “Because We Care About Rewarding You” underscores how the program’s perks are driven by BWHR’s foundational commitment to caring for guests. In 2020, BWHR was the first in the industry to extend Elite status to its BWR members at the start of the pandemic. In 2021, the company cut its Elite Status eligibility qualifications in half to make it easier for travelers to earn loyalty status and further extend loyalty status through March 31, 2023, without needing to fulfill the necessary qualifications. BWHR also launched a cleaning program, We Care CleanSM, which delivers a commitment to keeping guests safe and healthy when staying at Best Western branded hotels across North America.
BWHR is a hospitality company with 18 brand offerings across every market segment from economy to luxury. In recent years, the company has revitalized its properties across North America as owners invested $2 billion in property improvements and renovations. BWHR’s commitment to innovation and improvement has enabled the company to achieve a high RevPAR Index, industry recognition, and guest satisfaction.
