Other Hotel Programs - New loyalty scheme for US independent hotels

Over on BT (http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/new-loyalty-scheme-for-us-independent-hotels):

Stash Hotel Rewards has launched a loyalty scheme with 65 independent properties in 50 US cities, and aims to have 200 hotels participating by the end of the year.

The scheme says that it only includes hotels with “a star rating of 3.5 or above, with some exceptional three-star properties” (although note that the programme itself determines these star ratings), and that its portfolio of properties have on average 150-200 rooms, and a Tripadvisor “Recommend” rating of over 80 per cent.

Five Stash points are earned for every dollar spent on eligible room rates, and the scheme says that typically a member will be able to earn a free night after five stays at Stash partner Hotels. Members can earn points by booking hotels for others, and can book up to two eligible rooms for the same dates and earn points on both of them.

At present points are only earned on room rates, although Stash says this may change “as it continues to improve the programme”.

The scheme is free to join, and current counts properties in cities including LA, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle, with more set to join the programme in Washington, Miami, Chicago, Boston and New York.

For more information visit www.stashrewards.com

So your quoting an article with no content, perspective, or questions from yourself. Would you like to add some thoughts or questions to this?

I'm failing to see where your going with this... :confused:

Nor do I see what the point of your comment is. :confused: Surely the info in the BT article would be relevant to those of us who frequent "other hotels" not part of the big chains. Does it it need commentary? I thought it was rather self-explanatory, relevant, worth sharing and felt no need for unnecessary verbal decorum. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe others have a view.

Nor do I see what the point of your comment is. :confused: Surely the info in the BT article would be relevant to those of us who frequent "other hotels" not part of the big chains. Does it it need commentary? I thought it was rather self-explanatory, relevant, worth sharing and felt no need for unnecessary verbal decorum. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe others have a view.

I agree. The article is value in this forum. Its just an unusual style for a poster just throw an article up and not comment of any sorts. Actually, mostly spammer use this method. Being that I don't see you as one, that's why I questioned it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Now, since I really can't discuss moderating procedures more publically, let's go back on topic...

Have you/anyone used this new program? If so, thoughts? If not, opposing thoughts?

I had thoughts and comments yesterday (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/loyaltytraveler/2010/05/27/stash-hotel-rewards-does-not-inspire-me-yet/).

Thanks for the thorough analysis satori ^

I had not noticed the requirement to be resident in the US. How highly bizarre to restrict the scheme to domestic travellers. What are they trying to say? International travellers not welcome?

Hi. Jeff from Stash Hotel Rewards here.

We appreciate your interest in Stash and are eager to hear feedback on Stash from the FlyerTalk community. In fact, a day spent on FlyerTalk is one of the first stops for new Stash team members.

Regarding US Residents only: we’re just starting out, and felt it was best to focus on the US right now. Data laws in different countries add layers of complexity. And frankly, we had enough layers of complexity already.

But don’t worry, we’ll get to other countries very soon, (including, of course Ireland, Starflyergold). In fact, in the two weeks we’ve been live, we’ve heard from travelers and hotels around the world. Everywhere from Fiji to Hungary, London to Japan.

We know there’s a world beyond the US. We’re all frequent travelers ourselves. And many of the trips we take, and the dream vacations we’re saving points for, require a passport.

So I apologize for the exclusion and would ask for your patience. We’ll look for a way to make it up to those non-US residents eager to join now.

Please let us know your questions and ideas about Stash – here, or at www.stashrewards.com, or by e-mail to me: jeff@stashrewards.com

Thanks,

Jeff Low, CEO
Stash Hotel Rewards

Hi. Jeff from Stash Hotel Rewards here.

We appreciate your interest in Stash and are eager to hear feedback on Stash from the FlyerTalk community. In fact, a day spent on FlyerTalk is one of the first stops for new Stash team members.

Regarding US Residents only: we’re just starting out, and felt it was best to focus on the US right now. Data laws in different countries add layers of complexity. And frankly, we had enough layers of complexity already.

But don’t worry, we’ll get to other countries very soon, (including, of course Ireland, Starflyergold). In fact, in the two weeks we’ve been live, we’ve heard from travelers and hotels around the world. Everywhere from Fiji to Hungary, London to Japan.

We know there’s a world beyond the US. We’re all frequent travelers ourselves. And many of the trips we take, and the dream vacations we’re saving points for, require a passport.

So I apologize for the exclusion and would ask for your patience. We’ll look for a way to make it up to those non-US residents eager to join now.

Please let us know your questions and ideas about Stash – here, or at www.stashrewards.com, or by e-mail to me: jeff@stashrewards.com

Thanks,

Jeff Low, CEO
Stash Hotel Rewards


Welcome, Mr Low.

I found an independent hotel I wanted to stay at that's under stash rewards... will be trying them in a few weeks!

FYI -- Stashrewards was just added on awardwallet too.

Hi. Andy from Stash Hotel Rewards here. I just wanted to update this thread to let people know that we now do allow international members, as Jeff promised.

Also, for those interested in the program, I wanted to provide a useful link. If you go to http://www.stashrewards.com/invite/LLWLZK you will automatically receive bonus 500 points when you sign up. (Note to FT moderators: I hope this information is on-topic enough -- and useful enough -- that it's not considered shameless self-promotion. If I'm wrong, I'll understand if you remove it.)

Hi, Jeff from Stash here.

More news: we recently launched a feature that lets you give points to friends who sign up via your invitation link. If you’re a Stash member, you can get your invitation link here. (http://www.stashrewards.com/account/invite-friends) You can then share your link via Facebook, e-mail, Twitter, dirigible, tattoo, etc. When your friends sign up via that link, they get 500 points – which makes you a good person.

And -- you also get points for telling those friends about Stash. After your friend first stays at a Stash partner hotel, you get 500 points. You can earn up to 12,500 points that way, which is enough for a free night at many of the hotels that participate in Stash. In some cases, two nights.

You give points and you get points. That makes Invite Friends the rare Win-Win. The elusive free lunch. A Double Karma latte, with an extra shot of nice. :)

You can now earn Stash points at nearly 100 great independent hotels in the US. If you think Stash makes sense, we'd really appreciate it if you’d help us spread the word.

Thanks,

Jeff