I'm not a frequent hotel user, but I will have a lot of hotel stays in the next several months. Do any of the major chains offer gift cards or pre-pay options that give you a bonus, such as $550 gift card for only $500? Are there any point systems in which it would actually make sense to buy a bunch of points and use them to book stays (unlike FF miles)? Are there other options that I'm overlooking for a period of heavy hotel use?

I'm counting on those who know the hotel system inside and out to give me some good advice. Thanks in advance.