There isn't a thread on Flyertalk for this small California-centric hotel chain, but they do have a loyalty program and share points with Virgin America, so I thought it was worth starting one.
Note that I have no affiliation or affection for this hotel chain apart from organizing an event at one (the Avatar in Santa Clara). Being a frequent traveler, though, I thought we needed some centralized information about the chain and its program.
A bit about Joie de Vivre Hotels
Joie de Vivre is a hotel chain focused in California and the American West. They have quite a few properties in the San Francisco/San Jose area as well as a few in Los Angeles/OC. Outside California, there's one each in Scottsdale Arizona, Chicago, and Hawaii. They're partnered with Thompson Hotels.
Most Joie de Vivre properties appear to be fixer-uppers in formerly-sketchy locations that are gentrifying. This seems to be their marketing message, too - focus on young, stylish, hip customers willing to stay in the Tenderloin as long as the price is reasonable and the place is upgraded. What other chain has a resident graffiti/tattoo artist?
Joy of Life Club
The Joie de Vivre Hotels loyalty program is called "Joy of Life Club". It's atypical in that rewards are mostly in the form of "experiences" and gift certificates rather than straight free room nights. But there are many similarities with mainstream programs, and a few very good reasons to join even if you'll only stay once or twice!
Points earning is basically 1 per dollar for hotels or 2 per dollar for spa visits. Elite "Aficionado" members (those with more than 10,000 points) earn double. There is no "room night" or "stay" component to the program - it's all about the dollars spent.
There are three membership levels. I'm only listing the features I'm interested in - there are a few more.
- "Joy Seeker" is the basic membership and includes a welcome amenity, room upgrade, and free Internet
- "Joy Enthusiast" is reached at 2,500 points and adds early/late privileges and 72-hour guaranteed availability
- "Joy Aficionado" is at 10,000 points and adds double points
It's not clear if these are annual or lifetime points levels. If they're annual, it'll be awfully hard to reach "Aficionado" status at the $100-$200 per night cost of most JDV rooms!
The upgrade, free Internet, and "welcome indulgence" included at even zero points makes joining the club a no-brainer. The "indulgences" consist of still or sparkling water, or red or white wine. The room upgrade won't be much to write home about, however - at the Avatar, the difference between a "standard" and "executive" room is the view of the parking lot or pool and size of the TV! And Internet is already free at many of these hotels. But hey, at least you get something to drink!
Joy of Life points appear to be worth about $0.04 each, with 2,500 points getting you a $100 certificate or equivalent service. You can also use points for eco causes like supporting the Surfrider Foundation or buying carbon offsets.
You can also opt to earn Virgin America Elevate miles, which I imagine many folks will choose. Even zero-point Joy of Life membership gets you most of the privileges, and Virgin points are probably more valuable to most.
Summary
Overall, I imagine it's worthwhile joining the Joy of Life club before even a single Joie de Vivre hotel stay. You'll maybe get an upgrade and definitely get free Internet and something to drink. I wouldn't get too excited about earning points with this program, given the scarcity of hotels and limited value of the points. But you can always throw the earning over to Virgin America and stay at "Seeker" status.