Hotel affinity cards can be good deals. Most of them have no annual fee, no maximum earnings, you get at least bottom teir and sometime mid level tier in the hotel program.

I find hotel points be valuable these days. I can almost always get an airline ticket for a decent amount. But I like to stay in nice hotels. This can get really expensive in high cost citeies or resort areas when you are staying a week or more. A hotel in London will cost at least $200 a night and often double that. With points I stay for free. Also, most hotel ponts don't expire.

Which program depends on your travel habits etc. Check out the various hotel forums here.