Email: Lowest FREE night redemption levels of any loyalty program
 

I thought this was funny. I just got an email from Best Western about "Exciting Changes at Best Western Rewards," announcing their new Diamond Select and fast track to elite status. My favorite part though was this: "Lowest FREE night point redemption levels of any hotel loyalty program from just 8,000 to 36,000 points - no blackout dates."

Wow, the lowest free night point redemption levels, only 8000 points! Except for Starwood of course (2000 points), or Hilton (5000 points), or Marriott (6000), or IHG (5000), or Hyatt (5,000), or even Choice (6,000). Actually, now that I think about it, it seems that they actually have the highest free night point redemption levels of any hotel loyalty program.

I just thought that was a weird way for them to completely lie about something that makes them very uncompetitive among other loyalty programs.

This is not the first time that Best Western seemed to be completely unaware of what other chain's loyalty programs were doing.

The lowest category for Marriott is 7.5k, not 6k.

Like so many things written by Best Western, the phrasing is incredibly poor.

What I think they meant to say is that their top redemption rate of 36,000 points is lower than the top redemption rate in any other hotel program. And while that's technically not true (because they forgot that WyndhamRewards recently went to a flat 15,000 points for every redemption), it's almost true (what other program caps redemptions at just 36,000 points)? Even SPG, though it seems to at first say their top redemption cateogry is 35,000 points, then says in the fine print: "Some locations do not have standard rooms and only offer upgraded rooms/suites (which will require more Starpoints, per room/per night)". So with that fine print factored in, I doubt that SPG is capped at 36,000 points.

And the one exception, WyndhamRewards, is either doing blackout dates or some other funny business, because people have an awful time finding that flat 15k redemption at certain "aspirational" properties.

Not with Marriott PointSavers :)

IHG Point Breaks are 5,000 points and BWR hasn't had any free nights for that few points in quite awhile.