Few Days Left for Mattress Runs, Only If Worthwhile!

April 30th marks the end of almost all the major hotel promotions. This is a reminder that if you were looking to take advantage (mattress runs, etc.) you only have a few days left. Here is a recap on all the promotions:

Marriott’s “Megabonus” promotion (blog Post): Runs February 1, 2014 through April 30, 2014 and each account is targeted a different promotion.

This could be mattress run worthy depending on your specific promotion and how many nights you currently have with Marriott. Some of promotions require you to hit a certain number of nights to maximize on the bonus points, so if you are only one night away, for example, finding a cheap hotel in the area might not be a bad idea. Just make sure that the points earned are worth the extra cost. Also, if you were targeted for the free night certificates, finding a cheap night for a hotel you can use later on might also be worthwhile. Again though, make sure you have a use for the certificates as they aren’t nearly as valuable as they once were.

Starwood’s “Bring on the Nights” promotion (blog post): Earn 2,500 bonus Starpoints for every five eligible nights you stay from January 5 through April 30, 2014 — up to 10,000 bonus Starpoints and 20 eligible nights. Plus, get an additional 5,000 bonus Starpoints when you hit 25 eligible nights, for a total of 15,000 bonus Starpoints.

Unfortunately if you have yet to register for this promotion, you are out of luck as registration is now closed.

This promotion is definitely not mattress run worthy. However, on the 25th eligible night you get a bonus 5,000 points, so if you are currently at 24 nights and can find a cheap one night stay between now and April 30th, you might want to get that last stay in. It really depends on how you value 5,000 points though.

Hilton’s “Weekend Rewards” promotion (blog Post): Between February 1 and April 30, 2014 you can earn 1,000 bonus Hilton points for every night and an additional 5,000 points for a weekend stay of 2+ nights. 

This promotion is absolutely not mattress run worthy. You should only be taking advantage of this promotion if you were going to stay at a Hilton hotel anyways.

Hyatt’s “Endless Possibilities” promotion (blog Post): From January 15 through April 30, 2014 you have the option of selecting free nights or bonus points. 

For this promotion you earn either the free night certificates or the bonus points after every 5th night (up to 20 nights). So if you currently have 4 nights, 9 nights, 14 nights, or 19 nights, you might want to consider a mattress run to take advantage of the bonus offer. However, if you registered for the free night certificate option and do not believe you will use the free night prior to the expiration date then I definitely do not suggest spending money to earn a certificate that you will not use. But, if you are able to find a cheap night in the next few days and use the certificate for an expensive night (remember, the certificates are capped at a category 4 hotel), then it could absolutely be worth it!

InterContinental Hotels Group “The Big Win” promotion (blog Post): Each account received an individualized promotion, so there is not one set promotion. However, to earn bonus points you must complete a variety of nights and stays at different hotels.

If you are just shy of achieving a certain goal, you might want to see if staying at a required hotel over the night few days is worth the number of bonus points you’ll earn. It would only be worth it if the cost to earn those points is less then .7 cents per point.

What hotel promotion did you take advantage of these past few months? Also, if you are staying at a hotel just to earn the bonus points (otherwise known as a mattress run), really make sure that the extra cost is worth it!