The I Prefer Hotel Rewards program is a lesser-known loyalty program that caters to travelers seeking independent luxury resorts. While it doesn’t boast as extensive a global presence as major hotel chains like Hilton, Marriott, or Hyatt, it is steadily growing, recently adding 14 new resorts to its offerings. For those who prefer an intimate and distinctive hotel stay, I Prefer Hotel Rewards provides several enticing options.
The program includes four notable hotel brands:
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts: A collection of boutique premium hotels across more than 80 countries.
- Beyond Green: Luxury hotels that prioritize sustainability.
- Historic Hotels of America: Upscale, historically preserved hotels in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Historic Hotels Worldwide: Exquisite hotels transformed from former castles, palaces, and monasteries scattered globally.
With I Prefer Hotel Rewards now partnered with Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards for point transfers, the loyalty program offers great advantages for travelers looking to book award stays. Let’s delve into how to earn and redeem points, as well as achieve elite status within the program.
Elite Status Tiers and Benefits of I Prefer Hotel Rewards
I Prefer Hotel Rewards membership is free and offers three tiers of elite status: Silver, Gold, and Titanium. Depending on your level, you may enjoy perks such as early check-in and late checkout, room upgrades, complimentary Wi-Fi, bonus points, and more. Here’s a summary of the benefits at each status level:
Silver status (0-24,999 points)
- Earn 10 points for every dollar spent on eligible stays (excluding taxes and fees)
- Enhanced room upgrades (subject to availability)
- Exclusive member rates
- Complimentary in-room Wi-Fi
- Early check-in and late checkout (subject to availability)
- Digital Preferred Travel magazine
Gold status (25,000-49,999 points)
Members enjoy all Silver benefits plus:
- Earn 12 points for each dollar spent on eligible stays (excluding taxes and fees)
- Receive a unique welcome amenity at check-in.
Titanium status (50,000 points and above)
This level comes with all Silver and Gold benefits plus:
- Earn 15 points for every dollar spent on eligible stays (excluding taxes and fees)
- Complimentary food-and-beverage offering.
- A digital anniversary gift.
- Access to special offers and experiences.
Joining is straightforward—upon enrollment, you automatically receive Silver status. Your elite status is determined by your spending in the past twelve months rather than the number of nights booked.
Membership allows for immediate ascension through tiers upon reaching spending thresholds. For instance, if you enroll in June 2025 and achieve 25,400 points by October, you’ll automatically transition to Gold status.
Earning I Prefer Hotel Rewards Points
Earning Points through Hotel Stays
Upon registration, you can accumulate points after staying at any participating hotel using eligible booking channels. Booking directly with I Prefer brands, through Preferred Travel Group call centers, or directly with hotels qualifies; however, bookings via third-party travel sites do not earn points.
Members earn 10 points for every U.S. dollar spent (or its equivalent). Gold members receive a 20% bonus, while Titanium members earn a 50% bonus. Points are not awarded on taxes, resort fees, service charges, or gratuities.
Some hotels may allow point accumulation on additional charges, including food and beverages, spa treatments, and parking, but this is at each property’s discretion.
While you cannot earn points on award stays, you can book a reservation using a combination of points and cash through the I Prefer Reward Nights Plus program, starting at just 3,000 points plus cash, where points are only earned on the cash component of the booking.
Earning Points with Credit Card Partners
You can also earn points by transferring credit card rewards. Currently, I Prefer Hotel Rewards partners with Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One.
Citi cardholders can transfer their points at a rate of 1:4 (1,000 ThankYou Rewards points yield 4,000 I Prefer points).
Capital One miles transfer at a rate of 1:2 (1,000 Capital One miles yield 2,000 I Prefer points).
Redeeming I Prefer Hotel Rewards Points
I Prefer points can be redeemed for complimentary nights at select properties globally, with award rates beginning at 15,000 points per night and reaching up to 150,000 points per night.
Given the limited presence of I Prefer hotels compared to other chains, it might be more challenging to find available properties at your desired destination; in the U.S., for example, only 74 properties can be booked with points. Nonetheless, the program offers excellent value on luxury stays, particularly when transferring Capital One or Citi points.
The I Prefer website can be somewhat user-unfriendly. Ensure you log in to your account before searching for award properties. When not logged in, approximately 72 properties appear, while logging in reveals about 223 options.
You can filter options by region, country, state/province, or city, and sort by point cost. For instance, if you’re considering a trip to Ireland in summer 2026, you may find options such as the Castlemartyr Resort, a stunning 18th-century manor with Michelin-star dining, for $387.32 or 50,000 points per night (plus $17.24 in taxes and fees) in June 2026.
This translates to a value of approximately 0.7 cents per point. However, by transferring Capital One or Citi points, exceptional deals can be found at desirable locations. For example, transferring 13,000 Citi points would yield 52,000 I Prefer points, which could translate to significant savings.
Always compare the cash rate with the points rate, as transfers cannot be reversed. While some exceptional redemption opportunities exist, even a value around 1 cent per point can be worthwhile for lowering out-of-pocket expenses.
Conclusion
The addition of I Prefer Hotel Rewards as a transfer partner for Capital One and Citi makes this loyalty program worth considering, especially for those holding Citi ThankYou Rewards points. You could book enchanting boutique hotels at remarkable values through your rewards. Although the program’s options are limited, we anticipate continued growth in their offerings.
