When it comes down to paying the annual fee on hotel credit cards you want to be sure your getting the best bang for your buck.
There are a lot of different cards to choose from and almost all hotel credit cards that come to mind have an annual fee if you decide to keep the card open after the first year. Some however, offer an annual bonus that is well worth paying the annual fee.
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Most commonly you will receive a free night that can be used at any hotel up to a certain category, say for example the Marriott credit card offers a free night certificate that can be used at any Marriott 1-5 category hotel. I’ve compiled a list below of all the hotel credit cards that give you a free annual night.
Chase
IHG Rewards Club Select Credit Card
Free Night: 1 free night at any IHG property.
Annual Spending Requirement: No
Annual Fee: $49
Free Night Certificate Expiration: 1 year
Top Properties to Redeem at: Intercontinental Hong Kong, Intercontinental New York Times Square, Intercontinental London Westminster, Intercontinental Paris Le Grand, Intercontinental Tokyo Strings, Intercontinental Singapore, Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, Intercontinental Sydney, Intercontinental Monterey, InterContinental Budapest
Hyatt Visa
Free Night: 1 free night at any Hyatt Category 1-4 property.
Annual Spending Requirement: No
Annual Fee: $75
Free Night Certificate Expiration: 1 year
Top Properties to Redeem at: Park Hyatt Hamburg, Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, Andaz West Hollywood, Park Hyatt Toronto, Hyatt Escala Lodge Park City, Grand Hyatt Shanghai, Park Hyatt Siem Reap, Grand Hyatt Istanbul, Park Hyatt Saigon
Marriott Rewards Premier Visa
Free Night: 1 free night at any Marriott Category 1-5 property.
Annual Spending Requirement: No
Annual Fee: $85 ($99 business version)
Free Night Certificate Expiration: 1 year
Top Properties to Redeem at: JW Marriott Hotel Quito, JW Marriott Hotel Bogota, Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San Jose, Sortis Hotel, Spa & Casino, Autograph Collection, Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, Courtyard Seoul Times Square, Long Beach Marriott, Courtyard Bali Seminyak, Istanbul Marriott Hotel Asia
Fairmont Visa Signature
Free Night: 1 free night at any Fairmont property.
Annual Spending Requirement: $12,000
Annual Fee: $95
Free Night Certificate Expiration: 1 year
Top Properties to Redeem at: The Plaza New York, Fairmont Orchid, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Fairmont Olympic Hotel, Fairmont Mayakoba, Fairmont Kea Lani, The Fairmont San Francisco, The Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Chateau Whistler, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Fairmont Heritage Place, Fairmont Waterfront
US Bank
Club Carlson Premier Visa
Free Night: 1 free night at any Club Carlson property, plus 40,000 bonus points each year you renew your card.
Annual Spending Requirement: $10,000
Annual Fee: $75 ($60 business version)
Free Night Certificate Expiration: 1 year
Top Properties to Redeem at: Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney, Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel & Thalasso, Cannes, Radisson Blu Longyearbyen, Radisson Blu 1919 Hotel, Reykjavik, The May Fair, London, Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow, Radisson Blu Resort Marina & Spa, St. Martin, G&V Hotel, Edinburgh, Radisson Blu Le Metropolitan Hotel, Paris Eiffel, Radisson Blu Hotel Champs Elysées, Paris Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Chicago, the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Copenhagen
Citi
Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card
Free Night: 1 free weekend night at almost any Hilton property (excluding hotels listed here: HHonors.com/weekendcertificate)
Annual Spending Requirement: $10,000
Annual Fee: $95
Free Night Certificate Expiration: 1 year
Top Properties to Redeem at: Waldorf Astoria Chicago, Conrad koh samui, Las Casitas Village, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island Resort, Conrad Tokyo, Boulders Resort & Spa, Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa, Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa, Grand Wailea Resort, Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa, New York Hilton Midtown Manhattan Hotel, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa, Rome Cavalieri, Valdoro Mountain Lodge
What Makes it Worth Paying a Credit Cards Annual Fee?
The simple answer is 'do you get more value from the free night and benefits than the cost of the card's annual fee'?
With almost any hotel credit card it's easy to use the free annual night for a hotel stay worth much more than the card's annual fee. If you can put it to good use and save money, I'd consider it worth it.
Which hotel credit cards do you consider worth paying the annual fee? Share below!
