Combine Best Western Offers for Rewarding Summer Stays

In yesterday’s write-up of a [% 3261021 | | special deal at New York’s pricey Plaza Hotel %], I closed by noting that “in this recession, it’s not just the Armani suits that are on sale.”

If the Plaza is the Armani of hotels, Best Western is the Old Navy—solid value at the low end of the price spectrum. That value gets better when there are promotions in play. And when there are multiple, combinable bonuses on offer, summer stays can be uncommonly rewarding.

1. Free Night After Two Stays

Members of Best Western’s Rewards program will earn a voucher for a free night’s stay after two qualifying paid stays between June 21 and August 16. The bonus may be earned twice during the promotion period.

2. Online Booking Bonus

In addition, Best Western Rewards members who register for the promotion, book a reservation on BestWestern.com, and complete a qualified stay during the promotion period will earn 250 bonus points.

3. Southwest Bonus

Separately, members of the Southwest Rapid Rewards program will earn one bonus credit after two stays, up to a maximum of two credits after four stays, between June 21 and August 16.

4. Travel Card Bonus

Last but not least, Best Western Rewards members can earn as much as 1,000 bonus miles in select airline programs, or half a Rapid Rewards credit in Southwest’s program, for every $100 Best Western Travel Card purchased by August 31. Travel Cards can be used to pay for stays at any of Best Western’s 4,000 hotels in 80 countries.

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How It All Adds Up

Let’s take a typical stay and see how these bonuses might play out in a best-case scenario.

First, we’ll assume that the qualifying stays are single nights, costing $100 per night. Next, we’ll purchase Best Western Travel Cards to pay for the stays.

So, after two $100 stays (spending $200, plus taxes), our hypothetical traveler would be rewarded as follows:

• One free night
• 500 bonus points for booking two stays online
• One Southwest bonus credit
• Another Southwest bonus credit, or 2,000 American AAdvantage miles, for purchasing $200 worth of Travel Cards

Oh, and let’s not forget the normal earnings: 10 points for every dollar spent on room rates or 250 airline miles per stay.

Deal or No Deal?

For Best Western partisans, this is a no-brainer. The only downside: Some of the bonuses can only be earned twice.

For those who have no special allegiance to Best Western, the combination of offers, perfectly timed for summer travel, could be a compelling reason to give the chain a try.

Old Navy is good. Old Navy on steroids is even better.