Both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors offer the 5th night free when you are booking with points.
But what if you are just staying 4 nights?
Try this workaround…
Book the night BEFORE you get there and then contact the hotel and let them know that you won’t be getting there until the next day.
This way you can check in whenever you get there because you had booked the night prior. You don’t have to request an early check-in, kill time till your room is ready, etc.
This trick can be especially useful on an overnight flight to Europe, where you usually land quite early.
Cindy Greenstein, The Points Mom, is a former lawyer & CPA but her focus now is on her family and traveling for free –using credit card and loyalty program rewards. Cindy’s FREE vacations have ranged from local cities like Chicago, NYC and Boston to more adventurous destinations like London, Costa Rica, Israel, Italy, Hawaii, British Columbia, Paris, Amsterdam, Morocco, Singapore, Iceland, Greece and most recently the Galápagos Islands and Thailand. On the horizon, she is heading out on a South African safari adventure (much of which was paid for with points). Her savings per trip range from $250 – $26,000! She ensures that you are maximizing your rewards, taking advantage of card benefits and using your rewards for the most value through her 1:1 consultations, group sessions and speaking gigs. Follow her on instagram at @thepointsmom_.
