Beyond the Big Four: Looking at Alternative Hotel Loyalty Programs

Almost every hotel chain offers some form of benefits to committed members in order to foster brand loyalty.

We’ve extensively covered the ins and outs of the “Big Four” major programs – Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, and World of Hyatt – which are largely popular due to the ease of earning points (mainly through co-branded credit cards), the hotel chains’ global footprint, and the structure of the loyalty programs.

However, these four hotel loyalty program giants are not the only programs worth exploring.

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at three alternative hotel loyalty programs, Accor Live Limitless (ALL), Wyndham Rewards, and GHA Discovery, and see how they stack up against the Big Four.

Accor Live Limitless (ALL)

Accor is the largest hotel chain in Europe and has a global footprint of over 5,000 properties in 110+ countries.

There are over 50 Accor hotel brands which include Ibis, Mercure, Novotel, Pullman, Sofitel, Raffles, and Fairmont.

Accor Live Limitless (ALL) differs from most hotel loyalty programs in that it uses a fixed-value redemption model, meaning points are redeemed for a set cash discount rather than free nights outright.

How to Earn ALL Reward Points

You’ll earn ALL Reward points on all eligible stays at Accor properties. The number of points you earn depends on your ALL elite status level and the hotel that you’re staying at, with the range extending from 5 ALL Reward points all the way up 50 ALL Reward points per €10 spent on eligible hotels.

At the highest elite membership level, Diamond elite members can earn up to 50 ALL Reward points per €10 spent at eligible hotels.

At the lowest level, Classic members will earn at least 5 ALL Reward points per €10 spent at eligible hotels.

You can also earn ALL Reward points by transferring points from the following programs:

Redeeming ALL Reward Points

ALL Reward points can be redeemed at a rate of 1,000 ALL Reward points for €20 off your hotel bill, including taxes and incidentals.

You can also use ALL Reward points for bookings made through Onefinestay.

To use your points this way, instead of a redemption rate of 1,000 points for €20 off your stay, you can redeem your points for vouchers valid for one year that are redeemable at Onefinestay.

The redemption rates for this option are as follows:

• 7,200 ALL Reward points = €100 voucher
• 36,000 ALL Reward points = €500 voucher
• 72,000 ALL Reward points = €1,000 voucher
• 360,000 ALL Reward points = €5,000 voucher

The vouchers provide a redemption value of around 1,000 ALL Reward points = €14, which is notably less than the default redemption value of 1,000 ALL Reward points = €20.

Lastly, ALL Reward points can be transferred to more than 30 airline loyalty programs. Most transfer rates are not particularly attractive; however, a few stand out:

• Air France KLM Flying Blue: When accounts are linked through the ALL x Flying Blue partnership, transfers are available at 2,000 ALL Reward points = 2,000 Flying Blue miles.
• Iberia Plus: Transfers are available at 3,000 ALL Reward points = 3,000 Avios.
• Virgin Australia Velocity: Transfers are available at 4,000 ALL Reward points = 4,000 Velocity points.

Membership Tiers

There are five ALL elite membership tiers, and you can gain access to each level by earning Status points and/or by earning qualifying nights through stays at eligible ALL properties.

The five elite membership tiers and associated requirements are as follows:

• Classic: All members are assigned this level when they sign up for the program
• Silver: 10 nights or 2,000 Status points (i.e., €800 spent)
• Gold: 30 nights or 7,000 Status points (i.e., €2,800 spent)
• Platinum: 60 nights or 14,000 Status points (i.e., €5,600 spent)
• Diamond: 26,000 Status points (i.e., €10,400 spent)

The benefits associated with each tier are cumulative, so with each new level you access, you’ll enjoy more and more perks.

At the first elite level, Silver members can enjoy a welcome drink and late check-out. Next, Gold members will have both of these benefits plus early check-in and room upgrades (when available).

Platinum members will receive all of the previously mentioned benefits plus Suite Night Upgrades and lounge access, and at the highest level, Diamond members receive all the other benefits and free breakfast on weekends, dining and spa rewards, and free Gold status for a person of their choice.

Program Sweet Spots

Since the ALL program has a fixed redemption value for points, you won’t find traditional sweet spots like you might in other hotel loyalty programs.

However, if you want to get the most out of your Accor stays, booking through Prince Collection, our in-house travel agency, can be a smart alternative.

Through Prince Collection, you’ll have access to Accor’s preferred partner programs, which can include benefits such as complimentary breakfast, room upgrades (when available), property credits, early check-in, and late check-out.

Best of all, these perks are typically offered at the same price as the best flexible rate publicly available, allowing you to enjoy enhanced benefits without needing to hold elite status or redeem points at a fixed value.

How Does Accor Live Limitless Compare to Other Programs?

Due to the fixed-value redemption structure, the ALL program doesn’t quite measure up to other hotel loyalty programs that offer the opportunity to score outsized value.

If you stay at Accor properties, then it’s still worth it to sign-up for a free account with the program and earn points that can then be redeemed for money off future stays; however, as we mentioned before, you won’t be able to redeem your points for incredible value.

Wyndham Rewards

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has over 9,000 locations and over 20 hotel brands that range from simple no-frills brands like Super 8 and Days Inn to the luxurious Registry Collection.

While Wyndham is often associated with lower-cost accommodations, its loyalty program remains one of the more interesting alternatives to the Big Four thanks to its straightforward earning structure and fixed award pricing.

How to Earn Wyndham Rewards Points

On hotel stays, you earn 10 Wyndham Rewards points per US dollar spent or 1,000 points for every qualified Wyndham Hotels and Resorts stay (whichever is greater).

On eligible hotel stays, members earn 10 Wyndham Rewards points per US dollar spent or a minimum of 1,000 points per stay, whichever is greater. This structure can be particularly rewarding on short or inexpensive stays, where the 1,000-point minimum effectively boosts your return.

Some extended-stay brands earn at a reduced rate, but the core earning structure applies across most Wyndham properties.

Wyndham Rewards points can also be earned through co-branded Wyndham credit cards in the United States, or by transferring points from the following programs.

Redeeming Wyndham Rewards Points

Wyndham Rewards uses a simple, zone-less award chart with just three price points:

• 7,500 points per night
• 15,000 points per night
• 30,000 points per night

There’s no peak or off-peak pricing, and no dynamic award fluctuations based on demand. A hotel that costs 15,000 points will always cost 15,000 points, regardless of season or cash price.

In addition to free nights, Wyndham also offers discounted Points + Cash redemptions, starting as low as 750 points, which can be useful if you want to stretch a smaller balance across multiple stays.

Wyndham Rewards points can also be transferred to Caesars Rewards at a 1:1 rate, allowing you to redeem Reward Credits toward hotel stays at Caesars properties in destinations such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Resort fees, however, are not covered by points and must be paid in cash.

Elite Membership Tiers

There are four Wyndham elite membership tiers, and you can earn each status level based on the number of nights stayed at eligible properties each year. The Wyndham elite membership tiers and the required number of qualifying nights are as follows:

• Blue: Assigned upon joining
• Gold: 5 qualifying nights
• Platinum: 15 qualifying nights
• Diamond: 40 qualifying nights

Elite benefits are relatively modest compared to the Big Four. Gold and Platinum members receive late check-out and bonus points on stays, while Platinum members also receive early check-in when available and the ability to match status with Caesars Rewards.

Diamond members receive additional perks such as a welcome amenity and suite upgrades at participating hotels.

Notably, free breakfast is not a published benefit at any Wyndham elite tier, which is a drawback compared to many competing programs.

Program Sweet Spots

There’s a lot of value to be found in the Wyndham Rewards loyalty program.

If you enjoy skiing, you could choose to use your Wyndham Rewards points to book a one-bedroom condo at WorldMark Big Bear Lake for only 15,000 points per night.

This property is close to Bear Mountain and Snow Summit in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains and is equipped with a full kitchen and spacious living room.

How Does Wyndham Rewards Compare to Other Programs?

Compared to some of the more popular (“big four”) hotel loyalty programs, Wyndham Rewards points may not be as easy to earn for some people; however, if you have one of the program’s co-branded credit cards or Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Miles, or HSBC Rewards (USA), there is a lot of value to be found.

GHA Discovery

The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the largest alliance of independent hotel brands in the world, and has over 950 properties in 100 countries.

Unlike traditional hotel chains, GHA operates as a collection of independent brands under a shared loyalty umbrella.

Participating brands include Kempinski, Anantara, Capella, Pan Pacific, NH Collection, and several others, many of which operate upscale or luxury properties.

Similar to Accor’s loyalty program, GHA Discovery is a fixed-value loyalty program, and it lets you earn Discovery Dollars (D$), which are each worth $1 USD.

How to Earn GHA Discovery Dollars

GHA Discovery Dollars are earned exclusively through eligible stays at participating GHA properties.

You’ll earn 4–7% back in Discovery Dollars depending on your elite status tier. Discovery Dollars are earned on eligible room rates and certain on-property spending, but not on taxes or fees.

There are no co-branded credit cards and no transferable points partners, which makes Discovery Dollars harder to earn compared to programs like Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors.

Redeeming GHA Discovery Dollars

GHA has a simple redemption model. One Discovery Dollar can be redeemed for $1 US dollar off your hotel bill (not including tax, tips, and fees).

You need a minimum of $10 Discovery Dollars to make a redemption, and after the first $10, you can redeem in increments of $1 Discovery Dollar.

Because of the fixed-value structure, there are no opportunities for outsized redemptions, but the system is simple and transparent.

Membership Tiers

There are four GHA Discovery membership tiers, and each level can be accessed by earning qualifying nights through stays at eligible GHA properties or by meeting a spending threshold.

The four elite membership tiers and associated requirements are as follows:

• Silver: Assigned upon joining
• Gold: Stay 2 nights or spend $1,000
• Platinum: Stay 10 nights, spend $5,000, or stay at 2 different brands
• Titanium: Stay 30 nights, spend $15,000, or stay at 3 different brands

With the GHA Discovery membership tiers, there aren’t any benefits worth noting until you reach the Platinum level, at which point you’ll be eligible for a room upgrade, late check-out, and a welcome amenity.

Titanium members are additionally eligible for a double-room upgrade (subject to availability), early check-in, complimentary breakfast, and more.

Program Sweet Spots

Similar to Accor’s ALL loyalty program, there are no real sweet spots with GHA Discovery. With a fixed value for redemptions, you can use points to offset the cost of your hotel stay, and that’s about it.

Where the program stands out is through its frequent status match and fast-track promotions, which can provide access to Platinum or Titanium status with relatively little effort.

How Does GHA Discovery Compare to Other Programs?

If you have any plans to stay at a GHA property then the GHA Discovery program may be worth your time.

The fact that you can reach the highest Titanium membership tier through a status match or by only staying a total of three nights at three different hotel brands is an unheard of level of elite membership generosity.

Unfortunately, despite this generosity around elite membership tiers, you won’t find any really good redemption deals with GHA Discovery due to the nature of the fixed-rate redemption structure.

Should You Participate in Lesser-Known Hotel Loyalty Programs?

Hotel loyalty programs are almost always worth the couple of minutes it takes to sign up for a free membership account if you have an upcoming stay with that hotel chain.

However, it usually doesn’t make sense for most travellers to actively commit to multiple hotel brands, especially programs with harder-to-earn rewards and limited redemption options.

That said, there are situations where lesser-known hotel loyalty programs can make a lot of sense. One common scenario is when you’re travelling to a destination where the Big Four have a limited footprint.

In many parts of Europe, Asia, and secondary cities around the world, brands like Accor or GHA may offer far more (and better-located) options than Marriott or Hilton.

Another underrated advantage is elite recognition. Because these programs lack strong co-branded credit card ecosystems, there are simply fewer elites competing for the same benefits.

Compare that to Marriott, where half the check-in line seems to be Platinum thanks to credit cards, and it’s not hard to see why upgrades, late check-out, or even breakfast quality can feel watered down. In less crowded programs, elite benefits tend to feel a bit more… real.

If you do want to explore a new hotel chain without committing long-term, booking through preferred partner programs via a travel agency like our own Prince Collection can be a smart middle ground.

You’ll often receive elite-style perks such as breakfast, upgrades, and property credits, even if you don’t hold any status with that hotel brand.

Conclusion

While the Big Four hotel loyalty programs continue to dominate for good reason, they aren’t always the best or only option for every trip.

Programs like Accor Live Limitless, Wyndham Rewards, and GHA Discovery can quietly outperform expectations in the right situations, especially when you’re travelling to destinations where the Big Four have limited presence or when you value consistent recognition over chasing headline-grabbing redemptions.

Fewer co-branded credit cards also mean fewer accidental elites, which often translates into better upgrades, more attentive service, and benefits that actually feel like benefits.

That doesn’t mean you need to go all-in. For most travellers, the sweet spot is staying flexible: sign up for free accounts when needed, lean on transferable points where possible, and use preferred partner programs offered by our travel agency to unlock elite-style perks without long-term commitment.

In other words, loyalty doesn’t always have to be exclusive. Sometimes, being selectively loyal is the smarter play.