Is I Prefer Hotel Rewards free to join?

Yes. There is no cost to join I Prefer, the loyalty program for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and members get exclusive member rates plus points on eligible stays.

Do I Prefer points expire?

Yes, after 24 months of membership inactivity. An eligible stay or a points redemption counts as activity and keeps your balance alive.

How many I Prefer points do you earn per dollar?

10 points per USD 1 at most hotels, counted on eligible room spend and excluding taxes and charges. Gold members earn 12 and Titanium members earn 15, while select properties award 5 base points per USD 1.

Do Expedia or Booking.com stays earn I Prefer points?

No. Only bookings made through I Prefer or Preferred Hotels websites, their call centers, the hotel directly, or a travel agent earn points, and your member number must be on the reservation before check in.

How many points do you need for I Prefer Gold status?

25,000 tier qualifying points within a 12 month period. Titanium takes 50,000 tier qualifying points in 12 months.

Can you book free nights with I Prefer points?

Yes, at participating hotels with availability, using Reward Nights (all points) or Reward Nights Plus (points plus cash). You can also redeem for cash value Reward Certificates, starting at 12,500 points for a US $25 certificate.

Can you transfer credit card points to I Prefer?

Yes. Capital One miles and Bilt points transfer at 1,000 to 2,000 I Prefer points, as do Citi ThankYou points from the Strata Elite, Strata Premier, Prestige, and AT&T Access More cards, while other eligible Citi cards such as ThankYou Preferred, Strata, Double Cash, and Custom Cash transfer at 1,000 to 1,400. All transfers are final and cannot be reversed.

Hotel

Preferred Hotels iPrefer

Independent1 active alert →Last reviewed Jun 2026

I Prefer Hotel Rewards is the loyalty program for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, a collection of over 650 independent and boutique luxury hotels worldwide. It is free to join, and the real pitch is reach: one of a kind properties you cannot book with the big chain currencies. You earn points on paid stays and redeem them for Reward Certificates that knock money off a future stay. Capital One transfers in at 1:2, and so does Citi from its premium cards, but iPrefer points are a low value spend currency, so check the verdict below before you move anything over.

Preferred Hotels iPrefer has a Best Rate GuaranteeMatch + upgrade / wifi / checkout perks if you find a lower public rate within 24 hours of booking direct.See all guarantees →

Sweet spots

Where your points punch above their weight.

Where this currency genuinely shines.

Show me the picks →

The draw isn't a points chart, it's reach: rewards at independent and boutique luxury hotels that aren't in Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG.
Best value comes when you're already booking a Preferred property and can stack a member rate plus a Reward Certificate.

Transfer in

Programs that transfer points in.

3 programs that transfer in.

See inbound paths →

Programs that transfer points or miles into Preferred Hotels iPrefer.

From	Ratio	Notes
Citi ThankYou Rewards	premium1:2.0 standard1:1.4	Preferred Hotels iPrefer. 1,000 Citi ThankYou = 2,000 iPrefer points (1:2). Fixed-value currency - transfer only against a planned Preferred Hotels stay.
Capital One Miles	1:2	No transfer fee. 1,000 miles = 2,000 iPrefer (ratio in your favor; iPrefer points are fixed/lower value).
Bilt Rewards	1:2	Preferred Hotels iPrefer. 1,000 Bilt Points = 2,000 iPrefer points (1:2). Added June 22, 2026 - 700+ independent properties in 85 countries. iPrefer points redeem at a fixed value toward stays, so this is best for topping off a planned Preferred Hotels booking. Transfers in 1,000-point increments (2,000 minimum for Blue tier). No transfer tax.

Tier benefits

The status ladder. 3 rungs, each unlocking better lounges, bags, and bragging rights.

3 status levels.

Climb the ladder →

Silver

0 - 24,999 points (entry tier, no minimum)

Earn 10 points per $1 on the room rate
Exclusive member rates
Early check-in / late check-out (subject to availability)
Enhanced room upgrades (subject to availability)
Complimentary Wi-Fi
Digital travel magazine
Redeem points for Reward Certificates

Gold

25,000 - 49,999 tier-qualifying points in 12 months

Earn 12 points per $1 on the room rate, which includes the 20% Gold bonus
All Silver benefits
Welcome amenity

Titanium

50,000+ tier-qualifying points in 12 months

Earn 15 points per $1 on the room rate, which includes the 50% Titanium bonus
All Gold benefits
Complimentary food & beverage offering
Digital anniversary gift
Access to exclusive experiences

How to spend

The high-leverage moves. Read this before you transfer a single mile.

The smart-money plays.

Get the playbook →

Reward Certificates are the core redemption: 12,500 points for US $25, 25,000 for $50, 50,000 for $100, 125,000 for $250, and 250,000 for $500, usable toward a room at any participating property.
Member rates - sign in for exclusive member-only pricing at Preferred hotels.
Experiences and auctions - bid points in limited-time I Prefer Auction events for stays and experiences.
iPrefer points are for Preferred Hotels stays only - they do not transfer out to airlines.

Tips & quirks

Resort fees, blackout dates, points expiry, the stuff nobody tells you until you've been burned once.

The fine print, decoded.

Spill the gotchas →

Reward Certificates start at 12,500 points for a US $25 certificate.
iPrefer points are a low value currency, so the 1:2 transfer from Capital One or Citi is usually a worse deal than sending those flexible points to an airline, where premium cabin redemptions return far more.
Only transfer in if you have a specific Preferred Hotels stay in mind. Never transfer first and hope.
Points are earned on the room rate (not taxes or fees), through eligible booking channels.
Tier status (Silver, Gold, Titanium) is earned by tier-qualifying points over a rolling 12 months.
SIXT car rental partner: I Prefer members earn 5,000 I Prefer points per SIXT rental plus up to 15% off, and elite members get SIXT status (Silver/Gold to a SIXT Gold Card, Titanium to Platinum). Points can be claimed retroactively up to 6 months after return.

Frequently asked questions

Is I Prefer Hotel Rewards free to join? Yes. There is no cost to join I Prefer, the loyalty program for Preferred Hotels & Resorts, and members get exclusive member rates plus points on eligible stays.
Do I Prefer points expire? Yes, after 24 months of membership inactivity. An eligible stay or a points redemption counts as activity and keeps your balance alive.
How many I Prefer points do you earn per dollar? 10 points per USD 1 at most hotels, counted on eligible room spend and excluding taxes and charges. Gold members earn 12 and Titanium members earn 15, while select properties award 5 base points per USD 1.
Do Expedia or Booking.com stays earn I Prefer points? No. Only bookings made through I Prefer or Preferred Hotels websites, their call centers, the hotel directly, or a travel agent earn points, and your member number must be on the reservation before check in.
How many points do you need for I Prefer Gold status? 25,000 tier qualifying points within a 12 month period. Titanium takes 50,000 tier qualifying points in 12 months.
Can you book free nights with I Prefer points? Yes, at participating hotels with availability, using Reward Nights (all points) or Reward Nights Plus (points plus cash). You can also redeem for cash value Reward Certificates, starting at 12,500 points for a US $25 certificate.
Can you transfer credit card points to I Prefer? Yes. Capital One miles and Bilt points transfer at 1,000 to 2,000 I Prefer points, as do Citi ThankYou points from the Strata Elite, Strata Premier, Prestige, and AT&T Access More cards, while other eligible Citi cards such as ThankYou Preferred, Strata, Double Cash, and Custom Cash transfer at 1,000 to 1,400. All transfers are final and cannot be reversed.

Alerts

Active (1)Expired (0)All (1)

Limited Offer

iPrefer Double Base Points: Register and Book by Oct 31

iPrefer members who register and book between October 1 and 31, 2026 earn double base points on qualifying stays of 2 or more nights at select hotels and resorts, with the stay completed by December 31.

Preferred Hotels iPrefer

Expires tomorrowRead

Last reviewed: June 2026

Loyalty programs change rules, fees, transfer ratios, and award pricing all the time — sometimes without warning. We do our best to keep these pages current, but the program's own site is always the final word. Always confirm specifics directly with Preferred Hotels iPrefer before transferring miles or booking an award. Treat anything on this page as a starting point, not a guarantee. Crazy4Points is not responsible for actions taken based on information here — see our Terms of Service for full details.