Best Cards For Resort Stays

If you’ve ever stayed at a Hyatt resort, you know that they go above and beyond when it comes to comfort and luxury. The sign-up bonus for this card is significant and comes with a bunch of extras, including one free night certificate annually, which more than covers the card's $95 annual fee. Resorts are hands down one of the most fun ways to spend points, but all-inclusive resorts take it up a notch. That's where these points come in real handy. With the sign-up bonus alone, you can book 2-3 nights at an all-inclusive in Mexico that normally would cost you over $1,000 per night. Combine it with a Chase transfer for even more. Discoverist status is automatically included with the World of Hyatt card and may upgrade your room on arrival. And as we all know, all-inclusive includes everything for you and your significant other, meaning unlimited drinks, meals and entertainment.

The high bonus makes the Chase Ink Preferred the gold standard for business cards. It is second on our list only because not all people will qualify for this particular business card. Transfers to Hyatt Resorts usually offer the best value. Chase travel portal has options for nearly any resort. Other "Ink" cards would be great for resorts if you already have the Preferred or won’t qualify. They just have slightly lower bonuses.

This is near the top of our list for nearly everything due to its flexibility. Transfers to Hyatt Resorts usually offer the best value. Chase travel portal has options for nearly any resort. If you're a regular user, we know you probably already have it, but we’d be remiss to leave it off. If you are working with a spouse, the Sapphire Preferred could be a better choice, here is how you know >

Did you ever want to stay in one of those gorgeous water huts in the Maldives? That's Hilton. Did you ever want to do a snowboarding trip to Waldorf Astoria Park City? Hilton. How about a private suite on a remote island in French Polynesia? Hilton. They may require a lot of Hilton points, but with the pooling points and the sign-up bonuses, it is absolutely achievable for any of us. That’s what makes this hobby so fun. If you have a business, the Honors Biz card is equally as good.

Marriott is loaded with options. They’ve managed to strategically place their gorgeous resorts in the most beautiful places -- and being the largest hotel chain in the world only increases your options. Marriott actually offers cards through 2 different banks -- Chase and American Express -- so you can get your bonus points super fast. The Boundless and the Brilliant cards score you that complimentary annual night, and all 3 cards come with a rank of Elite status ranging from late-check out to room upgrades. And remember: they have all-inclusive options throughout the world starting at 50,000 points per night.

IHG includes Crowne Plaza, Intercontinental, Kimpton Hotels & Resorts and Regent Hotels & Resorts. There are hotels throughout the world that cater to each and every individual. While they have a ton of resorts all over the world, there are only a couple of all-inclusives and they are located in Jamaica & Mexico. The ones in Montego Bay & Los Cabos allow 2 kids 12 and under to stay free, making these excellent family options. Because the brands are so diverse, you can get any stay from an organic, health-focused EVEN brands or unbeatable Asian hospitality at an upscale HUALUXE brand. And they keep adding more and more to their lists and locations. Plus, the card offers an amazing sign-up bonus, getting you immediate free nights wherever you plan to go.

Wyndham is great because it’s easy. There are only 3 tier levels, so you always know you’ll be spending 7,500, 15,000 or 30,000 points
depending on where you book. What makes this unique is that when the new tier levels took flight, most of the Wyndham timeshare properties remained unchanged, so you can still book a Wyndham timeshare for 15,000 per night. While the name Wyndham isn’t as popular as Hyatt or Marriott, you still can go to over 9,000 properties in 80 countries. Getting your points is about as easy as using them. You get a big sign-up bonus, then an annual 6,000 points on your anniversary. There are periodic special offers you can collect on. And remember to use the best rate guarantee so if you find a lower rate somewhere else they'll match the price and reward you for your research with 3,000 bonus points.