Preferred Hotels (iPrefer)

My wife and I just stayed at a preferred hotel last weekend and spent $3,000 and had a fabulous experience and would definitely return, BUT when I inquired about their loyalty program they told me to go online and register with iPrefer and submit my folio for points and membership. After submitting my folio and application for points, I got an automated email saying they do not reward points for stays before joining iPrefer. What? How was I supposed to know this hotel was part of the iPreferred network before checking in unless I was a psychic? I have been a lifetime member of every major hotel program out there, and never heard of iPrefer. If iPrefer's objective is to foster loyalty, it is doing just the opposite by penalizing a "new" customer whom I assume they would like to return (after all, isn't that the definition of loyalty?) BEWARE of iPrefer and put your psychic hat on before making a reservation at any of their properties.

Today is 1/19/24. Spent a considerable amount of time working on signing up for this 'preferred hotel rewards program.' Recurrently, I agree with a #1rating, on this website, and now believe all other #1 reviews for this program.

I stayed two nights at the Silvermith Hotel in Chicago in early February 2022. When I made the reservation, I said I had an I Prefer certificate that I wanted to use for the reservation. I was assured i merely had to present upon check out. When I checked in, i presented the certificate and was told they would apply it to my bill. When i check out two days later, i was told the manager needed to review and they would credit my account soon. I wrote several times and the manager is now ghosting me. I have been forced to dispute the charge on my credit card.

Hotel would not honor upgrade despite having availability. Preferred customer service would not do anything to help.

I booked package through iPrefer but hotel had no knowledge of package and didn't honor. I contacted iPrefer to make a complaint but no option to do so. So I sent an email asking about how to complain I received an automated response that didn't address my question and only had information about cancellations but no customer service informtion. How can Preferred Hotels not have a customer service department? How can they offer package but not honor it? Isn't that bait and switch or false advertising?

Since I couldn't book a room for 5 people, I called to make the reservation. Even though I asked 4 times to send me a confirmation email about the hotel details, my husband or I never received the confirmation emails. When we arrived at the hotel, I found out the room was not the one we booked with one of their representatives. I ended up paying twice more than any other site. So, when I called the customer service & even asked for the supervisor, they just told me rudely that there is nothing they can do. I will NEVER use this site to make reservations!

I stay very regularly in a hotel belonging to Iprefer (50 nights in last six months). The hotel is great, but the Iprefer program is simply below par. Dysfunctional page on smart phone. Rewards that are both uncompelling and not fulfilled. Simply non competitive with others out there. Time to either change the iPrefer system from beginning to end.

This is the worst way one can book a room! I signed up trusting it through the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans wesite, You are stuck with what you get, no modifications, or cancellations.

CALL HOTEL DIRECT to book your room and avoid this company like the plague! They are only interested in money, whereas the hotel focuses on service in hopes you will return.

Check Kayak first before booking on this site. I was about to book a room in Hawaii and found a rate for the same room on Kayak for $100 less. I called the 800 number to match or cancel and they were very rude and unwilling help.

Signed up for rewards program when booking boutique hotel. Didn't get points. Had to call several times and then call hotel to get it fixed. Then tried to a book another hotel through the site which didn't give me the points either. Also had to call again to fix it. Rep wasn't very helpful. The bottom line: not worth the hassle.

We've spent over $60K in the last year staying at Preferred hotels. Points program is slow and inefficient. Two major stays (over $10k each) we can't get credit on because of 6 month limit. Okay, fine. Next two major stays we submitted request providing the requisite billing portfolios, reservation confirmation #'s ETC ETC ETC and they haven't responded. No membership cards. CS Reps are indifferent at best on the phone. Not worth the effort in our experience. Some great member hotels however.

Very poor customer service when you call for any assistance.
I have had continual problems with their website...
Definitely not worth the return.

The website is designed in a way that cheating customers. When one promotion was not working for a certain hotel on some days, it automatically gave me another promotion. All the conditions and terms are not working in most cases. And the customer service is blaiming me for paying the hotel on line (their poor website of iPrefer).

I booked a hotel on the iPrefer site. When I received my confirmation, it had the wrong date. I called iPrefer and they would not help me. I was told that I needed to contact the hotel direct to correct iPrefer's mistake. I will not be using iPrefer again.

The program, which should be a way of thanking guests for their stay is one of the most onerous I have ever seen. It is designed with enough small print and loopholes to prevent you from obtaining any benefits. After about a month stay when no reward points were provided I was told too bad you did not read the small print and should not have made your reservation through your company travel agency. This after providing my member number at the desk and being told by the hotel that I was all set. In its current form this program is a scam and needs a lot of work. For me, business trips are not always enjoyable and the benefit of future personal travel is a plus. My advice is to find other lodging. I know I will not stay in an iPrefer hotel in the future.