SideDoor Concierge

First, can we help?

Three questions, no charge. The side door only works if you can walk through it, and we'd rather tell you now than after you've paid.

Question 1 of 3

Which of these programs do you, or someone traveling with you, belong to?

Why we ask: the second price on a room is a points price, and you have to be able to buy the points. New accounts have a waiting period before they can: Hilton 30 days (90 with no activity), Marriott 30 days. A companion's account works as long as they're the one buying and booking.
Question 2 of 3

If the numbers made sense, would you buy points directly from a hotel's loyalty program?

What that involves: paying the program (typically $1,000 to $2,500 for a big-event stay), waiting hours to a few days for the points to post, then booking the award yourself. Purchased points are nonrefundable in all four programs, and an award room can sell out while you wait. The Guide's checklist shows how to sequence it so that rarely bites, but the risk is yours.
Question 3 of 3

Have you bought points from any of these programs this calendar year?

Why we ask: each program caps how many points one account can buy per year. Hilton 160,000, Marriott 150,000, IHG 200,000, Hyatt 55,000 (promotions sometimes raise the first two). If you're near a cap, the side door may be too narrow for a big trip.
Our read

Answer the three questions and we'll tell you straight.