The 7 best hotel credit cards from Hilton, IHG, Marriott, and more

Welcome bonus: 125,000 points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months

Annual bonus: Free anniversary night at IHG hotels worldwide. Plus, earn 10,000 bonus points after you spend $20,000 on purchases and make one additional purchase each account anniversary year

Category bonuses: 25x points at IHG and 4x points on all other purchases for the first 12 months; then 10x points at IHG, 2x points at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants; and 1x points on all other purchases

Complimentary elite status: Platinum elite status

Annual fee: $89

The IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card is one of the best hotel cards in terms of value. In exchange for an $89 annual fee, cardholders get access to impressive perks like complimentary Platinum elite status, a fourth night free on award bookings, and a $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck fee credit every four years. Additionally, cardholders earn a free night every year, which can be used at any IHG hotel worldwide that costs up to 40,000 points per night.

IHG free nights range from 10,000 - 70,000 points per night. With 125,000 points from the IHG Rewards Club Premier Card, you could cover upwards of 12 free nights. Additionally, IHG offers rates as low as 5,000 points per night through the PointBreaks promotion.

Welcome bonus: 130,000 Hilton Honors bonus points and a free weekend night reward after you spend $4,000 in purchases in the first four months. Offer ends August 28, 2019.

Annual bonus: Weekend night reward after you spend $15,000 in a calendar year

Category bonuses: 12x points at Hilton hotels, 6x points at restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations in the US, 3x points on all other purchases

Complimentary elite status: Hilton Gold status (upgrade to Hilton Diamond after spending $40,000 in a calendar year)

Annual fee: $95

With free nights at Hilton ranging from 5,000 - 95,000 points, the current welcome bonus on the Hilton Honors Surpass Card will cover two to 26 free nights. Add in the free weekend night and you're looking at upwards of 27 free nights. Of course, not everyone is looking to redeem their points at a low-category hotel. Even if you opt for a top-tier redemption, you've got at least two free nights covered with this welcome bonus (assuming one is a weekend night).

The reason why the Hilton Honors Surpass Card earns a high spot on this list of top hotel cards is because of how easy it is to earn a free night via credit card spending. While some cards require upwards of $40,000 for a free night at a top-tier hotel, it takes just $31,667 on the Hilton Honors Surpass card. Add in the generous category bonuses on everyday spending, and earning free nights becomes even easier.

The Hilton Honors Surpass Card doesn't slack off when it comes to travel perks, either. Cardholders receive instant Gold elite status, with the ability to upgrade to Diamond after spending $40,000 in a calendar year. Hilton Gold status perks are equivalent to what most other reward programs offer top-tier elites: Free breakfast, room upgrades based on availability, bonus points, and the possibility of club lounge access (assuming you've been upgraded to a Club room). This is a solid card for those who want elite status perks and the ability to rack up free nights quickly.

Welcome bonus: 25,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months, plus an additional 25,000 points after you spend $6,000 total on purchases within the first six months

Annual bonus: Free night at a Category 1 - 4 hotel for renewing your card, plus another Category 1 - 4 night if you send $15,000 during a card membership year

Category bonuses: 4x at Hyatt hotels and Exhale locations; 2x points on local transit commuting, restaurants, gym memberships and airline tickets purchased directly from the airline

Complimentary elite status: Hyatt Discoverist. Plus earn 5 qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year and 2 additional qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000 on your card.

Annual fee: $95

Hyatt requires 5,000 - 40,000 points for a free night, depending on the category. That makes the sign-up bonus from the World of Hyatt Credit Card redeemable for 1 - 10 free nights.

Hyatt has one of the best hotel rewards programs left, and it's expanding rapidly. The World of Hyatt Credit Card is a great addition to your wallet if you're looking for a solid sign-up bonus and recurring benefits. The current bonus is good for a free night at a top-tier hotel like the Muse Saint-Tropez or up to 10 nights at lower-category hotels. In addition, the card offers useful category bonuses and free nights issued annually based on card renewal.

The World of Hyatt Card comes with free Discoverist status, which offers benefits like premium internet and 10% bonus points on paid stays. Cardholders aiming for higher status will appreciate the 5 qualifying night credits issued every year and the ability to earn two additional credits per $5,000 spent on the card.

Welcome bonus: 75,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first three months

Annual bonus: Free night (for hotels at or under 50,000 points per night) every year after your card account anniversary

Category bonuses: 6x points at Marriott hotels, 3x points at US restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines (2x points on everything else)

Complimentary elite status: Marriott Gold status (earn Platinum after spending $75,000 in a calendar year)

Annual fee: $450

At 7,500 - 85,000 points per night, you can book up to 10 free nights at a Marriott hotel with this welcome offer. When Marriott implements new peak/off-peak pricing in September 2019, this range will widen ever further. Off-peak are set to start at 5,000 points per night while a top-tier Category 8 property could go as high as 100,000 points.

While the Bonvoy Brilliant's annual fee is $450, cardholders receive a lot of bang for their buck. The card includes a $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck credit, a $300 annual Marriott Bonvoy statement credit, Priority Pass Select membership, and a $100 credit when you book an eligible two-night minimum stay at a Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis hotel.

Cardholders will receive Gold Marriott status out of the gate, plus 15 nights toward the next status tier. Overall, this is a solid card for travelers who stay with Marriott frequently and want a leg-up in the elite status race. Even those who only stay with Marriott a few times a year will find value in all the added perks.

Welcome bonus: 15,000 bonus points after your first purchase or first balance transfer

Annual bonus: N/A

Category bonuses: 3x points at Wyndham hotels; 2x points on gas, utility, and grocery purchases.

Complimentary elite status: Gold

Annual fee: $0

Wyndham Rewards is a great program for families who need a little more space on their vacations. Most Wyndham properties are essentially condos, offering multiple bedroom, full kitchen, and washer/dryer. These amenities are incredibly useful for families trying to save points while still traveling comfortable.

A free night at any Wyndham hotel is either 7,000 or 15,000 points per night. The card pays out 2 bonus points per $1 spent on common spending categories like gas, groceries and utilities.

Learn more: I've spent free nights in Hawaii, Colorado, and South Carolina thanks to one of my favorite under-the-radar hotel cards

Welcome bonus: 50,000 points after your first purchase, plus 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 on your card within the first 90 days

Annual bonus: 40,000 renewal points each year when you renew your card. Earn one free night for each $10,000 in spend (up to $30,000).

Category bonuses: 10x points at Radisson hotels

Complimentary elite status: Gold

Annual fee: $75

Radisson Rewards is probably the most underrated hotel rewards program out there. I would rank this card higher on the list, except that there are *only* 1,175 Radisson hotels around the world. That means there are fewer places to redeem free nights, even if earning them is so easy with the Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Card.

It takes just $1,800 - $14,000 worth of non-bonus category spending on this card to earn a free night. To give you an idea the caliber of hotel Radisson has abroad, there's the Mayfair London which can go for upwards of $600 per night or 70,000 points. The Radisson Blu Cannes and Radisson Blu Nice both have rates of over $400 per night in the summer but can be booked with 70,000 points.

If you're loyal to a specific hotel brand, having a co-branded card makes a lot of sense, as it can get you complimentary elite status, bonus points, and other perks when you stay with that chain.

But if you care less about brand loyalty and more about earning as many points as possible, a general travel rewards credit card like one of these could make more sense:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• The Platinum Card from American Express

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve earn bonus points on travel and dining (2x on the Preferred, 3x on the Reserve), and you can transfer your Chase points to Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott, among other partners. The Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, and the Reserve has a $450 annual fee (but comes with a $300 annual travel credit that applies to everything from Uber rides to hotel stays).

If you frequently book hotel stays through Hotels.com, the Capital One Venture card is a particularly good options. It earns 10x miles at Hotels.com when you book at hotels.com/venture, and that's in addition to the one free night for every 10 paid nights that you can earn through the Hotels.com Rewards program. The card has a $95 annual fee that's waived the first year.

There's also the Platinum Card from American Express, which offers complimentary Gold status with both Hilton and Marriott. Plus, if you have the Amex Platinum you can earn 5 points per dollar on Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts stays. These are stays at luxury properties, and your reservation includes benefits like complimentary upgrades, free breakfast, and property credits. The Amex Platinum has a $550 annual fee, but it easily can be worth it thanks to benefits like this.