Saving While You Stay

Two hotel chains, Stouffer Hotels and Best Western, are offering travelers U.S. savings bonds in exchange for staying a certain number of nights at their properties.

Under Stouffer’s Stay & Save in the U.S.A. plan, you can get a $50 bond for every two nights, $100 bond for every four nights and $200 bond for every six nights. There are seven redemption levels, going up to a $1,000 bond granted for 20 nights.

Stays don’t have to be on consecutive nights, or at the same hotels. There is no limit to the number of stays for which awards can be earned.

All 24 Stouffer properties are participating in the program except resort hotels in Scottsdale, Maui and at Lake Lanier Islands in Georgia. Blackout periods may apply on certain dates at some of the hotels.

The program will be in effect until March 31, 1987. But you have until April 30, 1987 to claim the bonds.

Guests must request the bond plan when making reservations and upon checking in. You get a certificate for each night you stay at the hotel, as well as a redemption form for use in applying for the bonds. The bonds can be issued to someone other than yourself, so they can be used as gifts.

Best Western’s savings bond plan applies to all of its U.S. and Canadian properties until Dec. 31. You have to stay a total of 12 nights to qualify for a $50 bond, which can also be used as a gift. Reservations must be booked with the individual property and not through the chain’s toll-free reservations number.

The 12 nights don’t have to be consecutive, or at the same hotel.

You’ll get a bond kit to keep track of your stays, and you’ll have to produce reservation confirmation slips and receipts to show proof of your stays.

The deadline for receiving savings bond requests will be Jan. 31, 1987.

Stouffer Hotels is also offering some extra benefits for stays at any of its airport or “concourse” hotels in Denver, St. Louis, Washington and its newly opened property in Los Angeles. You can get a Concourse Gift Pack at any Stouffer property, not just the airport hotels, with these kits entitling you on your first visit to 30% off regular rates plus 10% off Hertz’s daily or weekly “affordable” car rental rates.

Your first stay must take place by Dec. 30, 1986. Extra benefits are provided for second, third and fourth visits. Awards are transferable and can be used up to June 30, 1987.

More information is available from Stouffer at (800) HOTELS-1 and any best Western property.