College-Town Hotels Use Stash Hotel Rewards to Bring Families Back to Campus

Nation’s Largest Point-Based Rewards Program for Independent Hotels Helps Build Repeat Guest Loyalty

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As a new school year approaches, many families are planning trips to university campuses around the country – and a large number of local hotels are now making their visits more rewarding. Hotels across the U.S. are attracting college-bound travelers by offering Stash Hotel Rewards, the nation’s largest point-based loyalty program for independent hotels.

More than 75 independent hotels located either on or near major U.S. university campuses are part of the Stash Hotel Rewards program – making it possible for incoming families to get an up-close look at campus life, while also earning and redeeming rewards points at some of the country’s most unique hotels.

Since its debut in 2010, the Stash Rewards program has grown its network of hotel partners located on or near universities by 80% each year. This rapid growth points to the value that a rewards program provides independent hotels wishing to capture repeat campus visitors.

Stash members earn 5 points for each dollar spent on eligible room rates – and because Stash points never expire, and there are no black outs or category restrictions like those found in many chain programs, travelers are able to redeem points during the busiest collegiate occasions of the year. Freshman orientation, parents’ weekend, and homecoming are all early opportunities for campus visitors to start earning Stash Rewards – and for hoteliers to enroll new Stash members and begin building guest loyalty.

“We make every effort to get the parents involved in the Stash Rewards program upon their first visit to campus,” said Tom Fernandez, Director of Business Development at Hotel Skyler, located in the heart of the Syracuse University campus in Syracuse, NY. “By providing a terrific experience and the added incentive of Stash Rewards, we can have 4 or 5 years with these families.”

Many of these hotels are immersed in campus history, offering visitors a unique glimpse into the school’s culture and tradition while also providing a truly authentic collegiate experience.

“The Stash program is the first one to get it right,” said Kim Kudelka, General Manager of Inn at Saint Mary’s, a boutique hotel located on the Saint Mary’s College campus and adjacent to University of Notre Dame. “We don’t have to choose between a rewards program and our independent nature. We are able to maintain our deep connection with both Saint Mary’s College and the University of Notre Dame, while still honoring our devoted guests.”

By seizing these early opportunities to connect with their guests, independent college-town hotels can drive greater frequency in guest visits and help parents save during what can be an expensive time in their lives.

“On average, we see parents visiting Texas Tech between 4 and 10 times a year,” said Kurt Metcalf, General Manager of Overton Hotel & Conference Center in Lubbock, TX. “By partnering with Stash, we are able to reward these frequent guests, and offer them a way to save throughout their child’s college career.”

For hotels interested in partnering with Stash, contact [e-mail]. Travelers can join Stash for free at www.stashrewards.com – an especially good idea if you’re planning to visit to any of the following campuses this year:

University	Location	Stash Partner Hotel (within 5 miles)
Amherst College	Amherst, MA	The Lord Jeffrey Inn
Anaheim University	Anaheim, CA	Ayres Hotel Anaheim
Auburn University	Auburn, AL	The Hotel at Auburn University
Binghamton University	Binghamton, NY	Traditions at the Glen
Boise State University	Boise, ID	Hotel 43
Boston University	Boston, MA	The Lenox Hotel, The Hotel Veritas
Brown University	Providence, RI	Hotel Providence
California State University Long Beach	Seal Beach, CA	Ayres Hotel Seal Beach
California State University Sacramento	Sacramento, CA	Larkspur Landing Sacramento
Catholic University of America	Washington, DC	Capitol Hill Hotel, The Liaison Capitol Hill (an Affinia Hotel), Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill
Clark University	Worcester, MA	Beechwood Hotel
Coastland University	Mission Viejo, CA	Ayres Hotel & Spa Mission Viejo
College of the Holy Cross	Worcester, MA	Beechwood Hotel
Colorado State University	Fort Collins, CO	Armstrong Hotel
Columbia University	New York, NY	Affinia 50 Hotel, Affinia Gardens, The Benjamin, The Mansfield, YOTEL New York
Dartmouth College	Norwich, VT	The Norwich Inn
DePaul University	Chicago, IL	Hotel Felix, The James Chicago, The Talbott Hotel
Drexel University	Philadelphia, PA	The Independent
Georgetown University	Washington, DC	The Liaison Capitol Hill (an Affinia Hotel), Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill
Georgia State University	Atlanta, GA	Artmore Hotel, Stonehurst Place
Georgia Institute of Technology	Atlanta, GA	Artmore Hotel, Stonehurst Place
Harvard University	Cambridge, MA	The Hotel Veritas
Harvard University	Boston, MA	The Lenox Hotel
Howard University	Washington, DC	Capitol Hill Hotel, The Liaison Capitol Hill (an Affinia Hotel), Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill
La Sierra University	Riverside, CA	Ayres Inn Corona East
Loyola University Chicago	Chicago, IL	Hotel Felix, The James Chicago, The Talbott Hotel
Lubbock Christian University	Lubbock, TX	Arbor Inn & Suites
Marquette University	Milwaukee, WI	Ambassador Hotel
MIT	Cambridge, MA	The Hotel Veritas
MIT	Boston, MA	The Lenox Hotel
Northeastern University	Boston, MA	Seaport Hotel, The Lenox
Northeastern University	Cambridge, MA	The Hotel Veritas
NYU	New York, NY	Affinia 50 Hotel, Affinia Dumont, Affinia Gardens, Affinia Manhattan, Affinia Shelburne, Duane Street Hotel, Park South Hotel, Shoreham Hotel, The Benjamin, The James New York, The Mansfield, The MAve, The Strand Hotel, YOTEL New York
NYU	Brooklyn, NY	NU Hotel
Old Dominion University	Lynchburg, VA	Craddock Terry Hotel
Our Lady of the Lake University	San Antonio, TX	Menger Hotel
Penn State	State College, PA	The Nittany Lion Inn, The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel
Portland State University	Portland, OR	Hotel deLuxe, Hotel Lucia, The Governor Hotel
Providence College	Providence, RI	Hotel Providence
Regent University	Virginia Beach, VA	The Founders Inn and Spa
Roosevelt University	Chicago, IL	Hotel Felix, The James Chicago, The Talbott Hotel
Santa Clara University	Santa Clara, CA	The Plaza Suites
Saint Mary's College	South Bend, IN	Inn at Saint Mary's Hotel & Suites
Stanford University	Palo Alto, CA	Creekside Inn
State University of New York, Old Westbury	Old Westbury, NY	Viana Hotel & Spa
Syracuse University	Syracuse, NY	Genesee Grande Hotel, Hotel Skyler, Parkview Hotel
Temple University	Philadelphia, PA	The Independent
Texas Tech University	Lubbock, TX	Overton Hotel
Tulane University	New Orleans, LA	Dauphine Orleans Hotel, Hotel Le Marais
Tufts University	Medford, MA	The Hotel Veritas
University of Arizona	Tucson, AZ	Lodge on the Desert
University of California, Riverside	Moreno Valley, CA	Ayres Hotel & Spa Moreno Valley
University of Colorado	Boulder, CO	Hotel Boulderado
University of Colorado at Denver	Denver, CO	Hotel Teatro
University of Louisville	Louisville, KY	The Brown Hotel
University of Massachusetts	Amherst, MA	The Lord Jeffrey Inn
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI	Weber's Boutique Hotel
University of Minnesota	Minneapolis, MN	The Commons Hotel
University of Nevada, Reno	Reno, NV	John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino Resort
University of Notre Dame	South Bend, IN	Inn at Saint Mary's Hotel & Suites
University of Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, PA	The Independent
University of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh, PA	The Priory Hotel
University of Southern California	Los Angeles, CA	O Hotel
University of Southern Maine	Portland, ME	Portland Regency Hotel & Spa
University of Washington	Seattle, WA	Edgewater Hotel, Hotel Ändra, Hotel Max
University of Wisconsin	Madison, WI	The Dahlmann Campus Inn
Vanguard University of Southern California	Costa Mesa, CA	Ayres Hotel & Suites Costa Mesa-Newport Beach
Washington University in St. Louis	St. Louis, MO	Moonrise Hotel
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	Worcester, MA	Beechwood Hotel

About Stash Hotel Rewards

Stash Hotel Rewards frees travelers from the uninspired offerings of existing hotel reward programs by making it easy to break free from big, bland hotel chains and stay at amazing hotels. Stash was founded on a belief in the happiness-producing power of traveling to places that convey a unique and interesting story – places with soul. It’s a belief that is shared with the independent hoteliers and the independently-minded travelers the company was created to serve. Launched in May 2010, Stash was founded by a team of travel and e-commerce veterans from Expedia, Amazon, Microsoft, and Zillow. Stash is headquartered in Palo Alto with offices in Seattle and Miami.