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SMARTERTRAVEL: Points or Cash Back for Your Hotel Stays?

Given the choice, which reward would you choose for your next hotel stay: loyalty points or cash back?

That’s more hypothetical than realistic, since the great majority of hotels utilized by frequent travelers award loyalty points rather than cash. But there is one cash-back option that’s increasingly look-worthy.

When The Guestbook launched, just over a year ago, the service offered travelers a 5 percent rebate at over 300 independent and boutique hotels. By the standards of major hotel chains, that’s a paltry network, making those rebates a decidedly hit-and-miss affair.