The best loyalty promotion for October to December 2011 hotel stays depends on your travel needs and desires. The best hotel promotion for me is the one that offers the biggest rebate for the type of hotel stay I need, whether one night or extended stay, upscale or cheap. Frequent guest promotions are trending to lower rebate values across the hotel industry compared to the frequent guest halcyon days these past two years when free night promotions were common.

Many current hotel promotions are spend-based and favor big spenders. Rates have trended up in 2011. High spend is not required though. Current loyalty rebate offers in the form of points and free nights reward most types of hotel stays. Loyalty Traveler post links below provide more details.

Best Low Spend Bonus — Marriott

Marriott MegaBonus runs to Jan. 15, 2012 and offers one free night credit up to category 4 hotels after two stays paid with any VISA card. Register by Oct. 31. Earn up to two free nights with as few as four one-night stays. One free night earned from two $100 single night stays is potentially a $200 rebate value. Free night certificate expires May 31, 2012. MegaBonus offers are targeted. Some members have bonus point versions. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5242

Best Luxury or Hotel Suite Bargain — Hotels.com

Welcome Rewards Great Unloyaling bonus offers one free night after booking your first hotel stay with Hotels.com by Nov. 15, 2011. This offer is only for members who have never booked on Hotels.com. Show evidence of hotel stays in three different major loyalty programs since Jan. 1, 2011 or five stays in any hotel program to qualify for a free night. The average nightly rate of your first stay is the value of the free night, up to $400. You can book a $400 hotel night as your initial Hotels.com stay and earn a $400 hotel night credit for a future stay. You get a 100 percent rebate. Of course, you can always book a lower rate hotel if you don’t desire $400 per night luxury. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5243

Best Long Weekend Getaway — Starwood

SPG 2x/3x points to Dec. 18, 2011 offers double points at participating Starwood Hotels and triple points if your stay includes Sunday or Thursday night. Taking an extra day off for a long weekend with friends? Point your vacation dollars at Starwood Hotels for triple points. This bonus applies for up to three rooms in one reservation. Be the travel agent, book your whole party and pay the bill. Let your friends reimburse you and you take all the points. Triple points on $1,000 in hotel spend earns 6,000 points when you stay Thursday or Sunday nights. That is two free weekend nights at a category 2 hotel or 6,000 miles. Be sure to check the long list of excluded Starwood hotels. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5244

Best Upscale Hotel Extended Stay Bonus — Hyatt

Hyatt Gold Passport 5,000 bonus points every three nights to Nov. 15, up to 30,000 points. Stay 18 nights in one place or hotel hop for 18 nights and still earn 30,000 bonus points. Free Hyatt nights start at 5,000 points at 85 U.S. hotels. One long stay or many short stays rack up free hotel nights with bonus points added to five base points per dollar in spend. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5245

Best Midscale Hotel Extended Stay Bonus — Choice

Choice Privileges 4x points to Nov. 3, 2011. This bonus offers either 40 points or 20 points per dollar depending on the Choice Hotels brand. A spend of $625 at Comfort Inn or Quality Inn earns 25,000 points redeemable for a free night at some hotels running $400 per night or an all-inclusive Barcelo Resorts beach hotel in Mexico or Caribbean. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5246

Best Miles Bonuses — Marriott

Marriott $100 gift card purchases to Oct. 31, 2011 earn 1,200 Southwest Rapid Rewards points, up to 12,000 points. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5247

Marriott More Stays, More Miles to Dec. 31, 2011 with six airline partners including United and Delta earns 4,000 bonus miles after four stays and 2,000 bonus miles for each additional hotel stay, up to 30,000 bonus miles. No VISA credit card required for this offer. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5248

Best Road Warrior Bonus — IHG

IHG Priority Club Rewards offers up to 2,000 bonus points per night to Dec. 31, 2011, up to 80,000 points. Earn 500 bonus points per night. Stay in two IHG brands for 1,000 points, three brands for 1,500 points and four brands for 2,000 bonus points per night. 2x to 4x IHG brand bonus applies retroactively to all stays during promotion. This offer can earn 15,000 Priority Club points for under $500. Over 2,000 Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels are 15,000 points per award night. Link: http://insideflyerus.wpengine.com/link/?5249