8 Gift Cards You Can Use for Hotels
Half the hotel gift cards given as gifts never get used. They sit in a drawer for a year, then two years, then someone finally throws them out because the balance couldn't be moved. That's not because the recipient didn't want a hotel gift. It's because the brand didn't fit how the person actually travels.
This guide covers 11 hotel gift cards that get spent. Each one is on this list because it fits a specific kind of traveler. Business, family, luxury, budget, or the sort of person who's stopped booking traditional hotels and only stays in Airbnbs now. Every card is confirmed available on GiftCardGranny as of this week.
Granny's Quick Picks
If you're trying to narrow down which card fits the person you're buying for, here's the shortest version. Business traveler with chain loyalty? HotelsGift or Global Hotel Card. Both give access to Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and IHG through one card. Family doing road trips? Best Western. Reliable, everywhere, priced sanely. Young couple planning their first big international trip? Global Hotel Card Powered by Expedia. 550,000 hotels, 190 countries. Anniversary or big-occasion trip? Fairmont Hotels. This is a luxury card. Give it when you want the recipient to know you spent real thought. Someone who's stopped booking hotels and lives on Airbnb now? Airbnb. Deal hunter who books last-minute? Groupon or Hotels.com. Total flexibility, no guessing on brand? Visa gift card.
| Card | Best for | Denominations | Direct or wrapper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Western | Family and road trips | $25 to $250 | Direct hotel |
| Fairmont Hotels | Luxury and anniversary | $25 to $100 | Direct hotel |
| Hotels.com | Deal hunters and broad search | $10 to $500 | Booking platform |
| HotelsGift | Multi-chain access | $25 to $250 | Gift Card for Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG |
| Global Hotel Card | International multi-chain | $50 or $100 | Gift Card for Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Accor |
| Airbnb | Home rentals, longer stays | $50 to $500 | Direct platform |
| Golden Nugget | Casino resort and dining | $25 to $250 | Direct property |
| Groupon | Discount deal hunters | $10 to $200 | Deals platform |
| Southwest | Bundle with hotel for full trip | $25 to $250 | Direct airline |
| Uber | Airport transfers and rideshare | $25 to $500 | Rideshare |
| Visa | Anywhere hotels are booked | Variable | Open network |
1. Best Western
Affordable lodging that includes the whole family
Best Western is the workhorse of this list. Over 4,000 properties across 100+ countries, and the widest denomination range on GiftCardGranny at $25 to $250. This is the default gift card to reach for when the buyer doesn't know the recipient's specific travel habits.
The card works across the full Best Western family: Best Western, Best Western Plus, Best Western Premier, Executive Residency. The recipient can stop wherever they want. A family driving cross-country in July doesn't have to plan every night in advance. A retired couple doing a two-week regional trip can pick different tiers as they go.
Best Western gift cards are transferable and don't expire, which matters when the gift is going out ahead of a specific trip that hasn't been booked yet. Wedding gift for a couple who won't take their honeymoon until next spring? Retirement gift for someone who'll travel in stages? The no-expiration piece removes the pressure to spend by a certain date.
Rotating cash back on select brands applies through GiftCardGranny. The rate for Best Western changes over time, so check the product page for the current number.
If someone asked me what to buy for a first attempt at a hotel gift card, this is where I'd start. $100 to $150 covers a night or two at most locations. It won't blow the budget, and the recipient can use it almost anywhere.
2. Hotels.com
Make shopping for deals on hotels work for you
Hotels.com opens up almost every hotel in every category. This is the card to give when you know the person is traveling somewhere but you don't know which hotel they'll pick.
Denominations run $10 to $500, which is the widest range on this list. That flexibility is useful for both small "thinking of you" gifts and substantial family-pooled contributions toward someone's honeymoon or milestone trip.
Hotels.com also runs its own rewards program, Hotels.com Rewards. Members earn stays over time by booking through the platform. A gift card can serve as an entry point into that program for a recipient who isn't already a member. That's not a huge factor, but it's a real one for frequent bookers.
Two things to know before buying. First, Hotels.com gift cards aren't reloadable once purchased, so the recipient has to spend the whole balance on stays. Second, unused balances can't be refunded, so pick a denomination the recipient will realistically use in one trip.
If your gift recipient is doing a specific trip and hasn't picked the hotel, this is probably the right card.
3. Fairmont Hotels
For those who like to travel in elegance
Buy a Fairmont Hotels gift card
Fairmont sits in a different category. This is a luxury card. Properties in San Francisco, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Barbados, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Cairo, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul. Amenities that put it firmly in the "milestone gift" category rather than the "weekend getaway" one.
Giving a Fairmont card signals what kind of gift you meant. You're telling the recipient to go somewhere memorable, at a specific level of quality. That's different from a Best Western card, which functions more like a utility.
Denominations run $25 to $100 through GiftCardGranny. Smaller than most cards on this list, but appropriate given Fairmont's per-night pricing. For an anniversary gift, honeymoon, retirement, or once-in-a-decade family trip, a $100 Fairmont card paired with a note ("this is toward one night on your next big trip") lands better than trying to cover a full stay.
A detail most buyers miss: Fairmont gift cards also work at Raffles and Swissôtel properties under the same ownership group. That extends where the recipient can spend the card, especially in Southeast Asia where Raffles has strong presence.
Rotating cash back on select brands applies through GiftCardGranny. Fairmont's rate changes, so check the product page before buying.
Buy a Fairmont Hotels gift card
4. Golden Nugget
Experience one of the oldest casinos in Vegas
Golden Nugget is a specialty pick. Casino resort chain, five locations across Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Illinois, Mississippi, and Louisiana. On its own, the geographic footprint would be too narrow to earn a spot on this list. What earns it a spot is what the card can be redeemed on beyond the resorts themselves.
Golden Nugget cards work across the Landry's restaurant family, which includes Morton's Steakhouse, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, McCormick and Schmick's, Rainforest Cafe, Saltgrass Steak House, Mitchell's Fish Market, Chart House, Bill's Bar and Burger, and about 15 more. That restaurant network is why this card can turn into a real experience gift rather than just a lodging credit.
A weekend in Vegas at the Golden Nugget can become a night at the hotel plus dinner at Chart House plus drinks at the pool, all off one $200 card. Real weekend gift instead of a lone room booking.
Denominations run $25 to $250. Rotating cash back on select brands applies.
If your gift recipient lives in or near one of the five Golden Nugget markets, or is planning a trip to Vegas specifically, this card outperforms a generic hotel card of the same value. If they don't, skip it.
5. HotelsGift
An open pathway to exotic adventures
HotelsGift is a multi-brand gift card. One gift card, 750,000+ hotels, 350+ major brands including Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Wyndham, Fairmont, Accor, and IHG. This is important because GiftCardGranny doesn't sell direct Marriott or Hilton gift cards. If the recipient is loyal to one of the big chains, HotelsGift is often how you route them there.
The redemption flow is straightforward. Recipient visits HotelsGift.com, registers an account, searches for their hotel, applies the code at checkout. Up to two gift cards can be combined per booking, which is useful when multiple people are contributing to one gift.
Denominations run $25 to $250 on GiftCardGranny. Rotating cash back on select brands applies; the rate for HotelsGift changes, so check the product page.
Here's a real limitation to flag. HotelsGift is a booking platform, so bookings happen at HotelsGift.com rather than through the hotel brand's own site or loyalty app. For casual travelers this is a non-issue. For someone who's chasing Marriott Bonvoy points, Hilton Honors nights, or IHG loyalty tier status, they may not earn those points on a HotelsGift booking (policies vary by brand). If the recipient is a serious loyalty program member, ask them first before buying.
For everyone else, this is one of the strongest cards on the list because of the sheer brand coverage.
6. Airbnb
An innovative take on hospitable homestays
Airbnb belongs on this list because for a growing number of travelers, this is how they actually book lodging. Cabins, beach houses, apartments in cities, treehouses, weird one-off rentals in almost 200 countries. If the recipient is under 40 and travels for leisure, there's a good chance Airbnb is their default.
Denominations run $50 to $500 on GiftCardGranny. Airbnb stays trend longer than hotel stays, so higher denominations often make sense. A $500 card doesn't have to be spent all at once; recipients can apply it across multiple bookings over time.
Airbnb also runs Experiences, which are guided tours, tastings, and lessons hosted by locals in the destination. The gift card applies to those too. So a recipient in Rome could use part of the card on their stay and part on a cooking class or wine tour. Not everyone does that, but it's a nice bonus for the ones who do.
Two situations where Airbnb isn't the right card. First, business travelers whose companies won't reimburse Airbnb stays (many still won't). Second, older travelers who've never used the app and don't want the learning curve. Match the card to the person's actual habits, not what you think they should be doing.
7. Groupon
Great deals on hotels and accommodations
Groupon isn't a hotel gift card in the strict sense. What it is: an aggressive-discount marketplace where the getaways section has become a legitimate destination for cheap hotel bookings and vacation packages. Deals run 30 to 60 percent off standard rates in most cases.
The catch is that Groupon's inventory changes constantly. The deal available today may not be there next month. Recipients need to be flexible on destination, dates, and specific property. If someone has a firm trip already booked in a specific city, Groupon is the wrong card. If someone books trips based on "what's cheap this weekend," Groupon is one of the strongest picks on this list.
Denominations run $10 to $200. Groupon gift cards also work across the platform's other categories, including restaurants, spa services, event tickets, and local experiences. So even if the recipient doesn't find the right hotel deal, the card doesn't sit unused. That flexibility is Groupon's underrated advantage over more brand-specific cards.
For young travelers, urban recipients, or anyone whose trips are opportunistic rather than planned six months out, Groupon works. For a wedding gift or milestone occasion, probably not.
8. Visa
Use this gift card for hotels everywhere
The universal fallback. A Visa gift card works anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, which covers essentially every hotel booking site online and every airline. For buyers who genuinely don't know the recipient's plans and don't want to commit to a brand, Visa is the flex answer.
The trade-off is well-documented. Visa gift cards work at booking, but many hotels require a separate credit card on file for on-property incidentals like the mini-bar, room damage holds, or valet parking. That hold typically can't be placed on a prepaid card. So the recipient may need a second payment method at check-in.
Some hotel booking sites also refuse prepaid cards outright, especially for advance bookings. The recipient may need to book by phone or directly through the hotel property in those cases.
On GiftCardGranny you can personalize the Visa card with a custom photo and message before sending it. That makes the card feel less like an impersonal fallback and more like a considered gift, which matters when the framing is "here's toward your trip, use it however works."
One pairing suggestion. If you know the recipient's specific trip destination, pair the Visa card with a booking confirmation for a specific hotel you researched for them. That reframes the Visa card from "I didn't know what to buy" into "I planned this out and you use the card to pay for it." Meaningful difference in how the gift lands.
9. Global Hotel Card Powered by Expedia
This is the other multi-brand card, and it's the international answer to HotelsGift. Global Hotel Card is powered by Expedia Partner Solutions. It gives access to 550,000+ hotels across 190 countries, including Marriott, Accor, Intercontinental, Hyatt, Hilton, and Best Western.
The big difference from HotelsGift is international reach. If the recipient is planning a honeymoon in Portugal, a family trip to Ireland, or a backpacking route through Southeast Asia, this card fits better than a US-focused card. Redemption happens at GlobalHotelCard.com, and up to four cards can be applied to a single reservation, which scales well for multi-contributor gifts.
Denominations on GiftCardGranny are $50 or $100. Narrower than HotelsGift, so plan on buying multiple cards for larger gifts.
The quick way to decide between HotelsGift and Global Hotel Card: if the recipient is traveling domestically or within North America, HotelsGift. If the recipient is traveling internationally, Global Hotel Card. Both give access to the major chains, but the underlying inventory leans toward those different markets.
For a first-time buyer confused about the two multi-brand cards, that's the practical answer.
10. Southwest
Southwest is on this list because most hotel-gift-card recipients also need to get to the destination. The flight is usually the second-biggest line item on a trip budget after lodging. A hotel card that doesn't come with a flight card is a partial gift; combining the two turns it into a full trip.
Southwest is the domestic airline with the widest coverage at reasonable prices. Route network across the US, Mexico, Caribbean, and Central America. Denominations run $25 to $250 on GiftCardGranny. No fees, no expiration, and the card can be redeemed online, by phone, or at the airport counter.
One pairing that works well: a $100 Southwest card plus a $150 hotel card. That combination outperforms a $250 card at either brand alone. The gift arrives in two mental moments, one when the flight is booked and one when the hotel is booked. Small psychological difference, but it changes how the gift is received.
For graduation trips, retirement trips, or honeymoons where the recipient is flying somewhere Southwest serves, this pairing tends to land as a full-trip gift rather than a partial one. For international destinations Southwest doesn't fly to, skip it and pair with a different airline's card if the buyer chooses to add one.
11. Uber
The travel gift most people forget is getting around the destination once you arrive. Airport transfers alone can run $60 to $100 on both ends of a trip, and the recipient sitting in a hotel lobby waiting for an overpriced shuttle is not the memory the buyer intended.
Uber gift cards solve that specific problem. Denominations run $25 to $500 on GiftCardGranny. The lower end covers a couple of airport rides. The higher end covers ground transportation for a full week in an unfamiliar city.
Uber cards work everywhere Uber operates, which is now nearly universal in the US and most major international destinations. The card also applies to Uber Eats via the same app, so a recipient staying at a hotel after a long travel day can order delivery without leaving the room. Balance doesn't expire.
This is a natural add-on to any hotel card on this list. If you're already buying a Best Western or Airbnb or Hilton (via HotelsGift) card, a small Uber card rounds out the gift. It signals you thought about the trip end-to-end. The recipient notices.
For solo travelers, business travelers, or anyone who'll take multiple rides across a trip, this card gets used every day of the vacation.
FAQs
Can you book a hotel with a Visa gift card?
Yes. Visa gift cards work at most major hotel websites (Marriott.com, Hilton.com, Hotels.com, Booking.com, and others) at the online-checkout stage. The card functions as any Visa debit card. Where it gets complicated is at check-in. Many hotels also want a separate credit card on file for potential incidental charges (mini-bar, damage holds, valet). That hold usually can't be placed on a prepaid card. So the recipient may need a backup credit or debit card at check-in, even though the Visa card covered the room rate at booking.
Can you pay for a hotel with a Visa gift card?
Yes, in most cases. Visa gift cards work as payment for hotel bookings across most major booking sites and at many hotel front desks. A small number of properties refuse prepaid cards outright, and many require a credit card for incidental holds. The safest approach is to pay the room rate online at booking with the Visa gift card, then bring a backup credit or debit card for check-in. The Visa card covers the actual lodging cost. The backup card handles whatever the hotel needs to hold for incidentals.
Do hotels take Visa gift cards?
Most hotels do, with the same caveat that keeps coming up in this space. For online booking at chain sites (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Best Western), Visa gift cards work at checkout the same as any Visa debit card. At the front desk, most hotels accept them for the room rate, but they typically also want a credit card on file for potential incidental charges. If you're gifting a Visa card for hotel use, mention this to the recipient so they know to bring a backup card.
Do hotels accept Visa gift cards?
Yes, hotels generally accept Visa gift cards for room bookings. The card functions the same as any Visa debit card for the transaction. Where it gets complicated is at check-in, when many hotels want a credit card on file for room damage, mini-bar charges, or other on-property incidentals. Prepaid gift cards typically can't be used for those holds. The workaround is to pay the room rate online with the Visa gift card at booking, then bring a backup credit or debit card for check-in.
Can I use a Visa gift card for a hotel room?
Yes. A Visa gift card works to pay for a hotel room at most major hotels and booking sites. Same functionality as any Visa debit card during checkout, either online at the hotel's website (or a booking platform like Hotels.com or Expedia) or at the front desk at check-in. Some hotels additionally require a credit card on file for incidentals, which is worth confirming with the specific property before checking in with only a Visa gift card. For the room rate itself, Visa gift cards are accepted across essentially every major hotel brand.
What's the best hotel gift card for a honeymoon?
Global Hotel Card Powered by Expedia or a Fairmont Hotels gift card. Global Hotel Card gives the couple access to 550,000 hotels in 190 countries, which is the right level of flexibility for a big international honeymoon. Fairmont Hotels is the pick if the couple is going somewhere Fairmont operates (Hawaii, Bermuda, San Francisco, London, Barcelona, Cairo, among others), because it commits to a specific luxury experience. For pooled contributions from a group of friends or family, denominations of $250 to $500 make a meaningful contribution toward the actual cost of the trip.
What's the difference between HotelsGift and Global Hotel Card?
Both are multi-brand cards that give access to major hotel chains (Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, and others) through a single card. The differences: HotelsGift covers 750,000 hotels across 350 brands and is USD-denominated for US-based residents, with denominations from $25 to $250. Global Hotel Card Powered by Expedia covers 550,000 hotels in 190 countries and leans international, with denominations at $50 or $100. HotelsGift has slightly wider brand coverage. Global Hotel Card has stronger international reach. For domestic travelers wanting multi-chain access, HotelsGift. For international travelers, Global Hotel Card.
Are hotel gift cards a good gift?
For the right recipient, yes. Hotel gift cards land best when the buyer already knows the recipient has travel plans (an upcoming trip, a milestone worth celebrating, a family reunion, a wedding gift for newlyweds). They land worse when the recipient doesn't travel often, doesn't have specific plans, or is loyal to a chain the buyer didn't check on. The safest approach is to pair a hotel gift card with either a Visa gift card (for flexibility) or a Southwest airline card (to cover the flight half of the trip). That "full trip" gifting reads as more thoughtful than a single-card gift.
Closing
The right hotel gift card is the one that fits how the recipient actually travels. Match the card to the traveler and it gets spent. Miss the fit and it joins the drawer full of unused gift cards mentioned at the top of this post.
If you know the person well enough to answer three questions (where do they usually go, are they loyal to a chain, do they prefer hotels or Airbnbs), one of these 11 cards will fit. If you can't answer those three questions, buy the Visa card and pair it with a note explaining you didn't want to guess wrong.