EVT Stays is the loyalty program of EVT Hotels, the operator of 80 hotels in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
While a small program, it offers some useful perks. While these are marginal at the entry level, you can get to Gold fairly easily where the benefits are more meaningful.
The program has recently been revamped, and renamed. In this guide, I give a quick rundown of the features of the program.
Hotel Brands
Brands operating under the EVT banner include
- QT Hotels – a collection of 11 luxury boutique hotels known for their eclectic mix of design, art, and personalized guest experiences. There are QT Hotels in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore
- Rydges – a chain of 44 hotels offering comfortable and contemporary accommodation,
- Atura – a hotel chain known for its contemporary style and affordable accommodation. It caters to both business and leisure travelers.
- Independent Collection. The ‘Independent Collection‘ includes hotels such as The Victoria Hotel, Yarra Valley Lodge, and the Pensione Hotel Perth.
- LyLo – a lifestyle budget accommodation experience. LyLo are not currently participating in the EVT Stays program
Joining EVT Stays
The easiest and quickest way to join EVT Stays is to do it online. It’s easy and free to join the program.
- From the home page of EVT Stays, click the “Login or Join” button
- Click on Sign Up
- Fill in your personal details and read (and agree to) make sure to agree to the T&C and Privacy Policy.
- Click ‘Continue’.
EVT Stays Status Levels
EVT Stays has four status tiers, starting from the base-level Silver, through Gold and Platinum, and finally the invitation only Black level.
Silver Level
Silver is the base level of the program, and the level you are assigned when you first enrol in the program,
Benefits
- Discount on best rates online
- 5% discount on dining and drinks
Gold Level
Requirements
To achieve Gold, you need have 2 stays and 5 nights over a 12-month period.
Benefits
- 10% discount on best rates online
- Earn 25% bonus points on your stays
- Complimentary welcome drink (some exclusions including LyLo properties)
- 1pm late check-out
- 20% discount on dining and drinks
Platinum Level
Requirements
To achieve Platinum, you need have 4 stays and 10 nights over a 12-month period.
Benefits
- 15% discount on best rates online
- Earn 50% bonus points on your stays
- Complimentary welcome drink (some exclusions including LyLo properties)
- 9am early check-in
- 3pm late check-out
- Room upgrade
- 20% discount on dining and drinks
Black Level
Requirements
The Black Level is an invitation only level. There are no specific requirements set to receive an invitation
Benefits
- 15% discount on best rates online
- Earn 100% bonus points on your stays
- Complimentary welcome drink (some exclusions including LyLo properties)
- 9am early check-in
- 6pm late check-out
- Room upgrade
- Up to 50% discount on dining and drinks
An important consideration is the time frame of the requirements. In order to go up a level, you need to reach the requirements in a rolling 12 month period.
Once you have gained a level, a new 12 month period will begin. In order t retain your status, you will need to meet the requirements again, in that 12 month period.
Earning EVT Stays Points
The number of points that you earn on your stay is determined by your status tier and the hotel you stay in. The hotels have been divided into five groups, being Group 1 through to Group 5. That said, at the time of writing, there were no hotels in Group 5.
The group your hotel is in will determine the number of points. Generally, the more expensive hotels are in Group 1, and the cheaper hotels in Group 4/5.
As a general guide, the QT Hotels are mostly in Group 1, the Rydges in Group 2 or Group 3 and the Atura hotels in Group 4. The Independent hotels are spread across all 4 groups. That said, there are some variations, such as QT Canberra being in Group 2, Rydges Hunter Valler being in Group 1, etc. For a full list of which hotels are in which group, refer to the EVT website.
Points Expiry
It is also worth noting the expiry policy on EVT Stays points. Firstly, they will usually expire after 18 months of inactivity. Secondly, points will also expire 36 months after being you earn them.
Redeeming EVT Stays Points
The main way that you use your points is towards Free Night Rewards. However, there are also Points Offers, which are typically one off promotions. These offers might include things like bottles of wine of gift vouchers.
The number of points needed for a Free Night Rewards varies by the Group of the hotel. The following table shows the number of points needed:
| Points for Free Night Reward | |
|---|---|
| Group One | 300 |
| Group Two | 250 |
| Group Three | 200 |
| Group Four | 150 |
| Group Five | 100 |
The option to redeem a Free Night Reward becomes available when you have sufficient points. There are a few things to be aware of
- Unlike other programs, Free Night Rewards are non-refundable. If you cannot use a night that you have booked, the points will not be refunded
- Some hotels do not have Free Night Rewards on certain dates. For example, Rydges Horizon Snowy Mountains does not make Free Rewards nights available from June to September.
Final Words
Ultimately, EVT Stays is a bit of a niche program. It is beneficial to those that regularly stay at QT, Rydges or Atura Hotels.
For the most part, the program has been restricted to Australia and New Zealand. On the plus side, EVT has started expanding outside Australia and New Zealand with a hotel in Singapore. Beyond that, there is talk of a Rydges Hotel in Fiji. Hopefully, over the next few years, we will see more international hotels.
