DENVER -- On vacation last week, we spent nine nights in hotels as we traveled around Utah and Arizona. On three of those nights, we stayed for free. How? Rewards programs.

When I travel, I typically stay in a Super 8, Days Inn, Quality Inn or Best Western. I signed up for each company's reward/loyalty program.

While airlines base rewards on how many miles you fly, hotels base rewards on how many dollars you spend. Most hotels give you 10 points for each dollar. So spend $75 on a hotel night and you'll likely get 750 points. Ten nights earn you about 7,500 points. Depending on what hotel you want to stay in, where, when and the program, free nights run as little as 6,000 points, but those are hard to find.

Hotel loyalty programs often run specials. There are deals where you stay two nights and get one night free. Now while they say "get a night free," what they mean is get enough bonus points in the next few days or weeks for a free night in one of the least points hotels.

Here's an example: stay at a Days Inn for $75 and a Super 8 for $85 and you get 1,600 points. If it takes 8,000 points to stay at the least points hotel, you would get 6,400 bonus points. While the system is not ideal, the bonus programs help you earn free nights a lot faster.

When we left on vacation last week, I had 28,000 points with Wyndham Rewards, the program for Super 8, Days Inn, Ramada, Wingate, Wyndham, Howard Johnson, Travelodge and a couple other chains. I also had 14,000 points with Choice Privileges, the program for Comfort, Quality, Clarion, Sleep, Rodeway and a couple other chains.

I used 10,000 points for a free night at a Quality Inn in Kanab, Utah. The price of the room without points was about $110. I used 10,000 points to stay at a Super 8 in Page, Ariz. and 10,000 points to stay at a Super 8 in Moab, Utah. The Moab room was the best deal. Rooms on that Friday night in Moab were running at least $135. I picked the most expensive room available for my points (why not, it was the same points) and I got a king suite that was running over $200 a night. The room was huge and we got it for free.

Don't forget to keep your receipts. When you get home, check your account on the Internet to make sure you get the points you deserve. Of the six nights we paid for, points were missing for two of the hotels we stayed in.

Again, while I don't think the hotel loyalty programs are great, I do think it's worth your time to sign up. A free room is always good, even if it takes some time to earn it.

If you see a deal, let me know! E-mail me Deb Stanley (Deb_Stanley@kmgh.com).