Could it be that The Oberoi Advantage program has the best value loyalty program in India in the short term?

I recently wrote about an Indian perspective to Hilton HHonors, SPG, IHG Rewards Club and Marriott Rewards. That series covered these programs almost exclusively from the point of view of earning points and redeeming them. I've also reviewed Club ITC - the ITC group's in-house program - late last year, but to be sure, this isn't really a hotel loyalty program as much as it is a brand loyalty program to ITC.

However, I recently stayed at the Oberoi Grand, Kolkata, which was actually my second stay there after the one last August. I've also stayed (before my blogging days) at the highly opulent and (what was) an obscenely expensive Oberoi Gurgaon, and thoroughly enjoyed all three stays. What I failed to pick up, however, was the specifics of their loyalty program - The Oberoi Advantage (TOA).

To be sure, TOA isn't much of a loyalty program in the traditional sense. In fact it is so offbeat, that they literally change the program each year, and sometimes even once every six months. There's a lot that isn't normal with this program, for instance:

• you don't earn points, nights or stays count for stays or spends at Oberoi hotels
• therefore, there's no question of redemption of points
• there are no partners - for earnings or redemptions (if that wasn't quite obvious by now!)
• you cannot register for the program online - it can be done only upon a stay, and you're given your card along with your room key
• whatever "earning" you have with the program cannot be carried forward to subsequent years or programs
• there's no question of renewal, elite tiers, tier upgrades, etc.

And yet, I'm increasingly of the view that TOA is possibly one of the best value programs in India as of now, solely from the point of view of earning free nights out of stays (remember, this was the premise of my series on global loyalty programs in India).

Here's why

The program that's currently on, runs from 15 April to 30 September 2014. If you complete 5 nights across any of the participating hotels in India or Dubai, you get one night free at any Oberoi hotel in India, Dubai, Indonesia, Mauritius and Egypt. Simple as that. This effectively means a redemption value of 20%, which is stupendous compared to the 4-odd % or below that Hilton HHonors, SPG and IHG offer, or even the 8% value that Marriott gives. There are some restrictions as to the last date for using the redemption night, but it is reasonably generous.

There are terms and conditions, but nothing too unkind. What's more, the Summer 2014 program is actually far simpler than the Winter 2013 one, which offered one complimentary night for every 3 stays, or 2 nights for 5 stays. Those for for stays, and the 2014 program is for just nights, so that's even better! Oh, and there are no sneaky devaluations to monitor either!

The downside

I admit that the average starting price tag of Rs 12,000 a room night across Oberoi hotels is not for everyone's wallet. However if you work for an organisation, do check if you employer has a tie up with Oberoi - they often do, where the rates can be far more palatable. The other issue I have with this program is the six-month window of operations. That's it. You must complete 5 stays before 30 September 2014 to be eligible for the complimentary night.

Conclusion

The Oberoi Advantage is one of the most vanilla program I've come across. Having said that, being no-frills seems to make it easier to appreciate the value of benefits, because there are no distractions. The spectacular service and genuine warmth of staff at the Oberoi hotels is something I've always looked forward to and appreciated. Also, if you were looking for short-term benefits, this program offers very good value, and is one program I've quite begun to like.