3 Credit Cards That Give You Free Hotel Stays -- With No Purchases Necessary

There are plenty of cobranded credit cards that consumers use to earn frequent flyer miles, get free checked bags at the airport, and more. But there are also some excellent hotel credit cards, and you might be surprised at the value they offer.

Many of the top hotel credit cards charge an annual fee. But they also offer free hotel nights and other benefits that can easily justify their cost. Here are three in particular -- all of which give you free hotel nights just for being a cardholder -- that should be on your radar.

1. An excellent value with lots of benefits

The IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card, issued by Chase, comes with a $99 annual fee, but can be a tremendous bargain for people who stay at IHG hotels often. If you aren't familiar, IHG brands include Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental, Kimpton, Staybridge Suites, and several others.

First, there's an excellent sign-up bonus, which could be worth several free hotel nights all by itself, depending on the level of property where you choose to redeem them. There's also a free hotel night every year that you'll get on your card anniversary (up to 40,000 points per night redemption level). This benefit alone could be worth double the annual fee or more.

Cardholders also get IHG Rewards Club Platinum Elite status, which comes with benefits such as late check-out, room upgrades, and much more.

2. A bargain for Marriott travelers

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a Visa-branded card that is also issued by Chase and has a $95 annual fee. It's great for travelers who stay at the more than 30 Marriott brands, including Sheraton, Westin, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Gaylord, Courtyard, Fairfield, Aloft, Residence Inn, and many others in addition to the namesake Marriott brand.

The Boundless card offers three free night awards as a welcome bonus, which requires $5,000 in spending over the first 3 months. However, it also offers an annual free night award, regardless of card spending.

You'll also get Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, as well as the opportunity to reach Gold status by spending $35,000 in a calendar year. There are excellent travel protection benefits, and the card also accumulates Bonvoy reward points at a high rate, which can help you earn more free nights faster.

3. Don't let the higher annual fee make you think this card is "expensive"

Let's get the bad news over with. The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees) -- more than five times that of the other two on the list. However, just because something has a high price tag doesn't mean it's expensive. For frequent Hilton travelers who take advantage of its benefits, this fee could be well worth paying.

First, as this article's title suggests, you'll get a free weekend night award every year, regardless of how much you spend (but you'll get two if you spend over $60,000). There's a welcome offer that could be redeemable for several free nights after meeting spending targets (terms apply).

Furthermore, there's a $250 annual airline incidental statement credit, a $250 Hilton Resort statement credit, and a $100 Hilton on-property statement credit for certain hotel stays. The card provides a Priority Pass airport lounge membership and is the only major hotel card we know of that grants top-tier elite status, giving automatic Hilton Honors Diamond status, which gives you free breakfast, room and suite upgrades, executive lounge access, and more.

Which is right for you?

Obviously, if you prefer to stay at a specific hotel brand, it makes the decision a little easier. And it's worth noting that all three of the hotel companies mentioned in this article offer several levels of cobranded credit cards, so if you prefer a specific brand, it could be worth looking into all of the cobranded card options.

Having said that, I chose these three in particular because they can be a great value relative to the annual fee for cardholders who take full advantage of their benefits. Take a closer look at our reviews for each card to see which might be the best fit for you.