The Best Hotel Chain of 2026
Marriott earns the top spot in our Best Hotel Chain rankings for the first time.
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Updated · 2 min read
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The best hotel chains feature valuable rewards for your spending, low fees and a broad network of properties. NerdWallet collected data on six major hotel chains to find the best of 2026.
How we picked the best hotel chain
We ranked the six largest hotel chains based on the following criteria:
- Fees.
- Number of properties.
- Scoring by the NerdWallet travel experts.
In 2026, NerdWallet added two new factors to the methodology: the number of properties within each hotel chain and the NerdWallet travel team's scoring for overall value.
Each chain received ratings on a five-point scale in these categories. We then used a weighted average of the category results to determine the overall winner.
The best hotel chain of 2026
Winner: Marriott
Marriott topped NerdWallet's 2026 best hotel ranking due to their massive footprint (the largest of any hotel chain), a solid rewards rate for paid stays and strong ratings from NerdWallet's travel team.
“Marriott has a huge footprint, and I can usually find one anywhere I go. Plus, I know what to expect when I stay at a Marriott,” said NerdWallet lead travel writer Benjamin Din. Din added that he loves staying at Marriott’s Autograph Collection properties, which offer a boutique hotel experience with the consistency and quality of a Marriott.
According to award booking tool Gondola, Marriott has more than 8,700 properties in its portfolio, far exceeding the number of properties of smaller brands like Hyatt.
Marriott also has a decent rewards rate. NerdWallet values Marriott points at 0.8 cent each when redeemed for award stays, and members of the Marriott Bonvoy program earn 10 points per dollar on spending with the brand. That means Marriott Bonvoy members can earn an 8% return on their spending, the second highest among the hotel chains analyzed.
Those factors were enough to keep Marriott on top despite relatively high resort and parking fees. But since those fees only impact a select number of overall guests, they were weighted less heavily in the overall scoring.
Last year's winner, Wyndham, finished second, followed by Choice Hotels. While those hotels have relatively low fees, it's harder to earn points on paid stays with those chains, and inconsistency across brands hurts them in the travel team scoring.
How hotels performed by categories
Here’s how each chain scored across the ranking criteria:
» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now
Methodology to determine the best hotel chain
Six hotel chains tied to major loyalty programs were selected by NerdWallet’s travel experts for evaluation based on the criteria below. Eligible hotel chains included Choice, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott and Wyndham.
How we chose the winner
To determine the best hotel chain, we compared the rewards rate, add-on fees, global footprint and ranking by travel experts on the NerdWallet travel content team. Each factor was scored separately, and an overall rating was determined based on a weighted average across categories.
How we rated and weighted each factor:
- Rewards rate (30%). We determined the dollar value of each program’s rewards points and the earnings rate of points for base members in each loyalty program. To determine the rewards rate, we multiplied the value of each point by the earnings rate and then multiplied by 100. For example, if a hotel’s rewards points were worth $0.01 apiece (the value of rewards points) and 10 points were earned per dollar spent (the earnings rate of points), its program would have a 10% rewards rate. (In this example, the two equations would be: first $0.01 x 10 = 0.1, then 0.1 x 100 = 10, or 10%.)
- Add-on fees (10%). We determined the average resort and parking fees across a selection of properties from each hotel chain.
- Global footprint (30%). The number of domestic and international properties for each chain were provided by Gondola.
- Travel team (30%). In addition to quantitative metrics, we also considered qualitative factors. The qualitative portion is based on a composite of editorial team members’ review using the same criteria listed above.
How we used a five-point rating scale
For each factor, we subtracted the lowest value among all programs from the highest value among all programs to determine the range. Then, we scored each category based on where the result fell in the range.
How we verified our data
We independently spot-checked data collected to ensure accuracy. Information about loyalty programs was verified on the hotels’ websites.
Read our editorial guidelines for additional information.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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