The dust has settled - which hotel credit card is now king?
Jan 10, 2014, 6:56 pm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,708
Value of hotel points is dependent on where you plan on traveling to. Especially with the smaller chains. Even if two chains are in the same city, one chain might have a much better location for what you plan to do on that particular trip. It depends on the individual as far as what is good and what is not good.
Jan 16, 2014, 12:05 pm
#32
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 829
I've got the hyatt card and will be getting a SPG card soon as well.
My two free nights at hyatt are Paris park hyatt Vendome. It's nearly $800 USD a night, so I'd say that sign up bonus is pretty stellar if you use it right. I also enjoy the platinum upgrade (upgrades where available, free wifi domestically), and the free anniversary night, which at a lot of properties is worth $150-200 or more.
SPG points are just so valuable that I can't overlook that card.
I personally don't get the hilton system. I've looked at rooms that are $169 a night that run 60-70k points per night. I look at that award chart and an amazed that people redeem anything with them. I stay at Hiltons sometimes, but I have gold status (through Amex plat), so I'd be happier to pay out of pocket, especially on discount travel sites and then take advantage of the Gold benefits. I don't have enough experience with the other hotel chains to be able to speak about their cards, but I plan on keeping the hyatt and SPG.
My two free nights at hyatt are Paris park hyatt Vendome. It's nearly $800 USD a night, so I'd say that sign up bonus is pretty stellar if you use it right. I also enjoy the platinum upgrade (upgrades where available, free wifi domestically), and the free anniversary night, which at a lot of properties is worth $150-200 or more.
SPG points are just so valuable that I can't overlook that card.
I personally don't get the hilton system. I've looked at rooms that are $169 a night that run 60-70k points per night. I look at that award chart and an amazed that people redeem anything with them. I stay at Hiltons sometimes, but I have gold status (through Amex plat), so I'd be happier to pay out of pocket, especially on discount travel sites and then take advantage of the Gold benefits. I don't have enough experience with the other hotel chains to be able to speak about their cards, but I plan on keeping the hyatt and SPG.
Just got myself the Hyatt card. Chase said they can't give me any more credit (I have about $60K credit lines with them) so I asked to relocate some credit to the new card.
I intend to use my 2 free nights at Paris Park Hyatt Vendome too.
Jan 16, 2014, 12:51 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: HH Gold-IHG Plat
Posts: 390
Hilton and IHG here,
Hilton cause I can get a ton of points MS drugstores and the Citi Churning.
Ill have 200k Hilton by the end of the month.
IHG cause the 80k sign up bonus, and the free night at any hotel I want
I have about 100k IHG
it would take me awhile to get those numbers with spg.
Hilton cause I can get a ton of points MS drugstores and the Citi Churning.
Ill have 200k Hilton by the end of the month.
IHG cause the 80k sign up bonus, and the free night at any hotel I want
I have about 100k IHG
it would take me awhile to get those numbers with spg.
Jan 16, 2014, 1:42 pm
#34
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 510
The second one is on card anniversary, correct?
Jan 16, 2014, 2:05 pm
#35
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: HH Gold-IHG Plat
Posts: 390
Jan 16, 2014, 7:06 pm
#36
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 751
How is that better than IHG where you get 80,000 points, which is equal to 4 nights at a mid-tier hotel or 16 nights on point break? In addition, you get a certificate for one night at any IHG hotel=IC.
Jan 17, 2014, 9:30 pm
#37
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,606
So 70,000 Marriott points equals 3 to 4 days in a mid-tier hotel?
How is that better than IHG where you get 80,000 points, which is equal to 4 nights at a mid-tier hotel or 16 nights on point break? In addition, you get a certificate for one night at any IHG hotel=IC.
How is that better than IHG where you get 80,000 points, which is equal to 4 nights at a mid-tier hotel or 16 nights on point break? In addition, you get a certificate for one night at any IHG hotel=IC.
IMO IHG is better and the only card I pay a AF on.
The Marriott AF is $85 for a free night in a Cat 1-5 hotel and must be used within 6 months
The IHG AF is $49 for a free night at any IHG hotel and you have a year to use it
Jan 30, 2014, 9:43 am
#38
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 304
I don't have anything good to add but I want to keep this discussion going. I'm not experienced enough in all the hotel motel cards to know all the benefits of each.
I started my collection on hilton which was then devalued nearly right after I got a card. SPG and Club C are my only other cards right now, but the IHG is up in my AOR next week.
I started my collection on hilton which was then devalued nearly right after I got a card. SPG and Club C are my only other cards right now, but the IHG is up in my AOR next week.
Jan 30, 2014, 11:40 am
#39
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New Jersey
Programs: Delta P, SPG G, Marriott S, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,007
Also, don't forget... Marriott you get Gold Status which is club access, and you get 15 elite night credit towards platinum.
Platinum Marriott = United silver.
Lastly, Marriott points are worth far more if you redeem them for a travel package, which is 7 nights at a hotel, + Frequent Flier miles to get you there.
Jan 30, 2014, 3:52 pm
#40
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: OKC (Oklahoma City), Oklahoma
Programs: Marriott Gold; IHG Platinum; Insomnia Cookies
Posts: 514
But.... Marriott > IHG.
Also, don't forget... Marriott you get Gold Status which is club access, and you get 15 elite night credit towards platinum.
Platinum Marriott = United silver.
Lastly, Marriott points are worth far more if you redeem them for a travel package, which is 7 nights at a hotel, + Frequent Flier miles to get you there.
Also, don't forget... Marriott you get Gold Status which is club access, and you get 15 elite night credit towards platinum.
Platinum Marriott = United silver.
Lastly, Marriott points are worth far more if you redeem them for a travel package, which is 7 nights at a hotel, + Frequent Flier miles to get you there.
Jan 30, 2014, 4:42 pm
#41
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: whatever comes with CCs
Posts: 1,082
I like all the programs as you can utilize their sweets spots when you travel often. I travelled around 50 nights in last 2 years.
- club carlson points came in really handy for me in London/UK
- Hyatt is awesome in Japan. we will be staying 6 nights with them using cash+points. Choice points would have been very helpful too but I had none
- In mexico city, we stayed at a very nice hampton inn (yes, I know), 5 nights for 40k points. Got upgraded to suite b/c of the gold status hilton card
- IHG card has been really helpful for road trips in US or for airport hotels. I like HI for 10-20k
- With a hilton promo, I booked really low rate rooms in DC. Arrival card would have been handy.
- Marriott has a lot of locations. We got great value when staying in Calgary. The annual free night is kind of insurance.. you would pay min $50 for any hotel, for extra $35 you get an option to stay in a nice one if things work out.
I have come to a point where I value airline bonuses much higher than hotel cards. So I won't be cancelling my current stash of cards for some time. I will try to sign up for more airline focused cards (ink, csp, prg, platinum, ua, as, virgin, frontier etc.)
- carlson 2x for 40k annual benefit, 4 nights for price of 2 is awesome
- fairmont 2x for anjnual night after 12k
- hilton reserve 2x for annual night after 10k
- IHG - no brainer
- Marriott - fee is $85 but I think worth keeping
The 600-700 in fees we spend is well worth it when you travel 30+ nights every year. I plan on eventually getting hyatt card and keeping it for a while too.
Whenever I am planning to a trip somewhere I go to awardmapper.com and see what chain has a sweet spot.. the answer to the right bonus is most often location based.
- club carlson points came in really handy for me in London/UK
- Hyatt is awesome in Japan. we will be staying 6 nights with them using cash+points. Choice points would have been very helpful too but I had none
- In mexico city, we stayed at a very nice hampton inn (yes, I know), 5 nights for 40k points. Got upgraded to suite b/c of the gold status hilton card
- IHG card has been really helpful for road trips in US or for airport hotels. I like HI for 10-20k
- With a hilton promo, I booked really low rate rooms in DC. Arrival card would have been handy.
- Marriott has a lot of locations. We got great value when staying in Calgary. The annual free night is kind of insurance.. you would pay min $50 for any hotel, for extra $35 you get an option to stay in a nice one if things work out.
I have come to a point where I value airline bonuses much higher than hotel cards. So I won't be cancelling my current stash of cards for some time. I will try to sign up for more airline focused cards (ink, csp, prg, platinum, ua, as, virgin, frontier etc.)
- carlson 2x for 40k annual benefit, 4 nights for price of 2 is awesome
- fairmont 2x for anjnual night after 12k
- hilton reserve 2x for annual night after 10k
- IHG - no brainer
- Marriott - fee is $85 but I think worth keeping
The 600-700 in fees we spend is well worth it when you travel 30+ nights every year. I plan on eventually getting hyatt card and keeping it for a while too.
Whenever I am planning to a trip somewhere I go to awardmapper.com and see what chain has a sweet spot.. the answer to the right bonus is most often location based.
Last edited by mintcilantro; Jan 30, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Jan 30, 2014, 5:06 pm
#43
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,606
As a card to just hold for the 1 ( 2 if you get your SO a card) free night the IHG is much better. Lower anual fee and a better hotel for your free night
Jan 30, 2014, 5:29 pm
#44
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,528