troyintn

I agree 100% when everyone wants you to book vie there website since it is cheaper you would think they would have a decent website.

MarciaLF

I didn't know that. I've stayed in Hiltons in Europe (CDG and ADT in Paris & Cavalieri in Rome) and always got breakfast or Exec Lounge Access. Where have you had problems out of the U.S.?

MacDaddie

-------------------

I can answer that. Almost any UK hotel for starters. Bracknell and Edinburgh airport Hilton in particular. The Netherlands Hilton in the middle of nowhere (Soen....something), Nuremburg (though after arguing received breakfast), Luxembourg (even called Hilton to get the charge removed and they rebilled me three months later), the other Brussels Hilton - Brussels City Hilton?. And thats just the breakfast part.

Hilton's in UK and now in Western Europe have begun the "we upgraded you to a better room", BUT it doesn't allow access to the lounge and since we upgraded you we won't include breakfast. What about my room is "upgraded" I ask (and I'm serious I have asked).....

In Edinburgh the room has a second chair!!! Very helpful for someone travelling alone!

In Bracknell they don't even know, they just know you aren't receiving breakfast!!

In Paris the room has "new lighting" Wow that will help me to sleep better....oops its right next to some kind of generator that keeps you up all night....no wonder it needs new lighting.

And recently in Warsaw I received a "bigger window", of course not even facing the city!! And the room configuration was such that you couldn't sit at the desk and see the tv at the same time!! (in fairness to the property I've had 6-7 other excellent stays last year and earlier this year).

Its starting to become a joke. And I'm not some HH basher. I've been diamond in the program for 8 years and basically my only complaint has been about consistency over the past couple of years becoming a problem. I've had some truly great award stays and have arrange for my parents to have some great award stays also. There have been years with over 300 nights and never a year with less than 100 and I stay at a lot of international Hiltons at very decent rates, plus I use the hotel facilities when travelling which means even more money for them.

And what I find even more bothersome is when I'm lied to about executive level rooms being available. This has truly been the last straw for myself. I'm not stupid, if you tell me that and I log onto the internet an hour later and can purchase 4 rooms of each type of room on the executive level then you lied to me (and no I'm not the type to go back down and argue my way to an upgraded room). This has led to me changing my stay habits this year (I am the type that will change my spending).

I have stayed at Marriott hotels 40 nights so far this year (which means about 50/50 with Hilton) and am more and more choosing the location that is more conveniant or the hotel which I like better. To me the main difference between Hilton and Marriott is that Courtyards don't include breakfast and HGI and Hamptons do. In the US that leads me to stay at HGI/Hampton without even thinking about Courtyard and that will continue.

I still will remain a Hilton Diamond member, I do value the # of properties that they have worldwide (though I'm still not happy about Scandic being dumped). There are some properties that simply get it right - Hilton Koln, Hilton Bremen, Hilton Prague, most Asian properties among others. Heck Koln and Bremen don't even have lounges and I'm happy simply because they consistently give me their best room available (and no I have been upgraded every time to larger rooms but frequently), water and breakfast.

It doesn't take much to welcome me back to the hotel, put me in the best available room, ensure there is water in it, and let me know where the breakfast is at - thats it!!! And for that they have a happy loyal customer. The shame of the changes in the last couple of years is that one property lying to you doesn't get erased by your next good stay.

The other thing I'd mention is that I haven't received a Hilton promotion offer for more than two year I believe. I've had two this year alone from Marriott. Rightly or wrongly I've always believed that I could earn more HH points and get more awards through the program as a diamond member choosing points/points - but with the Marriott promotions I think its closer than when I'd receive an occasional Hilton promotion. I think that this year I'll end up being Marriott Platinum and Hilton Diamond.

As sad as it is to say I think that marriott has "closed" the gap between the two programs. My loyalty is still with Hilton but its much weaker than in the past.

MIKESILV

While it might be quite true that the guarantee might not be there, I have for the most part never failed to get breakfast and/or lounge access including ALL of the five UK Hiltons I stayed in during my last visit June 24/July 6 2008, four of which were located in Scotland.

For the other stays on the trip I visited SPG properties ... Turnberry and the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh, twice.
Turnberry while a fabulous property breakfast was 25 GBP per person ( for three its adds up) at the Sheration while we on the club floor and got club lounge access, offerings were pretty, pretty meagre, the lounge was much too small and all the mornings were visted it had guests standing and even sitting on the window-sills, having coffee and a danish.

Life is not always better on the other side

mike

MarciaLF

I have also never failed to get breakfast, but I don't travel to the same European countries as you and actually do mostly U.S. My upgrade success has been excellent.

My only real complaint with Hilton (and this has NEVER happened with Marriott) is -- even though it is in the notes, my advance emails and phone calls -- I almost always get stuck in rooms with feathers. I'm highly allergic and it's quite annoying to have to get to a hotel (sometimes late) and wait for housekeeping to re-make the bed and vacuum the room!

If anyone knows a way to really get through to them about this (I have written constantly and put it in all my surveys), let me know. My next three stays are at Marriotts and the only part I'm really looking forward to is knowing my room will really be feather-free!

Marcia

MisterNice

I totally detest the "We have upgraded your room to one with windows so no breakfast for you........

(A) The value of the breakfast varies from $6 (what it would typically cost in a nearby restaurant) to $60 ie full buffet in many European hotels.........which I would never never pay <or $20 in close by restaurants> .

(B) Access to exec lounge is worth say $8 in most US hotels and say $25 in many European hotels with the free booze and nice nibblies.

(C) The occasional free internet, upgraded furnishings, coffee, tea etc are worth about $15.

You do your own math.

MisterNice

ps:I spent 5 nights around Jul 4th in DC. The HH hotels ranged from $130-$250/night using a lotta combos of hotels and nights. I booked the very new Marriott Court Yard in Vienna VA for $63/night with free internet, free coffee, free parking etc. The full CY buffet/menu breakfast was $9 and $6 down the street. I call the CY a very nice deal for far less than HH.

AAPlatypus

I'm Gold with Marriott, Diamond with Hilton, and also own HGVC property in Honolulu. With all that, I far too frequently get the room with two short-sheeted double beds next to the elevator, across from the ice machine, and no recognition of my loyalty to either brand.

Most clerks and front desk managers do not look at pending check ins by elite members when they start assigning rooms, and even if they do, the whiny tourist who checks in at noon will bump most elites every time. Your room "requests" are not guaranteed by any hotel chain when it gets down to the individual property level.

I personally don't care about breakfast, and I have more points than I care to use, so the only benefit of a loyalty program for me is in the recognition and upgrades it affords me each time I give a hotel my business. In fact forget the upgrade... just guarantee my reservation and don't downgrade me. I'll make it simple for you.

ffj

As a Platinum with Marriott and a Diamond with Hilton, Marriott treats me better overall. Each program has their stregths, as has been noted by many people already. I typically shose the one which has the lower rates, with an emphasis on nights with Marriott and stays with Hilton. If Hilton did away with the stays option, I would likely go to Sheraton as my second chain.

submonte

After two years of around 130-140 nights p.a. I have reduced my travelling temporarily 10% due to being more occupied with office work, and doing this, after some consideration, I have personally decided to prioritize as follows:

1. Hilton HHonors as my favorite hotel chain/loyality program, and as target to keep Diamond VIP tier. I consider the price-performance ratio to be the best among all in the hotel industry. Hilton offers wordwide hotel types for every occasion, from low budget to 5 star luxury (W=A collection, Rome, Paris, London, and more coming). Although I was sceptic some time ago because of the ownership change (private equity), despite, or actually because of it, Hilton chain is IMHO well prepared to survive the crisis and emerge stronger out of it, as Blackstone seems to be capable to keep the hotels and service standards, the performance of the loyality program at least for the highest and (probably second highest) VIP tiers, to generate profits and to have a future concept (e.g. develope new markets, extend luxury brands presence). As as Diamond VIP I get the best available room or executive room or lounge access, week-days and weekend. I felt always treated extremely well by the staff and very generously by the program, considering the number of points (20 per US-$) earned.

2. To stop going for Gold or Platinum Elite with Marriott. I am not convinced anymore that it is of any advantage for me, at least compared with Hilton, although Marriott group has more hotels in my home market Germany, and the reputation of their hotels is excellent, and for some people even higher than Hilton´s, and they have more promotions. But to request 75 nights p.a. to achieve the highest VIP tier, to not guarantee for lounge access at weekends, and to get points in Courtyards only for the room rate, are definitive disadvantages for me compared to Hilton. In some of my facvorite cities there are not real 5 star luxury hotels, there is no Ritz-Carlton in Paris, nor in London, nor in Italy (except the Bulgari in Milan). I admit Moscow got one which is probably the best hotel in that city.

3. To remain with Priority Club Platinum and IC Royal Ambassador as second program. IHG have a huge number of Holiday Inns (and HI Express etc.) in Europe incl. France and a lot of Crown Plazas in Germany and Europe, so they cover the territory if I cannot find a Hilton hotel at the specific place where I have to stay. They have real 5 star luxury hotels (Intercontinentals) in major European and German cities, such as Paris (Le Grand), Cannes (Carlton), Stockholm (Grand Hotel), Milano (Duomo Hotel opening soon), Dresden (opening soon) etc. IC RA provides me a two level upgrade in Intercontinentals incl. suites, eventually even executive suites. Marriott rewards program does not offer anything similar, Ritz Carltons not even an upgrade for Platinum Elite members.

4. Keep Hyatt as Platinum (2nd tier). Too less hotels in Germany (only four of them: Hamburg (Park), Berlin (Grand), Cologne (Regency), Mainz (Regency). One more is coming I think in Dusseldorf. Internationally more interesting (e.g. Shanghai, Beijing). Park Hyatt Paris as one of the best and chic hotels in Europe. Not to forget Park Hyatt Milan.

5. Go for Starwood Platinum in the second half of this year after loosing Gold. They have a huge number of hotels in Germany and major European countries except France. After they lost Trianon Palace Versailles which has become a W=A (Hilton) property I decided to postpone that target. They remain to be a chain with very high standard hotels in all categories in Europe and Germany, especially e.g. Italy (Venice, Milan, Rome), Spain, Austria (Vienna) etc. Nevertheless I have doubts if the company could be as well prepared for the crisis as Hilton or IHG, but I do not know. Just a feeling. Maybe they are too small and not powderful enough in terms of finance.

6. Not go for French Accor, at least at this moment, although I considered their A Club concept to be eventually of interest for me. They have lots of low budget hotels and some nice Sofitels, but probably I got "too used" with the "American" way of being served at Hilton hotels etc.

The above mentioned comments and conclusions base on my personal situation, being located in Germany, travelling a lot in Europe by car to the neighbouring countries, travel a lot to Asia for business reasons (China, Thailand, Malaysia), and on my personal experiences and taste. All this may change of course during the next years through different circumstances, and I may change my opinion.

Finally compliments to my American friends in this forum, regardless if you like to stay in Hiltons or Marriotts etc.: Your country has set high but reasonable and effortable standards in world wide lodging industry, so guests can feel safe and well everywhere in the world meanwhile staying in hotels. Thank you all who have been working ro reach this target in the past decades and those who are still working to keep the targets. It is not easy for those who stay even more time far away from their families than we as guests.

Thank you!

eggyacid

okay, i'm posting this question in both areas.

I'm starting to travel more and more for my job and i currently have about 90K points on Hilton and Gold but nothing on Mariott.

Which one do most of you perfer? I can use all my 90K points next month on a vacation and start fresh on Mariott.

which one gets points quicker? how about redemption? How many points on Mariott for a free night?

should i just keep my HH and continue building it?

keith1569

i personally think u get more points per stay and earn stays quicker wtih hilton. that is my opinion though

pinniped

I rambled on a bit on the other thread about MR vs. HH, but here I'll ask this: what is your proposed 90k use for HH points? The reason I ask is that in the current market, there are so many good hotel deals abound that you might find it worthwhile to hold your 90k for a while...

Even if you choose Marriott, there's no reason to spend your 90k unless you have a good value use for it. I accrue points in all three of the big hotel programs even though I do nearly all of my business stays at Marriott.

mnredfox

I prefer HH. I do like Marriot properties/rooms, but their CS was pretty arrogant to me the few times I called. Plus, HH has the double dipping which is nice, I don't like that with Marriot it's either miles or points.

Yes, keep the HH and continue building. That's what I do until I reach 28 stays and then switch to PC properties (a reason why the RT should come back - I'd keep staying at HH properties).

terockwo

It is a fact that you earn more points with Hilton. However each individual point is less valuable. Their programs are just set at different ratios. For example with no status with either program, you would earn 10 Points per $1 at all Marriott Brands (excluding Residence Inn & TownPlace Suites where its only 5 points per $1) or with Hilton you could earn 10 HHonors Points + 5 HHonors Points for a total of 15 HH Points per $1 spent when you have the "Double Dip" set to HH points + HH points.

So with Hilton you can "earn 50% more points per $ than at Marriott". But like I said above, in my opinion, those points are probably worth less than the same number of Marriott Points...

mdaecher

I prefer Hilton - better properties, better service. But I end of staying a lot at Marriotts and IC brands because of bonus promos. Marriott mid tiers really need re-vamped - faster than they are currently doing. Last few Courtyards stays I felt like I was in a Quality Inn. For redemption purposes, I find IC has more properties of all three.