username

I never trusted the HH scheme so I focused my energy on Marriott/SPG. My plan is to save the MR/SPG points for travel packages as well as for later when I don't travel for work anymore and still have my status.

HH has recently gone to a dynamic model but it is not all bad. Off-season and weekends in business centers (e.g. SJC) price out cheaper. Of course, they might change the redemption value big time next year. It is my "spending change" while I still have my Diamond status and I certainly don't want to pile up as many points as MR/SPG.

On the other hand, who knows where MR/SPG is going. Diversification applies to FFPs also.

Orange County Commuter

My theory is the only promo that's going to be met with "we love this" will be one that basically says "free nights at all hotels just because of who you are" LOL!

Jon Maiman

Too funny but very true! Everyone still wants the nonexistent free lunch.

--Jon

pinniped

This. 2017 is a big year of uncertainty. HH just went through a stinging devaluation, so now they're showering us with triple points, but at some point it just gets so hard to keep track of that I'm never sure what I'm really getting with Hilton. I'm earning 50+ points per dollar on a lot of stays (counting app bonuses, Visa bonuses, various city bonuses, the credit card, and their universal bonuses), but is that good? Will the points be worth even a half-cent each in 2018? Who knows.

And then there's the MR-SPG uncertainty. Will the Travel Packages survive in their current form in 2018? That's the benchmark upon which I value Marriott points and, by extension, Starpoints.

Hyatt just went through a devaluation that I haven't even been bothered to learn the details about beyond the angry FT threads. I have 60k HY points I should probably get around to spending.

It's pretty clear that all of the hotel companies want to reduce the emphasis on these programs. Aside from devaluing elite status across the board, they seem to be marketing their new brands and concepts more than the programs. I like *some* of the new concepts, so I guess that part isn't all bad.

alc

that is not me. Who I am is that I want the room to be free and still get points as if it is the rack rate... or the promo could get stay 1 night for free + get a CAT 1 - 9 / Tier 1 - 5 free night cert at the same time

I am looking for the next promo as well.

rickc

Just spoke to cust service, Summer Mega Bonus. Registration begins May 15, For Stays from May 27 - Sept.
Mega Bonus is 2000 bonus points per stay after 1st stay. No max on what can be earned.
So now I need to know what is considered a stay. ie.. check in and out each day at same hotel, is that considered multiple stays.

paulsalem

Nope. Have to change hotels to trigger a new stay. Check in-our all you like and it's one stay.

sdsearch

No. They figured out many years ago that people would try this, and made it disqualifying.

In all hotel programs these days, a "stay" is any number (1+) of consecutive nights at the same hotel, no matter how many times you check in / check out.

So the only way to make each night count as a separate stay (as a solo traveler*) is to "hotel hop", ie, switch hotels every night (either back and forth or in some other pattern).

The whole reason that hotels devise promos (especially during the summer season, when lots of people go on vacation) do be "stay" based is exactly because they know most people won't like to "hotel hop" (in fact, many people don't even think of it) and will thus give up a lot of points. The hotel program wants to make the promo sound appealing "at first glance", but the fewer points they have to give away, the better for them.

* Multiple travelers traveling together might be able to alternate who pays for the room on alternate nights, but might need to totally hide that from the front desk (and thus clear out of one of one room in the morning and get a totally different room later in the day) to make it work, especially if they share last names, use the same cards, etc. Hotels have a habit of "merging your reservations" thinking it makes it simpler for everyone. It can be hard to talk them out of it once they realize the reservations have something to do with each other, which is why you may need to "hide" it from them as best you can by never appearing together at the front desk and never asking about each other's room.


Meanwhile, someone else already posted this same sort of info in post 19 above. But it's still unclear whether this same exact promo applies to everyone, or whether there will be several variations.

username

One thing I have always liked about Marriott is that they seem to disqualify hotel hopping - elites are qualified based on nights only. It is more environmental friendly. This promo, if true, is crazy and please consider the implications on the environment when doing this.

bigshooter

What is the environmental impact of hotel hopping? Housekeeping will still clean the room (unless you decline it) whether you are still staying there or have left.

Carpboy823

The level of housekeeping done between guests is greater than during the stay. For example, changing linens after the 1-night stay has checked out instead of every 3 days for someone staying longer. I believe all towels may be replaced between guests as well, whereas they'll just replace ones that are unused/on the floor if you have a multi-night stay.

Marko123

Don't most people decline daily service nowadays? Purely anecdotal I know, but I see more and more DND signs on doors these days.

I wish they did it by night though. Why should someone who stays 1 night get the same bonus as someone who stays for a week?

Orange County Commuter

Honestly, the small number of you doing the hotel hopping is not that big of a deal. I have never found this worth the hassle for example!

bergamini

I'll hotel hop if I need "Stays" which is more of a Hilton concept than Marriott. With that said, there are a SpringHill Suites and TownePlace right next to each other at my current client. I never fully unpack so I could easily hop between the two to get an extra 6K per week. Unfortunately the lower earnings rate at TownePlace would negate a good chunk of that. If it was an RI or Courtyard next to the SpringHill, I'd consider it. I'd also be more likely to do it if they had digital keys like Hilton so I wouldn't have to deal with checking in/out and if there receipts were more reliably delivered electronically because I always get it right away with Hilton which is important because that uploads quite easily into Certify versus the wait you have with Marriott or taking a picture, uploading, etc. All that comes into play if you are looking at 4 hotel stays in a week.

FlyerTom111

Not a bad promo if you are willing to change hotels every night (I have no problem doing that).

I will likely do Hilton up until May 27 and switch.