factory81

After this week, I will be reaping the big benefits of 4x SPG per dollar, and even for a brief moment - the more for you promotion. Unfortunately, the Your24 is just not a guarantee and is only so useful. I am rethinking where I stand with Hyatt and Marriott.

Especially if a Hyatt Diamond challenge can be completed with 12 nights stay, I could do that so easily, and earn quite a payoff for it. (it looks like). Marriott has been a brand that I love to hate, with 9 categories of hotels. But at the same time, the footprint of their hotel chain, and the number of brands (like 18?!) is just amazing to be honest. And looking at their properties - it never seems like a bad idea to try...to have a lot of Marriott points. Even if I just have around 90,000 now.

I have another 6 solid weeks of travel to book, and here is where I stand for my 2014 hotel stays;
SPG - 77 nights
IHG - 40 nights
Marriott - 28 nights
Hyatt - 4 nights (although they didn't count for stays/points because of a promo rate)
Best Western - 2 nights

If point totals have any sway in where you would go, here is where I stand;

SPG - 130k
Marriott - 90k
IHG - 110k


I do have a lot of UR points, and MR points that can convert to Hyatt if I am not mistaken, so I have something like 200k between the two of them...


My 6wk x 5nt = 30nts @ 109 + taxes/nt at a Westin I would be looking at staying at (as a Plat 75). Or I can start to look at Marriott/Hyatt alternatives...

fireworksboy

holding a Hyatt diamond card as well as spg plat has been a very good strategy for me.

I put Marriott and Hilton in the same hand, a notch below for so many reasons that have been rehashed plenty of times.

Nothing wrong with ihg but, for me, spg and Hyatt make a good front line and good balance between solid business locations and aspirational vacation spots for top tier elites.

Just my two cents.

factory81

Hyatt/SPG do not offer enough properties to stay at. I have 2 weeks coming up where I am (forced by budget, ridiculous airfare pricing) staying at IHG properties because there are no Marriott/Hyatt/SPG properties that could come within budget. Plus I have "teaser" pricing for Springhill Suites, Hyatt Place or House; where it might be $139 or $149...amex pre-pay rate with no point earning.

I know Hyatt and SPG can cover pretty much 98% of my leisure travel, but my business travel is another world. And then I haven't actually sat and looked...at all 18 brands of Marriott, but I know it seems where ever I want to go, they unfortunately have an offering that isn't bad. It just isn't a hotel point I enjoy earning.

MSPeconomist

The OP is getting a good rate on the Westin. If OP likes this hotel and it works well for the business reason for this travel, there would bw a strong reason to stick with it, although it sounds like OP hasn't looked at the alternatives to this Westin. I'd clearly take a Westin with lounge access (in this case? OP didn't specify) over a HP or SHS at a higher rate, even without considering points and elite status qualification.

Thirty nights would get OP an Ambassador with SPG or Gold with Marriott.

Before doing a status challenge or match, look carefully at the timing rules and think about the "once in a lifetime" rules that some chains have.