One valuable piece of advice I have gotten out of this thread is to consider Hyatt. There seems to be a strong opinion that Hyatt is doing some great things for its most loyal customers. Add the fact they have no credit card, which presumably means they are not worried about too many points chasing too many rooms.

In 1999-2000 I practically lived in the Grand Hyatt NYC while on a client assignment. I loved the way I was treated by the hotel staff, the strong customer service from Gold Passport, and recognition I got as a Diamond throughout the system (including at properties abroad). Following that NYC assignment, however, I found the number of Hyatt properties lacking as I fulfilled other client assignments in various other locations.

Today, however, Hyatt has a far greater presence, including Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites. I really liked the Hyatt Summerfield Suites in Waltham, MA where I spent a week with my family of 5 in a two bedroom suite while my son was visting colleges. And Park Hyatts in general are vastly superior to Conrads and Waldorf Astoria properties. Add FFNs, and Hyatt looks like a fantastic alternative to Hilton.....