Originally Posted by
darthbimmer
The hotel loyalty boards here on FT are continually full of discussion about the merits of each program for earning points, redeeming nights, elite benefits, and customer service. But I think the overriding factor for most of us is much less sexy. Usually it comes down to which brand has good properties in the places we travel.
If you polled me at various times over the past 5 years which program I considered my #1 choice for stays, you'd have seen me shift from SPG to HH to MR back to HH and back to MR. I could have cited issues with the elite program in each case, but the most fundamental reason for change was that one brand didn't have convenient, well-priced properties in the cities I needed to visit, and another brand did. Right now the MR program isn't the most attractive around, but I'm sticking with it because Marriott has good properties where I currently need them.
Agreed. I'd love to give SPG or Hyatt a shot if they had enough properties where I travel...but they don't. I'm almost 100% loyal to Marriott but the last year the thought has crossed my mind more than once to give another brand a shot. The problem is brand offerings in the places I travel... I have been enjoying some HGIs in a couple of the spots I used to stay at Courtyards but besides those few and far between stays, I'm almost entirely in FS Marriots and Rens. The Ren I stay at I am upgraded to a very nice suite 80-90% of the time but that is just because of how often I stay and the staff taking care of me. Another reason I stick with Marriott.