Originally Posted by
MDtR-Chicago
HH is the favorite program for most folks in our group but I am slowly converting them away. The impression I had last year is that HH properties try very hard to fulfill the minimum level of recognition, like a checklist. At IHG properties, especially on the lower end, it seems as though the attitude is to genuinely value the revenue and give more recognition, via better upgrades, point bonuses, food vouchers, etc., than required.
But what really clinched it for me was the latest personal trip I made. For 30k points total, I redeemed THREE nights I needed for the trip. Each one of those, I attempted to redeem at Hilton first. Either no availability or 2-3x as many points.
In my experience, I've been just as likely to get a "bad" property in either program. Quite a few of my nights are in fairly rural locations. I've consistently found the Holiday Inn Express sleep and bathing infrastructure to be better than that at Hampton.
I guess that's my commitment to take business elsewhere. In fact, next week HIX will gain 4 room nights that probably would have been Hampton nights.
I would definitely agree - my upgrade rate as an IHG Plat is definitely better than HH Diamond at the lower and mid-level properties.
Moreover - IHG has a much better overall value return. If you use the IHG thread info its easy to meet or exceed a 30% value return as measured in the relative 'hard' currency of their Anyhotel amex gift cards. That's right - for every $1 my company spends at IHG I'm getting back over 30 cents in currency I can use wherever I want to take my family on vacation. Hilton's rather sparse promo level hasn't come close with the one glorious exception of the "night on us" promo this quarter. Next quarter's double points/1 night for 10 promo really pales in comparison to what I see at IHG and other properties.
Lastly - IHG had the spark to offer "Luckiest Loser" in the face of HH's devaluation and that promo is paying off this very week - many of us are 20K PC points richer this week thanks to their forward looking attitude vs. HH's myopic short term bottom line attitude.
The difference is quite demonstrable.