No hotels that I stay at are part of programs, I drive there, and not even restaurants participate. You have to go to actually go - not for the miles.
I made 18.000 Bmi (Star Alliance) miles this summer, and also got Gold on Hilton, by changing hotel from
Hilton Las Vegas to
Hilton Grand Vacations Suites - Las Vegas (Convention Center) back and forth every night. Its
very close between them (they even share the same parking garage).