Originally Posted by
MDtR-Chicago
Updating my post from March. 0 Hilton stays so far this year.
Did a stint through Marriott, on the 5000 Delta miles per stay promo (netting over 50k miles) and earned Platinum on a challenge. Did two nights at a Best Western (stay 2, get 1 free). The rest went to IHG.
Sticking with my commitment to avoid Hilton. I'll be letting Gold status expire. Will actually have 4 nights this month - the combination of double miles and Delta MQMs in September is good enough to get me to visit an HGI. But I suspect that will be it for the year.
Still not "mad" at Hilton but there's just much less value for me. Marriott's promotion was worth a minimum of $50/stay. Best Western was about $30. IHG is typically around that. And all of them treat me fine.
(And I'm even getting good upgrades. The Best Western put me in a double sized jacuzzi room. A Fairfield had one larger room due to the layout of the building and they went as far as to pre-block me a week in advance to make sure I got it. Booked directly into a very nice, big two room penthouse suite at a Holiday Inn on points... etc.)
Good to hear you are finding value in BW's program. I got diamond through a status match and hasn't done much for me other than a couple promos this summer. The one where you got a free night for 2 stays was nice if I ever get the voucher. I also liked the 5K points for buying a $100 gift card and using it and the 5 free southwest credits for buying 5 $100 gift cards but that was it. I only stay at one BW in the US and asked if my chances of getting an upgrade were any better being a diamond now and the clerk told me that as much as I stay there doesn't matter if I am diamond or blue, I would get upgraded as long as they had rooms. Best Western doesn't let you double dip either and their point bonus for dimaonds is only 30% and you don't have the diamond force if a property is sold out.
If I stayed at a BW as a diamond for one night and paid $200 I would get either one-half credit on WN OR 2600 points. If I spend $200 at a hilton with the current promo this quarter I would get 3000 points PLUS one credit on WN or 4000 points and a half credit on WN and if I didn't double dip even more miles and even more poitns if I didn't double dip. Plus the bonus 1,000 points if I chose that for my way. I just see no comparasion between BW and HHonors for their loyalty programs