I just picked up both the Marriott and Hilton (Amex) card. There are actually a 60,000 Hilton and 70,000 Marriott bonus offers going on now. I don't value 60,000 Hilton points very much, but I do value how easy it is to rack up a lot of points with credit card spending as you get 6 points per dollar spent for almost everything (gas, grocery store, drugstore, cable, internet cell). Also no annual fee for the Hilton Amex so I can keep it forever. I like the Mariott because the points are more valuable than Hilton, you get one free night per year which covers the annual fee, and you get 2x points for dining out. I have plenty of different airline miles and AMex MR points so I'm not worried about transfer options. But like you, I hardly have any hotel points right now. My strategy over the next year is to buy everything I can at the Hilton bonus locations, including gift cards from grocery stores for places that I know I'll spend money at like Target, Ebay, Amazon, McDonald's (for the kids, not me), etc. Dining out I'll use the Marriott card. Cheap paid stays will be at Marriott chain hotels when possible. Any leftover expenses will go on cards that earn airline miles/MR points.