Both, but probably a slight emphasis on getting to the right status with each program, even if that's not the top-tier status.

If you're doing any meaningful SPG stay activity at all, then you want to be Plat in that program - period. It's really the only "elite" level they have, and it's a very good status in terms of both total rewards and room upgrades.

Marriott is a pretty decent program at Gold level, which you can get with approximately 33 or so actual butt-in-bed nights. (Maybe less if you actually use their credit card for all of your everyday spending, but I wouldn't really recommend that.) Plat adds 2 points per dollar but not much else.

I mostly dropped out of HH when they had their 2009 devaluation, but I can always get back in via the Surpass card and extend Gold status pretty much instantly although with a path to Diamond if I use the CC. I've been HH Gold since 2001 and haven't done more than one or two paid stays per year with them, but my award stays as a Gold have always been pretty decent. No major suites or anything but else a good room and some sort of breakfast option.

Don't really know about Hyatt but from reading the boards here it sounds like you really want to be Diamond there if you're going to do many stays. The confirmable suites seem like an attractive perk...

It sounds like with IHG you really have to buy that paid Ambassador status. I'm the basic Platinum with them basic I earned a bunch of "Crack the Case" points but it doesn't seem that that gets me much... With that program, I'm just happy to have the points - they seem to be a good option in Manhattan where none of the hotels (SPG, HH, MR) treat their elites well to begin with.