Originally Posted by
lwildernorva
I tend to focus on Choice for low-end stays, especially in small towns, and on SPG for higher-end stays, but I've learned in the past year to consider options with all types of chains, especially when CC made it so easy to pile up some points through stays and Hilton, through Citi, started making it easy to pile up their points without even staying.
Need to have points in all major chains - IHG, SPG, Marriott, HHonor.
IHG's Best Price Guarantee now has no limit in that you can have as many free nights as you can successfully claim, as long as they are not consecutive nights in the same property - as a result of a UK court ruling to make it live up to its advertisement. (the program has changed N times since introduction and now it seems back to the original advertised state).
Marriott's Look No Further program has several dedicated thread in Marriott forum. Marriott would give 25% discount on the lower competitor rate if it approves your claim. And the LNF stay earns stay credit as well as points. Important when you try to earn / keep status. Marriott Gold / Plat Challenges are worth to pursuit - even Gold is guaranteed lounge access and free internet. Right now it is a great time to sign up for that if one has stays coming up and Marriott properties would work - as the Fall Megabonus promotion is giving 1 Cat 4 free night cert for every 2 stays, up to 3 certs earned for stays between Sept 15 and Jan 15. Gold Challenge is 6 paid Stays. So you can earn 3 free nights + Gold status thru Feb 2014 if you do this together.