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I'm assuming you only had the first level of status at Starwood (Gold)? It is a minimal level; it doesn't get you breakfast or lounge access. It used to get you internet (as one of a choice of check-in options), but that's now (very recently) become free for all SPG members as long as they book through their SPG account! (Though from a points earning perspective, it earns you 50% more points than no status.)

IHG status isn't much better, but IHG has more hotels, more of a variety of hotels, and more modestly-priced hotels (than SPG) and so perhaps you like it better because you like their hotels better or the rates at their hotels better. Or perhaps you get that status through the Chase IHG credit card, and you like the features of the credit card better. But even the top IHG status (Platinum) doesn't give you free breakfast (at brands that don't give breakfast to everyone).

Hilton HHonors, by contrast, gives you free breakfast (at all brands) with Gold status (second level up), which you can get with a $75/year credit card (Amex Hilton Surpass) or with a $95/year credit card (Citi Hilton Reserve).

Marriott gives lounge access / free breakfast (at most brands) but only to the second level up, which requires 35 more nights a year even after getting the credit card. So unless you stay quite a few nights a year in hotels, Marriott status may be too hard to achieve.

Each hotel program has multiple levels of status, so it's not very useful to just say "I had status", without specifying which status level you had.