I tend to try to get my qualification done early so I can relax later in the year. For instance, last year around mid yr I had a four night stay in the SNA area. I stayed at four different Hilton properties in the area - The Hilton airport, a Doubletree, a Garden Inn, and another Hilton. A real pain, but I got four stay credits for it. So everytime I have more than one night up until around June, I'll go to the trouble to stay at different hotels.. the exception being conventions where that just doesn't work.