FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,051
IHG is not a bad place to be if you don't care about elite benefits such as breakfast or lounge access.
The earn/burn ratio at each hotel chain is heavily dependent on the types of hotels you want to spend your points at. If you want short vacations at serious high-end resorts (that you would never pay cash for but still "value" highly), then Marriott is probably the chain for you. It also has a lifetime Platinum that is relatively achievable at 10 Platinum years and 600 nights. But at the mid to lower end, it can be a bit harder to find value out of Marriott points.
Hyatt is also a possibility. Globalist is the best elite status available, and the earn/burn ratio with Hyatt is excellent IMO. Lifetime Globalist is much harder to achieve as it requires $200k of spend on room rates, but if your employer has you staying in expensive cities like NY, SF, etc. then you will get there in no time, without having to spend $200k out of your own pocket like some of us...
Hilton is the weakest on earn/burn, but you can do OK if you sign up for the credit cards and remain Diamond, etc. Hilton benefits are underwhelming but generally delivered (breakfast, lounge access, etc.)