Originally Posted by
eponymous_coward
I can say quite candidly that I've found redemptions this year where Marriott smokes IHG on a points stay (stays in London higher end, Phoenix low end) as well as IHG smoking Marriott (SF low end OR high end, Singapore high end), as ones where the points value is pretty close in overall value (Seoul mid-to-upper market). It really is YMM and depends on the local market conditions as far as I can tell. Makes me happy that I have options in IHG/Hyatt/Hilton/Marriott.
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Indeed! Last year we needed an overnight at BOS for our BOS-HKG, HKG-BOS CX flights both going (departure around 1am) and coming (arrival after 10:30pm). The obvious option(s) are Hilton BOS directly connected to the airport or a Hyatt Regency a shuttle ride away. Even the blogger of View from the Wing reported receiving awful treatment at this Hyatt Regency which also is a lot less convenient to Hilton. Hilton BOS cash rates had never been below $595 + 28%! tax... Point redemption for most room types were a flat 70K. I was glad I just have a bit more than 140K Hilton points in the account that was not used the past several years. A chance to use them and saved me $1523 cold hard cash, for a totally meh but absolutely needed hotel stay on both end of that trip. No "aspirational" but extremely practical. Worked in my book.