Hyatt / Marriott / Hilton have a lot more luxury hotels that can carry the weight of providing benefits for "lifetime" elites.

It is a bit difficult over at IHG where the bulk of hotels are still CS, SS, HIX, HI and the likes in midscale CP, Indigo etc ....

However all "lifetime" is not created equal:
- Marriott : bloated ranks with status & lifetime status / to many clauses per brand
- Hiltom : there is still a gamble with many things subject to availability, yet reports seems to show recognition is better
- Hyatt : seems aspirational and best value out there but there is always the danger it will go poof like Starwood Lifetime Platinum.....or in the worse case erosion ....

I don't think IHG is ready for lifetime yet:
- they are still in transition from loyalty exploitation mindset : "free (standard)room for you" towards "guarenteed elite benefits at all brands"
- it took them an awful long time to get IHG-1rewards across all brands
- we still have to endure tweaking of IHG-1rewards milestone thresholds, the erosion of RA, the devotion to Inner Circle : all depicting IHG as the laggard in loyalty scheme thinking as it juggles profit vs delivery vs prospect vs cost vs owners
- rumors were future US creditcards granting auto-diamond, it'll be difficult to provide benefits to the uncontrolled influx of elites + those earning organic elite status + yearly expanding ranks of lifetime elites
- invitation only RA & Inner Circle are ego flattering but allow IHG to control the amount of pressure put on hotels to deliver elite benefits
- i think IHG would have a seizure contemplating if similiair to Marriott,
(with their bonvoy lifetime gold, lifetime platinum, lifetime titanium)
IHG has to implement competitive levels of
* lifetime IHG-1rewards gold
* lifetime IHG-1rewards platinum
* lifetime IHG-1rewards diamond
* lifetime IC AMB
* lifetime IC RA
* lifetime Kimpton Inner Circle

IHG IT would absolute have a meltdown coping with all this,
think Herse, Pandrosus and Aglaurus opening the box of Erichthonius.....