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Old Sep 18, 2025 | 12:38 am
  #13  
HadesNL
20 Nights
40 Countries Visited
All eyes on you!
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: AMS+IAH
Programs: LH: Lifetime SEN *G|| IHG: Dia+RA InnerC
Posts: 5,541
Why am i not jumping to:

Hyatt
Globalist must have annually :
or 60 N ( impossible to reach as my N are divided by tent, boat, family and mistresses / sampling local crumpet)
or 100.000 base points (5 base points per $1 = spend $20.000)
- I cannot use US creditcard shortcut to earn qualifying nights 2N per $5000 https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/e...edit-card.html
- i can piggyback on my twinbrother's Lifetime Globalist WOH GOH but is it sustainable?
Any recent issues with World of Hyatt?
- footprint is abysmal for my regular destinations

Hilton
Except breakfast, there is nothing guaranteed, this uncertainty scares my S/O who embraces certainty, dependency and rigid scheduling
- as no access to US Hilton Aspire creditcard - diamond status, it's impossible to invest &rise up in elite rank and have any certainty to get those benefits

Marriott
Although slightly better that some benefits are guaranteed, its way to complicated for a simple soul like me.
I dare anyone to read below Marriott T&C for just the elite section,
if you can understand this,
stop watching TV,
quit your job and become an astronaut or physicist!
Spoiler
 
- as no access to US Bonvoy Brilliant creditcard - platinum status, it's possible to invest &rise up in elite rank but still there are oversatured bloated elite ranks, all competing for the same benefits
- the book of Mormon doesn't bother me, but no thank you to Pepsi&Co products!

Accor
has a good range in hotels of all pricing but quality yoyos too much, at least IHG purged some old junk or is sprucing them up
- no problems with the fixed redemption pricing tied to €
- benefits are bit weaker (free brekkie only on weekends! ) https://all.accor.com/loyalty-progra...index.en.shtml
- my major pet peeve with Accor is the exclusions list,
https://all.accor.com/a/en/loyalty-p...exception.html
https://www.accorplus.com/stay-benefits-exceptions/
https://all.accor.com/a/en/informati...exception.html
- and with the stacking of all these subscriptions, there are a lot of shortcuts but headaches in keeping up with recurring fees & timings
https://loyaltylobby.com/2024/09/13/...all-signature/
https://www.australianfrequentflyer....nights.118055/
https://www.headforpoints.com/2025/0...iscount-cards/
https://loyaltylobby.com/2025/08/06/...oogle_vignette

Virtuoso
I don't want to call, email, back and forth to book something that i can do myself right away.
Besides with all the money saved that were going towards commissions, i can barter with hotel reservations directly to improve my stays.
But what about specialist assistance in tour/travel arrangements in the country/city you are visiting, that supposedly only Virtuoso can do?
Good hotels have concierges of the "golden keys" distinction that can do anything, yes ANYTHING, as empircal evidence has shown that they even satisfy the harem, which can be a tough crowd to please.....
https://medium.com/@gordyandpaula/ab...r-156217b5e3a4
https://www.hotelconcierge.nl
https://www.lesclefsdor.org/about/


AMEX Fine hotels and resorts
As regulars know here, i'm denied AMEX at each application, reason personal income is irregular and thus volatile liability

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Hope this gives you an insight why my butt is comfy parked as furniture at IHG ​​​​​​​
HadesNL is offline