I just finished my 25 stays for the year to retain my SPG Plat. (about 2 weeks ago). After that I ended up in Columbia , SC for Thxgvg , where there are no SPG properties (anymore) and my Mom chose The Hampton Inn and I decided that I might give Hilton a try for the rest of my stays for the year, as the hotel was very nice. I also really appreciated the free Bfast and internet.
This post really helped get a sense of the programs and most importantly , that Hilton has a large number of hotels in various kinds of areas.
Thanks again for the review.

BTW , The Hampton Inn in Columbia , SC is rated the #1 hotel by TripAdvisor.com and they lived up to my expectations.