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Originally Posted by divemistressofthedark
(Post 13916422)
^
And, unlike Intercontinental, you can earn for the higher properties (W-A, properties in expensive cities with a bad USD exchange rate like London) through stays in Podunk. |
Originally Posted by kanerf
(Post 13916487)
Huh? You can earn points at HIExpress and other PC properties for a stay at an IC.
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I'd really hang onto the AA miles if you use this promo. I'd value 27.5k (what you will get for doing 5 stays) at $550. Worth a lot more than 55000 Hilton points (plus $30 to exchange).
They Hyatt Places are okay, I'd rate them between a Hampton and a HGI. However, since I can pay $50 all in for a night, and get a free night every two, plus these AA miles, it's a no brainer. I traded 75k AA to 150k Hilton a couple of years ago, and really wish I could do a reverse trade. With the Hilton devaluation, I'd much rather have the AA miles. |
Whatchutalkingaboutwillis?
Originally Posted by Beckles
(Post 13916648)
For me the problem is not earning points but rather that the your elite status earned at anything but IC does not count at IC. One of the great benefits of the other hotel programs is that I earn my elite status mostly at mid-tier properties and then I get the benefits at top-tier properties when I'm on vacation.
If you're an RA, you can have 50 stays to earn it at HIX, and have three different IC stays (some of which can even be an award) and you'll have that status to use at IC. You certainly don't need all stays at an IC for the status to count. Also, many hotels will give you upgrades based on your Ambassador/RA status. I regularly get suites at Crowne Plaza and a 1 level upgrade at Holiday Inn locations internationally. Domestically, you might not get much. |
Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero
(Post 13916721)
Huh? Of course your status from stays at other PC hotels counts towards ICs.
If you're an RA, you can have 50 stays to earn it at HIX, and have three different IC stays (some of which can even be an award) and you'll have that status to use at IC. You certainly don't need all stays at an IC for the status to count. Also, many hotels will give you upgrades based on your Ambassador/RA status. I regularly get suites at Crowne Plaza and a 1 level upgrade at Holiday Inn locations internationally. Domestically, you might not get much. It's not as bad as I was thinking, but still a fairly steep requirement compared to other chains if you get a lot of one night stays (which I do, even without resorting to hotel-hopping for the sake of generating stays). |
Originally Posted by Beckles
(Post 13918048)
Hopefully you'll understand if I misunderstood the rules since they're not published, I just went back and boned up and see what you're saying, the consensus is that you would receive RA with 50 nights at any IHG hotel as long as those nights include stays at at least 3 IC chain hotels.
It's not as bad as I was thinking, but still a fairly steep requirement compared to other chains if you get a lot of one night stays (which I do, even without resorting to hotel-hopping for the sake of generating stays). There is quite a lot of evidence that free stays and even BOGO usage that counts towards your RA status too. And it's not stays that are counted, but total nights. No need to switch every night, unless you just want to maximize points. As someone who was a Hilton Diamond for 4 years or so, I find that Hyatt and PC are much more rewarding than Hilton ever was. I had 20 nights at PC properties in April. With all the promotions going on, I earned almost 200k in points. That's enough for 20 free nights at lower end properties, or 5 nights at top end places. Or 40 free nights at Pointbreak hotels. I use at least 20 free nights a year at PC properties. Often at high end properties. Including suites, and free minibars, even on award stays. If you stayed at Hyatt properties and switched every night, you'd get 10 free nights, plus enough points for 2-5 nights depending on bonus miles. Hilton just doesn't measure up. |
Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero
(Post 13916692)
I'd really hang onto the AA miles if you use this promo. I'd value 27.5k (what you will get for doing 5 stays) at $550. Worth a lot more than 55000 Hilton points (plus $30 to exchange).
They Hyatt Places are okay, I'd rate them between a Hampton and a HGI. However, since I can pay $50 all in for a night, and get a free night every two, plus these AA miles, it's a no brainer. I traded 75k AA to 150k Hilton a couple of years ago, and really wish I could do a reverse trade. With the Hilton devaluation, I'd much rather have the AA miles. |
Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero
(Post 13916721)
Huh? Of course your status from stays at other PC hotels counts towards ICs.
If you're an RA, you can have 50 stays to earn it at HIX, and have three different IC stays (some of which can even be an award) and you'll have that status to use at IC. You certainly don't need all stays at an IC for the status to count. Being bestowed RA status is a hell of a lot of $/stays to get, I fully agree with beckles that it is not worth it (I think that is what she was trying to state) as I too do most of my stays at low/mid tier then redeem for high end, which IHG doesn't have a lot of.
Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero
(Post 13918205)
Well you can pay $150 and get Ambassador, and get a BOGO and 5k point cert. This will get you a one level upgrade plus some amenities and other spiffs.
The fact that the BOGO now has to be booked through a special URL that IHG only allows best flex to be booked & controled capacity to me means that ambassador has just lost any appeal to me.
Originally Posted by Jaimito Cartero
(Post 13918205)
Hilton just doesn't measure up.
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Originally Posted by divemistressofthedark
(Post 13916422)
And, unlike Intercontinental, you can earn for the higher properties (W-A, properties in expensive cities with a bad USD exchange rate like London) through stays in Podunk.
Originally Posted by divemistressofthedark
(Post 13916422)
Also, I get a lot of points through CC spend - as a Gold Hilton member with MyWay set to Points & Points, and a Surpass cardholder, I earn a mindboggling 26:1 on spend at Hilton properties (and this is before promos, like the 500 points for booking online, 2500 for 1st 8 stays with Surpass, Q2 promo stay-4-get-one-free, etc.) With SPG, the point spread I earn from spend is going to top out at 2:1 - period, amen. There are no point multipliers on gas/grocery and no online spending mall, both of which Hilton has.
And we all know 5 SPG pts are worth much more than 10 HH pts. |
Originally Posted by Moy
(Post 13924765)
With HH, the point spread I earn from spend is going to top out at 10:1 - period, amen. (since I also like my Points & Miles)
As a Diamond spending at Hilton on the Surpass card, with some of the promos going, I'm getting a ton of Hilton points and free nights besides. |
It's a Free Night after two "Stays"--NOT two Nights
You get one free night for every two paid nights.
FYI--It's STAYS that count not NIGHTS in this Hyatt promo. |
Thats a good idea...to top of a HH account if you need to
Convert your AAdvantage miles into HHonors points in increments of 5,000 miles. A minimum conversion amount of 5,000 miles is required for each transaction. AAdvantage Miles For HHonors Points 5,000 → 10,000 |
Originally Posted by Beckles
(Post 13916025)
If bar service is the most important criteria for you, then I understand your choice.
While I have stayed at quite a few HP's simply because they are affiliated with Hyatt Gold Passport, I really dislike them for many reasons: 1) Terrible breakfast (even if you buy the stuff they sell); 2) Bad bathrooms (even in new build properties); 3) Inability to watch tv from desk in most HP rooms (Some new build properties have a handful of rooms you can turn and see the TV from the desk. The HP concept photos I saw when they were first announced showed a small (13" or so) LCD tv on the desk to address this, so they obviously recognized it was an issue, but this part of the concept did not become reality in any of the HP's I've ever been in.); 4) General incompetence of HP staff in crediting miles and/or Diamond amenities to Gold Passport account properly; 5) Crappy HVAC systems in many of the properties I've stayed at (HGI's have wall mounted thermostats, HP's have them on the unit and they don't seem to work worth a crap in many of the HP's I've been in); 6) Nice 42" HD TV that more often than not has a terrible picture; 7) Lotion is not provided as a bathroom amenity (even Hampton Inn provides this on the Hilton side); and 8) To get down to brass tacks, the small closet door most properties have is inconvenient. HP is a good concept but poorly implemented in my opinion. While HP is aimed at the same market as HGI, they are miles apart in my opinion. |
So I've already made Diamond again this year, and got my four stays in for the current promo to get my free night cert.
What is a guy to do? Try a different chain that has a better promo, that's what! I've been wanting to try Hyatt Place for a while, they just are not in a lot of the cities I visit. Had the opportunity this week when in Vegas. Here are my opinions on it: - Agree as others mentioned that they are in between a HGI and Hampton. - Like the TV and Sofa area. - Don't like the bed as much as HGI or even Hampton - Breakfast pretty much sucks. Didn't try the cooked to order options, but I have had better breakfasts at Hamptons. HGI's are no comparison. Wanted to be excited about the Seattle's Best coffee on offer (because HH's coffee is nothing great), but it was so watered down it sucked too. - Like the self checkin kiosks Gotta say that Hilton does a better job on this class of hotel - and there are a lot more of them. Seems like Hyatt prices Place higher than HGI's and Hamptons in the same markets as well. Thought it would have been a bit nicer for the price and it wasn't. However, I'm still going to give them some business for the remainder of their quarterly promo because it's better than Hilton's current offering. I love SPG, but they just don't have the properties in the places I need them these days, and Four Points generally are overpriced for what you get as well. |
Originally Posted by SNA_Flyer
(Post 13989879)
However, I'm still going to give them some business for the remainder of their quarterly promo because it's better than Hilton's current offering. I love SPG, but they just don't have the properties in the places I need them these days, and Four Points generally are overpriced for what you get as well.
When you figure in the cheap HP nights with Costco certs, AA miles, and free nights, it's a home run. $276 spent, 6 Hyatt Place stays. 3 free Hyatt nights, 28k AA miles. 3000 Hyatt Points. At least a $1000 in total benefits. (You could pump it up to $1500 if you use the free stay at really expensive Hyatts). And this doesn't even factor in what requalifying for Hyatt Diamond does. (4 Suite upgrades, etc) |
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