Marriott to Hilton: What To Expect
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,047
Bright side: you earn 60-70 total pts/$ if you do it right. (Maybe more on a short stay with a fixed-bonus promotion...)
Downside: you gotta spend 'em *fast*, because the program seems to do a full structural devaluation every 15 minutes.
My first HH redemption ever was 6 nights on the top floor of the Ocean Tower at HWV for 100,000 points.
My most recent redemption, last week, was 95,000 points for 1 night. (Thankfully, a certificate stay...)
Downside: you gotta spend 'em *fast*, because the program seems to do a full structural devaluation every 15 minutes.
My first HH redemption ever was 6 nights on the top floor of the Ocean Tower at HWV for 100,000 points.
My most recent redemption, last week, was 95,000 points for 1 night. (Thankfully, a certificate stay...)
Actual reality is that most decent hotels start at 50/60K per night... And just wait until the 95K cap silently falls away...
#17
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Midwest USA
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 591
I loved the embassy suites breakfast. You had the option for cook to order omlets, pancakes, french toast ect. I guess my question is does any of the brands offer free court to order breakfast like embassy suites does?
On reward stays if you have to pay to park will the waive the parking fee? I am assuming not.
#18
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Chicagoland/ORD
Programs: UA Million Miler (Gold), Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,458
Hilton Garden Inn and Doubletree--at least every DT I've been to, including the one in Savannah's historic district (since you mentioned being in Savannah).
#19
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
I think you'll find that most of the time Hilton's prices are noticeably less than Marriott's. If there's a Hampton and a Courtyard in the same town, the Courtyard will usually be more expensive while the rooms are broadly comparable.
#20
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
The Conrad opening in DC early next year has a lounge - termed the "Sakura Club" purports to offer "complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, snacks and evening cocktails while also providing concierge service, private space for small meetings and a range of business services"
#21
Let us me know how it is. I'm never near City Center, but the photographs have looked great.
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,574
It's been places where the Courtyards are cheaper than everything - including Hamptons and Fairfields. It's often because they aren't very good. (North Dallas has a few of these.) In other places, with newer Courtyards that they're half-pitching as full-service hotels, CY's can be pricey.
Where there's an HGI, I almost always feel like it's the best overall option (for a U.S. suburban stay) - newer hotel, good price, good breakfast, elite benefits. I know CY now *sort of* recognizes Marriott elite status, but I'm still not a big fan of the brand and am not actually 100% sure what you get as an elite on a post-merger stay.
#23
#24
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
#25
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 59
Others answered above.
I'm on my status match challenge. I've had 2 stays so both booked as standard rooms. 1 of which was upgraded to exec room, the other would've been had there been space claimed the front desk.
I do have an upcoming 5 night stay which got upgraded to a suite for the whole duration of the stay. (This alone has made the pursuit worth it.)
Other 5 stays are to be confirmed.
6. Does Diamond really guarantee you upgrades like Platinum Premier Elite/Ambassador gives you with Marriott?
I do have an upcoming 5 night stay which got upgraded to a suite for the whole duration of the stay. (This alone has made the pursuit worth it.)
Other 5 stays are to be confirmed.
#26
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
In terms of choice in the cheaper properties bracket (low-mid range) in Europe and Asia I would say IHG > Hilton > MR/SPG (Accor would be ahead of IHG in Europe but if you include brands like Ibis then you're verging on sado-masochistic territory).
I now ask for 6PM checkout if I want later than 12PM. Yeah, they still might end up knocking me down to 2PM but I've also got 3PM-4PM a few times (Hilton Gdansk gave me 4PM last time). If it turns out I only need till 2pm and they offer me a later checkout then I tell them 'actually, I've changed my mind - 2PM will be OK'. If you ask for 2PM in these situations you might only get 1PM. Take the Donald Trump approach to negotiating!
With Hilton, even more than for other chains, you need to dump the points as fast as you earn them. With the recent sucker punch devaluation that Hilton hit us with, I found that even 24 hours was too long to hold on to points.
I now ask for 6PM checkout if I want later than 12PM. Yeah, they still might end up knocking me down to 2PM but I've also got 3PM-4PM a few times (Hilton Gdansk gave me 4PM last time). If it turns out I only need till 2pm and they offer me a later checkout then I tell them 'actually, I've changed my mind - 2PM will be OK'. If you ask for 2PM in these situations you might only get 1PM. Take the Donald Trump approach to negotiating!
With Hilton, even more than for other chains, you need to dump the points as fast as you earn them. With the recent sucker punch devaluation that Hilton hit us with, I found that even 24 hours was too long to hold on to points.
#27
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,567
Ibis budget on the other hand....I did that once and never again
Although, there is a hotel in Melbourne where the toilet is literally in the shower in their smaller rooms. So that is a step up from an Ibis Budget I guess
#28
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: I'm From Here
Programs: AC*SE & MM/*Wood Gold/HHonors Diamond/Marriott Silver/AirMiles Gold
Posts: 4,567
Rate was only $239 per night. For a week, I was quoted in the neighbourhood of 400,000 points $0.005c per point, which is just insane. If the rate is low, points redemption should follow.
Instead, i am going to use some of my Amex points. If I put the whole thing on Amex MR points, it cuts my points usage in half. Obviously there are different earn/burn. But 400,000 points is insane.
#29
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
One more thing I should have mentioned - Hilton uses funky dynamic pricing for points redemptions whereas Marriott has fixed price categories (now with extra tiers for peak and off-peak but still fixed).
Once you've made your points booking with Marriott you can sit back and relax - the only thing that could alter the rate is a category change, and a category downgrade that would make you cancel and rebook isn't something that happens very often. But with Hilton the rates are all over the place, depending on dates/availability, and that means you have to alter your approach.
(1) Use the flexible dates option and play around with your date selections to find the optimal redemption (i.e. alter dates and length of stay to see what happens).
(2) Once you've decided on a redemption and booked it, monitor like a hawk, especially in the weeks leading up to your stay. Places that haven't sold many beds may drop the rates handily so you can cancel and rebook (technically, rebook and cancel, to be on the safe side). TBH, you should probably do this on any program in case cash rates change enough for you to make it worth replacing the points booking with a cash one.
Once you've made your points booking with Marriott you can sit back and relax - the only thing that could alter the rate is a category change, and a category downgrade that would make you cancel and rebook isn't something that happens very often. But with Hilton the rates are all over the place, depending on dates/availability, and that means you have to alter your approach.
(1) Use the flexible dates option and play around with your date selections to find the optimal redemption (i.e. alter dates and length of stay to see what happens).
(2) Once you've decided on a redemption and booked it, monitor like a hawk, especially in the weeks leading up to your stay. Places that haven't sold many beds may drop the rates handily so you can cancel and rebook (technically, rebook and cancel, to be on the safe side). TBH, you should probably do this on any program in case cash rates change enough for you to make it worth replacing the points booking with a cash one.
#30
Join Date: May 2010
Location: FSD
Programs: BAEC, Delta SkyPesos, VS FC, SQ KF, AA, HHonors
Posts: 1,884
2. I read through the terms and conditions- What time is late checkout?
3. What hotel brands normally have executive lounges/concierge lounges?
4. Complimentary breakfast-What brands offer this in their actual restaurant?
5. Embassy Suites and Homewood Suites: Gives you free drinks during reception. Any other brands per take in this?
6. Does Diamond really guarantee you upgrades like Platinum Premier Elite/Ambassador gives you with Marriott?
7. Marriott and IHG now give you a gift for reaching their highest levels. Does Hilton do this?