Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Hotels and Places to Stay > Marriott | Marriott Bonvoy
Reload this Page >

Marriott vs Hilton (and other hotel program comparisons)

Marriott vs Hilton (and other hotel program comparisons)

Old Jan 10, 2019, 2:49 am
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 370
Marriott vs Hilton (and other hotel program comparisons)

hello everyone
before i start i don't know if this the right place for me to post such a question so apologies in advance (so if you wanna move it feel free)
the new year has started and i still haven't made up my mind which hotel program to choose its Marriott vs Hilton
now i know that there are many differences cons and pros at both ends etc. but to keep it real simple i just wanted to ask as a newbie which program is more straight forward and better value for money to join
i stay in hotels anywhere between 30 to 50 nights per year
many thanks
Palty is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 6:10 am
  #2  
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; IHG Plat; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 11,721
I'm sure other's can chime in with more recent experience and thoughts on comparing the two programs as they are today, the https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...n-diamond.html thread is a discussion around the higher elite levels of each program. It may have some of the type of information you are looking for.
bhrubin likes this.
hhoope01 is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 7:04 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,323
Hilton points tend to be fairly useless for any even remotely desirable hotels, and everyone in the USA has gold or diamond status from their CC. Right now, Hyatt is the only decent program left since SPG was swallowed up, but since that is not one of your options, I say Marriott wins hands down. They have been devaluing their points quite a bit, but not nearly as bad as Hilton (where standard rooms in 4* hotels can easily go for over 250k/night). Obviously, your location and the type of hotels you stay in is very important (urban or suburban; USA vs EU vs Asia, etc). If your travel is mostly in the USA, then Hilton status is completely worthless for anything above the absolute minimum that is guaranteed. Right now, I am sitting on 300k Hilton points and artificial Gold status, yet I cannot find a single hotel in any of my travels (US/EU/Asia) that I want to stay at.

If you are in the USA, your best bet is to focus primarily on Marriott. You can get the $95 AF Hilton card, which grants Gold Status for free breakfast and upgrades on the occasion that a Marriott is not available or convenient.
iflyjetz, bosman, KRSW and 3 others like this.

Last edited by downinit; Jan 10, 2019 at 7:15 am
downinit is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 7:23 am
  #4  
Hilton Contributor BadgeHyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,686
Advantage Marriott:
- Better, more interesting hotels (obviously depending on what you're looking for)
- Far better programme
- More reliable earn/ burn

Marriott issues to be aware of:
- There are significant issues with the SPG merger and the IT systems are currently in meltdown
- With 30-50 nights you won't get at the top of the Marriott elite programme, limiting your freebies and upgrades

Advantage Hilton
- You can get top tier status with a credit card, assuming you're a US resident (this devalues the top tier, but for you it's better than not getting it)
- Programme is currently stable and there are some good value redemption opportunities out there

If I were you I'd look closely at the hotels. For me, Hilton simply doesn't have enough interesting hotels and so doesn't win over Marriott. If Hilton hotels work for you, then if you can get Diamond status you might find yourself better off with Hilton.
flyguy6 likes this.
EuropeanPete is online now  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 7:42 am
  #5  
cln
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Europe/SEA
Programs: TK E+, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Dusit Gold
Posts: 1,714
I am close to Lt plat with marriott. Still i am switching over to Hilton for now. Stays are posting immediately, the current promo is great for my current travel pattern. Out of my 8 last stays with marriott only 2 have posted... And only one of those 2 posted correct. I am sick of submitting claims and following up. Waste of time. Maybe Bonvoy will bring positive changes....
Still have to book around 30 nights for q1 and most of them not going to marriott.... ( had planned to stay only in marriott to secure lifetime plat fast... )
So instead of lifetime plat ill be hilton diamond once again...
cln is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 8:12 am
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 370
thanks everyone for your responses
i actually live in London and not in the US,
hotels stays are actually everywhere from London to Europe the USA and Asia
however much articles I've read about this topic still Marriott always come out (for me) the better option so i think i will stick with them for now.
thanks guys
Palty is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 8:14 am
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 370
Originally Posted by cln
I am close to Lt plat with marriott. Still i am switching over to Hilton for now. Stays are posting immediately, the current promo is great for my current travel pattern. Out of my 8 last stays with marriott only 2 have posted... And only one of those 2 posted correct. I am sick of submitting claims and following up. Waste of time. Maybe Bonvoy will bring positive changes....
Still have to book around 30 nights for q1 and most of them not going to marriott.... ( had planned to stay only in marriott to secure lifetime plat fast... )
So instead of lifetime plat ill be hilton diamond once again...
what do you mean by not all nights get posted why not ? and if it doesn't get posted to your Marriott account then to where then does it get posted ?
Palty is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 8:39 am
  #8  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: KATL
Programs: DL, WN, AA, Marriott, Hertz, National, Chic-fil-A
Posts: 234
I have just made lifetime Plat with Marriott and am currently Plat Premier. I usually stay in Fairfield, Springhill, or Courtyard properties so most of the elite benefits except for the point bonus are not applying to my stays.

I do get to reap the rewards of the status when I use my points to stay in some really nice properties on vacations. Mrs. GlobeTrttr and I have been all over Europe, U.S. and Carib and I must say I've been treated well. The SPG merger has opened up a whole new set of brands which I look forward to trying.
GlobeTrttr83 is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 8:42 am
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL PM, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, AA, WP
Posts: 840
Originally Posted by Palty
what do you mean by not all nights get posted why not ? and if it doesn't get posted to your Marriott account then to where then does it get posted ?
Since the Marriott/Starwood merger last August, a lot of things have been out of whack, to say the least. Many stays, and meetings, have not posted correctly. Bonuses have not posted correctly, and so on.

But the main factor is your travel patterns and where you are staying, and which chain serves you better. For example, I prefer Marriott these days, yet there are many smaller cities and towns here in the U.S. where Hilton Garden Inns are more convenient and predictable. In addition to your travel, where do you plan to use your points? If you have specific places to visit, like family, or aspirational family trips, which chain covers those places?

Finally, it makes sense for you to focus on one chain, as the multitude of credit card offers that convey status or free nights are not available to you. You have to earn status the organic way. Happy traveling!
daloosh is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 8:51 am
  #10  
Hilton Contributor BadgeHyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Diamond, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,686
You can get Hilton Gold with the AMEX Platinum card, which is better than a kick in the teeth
cur, strickerj, flyguy6 and 1 others like this.
EuropeanPete is online now  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 9:26 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,232
Big advantage for Hilton is that you can progress through the tiers based on spend as well as nights. Earn enough base points , which are calculated based on spend, and you can get to Diamond without a nights threshold.
This is not available under the Marriott program.
EuropeanPete likes this.
Mister Nice is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 9:33 am
  #12  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: East Coast
Programs: DL GM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Platinum, IHG Gold, National Emerald Exec-Elite; Hertz Five Star
Posts: 113
Here's how I view it today; others' mileage may vary.

For many years (as in going back to about 1999), I'd made Marriott Gold almost every year. I also had a smattering of IHG stays when our rates weren't available at Marriotts - enough to make IHG's useless Gold level. Beginning about 8-10 years ago, I began finding that many IHG properties had become very consistent after IHG instituted what amounted to a "fix it, freshen it or lose your IHG flag" initiative. Since 1999, I almost never stayed at SPGs because they didn't have properties where I went for work, the reviews I'd see weren't favorable or our rates weren't available.

About 5-6 years ago, I happened upon a Hilton Gold promo and decided to give them a shot. Soon after making Gold, I had switched quite a bit of my business to Hilton, where I've typically looked for our rate in the following order: Hiltons, Garden Inns and then Hamptons. In many of the places I visited back then, the Hiltons were often older and needed work whereas Garden Inns and Hamptons were nearly always newer build properties/had been recently refreshed. Additionally, I liked the HGIs' made-to-order breakfast option so I'd book those - especially if the Hilton was older or I'd found that its Executive Lounge wasn't very good. In 2017, I traveled like crazy and made Diamond. Like many here, I didn't see much of any difference in how I was treated as a Diamond in 2018 vs Gold in 2017 so I'm not sure it's really worth it (I'll be Gold in 2019). Additionally, I concur with the view that HHonors has been tremendously devalued.

Nonetheless, I traveled enough that I continued making Gold with Marriott (now Platinum after the Marriott/SPG programs merged), in part because in a couple cities I visit for work the Marriotts are much better than the Hilton properties. Additionally, Marriott seemed to up its game a bit on the program side so that enticed me. With the advent of the SPG acquisition, I stayed at a couple of Westins where our rates were available because there was no longer a downside since my stays/points would (allegedly) be combined toward status so I wasn't "losing" a night like I would have in the past. I also made IHG Gold for 2019 and I've been tempted to shift more business their way, especially at their European and Asian properties.

Starting this year, my strategy will likely be to make Gold/Platinum with Hilton/Marriott. In 2018, I registered and met the terms of a couple great promotions and I'll be Marriott Platinum and Hilton Gold through 2020, so I've got some breathing room this year. Having been to the proverbial "top of the moutain" with Hilton as a Diamond, I've determined that Gold with them/Plat with Marriott is good enough and I'll continue looking to IHG properties in a pinch.

Good luck!

Last edited by msnflier; Jan 10, 2019 at 4:28 pm
msnflier is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 9:35 am
  #13  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: BA Gold, AA Platinum, SQ Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,575
Originally Posted by Palty
what do you mean by not all nights get posted why not ? and if it doesn't get posted to your Marriott account then to where then does it get posted ?
Originally Posted by daloosh
Since the Marriott/Starwood merger last August, a lot of things have been out of whack, to say the least. Many stays, and meetings, have not posted correctly. Bonuses have not posted correctly, and so on.
!
I also agree with Marriott points / stays not posting currently after the merger. I haven't had a stay where I did not have to spend significant amount of time getting the stay / points posted correctly.
The flow has been like:
  • I fill up the missing stay form or contact us
  • 10 days later someone sends me a email that they have verified and everything looks good. Everything that was supposed to be posted is posted
  • I check and find that either nothing was done or the posting is still incorrect
  • 10 days later someone fixes it (sometimes another email round)
The latest is my stay in KL which I checked out on 1/1 which posted incorrectly. I have filled up contact us and waiting for them.

Last edited by vishalgupta22; Jan 10, 2019 at 9:45 am
vishalgupta22 is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 9:56 am
  #14  
1P
 
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: 3,590
In my experience, Marriott are more expensive than Hilton when there are hotels of both chains in a town. Marriot's devaluation of the new combined programme means that I will be encouraged to prefer Hilton when all other things are equal.
1P is offline  
Old Jan 10, 2019, 10:13 am
  #15  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,232
Originally Posted by vishalgupta22
I also agree with Marriott points / stays not posting currently after the merger. I haven't had a stay where I did not have to spend significant amount of time getting the stay / points posted correctly.
The flow has been like:
  • I fill up the missing stay form or contact us
  • 10 days later someone sends me a email that they have verified and everything looks good. Everything that was supposed to be posted is posted
  • I check and find that either nothing was done or the posting is still incorrect
  • 10 days later someone fixes it (sometimes another email round)
The latest is my stay in KL which I checked out on 1/1 which posted incorrectly. I have filled up contact us and waiting for them.
i think this is an important point . The time we spend on following up on things that fall through the cracks has real value , be it monetary or other .
Mister Nice is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.