hhoope01

I'm a little confused on this. Unless you are staying at a Marriott Extended Stay hotels (RI, TPS, etc) you should be getting a minimum of 17.5 points per $ (10 pts + 7.5 for LTPP = 17.5 pts/$) and then add as much as another 6 pts/$ for the CC for 23.5 pts/$. And that doesn't include any arrival points, no housekeeping points, no other promo pts, Megabonus points, etc. So I'm not sure why you only get 10-15 pts/$ spent.

orca15

Forgot about the elite bonus, so the data was slightly off (in both hotels) but my conclusion is the same, sometimes Hilton double/triple point promotions make it worth staying there for the extra points. Marriott, less often. My last stay (RI) was 13.75 ppd, 5 base, 3.75 elite, 5 CC. And I think the HH card gives me 10, so there is that.

Cledaybuck

Depending on the card it is 7 (no fee) 12 (ascend) or 14 (aspire).

orca15

Copy - I think I have the 7 this year but switch around. Thanks for the update.

troyintn

Overall I agree with your assessment, to add to it.
Points are easier to use with Hilton yes the scale is more consistent with Marriott, but I can use Hilton. My daughters dance so looking for a room on the weekend , Marriott no rooms on points available, Hilton all the hotels with rooms took points. I think their is a concert or something in town.

Vacations/resorts Marriott has more higher end hotels and resorts Ritz/ St Regis
Lifetime status with Marriott is easier then with Hilton. You can get status top tier status from Hilton with Amex. People on the board worry about it but I doubt it is really that big a deal.
Breakfast the midtier hotels do breakfast Hilton Garden inn versus courtyard has a grab and go.
Executive clubs, Marriott in the US has more clubs and they are usually better and more consistent. Hilton clubs are all over the board in the US, some are really good some are their to say they have one.

SAN-man

Plenty of good detail in here about program specifics, so just to add my usage experience as both an SPG/now Marriott Platinum Premier (earned the hard way the last 8-9 years) and a Hilton Diamond (bought annually via the credit card and only with 5-10 nights/year). I'm in this game for (1) on-property treatment for work and vacation stays, and (2) using points to take the family on vacations to places we'd otherwise never go.

For (1), for me, in the U.S., SPG/Marriott treatment is far better than Hilton. Upgrades have been easier to come by, and when they do happen, they're to much better rooms - Hilton is generally to a same-size room but in a better location. Outside the U.S., though, Hilton treatment has been just as good if not better. Some of my best upgrades have been in Hilton properties in China, London, and Thailand.

(2) is the main problem I have with Hilton, which has been listed by several people - finding places to use points. I'm sure this is largely because of how I use points - I pretty much always use them for aspirational properties, to take vacations I could never afford to pay a cash rate. And this means resort locations, not fancy city hotels - if we're in a city, we're generally out and about in the city, so a city Waldorf or St. Regis is of far less value than a resort where we're on property most of the stay. So here, for my usage, Marriott blows Hilton away, for 2 reasons: first, there are far more, for us, great resorts in the Marriott portfolio, and then because Hilton redemption on the handful of resorts we'd want to use is completely hit or miss and can sometimes be astronomical, and usually the cash rate is much much better.

I've been sitting on Hilton points for 4-5 years now, keeping Diamond status for work stays, but watching my point balance grow to insane levels. We had a very good redemption and an amazing stay at the Conrad Koh Samui, with an obscene upgrade to a 2BR villa that was bigger than our first house. But that's it.

The last few years I've been debating just ditching the Hilton card until I can figure out a way to get to the Conrad Maldives in a couple years, and maybe then working the Amex to get Diamond just for that year, and then basically be done with Hilton. But the disaster that this Marriott merger has been, including a pretty big degradation in off-property customer service, has me holding on for another year or 2.

iflyjetz

I went through a similar exercise more than 5 years ago, after achieving LTP with Marriott. It's really an individual decision depending on what one weights as most and least important. A few things to consider:
Elite status
Lifetime elite status
Lounge access
Suite upgrades
Point accumulation/use
Full service vs limited service properties

born sleepy

I can safely state that Hilton Diamond is pretty worthless, at least in N. America. Most of my travel is domestic so I got very little benefit from it, not even a room upgrade.

satman40

stc

And breakfast if you want it at Hilton, something Marriott continues to waffle on.

nacho

Another thing I'd like to add - Customer service - Basically after the merger MR has pretty much ZERO customer service, I have to called 5 times just to get a TP cert attached to a reservation. I have had agent hung up on me and I had an issue at a hotel and wrote to Marriott - 0 response. I totally understand how low the CS dept must feel when there's such a huge organizational change.

Hilton on the other hand - well we stayed with some not so nice Hamptons, wrote feedback and Diamond desk got back within 24 hours. 3 months ago there was an issue with airport shuttle with Hampton - again contacted Hilton and they were there to assist. I also got plenty of help from Lauren the Hilton rep on FT.

dannieboiz

I was once a marriot gold, then switched to HH for almost 10 years and has always remain gold but I feel being a HH gold is like not having any status at all. Was wondering if Marriot is any good these days?

flyme2

I'm a Marriott Titanium and a Hilton Diamond through stays, not fast tracks or credit cards. That means I stay at a lot of different properties and have long concluded that it is the franchisee that makes the difference. Certainly both loyalty schemes have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on what what one finds important: earnings, redemptions, experiences, locations, etc. As of today, this year I've stayed 17 nights at Marriott and 13 nights at Hilton. I've been treated very well at all properties, and have received suite upgrades proactively as well as with some nudging, but honestly, I'd be hard pressed to choose one over the other. I prefer FS properties with an EL, and am rarely disappointed with my stay. If I find something amiss, I act while on property, not whine after I've left. I find this tact also helps build a relationship with managerial staff that will bode well for future visits. I find no difference, in this regard, between Marriott or Hilton. As I am semi-retired, I have the luxury to cherry pick properties with good reputations in parts of the world I wish to visit. Admittedly, I rarely stay at North American properties, unless I have a specific reason or have enjoyed a previous relationship with staff. I do realize most FT'ers do not have this option, so their experiences will be radically different from mine.

bosman

Exceedingly broad inquiry and almost impossible to answer. What brands, where and what do you value?

Cledaybuck

What status are you able to reach? Because if you think Hilton Gold is worthless, you are probably not going to think much of Marriott Gold either.