GrayAnderson

That's my thinking as well. It's also worth noting that at least some of those who are getting swept "back up" may not be active customers, so even if the headcount goes up the impact may be somewhat blunted.

X-ON

I would be very surprised if there are any differences between the current T&C and the Bonvoy T&C. What we can hope (if we are lucky) for is better enforcement of the T&C and maybe some clarifications.

Dav77

hhoope01

I don't think IHG Plat comes with free breakfast (except at brands where everyone already gets breakfast.)

hockeyinsider

IHG hates its elites, including its top-level spire elites.

Marriott's competitors are Hilton and Hyatt, not IHG.

hhoope01

I will have to disagree. IHG is very much a competitor with Marriott. Just because each has chosen different things to emphasize within their respective programs doesn't mean they aren't competitors. And I wouldn't say that IHG "hates" elites. I'd say they focus their rewards program on other things than just elite benefits during a hotel stay.

hockeyinsider

This is off-topic, but IHG isn't a serious competitor to Marriott, except in some markets with limited-service brands and also in the handful of markets in which IHG's Intercontinental branded property is a genuine 5-star, luxury hotel. As a blogger noted:

lost_in_translation

Firstly, I'm note sure just because a blogger said something it makes it true (although in this case, I would tend to agree that IHG has a minimal number of luxury properties).

More importantly, out of Marriott's 1.3m rooms globally as at the end of September 2018, only about 6.5% of them by my calculation are RC/Edition/W/St. Regis/LC/Bulgari. The other c.94% are made up of the Marriott brands that are in direct competition with an equivalent IHG brand, so not sure how you can deduce that IHG is not a competitor to Marriott from that!

GUWonder

MSPeconomist

pinniped

In the global scope of hotels, sure, all brands are competing with all other brands to some extent. But I know in my own personal decision-making, the only place I'm ever thinking of IHG and Marriott as head-to-head competitors for any single booking decision is a rural stay - HIX vs. Fairfield Inn.

I'd add IC vs. JW or W if I ran into that scenario more often. I'd certainly add Kimpton to that list if there were more of them.

But IHG lacks a real presence in the mainline business hotel category, which is Marriott's bread and butter. Only way I'm staying in a janky old Holiday Inn or Crowne Plaza on a business trip is if every Marriott, Hyatt, and Hilton within a 30 mile radius is sold out.

So from a loyalty program perspective (as opposed to individual-property perspective), Marriott probably considers their competition Hilton and Hyatt at this point. Regionally Accor, Fairmont, and maybe a couple others. They probably watch to see if Choice, IHG, or Radisson actually do something innovative, but Marriott doesn't need to respond to everything those programs do as they would with their real business-traveler competitors.

hockeyinsider

Considering that Marriott's Delta brand has basically become a dumping ground for re-flags from IHG's Holiday Inn and Wyndham's Ramada, among other brands, I'd say that maybe Holiday Inn and Delta are comparable since Delta's hotels, at least the renovated and new-build properties, are definitely below Marriott's full-service Marriott, Sheraton, Renaissance and Westin brands.

The only markets in which Choice and Radisson own are the Nordic counties. Marriott has almost no presence in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Those are very difficult markets for full-service hotels because of the high labor costs. There's also an independent brand, Scandic, with a good presence.

C17PSGR

I suspect there are some nice Delta hotels in Canada but otherwise:

"DoubleTree by Hilton has been cornering the market on conversion brand hotels, nearly doubling its rooms since 2007. But Marriott International wants to change all that. Marriott's North American chief development officer, Noah Silverman, believes the only reason DoubleTree has had so much success is because it doesn't have a competitor like Marriott. Earlier this year, Marriott paid $135M for Canada-based Delta Hotels and Resorts, positioning it as a US conversion brand. Delta signed up its first US hotel in Orlando last month. DoubleTree owes its success to convincing hotel owners of rival brands to switch flags. As of the end of September, 96% of its 4,406 new rooms added in the past 12 months were conversions. Hotel owners can save millions with DoubleTree because it has some freedom in its standards, like allowing individual air-conditioning units in rooms instead of requiring owners to install one central air system. Silverman says Delta will allow similar flexibility, including stucco "cottage cheese" ceilings, bathtub showers, and in-wall air-conditioning systems. It'll also be up to 50% less to convert a hotel to Delta compared to upgrading to Marriott.

Read more at: https://www.bisnow.com/national/news...medium=Browser

Horace

The excerpt from the Bisnow article sums up nicely how Marriott is using the Delta Hotels brand as a conversion brand, and why: Marriott is emulating Hilton's success with DoubleTree.

I don't mind the idea of a Marriott-affiliated full-service hotel that previously flew a different flag. If the hotel has been renovated with modern furniture, new flooring, cosmetic changes in the bathroom, clean decor, and a pleasant lobby, it doesn't need to adhere to all the specifications of a new-build full-service hotel. This should fill a niche between higher-end full-service hotels such as Renaissance and select service hotels such as Courtyard.

However I have two concerns about Delta Hotels:

It seems many of these hotels were in sad shape before getting their Delta renovations. I hope Marriott will monitor these properties carefully to make sure that standards don't slip.

I've read about the self-service Elite Pantries at some Delta Hotels properties. These take the place of a real Signature Lounge or a real breakfast in the restaurant. Considering that Delta is treated like Marriott, Renaissance, JW Marriott, and Autograph Collection in the terms & conditions, the Elite Pantry seems inadequate (even if it is mentioned as an approved alternative in the terms & conditions).

hockeyinsider

I generally agree, but don't understand why Marriott didn't launch a conversion brand because there are some new-build Delta properties. All this does it make for an inconsistent brand. The pantry in lieu of a lounge is a good example. Several Delta properties have a lounge -- whether it's a signature club lounge, inherited from the legacy Delta brand in Canada, or the more generic and Marriott-esque concierge lounge -- but others have a pantry.