This is such an interesting thread and i've really enjoyed reading all the posts.

At first, i started i was going to agree and be happy that i wasn't the only one a bit disappointed lately on the way 2009 serviced somebody like me (a 4+ year Platinum member with 140 nights/year). i've just seen the general service and perks dwindle a bit and mostly it came noticeable because i only do this grind to then get my two trips to hawaii a year. When we booked the trip this year - it cleaned out my whole account! not only did the base points increase, but to get a good room w/ a view - i needed to add extra points again. it was crazy high and very frustrating. No calls to try and throw my status around got anywhere and i got a bit upset when a last attempt for a breakfast package also got rejected.

but reading "Jon Maiman"'s post - i recall why i actually liked Marriott this year. I was on a client (and my own employer) that reached a point where two projects were going to get cut because the travel expenses were just too high. Going full no-travel just wouldn't cut it and it was costly. I explained it to marriott before going to the biz folks - and they gave me and my team a $55/rate to help offset the costs if we still locked up the next 12 weeks. And they still found other ways to get me 'bonus points' because they knew it was important. definitely not a lot - but the gesture was there.

That was a huge gesture and i'm not sure it would have happened if i wasnt a status carrying MR member.

So while it was tough for all sides of the MR chain this past year, Jon's post made me think back to the times they helped me more than frustrated me and i changed my tune.

I'll give 2010 another go.

First, I do want to say that last year I switched to SPG and PC as my two primary programs with Marriott a distant third. So I do understand and recognize that Marriott's program isn't quite what it used to be.

But what I don't completely understand are the issues around Courtyards. Personally, I like CYs when I'm traveling for business. I do like FS hotels better mind you, but I can't always find one close enough or with a decent enough rate to stay there. When I'm on business, my meals are paid for. So free breakfast on business trips really isn't that big a draw for me. And my percentage upgrade to a King Suite at CYs is probably around 80-90% of my stays. (I will add that I am rarely upgraded automatically, but I can't remember the last time there was one available and the front desk person wouldn't upgrade me when I asked.)

Yeah, I do agree that it would be nice if Marriott gave points for incidentals at non-FS hotels, but again, on business trips, I don't usually eat in the hotel. There are almost always better restuarants elsewhere.

[QUOTE=TrojanHorse;13041131]In response to those questioning others loyalty to MR.. is it that you only stay at MR? Is it how many total nights you send MR's way? or is it the % of your nights you send to MR?

where is this (loyalty thing) defined?
QUOTE]

Although I am not in favor with TrojanHorse's choice for a college football team...lol....I do agree with his question. Perhaps there should be a thread started to allow individuals to express how they view loyalty and what criteria defines whether you are loyal to a product or service.

Most of my business trips have been at a fixed daily meal per-diem rate. Granted, it's a generous rate for most cities, but if I stay at a Courtyard I feel like I have to leave the hotel to go somewhere else to find breakfast. The most parallel competition to a CY - HGI - provides breakfast.

I agree with you on hotelfood in general - there are usually better options out in the neighborhood. My hotel meals are usually the first night of a trip - I arrive late, I don't have a client dinner planned, and if I'm traveling solo I sometimes don't feel like prowling the neighborhood at 9 or 10 PM looking for a sushi bar or a sportsbar where it's easy to be a solo diner. Especially if I'm in suburbia where "sportsbar" is probably "TGI Friday's". I'd rather eat the Marriott burger, which is actually a reasonably good burger almost everywhere I go. If I'm going to pay $14 for it (instead of $7.99 at TGIF) and kill a few $4.50 pints, at least hook me up with the points mmmmkay?

Today I am SPG-Plat and HH Diamond. Marriott just gave me (yes gave me - no status matching) PLAT in their program and I am debating whether to lock in to them in 2010

Hilton is good on benefits (lounges/breakfast) but the room upgrades are a real hit or miss. SPG customer services have taken a nose-dive - they outsource to the Philippines and Caribbean countries - I want to talk to people in my own country

Is it even worth pursuing Marriott?

It is???? They only want to PLAT challange NEW customers. Those of us who have a number but no status... TOO BAD. That's service? LOL!
Not to mention, that considering the almost TOTAL lack of options in LARGE portions of the US, it's kind of waste to have status in a hotel chain that has no places to stay......

SPG is a great program, but until they get some "volume" in hotels it's just not worth it for those of us who don't always travel to the top 10 cities....

(Just tried to book a Starwood in Spokane for example... NO hotel AGAIN!)


Grass is generally greener due to one reason... more manure

There are no SPG hotels in Corpus Christi, TX (where I live), Terre Haute, IN, Victorville CA, Reno NV, where I work, but that does not stop me from being an SPG PLAT. There are also no Hyatts, with the exception of a brand new Hyatt Place in Reno, but that does not stop me from being a Hyatt Diamond. In all these places there are nothing but smaller Hiltons (Hampton Inn, HGIs and Homewood Suites) or smaller Marriotts (Residence Inns, Fairfield Inns, Summerfiled Suites and an occasional Courtyard). So choose hotels that fit your travel schedule and choose accordingly, but do not deride a program on the fact that they do not have properties where you travel to. Looking at hotels available in Spokane, the best Marriott property is a Courtyard while if you want a full service, major chain hotel, the only choice is a Hilton - Doubletree. So explain to me the "manure" statement. I am basing my dislike of Marriott Rewards on the treatment that I have received at both full service and limited service hotels as Gold compared with the treatment I have received at all other chains and also with the availability of rewards based upon my chosen travel dates and not those imposed by the program. As stated before, I was trying to cash some of my points for a summer vacation. Marriott had nothing available even though they have no blackout dates, while SPG, Hilton and Hyatt had multiple options.

Here is a tip.

Call the Hyatt reservation line. Tell them you want to CHANGE the date of your stay. You will not be penalized. Then call back and see if you can cancel. I have done that several times.

this is my back up plan when I screw up as well.. it works more often than not

For what it's worth, Marriott probably considers HH Diamond and SPG Plat to be roughly equal to their Platinum level.

Regarding your customer service question, I've never had a language issue with a Marriott phone agent. Everyone I've spoken to has been a fluent English speaker.

If I was starting 2010 with those three statuses and ample property choices in all of my destinations, I think I'd probably be looking at SPG if I favored suites and HH if I favored guaranteed breakfast in all locations on all dates. I might look at Marriott if I was doing exclusively urban hotels, wasn't too picky about my room, and just wanted maximum reward bang-for-buck through the Travel Packages.

Of course, I'd also make sure there was a good Marriott non-resort out there that I wanted to spend my free week at...

As far as SPG goes I completely agree their Plat service has declined substantially. I say this about the American agents I talk to. The few times I needed their help it was hit and miss. I have leaned that I need to call twice. Once to deal with an issue and the second time to see if the first agent actually did anything. 35% of the time the second agent said the first agent did not do it - example is having wife or daughter name added to reservation in the event they get to the hotel before I do.

I just knocked out 18 nights at the Marriott in the past three months - I dumped Starwood due to several reasons revolving around the poor Plat service. My experience is that the HH, MR, and SPG properties are very similar in the way they treated me. Upgrades at MR are just as plentiful as SPG IME. I need to qualify this by saying 99% of the time I am at least given the elite floor without asking at all three programs. However, when I ask MR for an upgrade I always get it so far.

It all comes down to what your goals are. I cannot understate the importance of hotel program goals. You must make a plan for your hotel program and layout what you want to accomplish. When your goals are clear your decision will be easy.

I have been an HH Diamond for 10 years, SPG Plat for six years, and MR Plat for four months.