Switching to another program
 

I'm a HH diamond and normally stay in hamptons 60% of the time, hilton's 30%, and homewood suites about 10% of the time. I'm getting tired of these properties, but like the double dip HH offers. Has anyone here switched from HH to Marriott Rewards? Would Marriott comp me their top tier status with proof of my diamond status?

Thanks,

too my knowledge marriott doesnt status match, but you can call them and ask for a challenge its like 12 night for gold within a 3 month period. you can to the same for plat, but i dont know the nights required.

Starwood will match and does so quickly. If that interests you the Starwood forum has Starwood Lurker who is very knowledgeable and helpful in everything. I status-matched there myself earlier this year, from HH and am very happy indeed. I am also Marriott Platinum, but am not spending much time at Marriotts any more.

Wow. Thank You, I did not know that. I am having look outside of Marriot because of the AA seperation and just signed up for the SPG program. I thought I was going to have to start over, I guess I better call in.

Thanks for the advice. My only concern with spg is that the majority of their properties are out of my t&e parameters and even sheratons are pricy. It appeared to me that marriotts brands matched hiltons brands, or am I mistaken?

You may call and request a challenge to Plat. There are a couple of discussions about this, but I think the requirements are 18 nights w/in 3 months. I recently signed up and was granted Plat immediately. In the OP case I assume the same will happen.

I would also recommend checking out Hyatt. They will match to Diamond and have some nice bonuses going now. Stay twice get either 1 free night or 5k points (your choice). Costco is also selling Certificates for up to 20% off for Hyatt. There are threads on the Hyatt forum on each of these topics.

As you're finding you are mainly being recommended to Hyatt and SPG, both of which are very highly rated round these parts for their excellent treatment of plats and/or free night programs. The problem with both of these is BOTH cost and coverage. If you like, less choice but from that choice you do get more, then again, you pay more...

The question about Marriotts however...

My personal view is that FS Marriotts are much better than FS Hiltons, indeed frequently the difference is more like a gulf. However, look at this forum and I think you'll find the Courtyard and Residence Inns are particularly disliked for frequently old properties and a cheeseparing attitude.

According to this forum the Fairfield Inns vary between astonishingly good to FBI-raidingly bad.

My personal view of the very few Courtyards I've stayed in is that they represent strong value for money, mind you I've only stayed in a few newish European ones. Never done a Fairfield but TripAdvisor certainly reflects very variable ratings.

As others have said, Marriott don't status match as a matter of course, though have been known to do so, so certainly worth asking, remember however, MR is only interested in nights NOT stays. Indeed this is probably the main reason Marriott doesn't status match, it is, after all, the toughest scheme to gain top status with 75 nights required. So concentrate on the nights you'll bring to them to get their best offer.

If you dont think you'll make the 75 nights (or at least the 50 nights for gold) and a rewarding scheme is important to you, you might want to consider IHG, whose hotels are just as omnipresent as Marriott and whose reward scheme is similar, but if you take advantage of all the promos points come a lot faster, but are worth somewhat less, unless you can take advantage of Pointbreaks. Crowne Plazas there are similar in standard to Marriotts, Holiday Inn and the Holiday Inn Express (I do rate HIX strongly) brands are by far the most numerous...

I have to take make an exception to this statement. Maybe the very best of the CPs will match up with some FS Marriotts. But in general they are a step below FS Marriotts (and that step can be pretty big for some.) I would say a better comparison would be Intercontentals and FS Marriotts. And there are far fewer of ICs than FS Marriotts.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't think about PC as a possible alternative program. I do agree that it has some very good promos and earning opportunities. The problem with PC is that if one is staying at FS hotels, it just doesn't match up as well to Marriott (and Hyatt and SPG as well.) But if one is staying at lower end properties, PC has great coverage and some decent properties.

Totally agree. Also, HGI is WAYYYY better than Courtyards. Conversely, Marriott's luxury (Ritz)/near-luxury (JW) brands are vastly superior to Hilton's WA and Conrad.

I am surprised that the OP does not stay at HGI's--they are arguably the principal redeeming feature of the Hilton chain.

Yes I would agree that HGI is better than Courtyard but then the more comparable Hilton brand is Hampton Inn. In which case, I think Courtyard is much better. :D

What are you tired of with HHonors?

I tend to think of Hampton as the best of the roadside motel brands.
I tend to think of Homewood as at least as good as Residence Inn, usually better because they're newer.
I generally think of FS Marriott as a smidge above FS Hilton, but that reverses if you have weekend stays.

Seems like your stay pattern fits HH pretty well. What are you looking for from a switch?

The only place I see Marriott with a clear advantage is greater total coverage with FS properties. I see a lot of cities with three or four large FS Marriott/Ren/JW type properties and only one or two Hiltons. That can be helpful if you need to stay in a certain budget range (greater chance that some Marriott will fit). But if 60% of your travels are out where it's just Hampton vs. Fairfield, I think you're better off in HHonors.

Marriott had been matching Gold this year. Just book like 4 reservations at Marriott. Call up and tell them you are thinking of switching from Hilton to Marriott and if they are willing to match status. Mention your reservations on file. Send over proof of your Hilton status. If they do, they will grant Gold right away with a target for maintaining it going forward.

I personally think Hilton have a better quarterly promo right now and actually switch from Marriott to Hilton for now.

Marriott points worth far more than Hilton points.

I would choose Hilton over Marriott most any day, especially in the mid tiers. HGI/Hampton/Homewood/Embassy are amongst the best assets. CY/Fairfield/Residence just do not compare. I generally only see a difference in FS Hilton and FS Marriott on a location by location basis. Some Hiltons suck just like some Marriotts suck...

Staying in a Sheraton tonight and would like to give more business to SPG, but they are limited in location and mid tier sector. FS Hyatt is pricey and locations are limited.

I will stay with Hilton this year, but am playing the promo game with Hyatt and SPG as the opportunity arises.

Just to add, I am interested in IHG, but will explore that avenue after the 2q promos.

If you are staying 60% at Hamptons and switch to SPG you will no doubt end up staying in real dumps with SPG and driving way out of your way to get there.

Did the SPG thing for seven years as a Plat. Check the SPG offerings where you travel to, look at the rates, and also look at the distance from your appointments. I am 90% sure this will not workout for you based on the info you posted.

MR is a good choice as they have slightly more hotels than Hilton and many price options.

MR and HH by far each have the most hotels. SPG and Hyatt are substantially fewer. Also, there are quite a few defections from SPG in the last year or two. It's not the program it once was although it has a very vocal following here at FT.

Yes, they are two different currencies, but the total reward value per dollar is relatively similar.

Starpoints are worth far more than Marriott points but again the total reward value per dollar is reasonably similar.

The three programs all have slightly different sweet spots: maximizing value is somewhat dependent on whether you intend to pursue those specific awards (e.g., the Marriott Travel Packages, etc.).

I still think the Hampton/Homewood mix would be enough to keep me at HHonors, even though I do love the Marriott TP's... There are some pretty bad Fairfields out there. Since many people do Fairfield/Hampton stays sight unseen (picking one while on the road, no ability to research the specific property other than perhaps a drive-around), the overall confidence in the brand is more important.

I have been able to find $200/night property in a major city for 10,000 Marriott points. I am lucky to find any Hilton properties for 25,000 points. Unless one must stay at cat 7 properties, Marriott points are worth far more.

Thats a bit sweeping...

Yes, Marriott points are worth more, but with HH double dip set to points+points, you get more points per $ spent.

Redemption is absoloutely a YMMV situation, once you've taken into account the greater number of points awarded per $ spent, they're not that dissimilar, although I know the Marriott program well so can wring out every last cent from my points accumulation and redemption, hence I will always acheive better outcomes from Marriott. I strongly expect that a Hilton pointshound would say similar, although the recent devaluation has made their task more difficult.

Exactly, and matches pinniped's comments. When one takes into account all point sources, elite benefits, awards, etc, most of the big hotel chain's programs end up in about the same place.

While Marriott may be the best at the earn/burn ratio, SPG is better for room upgrades, etc. Each one has their own areas of strengths and weaknesses. And as a customer, I look at my travel/stay patterns and at what matters most to me (hotel consistency, suite upgrades, free stays in large cities or small cities, international presence, etc.) and then choose the stay program that benefits me the most.

Right now, I'm focusing on SPG, but Marriott has given me Lifetime Plat status, so I'm never too far away and will eventually fall back to them. Priority Club is a good 2nd program for me at the moment due to the volume of bonus opportunities (and SPG's focus on stays rather than nights. And given there is only one Starwood property where I'm traveling to right now.) Next year, I will relook at all the programs, my planned travel for the year, what vacation plans the family may want and then choose which program(s) will best fit me.

That's not the question.

The question, for a Plat/Diamond type member, is whether 20 Marriott points is worth more or less than 29 HHonors points. (I'll ignore the Residence Inn issue for now since that only comprises 10% of the OP's stays.) Throw 5 Starpoints in for comparison if you like...

Well, that's just one question. There are other questions to ask about the elite perks, quality of the properties, your personal reward desires, etc.

But from a raw value perspective, 20 MR and 29 HH are reasonably similar in my book. My last HHonors redemption was a little over a penny per point. My last Marriott redemption was around 1.4 cents/point. They were done back-to-back in the same country in late 2009 so it's a reasonably even comparison. Both good hotels, both good elite treatment, both good awards.

(Granted, the weaker U.S. dollar in 2008-2009 made nearly all of my hotel awards in all programs look really, really good on a "cpp" basis!! :D)

HH actually had the value edge in my case. In 2010, with the new HH categories, I'd still say it's reasonably even.

All I'm saying is that I wouldn't let award value be the primary driver of an HH to MR switch unless there's a specific award you want, like the TP's...

Conditional Status Match to Platinum and Platinum challenge
 

my note to Marriott (via the website) earlier this week, previously a Marriott Gold, dropped to Marriott Silver.

response from Marriott (via email) in less than 24 hours. Platinum Status reflected online within 24 hours :