I recently took a job that requires quite a bit of travel and am looking for the best deal. I was focusing on Hilton and Marriott but a friend suggested that I look at the Starwood program and others. Most of my business stays will be a the main hotels in downtown areas. However, I would like to use most of my points for hotel stays at the level of property that includes breakfast and is typically not in downtown (i.e. Embassy, Hampton, Fairfield).

So, which program is best for me??


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Hilton and Marriott are indeed where you should probably focus. Four Points, the lowest level of Starwood, doesn't throw in breakfast, and Hyatt doesn't even have a low level. One big difference is that Hilton gives frequent flyer miles along with the points; on the other hand, the hotel points from Hilton are less valuable than Marriott's.

The big question is, who has the hotels where you need them? For Hilton, the big downtown hotels are Hilton and Doubletree, while the lower levels are mainly Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites. In Marriott, Marriott and Renaissance are the high end and Fairfield and Springhill the low.

(One advantage of Marriott for me, which is not as good for you, is the wide availability of right-in-the-middle Courtyard, v. the still uncommon Hilton Garden flag.)

I would assume that if you posted this in the Hilton or Starwood or Bass hotels area, you would get very different answers.

while I agree w/silverpie that there are not many "middle" level garden brand, I have always been able to get the rates I've wanted at the full serve Hiltons.

I don't really believe that the points are "more valuable" w/Marriott. Hilton's point stretcher awards are very attractive.

I'm not writing in defense of Hilton, I've switched from Marriott (for three years now) and have not been disappointed.

delete

I agree with Tmorse res Holiday Inn, and I don't think that anyone will support the notion that Holiday's Frequesnt guest points program is any good, except perhaps diehard Holiday Inn members.

However, I can not agree with SilverPie that Embassy Suites is "low end" nor that hilton does not have many middle level properties. They are building the Hilton garden Inns at a furious pace, and unlike the Courtyard brand with which they compete, they provide you with a microwave in each room. In addition, if you are a Gold or above in Hilton, and that is not hard these days, then you will get a free breakfast at the HGI, unlike at the Courtyards.

Unless you are a big spending traveler, I would have said before the changes to Marriott Rewards, to go with them, but now since the valuable 713-714 awards will be no more, my choice would probably be the Hilton, but as every on knows, I have thought they had the better program anyway.

If you want more of my thoughts as to why, just do a search on the Marriott board under my name, and you will learn my rationale.

Godd Luck!

though I belong to many programs, I have long since stopped working towards picking a hotel based on just points. I was using Marriott all the time, but started doing the math about the number of points I would earn on a stay and what it would get me in free rooms or air travel later. Not much.

So, now I pick on comfort. For example. I was going to Chicago for ahwile and found that the $89 Amerisuites was much more to my liking than the $169 Marriott. Fridge, microwave, nice work table, free breakfast in morning.

Not worth all the hassle. Unless you travel EVERY week, and the company does not care how much you spend. Then, maybe the upgrades and points are worth it.

Just as a matter of curiosity, I looked up the cities where I'm going to be traveling in the near future or recently have been to--Nashville, Atlanta, Columbus (OH), Raleigh, Jacksonville, and Boston. Hilton Garden properties in those areas are in no case near downtown, where I need to be (except in Nashville, where the airport is the right place). And the only Hilton I've ever managed a decent rate at is the Las Vegas Hilton. Therefore, it's the Marriott family for me (except that shuttle issues force me to Wyndham on one stay).

Silverpie --

You are only a Marriott Silver?

FYI, Hilton is running another one of its specials "EWRDC" where you will get 50,000 bonus points and Gold status by staying 4 separate times at their properties (all of them) within 90 days of signing up for the promo. You must do so by 6/1.

Must do which by 6/1--sign up, or complete the stays? Let's do a tally of the premium I would be paying to stay in Hiltons comparably located to my upcoming trips:

(will edit that in--browser going wonky)

Just sign up by 6/1. In addition, if you are an AMEX card member, and you make 1 stay after 6/1 and you pay with the card, then all your subsequent stays for the summer (any of the properties in the Hilton family) will net you DOUBLE airline points per stay (1,000 miles) AND DOUBLE HHonors points, as well. This is in addition to the above-noted bonus.

Further, if you get a NO FEE AMEX HHonors card, and use it to pay for your Hilton stays, then you get 5 points/$ at the hotels, and 3 points/$ elsewhere.

Therefore, at least based on MY spending and lodging patterns, Hilton's promos and options are really hard to beat.

I have an extreme moral objection to using an American Express card. I don't expect you to share it, but I do have it.

Granted that the 50k point promo is impressive. On average, I'd pay an extra 10-20 a night for a Hilton over where I'm staying, or else face some other sacrifice (a longer walk in summer heat, a loss of quality, or having to pay up front). And from what I've read, Hilton Gold doesn't seem to carry much weight--even with Marriott Silver, I often get a view upgrade at the Renaissance Concourse.

As a top level status member in Hilton (Diamond) Marriott (Plat) and Starwood (plat), my personal opinion is that Starwood and Marriott are the two best programs. Hilton would be if they didn't give out the $%^& house to every Tom Dick and Harry. It makes the Gold Value nill, go read the Hilton threads, much tougher to get what you want rewardwise (yes the charts are competitive but they aren't that available) and even as a Diamond, the upgrades aren't that great. The double dip is nice but I don't need any more airline miles and 500 miles is still only 2% of a most freebies. Marriott has been great to me, I love them, and Starwood, so far so good, but I'm not far enough into the program to give a detailed evaluation, other than I agree that 4pts isn't that great. Good luck and smart choice to research prior to selecting a chain. If you travel enough, it may pay to select two chains.

Trojan --

Why don't you tell him how many nights you spend on the road? Your travel pattern is not typical, and if you had read my thread carefully, I specifically excepted road warriors who travel extremely frequently from the profile, as they (you) can get anything they (you) want, anywhere, anytime, because of the number of nights they (you) stay.

Moreover, others on the Hilton board have bemoaned their fear Gold Dilution, and of not getting an upgrade, but that has proven not to be the case.

Roam --

OK re objection to the AMEX, then why don't you take a look at the NO FEE HHonors CITI VISA, where you get 3 points/$ at the hotels, and 2 points/$ elsewhere? That still beats Marriott's card.

Moreover, the EWRDC promo does not require you to use an AMEX, although the summer Double Dip with a Twist, does. If you did not use an AMEX for that promo, you would still get double airline miles.

Finally congrats to you on being upgraded as a Silver, my persnonal experience has been that it does happen, but that it is quite infrequent. What hotel(s) are you talking about?

Finally, notwithstanding, Trojan's comments, I have ALWAYS been upgraded as a HHonors Gold, and so has my wife, and his being able to obtain his rewards is unique, and once he discloses to you how many nights he is on the road, and/or staying at Marriotts, you will understand why they should treat him so well.

I don't envy him on that, as I know it is hard work to be on the road that many nights, but I very much doubt and hope that you will not have a travel schedule like his. That is why I think that his expericences on this specific topic are unique to him, although I always welcome his input.

Good luck in making your decision.


D2B

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 05-22-2001).]

I thought "Renaissance Concourse" was a unique name, but there may be others. The one I'm referring to is in Atlanta, and is one of my two most frequently used hotels (the other is the Springhill BNA, which has only one class of room anyway).

And I don't use any hotel credit card--my card is the USAirways Visa (which is not only my preferred airline, but is issued by the bank where I have my regular accounts, so is far and away the best choice for me).

Doc 2BE, you frequently write in this Marriott forum to tell us how much better Hilton is for the average traveller. You may have a point, for it is true Marriott's platinum level, requiring 75 nights a year, is tough to achieve, as also is the 50 night per year gold. Frankly, you are also correct that there are few significant benefits beneath these two levels... i.e. beneath 50 nights per year.
However, I think I will remain a Marriott traveller even when I am no longer platinum. They have provided consistently good hotels, consistently good, though not outstanding, service, and excellent value ( especially when reserving in the 21 day advance 60% discount range).
These things will, of course, be a matter of taste for each person, and not necessarily a debate of tossing numbers and statistics about. To each, his or her own. My own will likely continue to be Marriott.