To avoid Marriott group, To stay only at legacy SPG Hotels, My Personal Vow!
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Posts: 17,263
And, I'll add a better hotel, IMO of course, but ROS is half the award pts (for the time being).
#32
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: SPG Platinum, Marriott Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 236
With regards to the original topic , I just have to say, there are SPG hotel which are mediocre and there are Marriott hotel which are always providing above what they should be doing. It's really not as simple as which branding are they under.
#33
formerly known as 2lovelife
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: ORF : UA_Premier_Gold4Life, Bonvoy_titanium, Accor_Plat
Posts: 6,952
I appreciate the comments.
Indeed, I have qualified on stays. And, I’ve dropped down over the years a couple times, and made the 25 stays back up the tough way, with no upgrades or lounges until I got Platinum back... and without complaining. Last year, I think I stopped at 47 nights, with no reason to push for the other 3. I mean, Plat is Plat.
I know there’s no respect in Marriot for the under 50 night consumer, and I can accept that too. I’m 2 years and a whole bunch of stays away from lifetime Plat. I don’t even mind the higher benchmark for nights to achieve lifetime Plat... it’s just going to take me longer to get it.
But, several years later (and even from the start) I get no credit towards my 25 stays to Plat. Those are the rules, with plenty of warning, I can even accept that, too. But, I’ll be damned if I will book a single night at Marriott until this year’s Plat is wrapped up. After all, I’m not going to climb back up to 50 nights Plat if I happen to drop be,ow again. It’s just not going to happen).
Yes, some people “seem” to have a problem with the merger. I’m pretty confident you can take the SEEM out of that sentence.
I think it’s interesting that some people think I don’t understand the concept of hotel management contacts and that people feel the need to tell me that the hotels aren’t owned by the chains. It’s because I DO understand it that I plan to return to my favorite hotels.
My need to stay at SPG hotels remains. Like I said, years later, there still is no incentive to stay at any Marriot property... in fact there’s a disincentive.
This will change next year. But, I doubt that my feeling will. As I work through my 50 nights next year, perhaps my mind will change. Stranger things have happened.
Indeed, I have qualified on stays. And, I’ve dropped down over the years a couple times, and made the 25 stays back up the tough way, with no upgrades or lounges until I got Platinum back... and without complaining. Last year, I think I stopped at 47 nights, with no reason to push for the other 3. I mean, Plat is Plat.
I know there’s no respect in Marriot for the under 50 night consumer, and I can accept that too. I’m 2 years and a whole bunch of stays away from lifetime Plat. I don’t even mind the higher benchmark for nights to achieve lifetime Plat... it’s just going to take me longer to get it.
But, several years later (and even from the start) I get no credit towards my 25 stays to Plat. Those are the rules, with plenty of warning, I can even accept that, too. But, I’ll be damned if I will book a single night at Marriott until this year’s Plat is wrapped up. After all, I’m not going to climb back up to 50 nights Plat if I happen to drop be,ow again. It’s just not going to happen).
Yes, some people “seem” to have a problem with the merger. I’m pretty confident you can take the SEEM out of that sentence.
I think it’s interesting that some people think I don’t understand the concept of hotel management contacts and that people feel the need to tell me that the hotels aren’t owned by the chains. It’s because I DO understand it that I plan to return to my favorite hotels.
My need to stay at SPG hotels remains. Like I said, years later, there still is no incentive to stay at any Marriot property... in fact there’s a disincentive.
This will change next year. But, I doubt that my feeling will. As I work through my 50 nights next year, perhaps my mind will change. Stranger things have happened.
#34
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA plt 2 mm, Marriott LTT, HH dia
Posts: 1,215
I appreciate the comments.
Indeed, I have qualified on stays. And, I’ve dropped down over the years a couple times, and made the 25 stays back up the tough way, with no upgrades or lounges until I got Platinum back... and without complaining. Last year, I think I stopped at 47 nights, with no reason to push for the other 3. I mean, Plat is Plat.
I know there’s no respect in Marriot for the under 50 night consumer, and I can accept that too. I’m 2 years and a whole bunch of stays away from lifetime Plat. I don’t even mind the higher benchmark for nights to achieve lifetime Plat... it’s just going to take me longer to get it.
But, several years later (and even from the start) I get no credit towards my 25 stays to Plat. Those are the rules, with plenty of warning, I can even accept that, too. But, I’ll be damned if I will book a single night at Marriott until this year’s Plat is wrapped up. After all, I’m not going to climb back up to 50 nights Plat if I happen to drop be,ow again. It’s just not going to happen).
Yes, some people “seem” to have a problem with the merger. I’m pretty confident you can take the SEEM out of that sentence.
I think it’s interesting that some people think I don’t understand the concept of hotel management contacts and that people feel the need to tell me that the hotels aren’t owned by the chains. It’s because I DO understand it that I plan to return to my favorite hotels.
My need to stay at SPG hotels remains. Like I said, years later, there still is no incentive to stay at any Marriot property... in fact there’s a disincentive.
This will change next year. But, I doubt that my feeling will. As I work through my 50 nights next year, perhaps my mind will change. Stranger things have happened.
Indeed, I have qualified on stays. And, I’ve dropped down over the years a couple times, and made the 25 stays back up the tough way, with no upgrades or lounges until I got Platinum back... and without complaining. Last year, I think I stopped at 47 nights, with no reason to push for the other 3. I mean, Plat is Plat.
I know there’s no respect in Marriot for the under 50 night consumer, and I can accept that too. I’m 2 years and a whole bunch of stays away from lifetime Plat. I don’t even mind the higher benchmark for nights to achieve lifetime Plat... it’s just going to take me longer to get it.
But, several years later (and even from the start) I get no credit towards my 25 stays to Plat. Those are the rules, with plenty of warning, I can even accept that, too. But, I’ll be damned if I will book a single night at Marriott until this year’s Plat is wrapped up. After all, I’m not going to climb back up to 50 nights Plat if I happen to drop be,ow again. It’s just not going to happen).
Yes, some people “seem” to have a problem with the merger. I’m pretty confident you can take the SEEM out of that sentence.
I think it’s interesting that some people think I don’t understand the concept of hotel management contacts and that people feel the need to tell me that the hotels aren’t owned by the chains. It’s because I DO understand it that I plan to return to my favorite hotels.
My need to stay at SPG hotels remains. Like I said, years later, there still is no incentive to stay at any Marriot property... in fact there’s a disincentive.
This will change next year. But, I doubt that my feeling will. As I work through my 50 nights next year, perhaps my mind will change. Stranger things have happened.
Perhaps some of the feedback you have been reading in this thread is because of the wording of the thread title. When I read the thread title, it sounded to me like you were avoiding Marriott because you didn't want anything to do with the company. Under that logic, since SPG is part of Marriott now, in order to avoid Marriott as a company, you would have to avoid SPG as well.
#35
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,110
Here's my vow - to stay at a MAR/SPG property that meets my needs/gets good reviews, regardless of which side it came from in the past. Post 08/18/18 it's the same company.
FWIW - I understand the OP prefers SPG side so in future odds are he'll stay at the same properties he's stayed at in the past, because he's had good experiences w/ them (same for those staying on the MAR side & not going to SPG). The comment about not giving MAR revenue or keeping it on SPG only is silly at this point given it's one company.
Cheers.
FWIW - I understand the OP prefers SPG side so in future odds are he'll stay at the same properties he's stayed at in the past, because he's had good experiences w/ them (same for those staying on the MAR side & not going to SPG). The comment about not giving MAR revenue or keeping it on SPG only is silly at this point given it's one company.
Cheers.
#36
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA plt 2 mm, Marriott LTT, HH dia
Posts: 1,215
Here's my vow - to stay at a MAR/SPG property that meets my needs/gets good reviews, regardless of which side it came from in the past. Post 08/18/18 it's the same company.
FWIW - I understand the OP prefers SPG side so in future odds are he'll stay at the same properties he's stayed at in the past, because he's had good experiences w/ them (same for those staying on the MAR side & not going to SPG). The comment about not giving MAR revenue or keeping it on SPG only is silly at this point given it's one company.
Cheers.
FWIW - I understand the OP prefers SPG side so in future odds are he'll stay at the same properties he's stayed at in the past, because he's had good experiences w/ them (same for those staying on the MAR side & not going to SPG). The comment about not giving MAR revenue or keeping it on SPG only is silly at this point given it's one company.
Cheers.
#37
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Well if OP qualified as a plat with 25 stays and wants to requalify as a plat again with 25 stays, legacy SPG properties are the only option. Any feelings regarding Marriott are irrelevant.
#38
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 76
SPG loyalists should consider that Marriott's properties on average were better run and better located. That is why it is the surviving company.
Starwood had more problem properties and brands, such as Sheraton. Because of it weaknesses, Starwood may have given its loyalists deals that were not sustainable in the long run.
I'm not sure SPG loyalists have experienced enough of the bad Starwood properties and good Marriott properties to make pledges that make no rational sense.
Starwood had more problem properties and brands, such as Sheraton. Because of it weaknesses, Starwood may have given its loyalists deals that were not sustainable in the long run.
I'm not sure SPG loyalists have experienced enough of the bad Starwood properties and good Marriott properties to make pledges that make no rational sense.
#39
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: Bonvoy ambassador - lifetime plat / Hilton diamond / hyatt globalist / AA CK baby!
Posts: 890
SPG loyalists should consider that Marriott's properties on average were better run and better located. That is why it is the surviving company.
Starwood had more problem properties and brands, such as Sheraton. Because of it weaknesses, Starwood may have given its loyalists deals that were not sustainable in the long run.
I'm not sure SPG loyalists have experienced enough of the bad Starwood properties and good Marriott properties to make pledges that make no rational sense.
Starwood had more problem properties and brands, such as Sheraton. Because of it weaknesses, Starwood may have given its loyalists deals that were not sustainable in the long run.
I'm not sure SPG loyalists have experienced enough of the bad Starwood properties and good Marriott properties to make pledges that make no rational sense.
spg got bought out because they were the (far) the smaller of the two. and the question of what group was better run is easily answered by how the merger went - did marriot rush in and tell starwood how to fix everything, or did marriot carefully analyze the situation and try to make the new group more like starwood - hint it was the second option.
as far as better locations go - well marriott was almost 5x the size of starwood, so you might have a point there if for no other reason than simple numbers.
#40
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
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Posts: 35,255
Isn't staying at any legacy Starwood property now just considered the same as staying at a Marriott property? Am I missing something?
#41
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
#42
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: USA
Programs: MYOB
Posts: 1,292
SPG loyalists should consider that Marriott's properties on average were better run and better located. That is why it is the surviving company.
Starwood had more problem properties and brands, such as Sheraton. Because of it weaknesses, Starwood may have given its loyalists deals that were not sustainable in the long run.
I'm not sure SPG loyalists have experienced enough of the bad Starwood properties and good Marriott properties to make pledges that make no rational sense.
Starwood had more problem properties and brands, such as Sheraton. Because of it weaknesses, Starwood may have given its loyalists deals that were not sustainable in the long run.
I'm not sure SPG loyalists have experienced enough of the bad Starwood properties and good Marriott properties to make pledges that make no rational sense.
thats a joke, right?
spg got bought out because they were the (far) the smaller of the two. and the question of what group was better run is easily answered by how the merger went - did marriot rush in and tell starwood how to fix everything, or did marriot carefully analyze the situation and try to make the new group more like starwood - hint it was the second option.
as far as better locations go - well marriott was almost 5x the size of starwood, so you might have a point there if for no other reason than simple numbers.
spg got bought out because they were the (far) the smaller of the two. and the question of what group was better run is easily answered by how the merger went - did marriot rush in and tell starwood how to fix everything, or did marriot carefully analyze the situation and try to make the new group more like starwood - hint it was the second option.
as far as better locations go - well marriott was almost 5x the size of starwood, so you might have a point there if for no other reason than simple numbers.
#43
formerly known as 2lovelife
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: ORF : UA_Premier_Gold4Life, Bonvoy_titanium, Accor_Plat
Posts: 6,952
I understand that there’s no love from Marriott for my consumer segment. There certainly isn’t much from FTers either. But, I don’t do it for you or for them. So, we’re even. I guarantee, that I’m not competing for your upgrades... that’s for sure.
Anyway, I will double my nights, and drop my other hotel statuses, and I will stay the extra hundred nights to get lifetime middle tier Platinum. But, there’s a sour taste in my mouth. The deal is about the worst imaginable. Another fact I can accept.
2.5 years in and still gloomy from the Marriott side. Question I hav3 is why would I want to stay at one now?
#44
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Sounds like you have been making platinum based on 25 stays so limiting your stays this year to legacy SPG properties makes sense.
On the hand, giving someone top tier status based on 25 stays doesn't make sense. Many of us stay over 75 nights a year and expect better treatment than someone who stays 25 stays. It's no different than the airlines except that I can see the upgrade list and know that I'm higher up on the list because I fly 200,000 miles a year than someone who flies 25,000. It doesn't mean the company doesn't value their business ... they just need to prioritize.
#45
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Germany, Austria
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador, ALL Silver,, Miles&More
Posts: 1,122
Sounds like you have been making platinum based on 25 stays so limiting your stays this year to legacy SPG properties makes sense.
On the hand, giving someone top tier status based on 25 stays doesn't make sense. Many of us stay over 75 nights a year and expect better treatment than someone who stays 25 stays. It's no different than the airlines except that I can see the upgrade list and know that I'm higher up on the list because I fly 200,000 miles a year than someone who flies 25,000. It doesn't mean the company doesn't value their business ... they just need to prioritize.
On the hand, giving someone top tier status based on 25 stays doesn't make sense. Many of us stay over 75 nights a year and expect better treatment than someone who stays 25 stays. It's no different than the airlines except that I can see the upgrade list and know that I'm higher up on the list because I fly 200,000 miles a year than someone who flies 25,000. It doesn't mean the company doesn't value their business ... they just need to prioritize.
I would offer a promotion in Q4 if I were Marriott. Alternatively to chose EITHER „One night counts double towards Elite“ (at „Marriott“ hotels, or generally, and cancel the stay qualification rule for SPG legacy hotels in the T&Cs) to avoid that (SPG) loyalists stay only at SPG legacy hotels to achieve Platinum status OR „Double Points/Triple Points“ (Mon-Thu/Fri-Mon) to encourage members to qualify on nights and to boost business.
Such a promotion would be fair and also compensates the trouble with IT integration many here have experienced and let them stay loyal.
Last edited by submonte; Sep 10, 2018 at 12:56 pm