Hotel Strategy
 

I'm currently an SPG Plat and a Hyatt Plat via the fast-track promo. I'm totally lost at this point as to what my best strategy is for maintaining status at either or both chains. I qualified for SPG plat last year as a planner through meeting spending, but my company has done fewer projects in hotels this year and I won't re-qualify that way.

I currently have 19 stays or 40 nights to go at SPG. I only travel once or twice a month for a few nights...I won't make it. I can definitely swing 15 nights at Hyatt in the next 180 days to make Diamond through Feb 2012. Is this a no-brainer?

take what the defense will give you!.....good luck..

Yes, it's a no-brainer

Hyatt for you

You answered your own question. Enjoy Hyatt.

As Diamond Hyatt, you alot of benefit and you will not look back.

I am kind of changing my stance on hotel loyalty. I am seeing less value in loyalty/staus levels and am out to maximize promotions. For instance, i tend to do as well with Priceline/Hotwire as I do with booking direct-miles/points. The promotions of free nights are getting my attention, but they make it easy to spread stays over Hilton/Hyatt/*Wood.

I am just not seeing the point of elite levels and points since all of the devaluations... Just my .02

Since you still travel a few nights a month - 2 or 3? - have you considered hotel hoping?

I'm able to pull this off occasionally on business trips but not regularly. We often do project at the hotel in question. So when the project is at a Hyatt, it's rare that I can a) get a rate equivalent to the discount we receive on account of our meeting and b) there's an SPG property within walking distance.

Now onto a separate question:

I'd considered that at some point I could status match SPG Plat to Hyatt Diamond. I was going to wait on this. But given that I will not make SPG Plat this year, should I go ahead with the match? Can I match to Diamond and ALSO requalify through Feb. 2012 via the challenge?