So, I've been with IHG for a few months, and made Platinum and have somewhere around 270K worth of points. Since then, I've learned what you all probably already knew -- it's easy to rack up points, but the properties are mediocre and the top tier benefits are non-existent. So, I'm looking to switch, and seeking thoughts/recommendations.

My spending habits:
My company reimburses all of my stays, which are typically two to three one-nighters per week. I've never been questioned about where I stay, but I've also stayed around the $120/night threshold -- which will continue to be my target. I don't particularly care about where I stay; I walk in, sleep, and walk out. I don't particularly care about breakfast -- I usually just have a yogurt and a banana, sometimes a hard boiled egg (I'm not a breakfast person ).

What I want:
I let my points rack up, then take a vacation at a top tier property. One of the problems with IHG is that there just aren't that many InterContinentals. The other problem is the whole PRC/Ambassador thing. Ideally, I'd like a loyalty program that gave me perks when I vacation -- room upgrade on my point redemption stay at the top tier property, and lounge access. Breakfast or a fitness center would be nice, but not nearly as important as the room upgrade.

I figure I have enough stays to qualify for any of the top tiers -- it's just figuring out which one is most likely to give me what I want (being treated well on vacation).

Thoughts/recommendations?

You may want to take a look at Marriott - lot of properties, can upgrade using points (many times). If u can put the Marriott room charges on a Marriott credit card, you can accrue points real fast. Marriott also has high end properties especially Ritz Carlton. Of course it all depends on weather a chain has properties where u do your business and want to vacation. Good luck!

Check out some of the bloggers most of us read. Many have done comparisons between programs. I like Hilton properties because it's pretty easy to reach GOLD status which gives you free wi-fi, breakfast & some upgrades. Hilton & Marriott both have a lot of properties to choose from.

I agree Hilton is also a good choice. Pls note that Hilton charges exorbitant number of points for confirmed upgrades. Marriott is usually 5-10 k points per night whenever available. YMMV!

On stays, you might as well do it through Marriott. Yes, Hilton is good for treating you on redemptions, but you can get much of that simply by signing up for the Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve card which is $95/year (no first-year waive) but instantly makes you Gold (mid-level at Hilton). And then from another Citi card (that's actually chunrable) you can get 50k HHonors points each time.

Marriott status, OTOH, is not easy to get other than through stays. So that's where it makes sense putting your stays, as you don't need stays to get good HHonors status.

Then you can have Marriott status (you want at least Gold, which is 50 nights a year, or 35 nights if you get and hold the Marriott Premier credit card from Chase) plus HHonors status.

Then use up your IHG points when you go to smaller cities where there's no high-tier hotels anyway (smaller cities often have only Holiday Inn Express in IHG and Hampton Inn in HHonors and Fairfield Inn in Marriott Rewards, and all of those give everyone everything free anyway, so there's not a huge difference between having status and not having status at those properties usually).

I share your frustration as well, I have done exactly the same and stayed at numerous Crowne Plaza properties and gained racked up points but redeeming them at IC properties have been a difficulty since I'm not Ambassador and as a PC - Platinum, my only perks are (e.g. free internet).

I though of Marriott / Hilton, however in terms of properties and the value for points that you will receive, I would have to say the Starwood is your best bet. The range of properties and fantastic and additionally the redemption stays will be counted towards status.

So much depends on where your stays occur. SPG and Hyatt, in addition to having fewer properties with rates under $120, often have no options in smaller cities/towns. Hilton and Marriott will have the best coverage of the other programs.

There's no easy answers here. Different programs are better for different people.

for top luxury properties - starwood is the best, but marriott does have ritz carlton

If your desired vacation destinations are likely to be resort properties, go Hilton. Elite status perks with HH are all included at resorts, provided they aren't Waldorf-Astoria properties. They are not at Marriott.

If your vacations tend to be city properties, go Marriott. You'll net a little more total bang for your buck in terms of reward redemption, and city Marriotts around the world tend to be consistently good.

The pattern of one-night stays would instinctively lead some to consider Starwood, since you'd be Platinum in a hurry. Plat status there is better IMHO than either HH Diamond or MR Platinum, but without knowing your destinations I'd guess that consistently finding properties where you need them or finding them at $120/nt. might be a challenge. $120/nt. in the U.S. suggests a mix of smaller-town and/or rural stays, and Starwood is a lot weaker in those areas than HH, MR, or IHG.

Starwood has the most interesting upper-tier properties, IMHO. Marriott's consistency is a blessing and a curse...Starwood seems to have more varied styles and more hotels that retain at least a little bit of a boutique/luxury feel.

Interesting, and useful, info! Thanks all

Very good point about where I want to vacation -- but there isn't a definitive answer. Probably cities and resorts equally. Generally, wherever whomever I'm dating wants to go.

I've started a Marriott Platinum challenge (as well as a United gold), so we'll see what happens. As fast as PRC points accumulate, taking a few months off from them won't hurt me.

In this case, maybe play Marriott plus one backup, either HH or SPG. You have enough total hotel stays to do it, plus you could snag both of those credit cards and ramp at least one of the two programs up to a 5-night award level pretty quickly.

Starting from scratch and with the MR Plat Challenge already a given, I'd probably try to focus some of my future business stays on hitting SPG Plat. Even though we all agree that property coverage and price point might be a challenge, all you have to do is find 23 Starwood nights out of your 100+ business stays a year. (Or fewer in a condensed timeframe; they also have a challenge.)

I'd use the MR Visa at Marriotts and the SPG Amex for everything else.

I'd also snag the HH Visa. Instant Gold plus a fat signup bonus and certificates that more than pay for the annual fee. No-lose proposition. Holding HH Gold, which is honored at resorts, gives you a backup to your backup. Gold is a little weaker than it once was, but it's still the best status you can get from a straight CC signup.

With the largest stash of points, Marriott, look at the Travel Package awards and find some city hotels that interest you. The TP is fantastic award for anyone who does the volume of stays needed to rack up that many points.

You seem to be confusing two cards (as well as the features of one).

The HH 50k Visa gives you a big fat signup bonus (with no annual fee), but doesn't make you Gold.

The HH Reserve Visa gives Gold as long as you hold the card, has a $95/year annual fee (not waived), and gives you two certficates for free weekend nights the first year only, and no bonus points at all for singup. (Subsequent years on the Reserve you get nothing more than continued Gold status for the annual fee alone. Getting certificates in subsequent year requires very big spend, not just your annual fee. You might as well put that spend instead toward getting oodles more points churning the 50k card, while holding the Reserve just for the Gold status.)

I have a similar price target when it comes to business stays - not anything the company mandates, but just a personal preference. Despite their major points devaluation, I still prefer the Hilton chain as I try to book all my stays at HGI's - very consistent product across the country. Occasionally, price target permitting, I'll try out a new Hilton chain and the like, but I've found the product to vary drastically by property.

Regarding use of points - lots of nice properties situated across the world, specifically the Conrad and Millennium properties. Redeeming points next year at Conrad Koh Samui (pre-devaluation), Conrad Hong Kong, and a cheap paid stay at the Conrad Bangkok.

With that said, I'm also going to try out the SPG program for some award stays, since I'll have 30k points by end of next month with the new CC offer.

I should breeze through this Platinum challenge (9 stays in 3.5 months, 2 under my belt already) and then I'll probably take a shot at the Hilton

Thanks for the clarification...I guess the more accurate advice would be to grab both cards at a minimum, and then churn if you're in a position to do that.