I'd like to know what some of you would do if faced with the following:

Say you have the opportunity to work for an employer who feels that the quality of where you stay, reflects upon the image of their company.

This employer has no problem with you booking into the finest property a city as to offer, on their dime.

Now I know that many, if not most, of the truly finest hotel properties in the world have absoulutly no affilation with any frequent stay scheme. But they offer truly unmatched service and facilities that put the top of the line chain hotels and some other affiliation properties to shame.

But it's your call. You can do the St. Regis (Starwood) for example, if you wish.

What would you do?

Would you skip the points and opportunites of future free nights for your personal use, and take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world?

Or would you go for the points?

Thank You.

Tough Choice but I would say points actually its the stay credits that I'm interested in for elite status, UNLESS it is this time of the year and I have already reached my top level tiers and the stay credits don't really do much for me except put a few more points in the coffers.

I could find some nice properties using Marriott, Hilton or Starwood that would not hurt my firms image. But heck I'm with a gov't contractor so they expect anything that will give within Per Diem so almost anything looks good

Points!

Chains in big cities hold their own against the niche luxury properties, especially if you are just staying for short term travel.

I think I would split it down the middle. Having the opportunity to stay in some extraordinary properties on someone else's money is not to be passed up!

If you could "work this angle," I would stay in chain hotels during the early part of the year (to build up points and status) and then stay in some of the more unique properties later on.

Why not get some of the best of both worlds?

It will be interesting to see how our non-US friends weigh in on this. I travel 95% of the time internationally. Often, the best hotel in a city is non-affiliated with American chains and FT programs, and their quality will blow away an American chain hotel.

For example, consider the Leading Hotels of the World or Relais & Chateaux properties. Both have marvelous properties, with considerable local charm. Shangri-La hotels in Asia are terrific, and the Oberoi chain in India is excellent.

Personally, I'd go for the most special hotel experience, and savor the memory of that stay. I've enjoyed the Bayerischer Hof in Munich, the Vier Jahrzeitszen in Hamburg, the Shangri-La in Kuala Lumpur, the Grand in Stockholm. I've had extraordinary stays at the paradores of Spain and the pousadas of Portugal.

Yes, there are some US chains with superb international properties - but focusing on status internationally will mean accepting homogeneity and predictability at the loss of marvelous individuality and charm.

Hands down the best hotels, regardless of the lack of points. The quality of the facilities and services, particularly as you become known to the establishment, are far better than collecting points.

One downside: it is very easy to get spoiled by the circumstances, which can become a problem if you switch employers (or your current employer changes policies) or when you vacation on your own dime.

My choice would be to shortlist from the best hotels, and if there is one with a frequent guest program stay there, otherwise pick the best one.

And (if possible) pay the bill with a mileage card.

I wish I could find such an employer

[This message has been edited by PG (edited 12-06-2001).]

You only live once (well OK so there may be an afterlife but we don't know what kind of accommodations we might end up with there)--so go for the experience!

The really top notch hotels do track your history at a particular location. So you get tremendous treatment if you're a regular. That's half the benefit of status in a hotel program and usually enough to get me to go with the premium hotels. What you don't get obviously are free stays, which really becomes a problem when you want to stay at these same hotels on personal travel.

I've more or less given up on getting top tier status in a hotel program.

I always pick the best hotel. Points in know way make up for great service and a great property. If u can get the best of both then that is great but I never compromise when it comes to a great property!

Quality first! Points, if any, I regard as a bonus. I do the same with airlines. If I could fly YX for the same price as UA or CO, I would do it without a second thought.

I agree with SanDiego1K.

I think in the U.S. you can pretty much stay in one of any major city's finest hotels and earn points/miles (perhaps not the finest - in NYC and SFO, my two preferred hotels aren't affiliated, for example). Outside the U.S., particularly in Europe, this can be a bit more problematic.

If you've got this type of job/employer, you're probably making a decent salary and traveling quite a bit anyhow. So you're already racking up airline miles and hotel points (in those destinations where the finest hotels and resorts just happen to already be affiliated with a frequent stay program - these places do exist).

In this context, given the choice, I'd go for the finest regardless of points. You only live once. Live well (in the present)!

Omni OMNI to Premex: You are a very good speller. However, in two recent posts you've spelled the word "absolutely" in ways excluding the "e". In each of your posts the word "absolut" flashes at me like a (very) dry martini. What's up?

My approach exactly!

I am treating my family (12 total) to free first class flights and rooms in Hawaii this Spring. In no way could I have afforded to gift this way if I had not collected points/miles.

IF there are truly (heads and shoulders above) extraordinary properties I would stay there.
My most recent example was staying at the Horned Dorsett in Rincon, Puerto Rico. Just divine!!!!

Quality hands down.

I frequently make a similar choice. Not so much quality over points - but uniqueness over points. With the amount of nights I spend in hotels I could easily be platnium, but I'd rather pass on the higher status and points and stay in unique places when I can - castle in Umbria, grass-roofed chalet in Norway, sailboat in Greece, treehouses in Port Douglas. In cities when there's no better option or hotels are pretty much all the same, I'll stay with Hilton or Starwood enough to make gold on each. I still earn lots of points by using their co-branded Amex cards.

Just to add: As someone else mentioned, the truly top hotels do quietly track your stays and offer wonderful gifts to those who stay frequently. A former neighbor who stayed in top-tier hotels got great offers for free weekends and lots of goodies. I was so jealous.

[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 12-07-2001).]

OK... I will be on the opposite side. I have a tendency to consider spending the company's dime as though it is my money. I personally could not justify the cost of the high end hotels personally... and cant professionally either.

I oftentimes will stay at a hotel that is not the "preferred" hotel just to save $20 or $30 a night (often more).

I have yet to find a hotel where the service quality is worth $400 or $500 a night. I would be too guilty to use it.

Of course, I get funny looks in the office when I tell them I go to Napa Valley and stay at the "Chablis Inn" - you saw that place Tom911 (remember?).

Just another view.

William