FD1971

Interesting, since there are even less Intercontinental hotels out there ( about 20 in the US ) than Hyatt's and your Ambassador status will give you nothing but funny looks when you check in at any Holiday Inn Express or Indigo...not to mention the quality of IC's at locations like New York TB or Los Angeles ( where, ironically, the IC is a former Hyatt...)

FD1971

I would not call the posts of 2 dozen posters intending to switch loyalty a 'whole load of business' , but indeed the thread points out nicely that Hyatt has more guaranteed perks and less 'possible, if available & the front desk manager has a good day & all roome have already been cleaned ( or should we call it 'blissed' now ? ) perks'.

Your last comment is the most important one, though. Get top tier status in two programs and hope that more and more hotels will become part of one of these franchises. The percentage is still very low worldwide comparing it to the US.

FD1971

Impossible to answer. Room location is certainly always very important. There are rooms at the Regency Bonita Springs right above a major air conditioning unit, while on the other side of the building, it is heavenly calm, so ymmv.

Grand Bed & Heavenly Bed are not too different.

schley

As a 100% leisure traveler, I don't have the ability to get top tier in more than 1 program (unless massive double stays appear when I'm free). Thus SPG having more international properties appeals to me more than Hyatt. I wish SPG had even more properties than they do now.

I think there are 1189 properties listed on the SPG website. Some of these aren't yet open and some will eventually leave. But around 1000-1100 probably right now that are bookable. That is a significant # over Hyatt, IMO. So much so that I leave my business with SPG as they are most places I'm going. I wish they had more but I'm content with what they offer now.

peteropny

1. While I haven't stayed in too many different SPG properties, all domestic Hyatt properties (with the possible exception of Summerfield suites) should have the Hyatt Grand Bed (even lower end Hyatt Places) - which is comparable to the Westin Heavenly Sleeper so that should not be an issue to you. Internationally Hyatt's beds do vary some as I'm sure does SPG's.

2. Noise level can't be addressed in one general statement since it really varies with a lot of factors. Only general statement that I would make on this is that the Hyatt Place (particularly those "older" renovated Amerisuites) properties all have the through-the-wall individual HVAC units which are very noisy (but then so do lower end SPG properties - even new aLofts). If noise is a major concern, I suggest that you visit the individual threads both here in SPG and in Hyatt of the properties that you would frequent and read and/or ask there. Even in "noisy" properties, there are quieter rooms and vice versa.

As to your first statement, I find that Hyatt usually delivers more than called for in their T&Cs while SPG often delivers less.

wizzy

1) My order of preference.
- Heavenly Bed
- Hyatt Grand Bed
- Sheraton Sweet Sleeper

2) Noise is really property dependent. I've been staying at a Hyatt recently that is very quiet, same with the Westin I was at for months before that. I spent last night at the Grand Hyatt in NYC and it was just as noisy as the Sheraton NY.

Flying Lawyer

My destinations in the US are not Springfield OH or Dumptown MI but Chicago, Washington, San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles and New York. And in all these places are SPG's, Hilton's and IC's and IC gives me the best service (And I like the IC in NY). I have never ever spent a night in a HIX or Indigo and will certainly never do so. Hyatt is of no help for me as 90% of my travel is in Europe and their presence is close to zero. Their presence in the US is of no help for me - 10 nights a year will not give me any good. I have nothing against Hyatt; however it is a domestic US brand with some international outposts....

delter

Turns out that there's this little place called China, it's stuffed full of great Hyatts. Shanghai, you may have even heard of it, busting at the seams with Hyatts. I flew out of Manila few days ago, nice Hyatt there. Of course I could've stayed at one of the numerous Starwood properties - oh wait a sec' - they haven't got a hotel in that entire country.

bp888

There's also this little city called Tokyo with three, well maybe two, great Hyatts.

el_tigre

And what is your point exactly? By my amateur eye, there appears to be only 16 Hyatts in all of China compared to more than 45 properties for *Wood (which looks to double in more than five years).

Oh, and Shanghai, which has three Hyatt's, has eight SPG properties, including a St. Regis and Westin that reportedly aren't too shabby.

jimmychang

Obviously, you haven't been to Shanghai. Any of the 3 Hyatt beats either St. Regis or Westin there.

W2B Globetrotter

Hate to be disagreeing with an attorney, but your argument is quite unfair. Hyatt has good representation in every major commercial center in the US you just listed. And along that same vein, Hyatt has properties in several major commercial centers in Europe(excluding Madrid and Barcelona): London (2), Paris (2), Milan, Zurich, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt (Mainz to be exact), Warsaw, Moscow, Istanbul, etc. Sure they have little representation in smaller cities or tourist destinations, but for a global business traveler such as yourself, I would't rush to judgment as to zero presence in Europe.

By the way, like most here, I'm a big fan of both (Hyatt and SPG) programs here. Their programs have differing strengths that meet the bulk of my travel desires.

myperks

what's with all the new threads bashing SPG... and the "movement" to Hyatt...?

I GET IT..... Hyatt has some great properties...and yes, they have some great elite benefits... and yes, they may offer some great amenities...

I GET IT..... Hyatt's property choices are not as good as SPG, and yes, they cater to a different category of clients...

I GET IT..... SPG have more property choices... and yes, they have some excellent redemption options...

I GET IT..... SPG may not have the best IT infrastructure, and yes, there might be some email promo issues here and there, and yes, SPG may have some elite benefits' consistency issues...

and I GET IT

Although i can't argue that Shanghai Hyatts "may" beat out some of the SPG options, everyones choices and needs are different.

We can all start threads saying one area's properties are better than the competing brand.

Turns out that there's this little place (haha...really a small country) called the Maldives, it's stuffed full of great SPGs (ok..maybe only 2). MALDIVES, you may have even heard of it (haha, maybe Maldives is not the best example). I flew out of Spain last month, some nice properties there. Of course I could've stayed at one of the numerous Hyatt properties - oh wait a sec' - they haven't got a hotel in the entire country of Spain, or next door in Portugal, or a couple other European countries...

Point is... Hyatt and SPG are all great properties. Some members prefer one to the other. Some members get better benefits at Hyatt and vice versa.

el_tigre

My point had little to do with quality of property but rather representation. SPG has nearly three times the amount of properties in both Shanghai and China as a whole.

What if you are on a budget and need a hotel under, say, US$200? You are probably out of luck with Hyatt in Shanghai. You'll have options with SPG.

The point is you don't have a lot of choice with Hyatt. In international destinations, you will likely have very limited options if any at all. That's much less likely with *Wood.

jimmychang

The reason people are moving to or give preference to Hyatt is that Hyatt has really stepped up in recent years in terms of elite benefits, property quality and increased presence. SPG, the long time program leader, on the other hand, hasn't done much in response to retain its leading position. No more WOW from SPG.