Best backup chain?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hilton ♢, IHG Spire, Hyatt Globalist, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 4,821
Best backup chain?
Hello all,
Very loyal SPG member here. In Q3 I'm going to be traveling around Eastern Europe for 3 months. Except for Poland, Starwood doesn't have much a footprint in those countries. As such, I'm thinking ill get a status match (or fast track) with another chain. However I'm quite unfamiliar with the others.
Does anyone know if Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Carlson, BW or Hyatt have a large footprint in Easten Europe? And if so, does that chain have similar rates to Starwood? And then assuming multiple chains do - which would be the best chain to choose as my backup?
I love the Platinum benefits especially, upgrades, late check out, free breakfast and free Internet. I like lounge access and free drinks, but its secondary to the other benefits for me. I'd prefer to have a backup that offered similar benefits but was also a similar price (e.g., if four seasons offered this it would be nice, but I can't afford 3x the price).
Thanks for the help!
Very loyal SPG member here. In Q3 I'm going to be traveling around Eastern Europe for 3 months. Except for Poland, Starwood doesn't have much a footprint in those countries. As such, I'm thinking ill get a status match (or fast track) with another chain. However I'm quite unfamiliar with the others.
Does anyone know if Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Carlson, BW or Hyatt have a large footprint in Easten Europe? And if so, does that chain have similar rates to Starwood? And then assuming multiple chains do - which would be the best chain to choose as my backup?
I love the Platinum benefits especially, upgrades, late check out, free breakfast and free Internet. I like lounge access and free drinks, but its secondary to the other benefits for me. I'd prefer to have a backup that offered similar benefits but was also a similar price (e.g., if four seasons offered this it would be nice, but I can't afford 3x the price).
Thanks for the help!

#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
In central europe Kempinski is not bad (part of GHA) and also Club Carlson. Hilton has a few very good hotels also such as Bucaresti.
Where are you going?
Bratislava and Vienna as well as Budapest are good with SPG.
If you are off the major city path a bit Best Western may be the only chain option such as in Lucinec.
Where are you going?
Bratislava and Vienna as well as Budapest are good with SPG.
If you are off the major city path a bit Best Western may be the only chain option such as in Lucinec.

#3
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: SPG Platinum, Hilton Gold, RA, QF Gold, UA 1K
Posts: 308
Best backup chain?
I would use Hilton as a backup. Their gold is the best mid tier status and cones with breakfast, Internet etc. they are also quite large comparing to Hyatt.
Otherwise Marriott would be good if they status match you. Maintaining it is an challenge through.
Hyatt diamond has great benefits but not sure about their coverages in EU. It's quite small...
And PC doesn't give you much besides bonus points....
Otherwise Marriott would be good if they status match you. Maintaining it is an challenge through.
Hyatt diamond has great benefits but not sure about their coverages in EU. It's quite small...
And PC doesn't give you much besides bonus points....

#4
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat, Copa Pres. Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG LT Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 769
The main reason I even HAVE a backup is because Starwood coverage can be spotty in some places. Hyatt being even smaller than Starwood, it makes for a poor backup IMO. In spite of the devaluation, I think Hilton is a nice #2 as it has broad coverage and somewhat more attractive redemption rates at the highest tiers.

#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
I would use Hilton as a backup. Their gold is the best mid tier status and cones with breakfast, Internet etc. they are also quite large comparing to Hyatt.
Otherwise Marriott would be good if they status match you. Maintaining it is an challenge through.
Hyatt diamond has great benefits but not sure about their coverages in EU. It's quite small...
And PC doesn't give you much besides bonus points....
Otherwise Marriott would be good if they status match you. Maintaining it is an challenge through.
Hyatt diamond has great benefits but not sure about their coverages in EU. It's quite small...
And PC doesn't give you much besides bonus points....

#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hilton ♢, IHG Spire, Hyatt Globalist, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 4,821
Thanks all. Seems like Hilton is the choice here... Although it sounds like their footprint isn't so large either. I'm going to St Petersburg, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuiania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and possibly Croatia. Oh and Turkey at the end.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
I will look into Club Carlson further as well. I recall many Radisson Blu's in Western and Northern Europe. Not sure how many exist in Eastern though.
Thanks for all the advice. Def helped! I sure wish Starwood would stop their mad focus on China and expand a bit more elsewhere.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
I will look into Club Carlson further as well. I recall many Radisson Blu's in Western and Northern Europe. Not sure how many exist in Eastern though.
Thanks for all the advice. Def helped! I sure wish Starwood would stop their mad focus on China and expand a bit more elsewhere.

#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
Thanks all. Seems like Hilton is the choice here... Although it sounds like their footprint isn't so large either. I'm going to St Petersburg, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuiania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and possibly Croatia. Oh and Turkey at the end.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
I will look into Club Carlson further as well. I recall many Radisson Blu's in Western and Northern Europe. Not sure how many exist in Eastern though.
Thanks for all the advice. Def helped! I sure wish Starwood would stop their mad focus on China and expand a bit more elsewhere.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
I will look into Club Carlson further as well. I recall many Radisson Blu's in Western and Northern Europe. Not sure how many exist in Eastern though.
Thanks for all the advice. Def helped! I sure wish Starwood would stop their mad focus on China and expand a bit more elsewhere.
While I do agree with you about Starwood- from a strategic perspective it does make a lot of sense to concentrate on China.

#8
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG-P ALL/HH/IHG-D RR/NCH-G, BA/A3-G AF/ay-P, Octopus
Posts: 5,534
SPG has properties in St Petersburg, Lithuania (Vilnius, not in the city centre), Bulgaria (Sofia), Poland (Warsaw, Krakow, some place I can't remember), Croatia (Zagreb, Split) and Turkey (Istanbul). So you might want to concentrate the backup on those other countries. Radisson sounds like a good bet.

#9
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Europe now, used to be NA
Programs: SPG LTP
Posts: 154
Thanks all. Seems like Hilton is the choice here... Although it sounds like their footprint isn't so large either. I'm going to St Petersburg, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuiania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and possibly Croatia. Oh and Turkey at the end.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
I will look into Club Carlson further as well. I recall many Radisson Blu's in Western and Northern Europe. Not sure how many exist in Eastern though.
Thanks for all the advice. Def helped! I sure wish Starwood would stop their mad focus on China and expand a bit more elsewhere.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
I will look into Club Carlson further as well. I recall many Radisson Blu's in Western and Northern Europe. Not sure how many exist in Eastern though.
Thanks for all the advice. Def helped! I sure wish Starwood would stop their mad focus on China and expand a bit more elsewhere.
Was in similar boat when last year travelling in Baltics & then Poland: opted for Club Carlson, and extremely happy about them (easy match from SPG plat to CC gold, and from there nice hotels, great service & a couple of pretty wild upgrades, even if the latter is not considered as a guaranteed benefit of CC). SPG will remain primary & well on track for requal, but actually trying to maintain the CC status as well thanks to nice experiences

#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,189
Thanks all. Seems like Hilton is the choice here... Although it sounds like their footprint isn't so large either. I'm going to St Petersburg, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuiania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and possibly Croatia. Oh and Turkey at the end.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
I did a little research and I can get Hilton gold just by getting their credit card, so that's nice. Although I wonder how valuable the benefits can be if anyone can get gold level so easily.
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explor...its/index.html
Frankly, since you don't appear to be looking for a long-term backup, I'd be focusing on the best properties (location, amenities, rates) and would give only tertiary consideration to loyalty programs. (That's not my first FT heresy, but I'm pragmatic.)

#11
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: SPG Platinum, Hilton Gold, RA, QF Gold, UA 1K
Posts: 308
Best backup chain?
Why not just do a status match to whoever you can and pick the properties you want to stay at? It's going to be a bit messy with points as you may end up not having enough points for free nights in any of them... But it's a holiday - pick which hotels you will enjoy, instead of which chain you should choose...

#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hilton ♢, IHG Spire, Hyatt Globalist, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 4,821
If you are looking at the upper end of SPG- in the countries you have listed LHW is very worthwhile- if the properties work for you I recommend purchasing their entry level leaders club card which gets you free continental breakfast for 2 everyday, free internet access (which still can be very expensive in Europe), a free night for every five paid stays, and from time to time some very good upgrades (and sometimes nothing at all). In Riga and Tallinn I stay at LHW hotels.
However, your suggestion made me recall another similar site (so thanks!) And after perusing it i did join their loyalty program. It's called slh.com and it was free. They give room upgrades on first stay, and then internet and breakfast thereafter. They seem to have a bunch of properties in Eastern Europe. Although they also may bee too expensive for me, at least there was no upfront cost if I don't end up staying with them.
Was in similar boat when last year travelling in Baltics & then Poland: opted for Club Carlson, and extremely happy about them (easy match from SPG plat to CC gold, and from there nice hotels, great service & a couple of pretty wild upgrades, even if the latter is not considered as a guaranteed benefit of CC). SPG will remain primary & well on track for requal, but actually trying to maintain the CC status as well thanks to nice experiences
Hilton Gold will get you free internet access. That can be ~$25/night at full-service European properties. There are other brand-specific benefits.
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explor...its/index.html
Frankly, since you don't appear to be looking for a long-term backup, I'd be focusing on the best properties (location, amenities, rates) and would give only tertiary consideration to loyalty programs. (That's not my first FT heresy, but I'm pragmatic.)
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explor...its/index.html
Frankly, since you don't appear to be looking for a long-term backup, I'd be focusing on the best properties (location, amenities, rates) and would give only tertiary consideration to loyalty programs. (That's not my first FT heresy, but I'm pragmatic.)
Also, it would be nice to have a long term backup, its just that it really depends on location. For example, next year ill be traveling through South America and Australia for 6 mos. Not sure my current choice of Club Carlson will suffice for those areas. That's why I'm trying to not waste my status matches (unless they can be repeated).

#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hilton ♢, IHG Spire, Hyatt Globalist, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 4,821
Why not just do a status match to whoever you can and pick the properties you want to stay at? It's going to be a bit messy with points as you may end up not having enough points for free nights in any of them... But it's a holiday - pick which hotels you will enjoy, instead of which chain you should choose...

#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 35,399
I'm not doing this for the points, I'm doing it for the elite benefits (upgrades, free breakfast, free Internet, etc). Points would be nice, but I agree, won't end up with too many. And it's not just a one off holiday. I travel about 3-4 mos of the year on holiday. I love the way I'm treated at Starwood. Just trying to keep it close when Starwood doesn't have a hotel where I'm going.

#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: VCE
Posts: 14,165
Something you may want to consider (and I don't have any experience with the Eastern Europe), is Best Western. They will status match you (there's a link on the website) and some of the European properties can be quite nice, and a relative value (so that you don't mind paying for the better room or for your breakfast if it is not included, etc.) Note - this advice is coming from someone who has been SPG Platinum for most of the life of the program.
With or without status match- in some cities within Central Europe the best (possibly only) choice will be Best Western.
