flyersky1

I have a dilemma. I have planned around 50 hotel nights this year. I'm considering between 2 options:

1. Spend all of them at SPG properties and requialify for Plat + get 10 upgrade certs.
2. split them 25/25 between SPG and Hyatt and requiality for SPG Plat and Hyatt DM.

Advantages of option 1:
1. Get 10 upgrade certs.
2. Don't have to move from one hotel to another if I stay more than 1 night in a given city.
3. Advance faster towards lifetime Plat.
4. More SPG than Hyatt properties.
5. Award stays and C+P count for re-qualification.

Advantages of option 2:
1. Get 4 upgrade Hyatt certs confirmed at booking, which may be preferred than the 10 SPG certs given the difficulties in redeeming them described in the SPG forum.
2. Get free full breakfast with Hyatt.
3. Diversify: Sometimes Hyatt has much better properties at certain locations.

I'm curious what you guys think. The cost of the two options is similar.

MSPeconomist

IMO something else to consider is that SPG treats Plats who qualify with 50 nights much better than those who qualify by 25 stays. It's not just the ten SNAs, but almost more improtantly, your priority for Plat upgrades and just generally different treatment, including by hotel front desk staff and Plat Concierge phone agents.

flyersky1

Interesting. Is that really true? Do these agents (esp. hotel front desk staff) have access to that information? I remember reading before that the lurkers said that a Plat is a Plat, no matter how they qualify (unless the benefit is explicitly stated like upgrade certs, etc.). If true, that is indeed an important advantage for option 1.

remymartin

FDAs don't differentiate Plat25/Plat50/Plat75, so I don't agree with your statement.

fireworksboy

I'm with this. And I've been 25 stay guy for 5+ years and 50 night guy for 5+ years. My advice to the OP is option #2. SPG is still my go to, number 1 but it's awesome to have Hyatt in my back pocket - and they treat me like a king.

TRAVELSIG

I would go with Option 2- so you have always the Hyatt as a backup option.

pricesquire

Option 2. I'm working on the same thing now. Good to have a backup, always.

yucci18

Option 2 - the 4 certificates are really useful in Hyatt. Plus there are some really good Hyatt properties around. SPG may charge similar price but it may not be as good

IluvSQ

I would tend to option 2 as well, but I would ask where you spend most of your nights?
If in Asia, I would say my UG rate as a Plat is upwards of 80-90%, so the SNA's are
not too important. If your stays are in North America, where the rate is about 10%,
the SNA's have a bit more value. I find Europe to be about 50-50.

Scottrick

Be aware that 25 nights is not sufficient to reach your status goals with either program. You will need 25 stays for SPG Plat and 25 stays for Hyatt Diamond. In order to accomplish that with the same number of nights, every stay will be for one night only. That's okay now and then, but it can be very tiring when switching back and forth between hotels over a long trip.

spgplat21

This was what we were all told, and I haven't noticed much of a change as a Plat50, but platinum members with ambassadors are definitely known by FDAs so I wouldn't be surprised if Plat 50s and 75s were also known somehow or given priority.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...ood-vip-9.html Check out post 127 mentioning that Platinum member with ambassadors are noted as CEMs by the FD. There's no evidence 50s & 75s are differentiated however.

DougDons

I am in a similar situation and decided for Option 2. While SPG is my go to program, I've found Hyatt to be great and I like changing things up a bit and having other options when traveling.

schley

IMO I would discount the #1 criteria being this suite confirmations and allow yourself to go with either program based on their quarterly promos. If Hyatt has the best one in Q3 or Q4 go with them. I'm sure the benefits of the better promo would outweigh the benefits of the suite nights IMO.

omegadeal

I think it depends on what your travel projections are for 2014. Hyatt has a great program, but less properties in the areas I stay at.

sfozrhfco

If you are seriously only going to do 50 nights and no more and your nights are not all mattress runs just to get status, option 1 would be the best. If you are doing your stays as say 10 X 5 night business stays, I can't imagine you would want to move around from hotel to hotel every night, store your luggage until the other hotel room is ready and repeat this every day. I would only recommend 2 if you are travelling alone and are just staying for the sole purpose of getting status. SPG promos are much more focused on nights now and if you take breakfast as the Platinum amenity you are not even worrying about losing the 500/250 point check in amenity. You can also take advantage of the Go Green program at many properties if you are staying for multiple nights.