Troopers

Define short term. Years is not short term, IMO.

kulflyer

If you're OK with the SPG foot print and Hyatt can meet your needs, the United Club card gives you Hyatt Platinum status in addition to all the United benefits. Pricier, but a bit more useful benefits too I think (assuming United is an airline possibility for you).

MSPeconomist

Like SPG, Hyatt reserves most benefits for its top tier elites. For example, in addition to suites (via DSUs), Diamonds get 4 pm checkout while Platinums get only 2 pm at Hyatts.

hhoope01

I think sethb was replying to someone stating they can only manage upwards of 30 nights a year. So adding in 15 more nights from the CC plus you can get 10 more nights from renting a conference room out for an hour. If you don't want to spend any money on a conference room, you could just charge $15K to the Marriott card. That will not only get you more points but will get you another 5 nights credit as well (1 night credit for each $3K spent.)

sethb

I was responding to someone who said they had 20-30 nights/year, so another 25 would just about do it (at worst, they'd need 2 meetings every other year).

sethb

The stock market is (in)famous for not looking past the next quarter.

Troopers

True...but I wouldn't say the same about the board and key shareholders.

On another related note: one of my clients is dropping Marriott (Residence Inn) and will be a Hyatt Place, and another client is developing/building as a Aloft.

SkiAdcock

Ah, thanks for the additional information 3Cforme & MSPeconomist. I knew SPG properties had lounges but wasn't sure of which brands.

Since I maintain the exec lounge sticky in the Marriott forum (although it's focus is more which are open/closed on weekends & what the brekkie situation is)....

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...-weekends.html

...I was curious re: the SPG lounges. I saw the SPG lounge thread was a wiki, so figured that perhaps it hadn't been updated w/ all properties/why it seemed a bit thin.

On the lounge I maintain I also depend on input from FTers on domestic/int'l properties, but in the US & Canada have personally called all the properties to ask their exec lounge status & on the int'l ones have checked their websites. Which reminds me I should probably do the annual calling next month to update properties- as you can imagine, it takes a lot of hours to reach out to the properties/update.

There are more Marriott properties than SPG properties w/ exec lounges (see link above), so that is a plus for SPGers who might stay at Marriott properties post-merger.

With Marriott the brands w/ lounges, or brekkie if there isn't a lounge, are Marriott, Renaissance, JW Marriott, & Autograph Collection (resorts excluded). In Asia CYs often have lounges, but CYs in other parts of the world don't. Although it's not listed officially in the 4 brands, to date Delta properties in Canada have exec lounges/extended brekkie privileges. If an exec lounge is closed on the weekend,or if there isn't an exec lounge,, the elite has the option of brekkie in the restaurant or 750 points/night. Int'l properties lounges tend to be open 7days/week.

To date, descriptions of types of offerings - ie, beer, wine, hot meals, etc, etc, I've left in the property threads because that can change & it takes up enough time to keep the Marriott exec lounge sticky updated.

Anyway, thanks for the update on the SPG lounges/brands. Much appreciated.

Cheers.

dewdreamdawn

Lucky at OMAAT also reached Marriott PR team and this is the following response:

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ite-guarantee/

I don't think it is "guaranteed." If they say this is "guarantee" I call it "shady."

CLEguy

I guarantee I'll hand you the $20 bill in my pocket.

When you ask.

Tomorrow.

If I have one.

And you can prove it.

damon88

Well said ^ I can't believe this BS

Boghopper

Call me gobsmacked. I would have bet dollars to donuts there was no way mar would just impose this in their franchisees. They must actually a rats patootie that so many of us are heading for the exits. It certainly shows in my account, last year this time I had about 20 stays and 40 nights with future bookings to 35/75ish. This year two stays and four nights and future bookings of three and three.

Boghopper

This is the sort of weaseling I would expect to see. In fact, anybody can request late checkout now, and that checkout time might be just about anything. I figure they really have no way to give the ironclad 4 pm checkout like Hyatt/spg because of existing franchise agreements. So they expel some puffery to make things look nice.

The difference remains that at spg/Hyatt there are specific entitlements by which the hotels must abide. Mar has a bunch of possibilities that are at the whim of the hotel.

Hyatt still looking head and shoulders better to me, but ymmv.

kulflyer

Oops! Yes you're right. I was thinking SPG platinum when I saw that line in the card and automatically associated it with top tier at Hyatt instead of Diamond. Doh! Thanks for correcting!

MSPeconomist

In the somewhat distant past, perhaps around 2010, Hyatt did give Plats something special for about every fourth stay: some sort of an upgrade, lounge access, etc. I forget what this feature was called.