sethb

That's at some hotels, and base only.

Status bonuses are different.

Credit card points are different. For random spend, they both earn 1 point/$.

That's why, overall, a rate of well under 5 is still fair.

username

I just don't see a way for them to do this without p* off people. Even if they have all the past records and re-calculate everything based on MR rules (i.e. hotel stays are converted 1:5, credit card 1:1, etc.), it still will not be good and there are still loose ends to be figured out.

The scary thing is they might end up merging to a totally different system - and maybe even $ based on redemption.

SkiAdcock

FWIW - I think you & I are basically on the same page, although coming from it from different angles. A # of our points match & we're in agreement that for the most part the programs & the properties are relatively the same.

And I didn't single you out as disrespectful. You've provided thoughtful input. Others, however, have been very derogatory as though people staying in tumberweed properties are less worthy folk. Heck, in the closed thread there were SPG FTers being incredibly derogatory to the point that they sounded like jerks & even SPG elites called them out. The irony is there's a thread on SPG right now re: SPG elites' behavior in lounges wrt food, etc LOL.

While you're happy that SPG has properties in backwoods China for example, others could care less because that's not where they stay on a regular basis. Others who do need a property in backwards wherever might find one w/ Marriott that SPG might not have one. Or even in some major states. For example where I live (Midwest state w/ some big industry) there are 10 SPG properties in the entire state (and all focused on one city, although there are other cities in the state 500K population & above w/ no SPG properties), but 56 Marriott properties & of those a lot are full-service w/ exec lounges. We all can do our own this is important to me. 50% of my time is spent overseas (although not in Asia) & Marriott properties outnumber SPG where I stay. In fairness, SPG outnumbers Hyatt where I stay. So again it's up to each individual in terms of property layout. However, there is something to be said for #s of property (and your Asia experience proves that).

One thing we do disagree on is that "it's universally accepted that SPG is superior". I would say SPG folk feel that way. Not necessarily Hyatt folk nor Marriott folk. Again that gets back to what is important to individuals. I will never make a claim on an airline or a hotel program that one is superior to another because it's based on individuals, what's important to them and/or not important.

Example (which I've stated before so no surprise). I could care less about 4pm check-out because I've never needed it. (I do get checkouts to 1-2pm if I request them). I do care about exec lounge access, however, & there are a heck of a LOT more Marriott brands w/ exec lounges than SPG has. It still boggles my mind that SPG elites discount that. They're going to gain access to a lot more exec lounges w/ Marriott than they've ever had w/ SPG (assuming they decide to stay at Marriotts), so perhaps Marriott elites should be complaining about the hordes of SPG elites that will now be crowding the Marriott brands lounges.

And unlike SPG (or Hilton for that matter), Marriott Golds do get access re: of whether they're upgraded to exec level. To me that's a big win over both of the other programs. However, for some SPG folk 4pms are important. That's fine. To each their own.

BTW - here's what I don't get. FTers (including one a few posts above who's a friend of mine) dissing SHS, etc. If they're not going to stay in one in the first place, then why do they care if they're added to the portfolio. It does, however, add options for others. And again in Asia, CYs do have exec lounges. Also, the other thing I don't get is people saying only FFIs in tumbleweed are being added to the mix. Looking at the entire UK there are only 12 SPG properties (basically in the London area). With Marriott there are 62 properties in the United Kingdom & of those 95% are full service. It's not a simple well only the FFIs are being added when you think of adding Marriott properties.

The other thing is (and again I think we're in agreement), if someone truly wants top shelf, excellent experiences they should just book Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Penisula, Aman, etc, and forget about loyalty programs.

However, IMO most on both SPG & Marriott forums will never do that - because they can't afford to or choose not to spend the $$. They depend on the loyalty programs to subsidize their holidays &/or upgrades (not pointing fingers; I do too). As the saying goes, if you really want it then pay for it. Most don't & rely on the loyalty programs to get them things they wouldn't/can't pay for themselves.

I am also in agreement w/ you that SPG's program that you can transfer to a gazillion partners is better than Chase. I'm not a total loyalist.

Cheers.

AJLondon

Ok, so let's put aside the 4pm late checkout guarantee since you don't care about that but obviously some of us appreciate not having to be at the whims of hotel staff and beg for 1pm checkouts.

Now these so called "heck of a LOT of Marriott lounges" you mention do sound interesting. How many of these are open on weekends?

I for one do appreciate SPG's brand standard guarantees. Like all NA Sheraton lounges being open 7 days a week... How does Marriott compare in NA?

3Cforme

How many Sheratons are there in NA? How many Marriotts in NA with lounges open on the weekend? Care to estimate which is the bigger number? Lounges aren't brand standard at Westin.

AJLondon

No idea of absolute numbers. I do know that the brand standard applies to 100% of Sheratons though. My limited experience of Marriotts and Renaissance properties has been very different though.

My most common work travel city is Chicago. The Sheraton and both the downtown Westins in Chicago have lounges, and all of them are open 7 days a week.

Conversely, I have stayed at the Marriott Michigan Avenue and the Renaissance downtown in Chicago. Both hotels had closed lounges at weekends.

yosithezet

I guess the point is that if you know there is a lounge, you may want to also know it will be open. I don't need all the hotels, just the ones I want to stay at.

mahasamatman

A "brand standard" which is not enforced.

Except for the ones where it doesn't, and there are quite a few. Starwood has always been pretty free granting exemptions to supposed brand standards.

username

Of course, Marriott Gold requires 50 nights and SPG Platinum requires 50 nights (or xx stays). So, in my mind:

SPG Platinum = MR Gold (and MR Gold is harder to achieve than SPG Platinum for those who achieve based on stays)

SPG Platinum 75 = MR Platinum

jimrpa

I stand corrected. I'm pretty sure the program, at one point, required consecutive years for LT Platinum. My coworkers used to jump through all kinds of hoops to ensure they maintained platinum status year after year simply for that reason.

SFBayGuy

LTP charter member here (now 15 years, 1600+ nights). Since the program was started in 2012 consecutive years have never been required. Not trying to be a jerk or anything, just setting the record straight.

jimrpa

Not sure why the objection to the 100 night highest tier? That's already what SPG has with Platinum 100. In my mind, it's pretty much just a name change and a slight tweak of benefits to get rid of the Marriott RC/Resort breakfast penalty (in other words, at that level, if you're staying at a property, where breakfast is available, you should get it without question, even if it's a BVLGARI)

mahasamatman

Harder for those, but anyone who has Gold or higher with UA gets Marriott Gold for free.

jimrpa

Fair enough, I'm newer to SPG than I am to MR. I tend to go by what my SPG-kowledgable co-workers tell me. My intent was always to go for SPG LTP after hitting Lifetime Platinum with Marriott since I actually do like both chains and both programs.

One small question - and not trying to be nitpicky - if the program was started in 2012 and requires 10 years of Platinum status to obtain Lifetime Platinum, there wouldn't be any lifetime platinums yet, right? I think you might have meant 2002? (That would be closer to your 15 year membership?)

SFBayGuy

The LT program started in 2012 but counted years all the way back to 2000. Might have even been 1999.

In 2014 they gave me a 12" X 24" "painting" (printed on canvas) which showed: when I joined SPG (10/8/99); my first year Plat (2000); when I became LTP (1/10/12); when I became Ambassador (2/22/12) and when I reached my 1500th night (9/17/14). It's on the wall in my home office. I'd post a pic but you can't upload one and I'm not putting it out on the cloud to link to.