Starwood program not worth trying vs. Marriott
#46
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Starwood is a terrible program. It is a fact that the earn and burn it bad and the customer service stinks the big one:
1. 3 points per dollar is weak whe you consider category 1 hotels start at 3,000 points. $1000 spend - a free night. At Marriott you get 15 points per dollar as a plat and free nights start at 7500. That means $500 in spend earns a free night. As you go up the category chain Marriott always makes more sense.
2. There are no Starwood hotels...good luck finding one in rural areas.
3. Promos stink and they will BITE you when you find out the hotel you stayed in doesn't participate. Marriott promos all hotels participate.
4. Breakfast at CY Marriott is not included but Aloft hotels has the worst food and beverage of any mid-range hotel. All heated up junk. Also if you want breakfast it will never be a full breakfast at SPG and will take the place of your check in points making the earn and burn even worse.
5. Calling SPG over the phone has been a disaster. Helpless people who have no common sense or are not empowered. I usually hang up with SPG wondering what happened.
6. I never find SPG properties are a good value for the money.
1. 3 points per dollar is weak whe you consider category 1 hotels start at 3,000 points. $1000 spend - a free night. At Marriott you get 15 points per dollar as a plat and free nights start at 7500. That means $500 in spend earns a free night. As you go up the category chain Marriott always makes more sense.
2. There are no Starwood hotels...good luck finding one in rural areas.
3. Promos stink and they will BITE you when you find out the hotel you stayed in doesn't participate. Marriott promos all hotels participate.
4. Breakfast at CY Marriott is not included but Aloft hotels has the worst food and beverage of any mid-range hotel. All heated up junk. Also if you want breakfast it will never be a full breakfast at SPG and will take the place of your check in points making the earn and burn even worse.
5. Calling SPG over the phone has been a disaster. Helpless people who have no common sense or are not empowered. I usually hang up with SPG wondering what happened.
6. I never find SPG properties are a good value for the money.
With the SPG AMEX, a PLT member ends up getting 5 pts per dollar, 6 with PLT75, so that helps bring down the spend needed for the free nt. I've found CS to be equal to or better than some of the other chains, but YRMV. Also, many SPG properties offer both the PLT amenity and free breakfast, and if they don't it can't hurt to ask for both. That often works. I'm not a big fan of hotel breakfasts in general, as they usually are substandard and unvarying, but occasionally there are some outstanding one, not just at the high end properties. I don't like the targetted promo plan SPG runs, but then Hyatt does the same, and with a much smaller footprint and higher cost, generally.
#47
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 6
I am having a total different experience
I Am an avid Starwood customer and recently started trying out some Marriot properties this year since the Merge. I have to say....except for the Autograph collection hotels, my experience with Marriott and Renaisance have been pretty lack luster.
Starwood properties tend to deliver exception experiences when I stay with them (even without my gold privileges when I book through third party). So far my Marriott and Renaisance stays have been less than satisfying even when I am using my membership (except for some Autograph hotels and JW Marriott which are so far really at par with the Starwood experiences I have had).
I note 3 main significance difference between the Starwood vs Marriott hotels I have visited. The service at Starwood tend to be more personalised and attentive (with the exception of four points..ugh!). Starwood staffs tend to go the extra mile even in their middle range hotels, in my experience. Also Starwood hotels tend to be very well mantain regardless of their age...and this is quite a major gripe for me. Thirdly, I find the executive lounges in Starwood hotel tend to be more welcoming. I hardly get asked my room number when I go into Starwood hotels...the staff somehow generally just know who you are after check in..it is incredible. There were occasions when I get asked my room number in Starwood hotel exec lounges..but this is quite rare. On the contrary..Marriott I find that Marriott hotel lounges tend to be less welcoming.
The price of Marriott hotels are generally more competitive... This however is not enough to entice me to use them on a long term / consistent basis.
Starwood properties tend to deliver exception experiences when I stay with them (even without my gold privileges when I book through third party). So far my Marriott and Renaisance stays have been less than satisfying even when I am using my membership (except for some Autograph hotels and JW Marriott which are so far really at par with the Starwood experiences I have had).
I note 3 main significance difference between the Starwood vs Marriott hotels I have visited. The service at Starwood tend to be more personalised and attentive (with the exception of four points..ugh!). Starwood staffs tend to go the extra mile even in their middle range hotels, in my experience. Also Starwood hotels tend to be very well mantain regardless of their age...and this is quite a major gripe for me. Thirdly, I find the executive lounges in Starwood hotel tend to be more welcoming. I hardly get asked my room number when I go into Starwood hotels...the staff somehow generally just know who you are after check in..it is incredible. There were occasions when I get asked my room number in Starwood hotel exec lounges..but this is quite rare. On the contrary..Marriott I find that Marriott hotel lounges tend to be less welcoming.
The price of Marriott hotels are generally more competitive... This however is not enough to entice me to use them on a long term / consistent basis.
#48
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,334
Let's not forget the fact that many Marriott lounges are closed on weekends.
#49
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,770
Talk about trolling. OP's first post and never posted again, while others debate about various aspects of MR vs SPG.
SPG Plat will always prefer SPG. I don't really care if MR Plat prefer SPG or MR. The only thing that matters is what happens in 2019, how will MR merge SPG with MR?
SPG Plat will always prefer SPG. I don't really care if MR Plat prefer SPG or MR. The only thing that matters is what happens in 2019, how will MR merge SPG with MR?
#50
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,677
My first post... Plat with Delta, lifetime plat with Marriott. Trying Sheraton for business trip to Japan for conference later this week. Learned that since reservation made through 3rd party, no points, no upgrade, no lounge, probably no free wifi... so no recognition of status, basically. Marriott doesn't care w....
#51
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Everywhere
Programs: AA EXP - 3.7MM, Bonv LIFETIME Titan, HH Dmd, Hyatt Glob., Priority Clb Dmd, Ntnl Exec El., Sixt PLT
Posts: 1,677
- I have stayed in Marriott before and after the merger (about 50 lifetime nights, I believe). Before the merger I was a regular member. My impression of Marriott was a very similar of Hilton hotels - large footprint in US and a large array of brands nearly mirroring that of Hilton. After the merger I was staying as Marriott PLT and my opinion did not change. Of course, there are some good properties in South East Asia, if you find them in the place you are traveling to.... Overall, your experience is on par with mine. This is scary because of the imminent integration.
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,165
#53
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
#55
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: 32.7758 N, 96.7967 W
Programs: AA EXP,SPG 75
Posts: 318
I tried Marriot "only" for almost 20 months after being a long time SPG platinum. I was intrigued by having a single program due to my travels sometimes taking me to the hinterlands and SPG coverage outside of cities is poor. I did about 100 bed nights with Marriot over that time, plus 7 or 8 small meetings (10 elite nights is a great benefit). 80% of my stays are at Ritz/Luxury Collection type properties in a few locations and it covers me making platinum each year. This year I went back to SPG full time this year.
I learned a few things in my time in Marriot land.
SPGs customer support is light years ahead of Marriot's. Small issues with Marriot would be painful to resolve on the phone and major issues could be sorted out via Chat with SPG. Lately, I tell the service people at SPG I hope they take over or at least influence Marriot when things are combined, but I am not hopeful.
Marriot low-end properties (Courtyard/Springfield-Fairfield Inn/etc...) really suck. Granted SPGs are not that great either, so I'll just be a free agent in the hinterlands and book the best hotel be it Hilton or Best Western (Had decent stays with them, lol) or Marriwood.
Marriot has some great boutique properties.
Redemptions in big cities are better for Marriot than Starwood. Redemptions in peak vacation destinations are vastly superior with SPG.
Platinum recognization is better with SPG.
Points generation is better with SPG.
I learned a few things in my time in Marriot land.
SPGs customer support is light years ahead of Marriot's. Small issues with Marriot would be painful to resolve on the phone and major issues could be sorted out via Chat with SPG. Lately, I tell the service people at SPG I hope they take over or at least influence Marriot when things are combined, but I am not hopeful.
Marriot low-end properties (Courtyard/Springfield-Fairfield Inn/etc...) really suck. Granted SPGs are not that great either, so I'll just be a free agent in the hinterlands and book the best hotel be it Hilton or Best Western (Had decent stays with them, lol) or Marriwood.
Marriot has some great boutique properties.
Redemptions in big cities are better for Marriot than Starwood. Redemptions in peak vacation destinations are vastly superior with SPG.
Platinum recognization is better with SPG.
Points generation is better with SPG.
#56
Last edited by exploreaswego; Apr 2, 2018 at 12:46 pm Reason: adding link
#57
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: LT Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hertz Prez Circle, United Platinum
Posts: 767
I've been an elite with both chains and, as another poster said, both chains have their pluses and minuses.
They're both just hotel chains; neither one is markedly better than the other.
#58
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,501
This thread absolutely slays.
The post rendering judgment on the programs based on Category 1 one-night awards - that might very well be Post of the Year.
Please keep it up, everyone. This is reddit-quality stuff.
The post rendering judgment on the programs based on Category 1 one-night awards - that might very well be Post of the Year.
Please keep it up, everyone. This is reddit-quality stuff.
#59
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Da Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,472
I tried Marriot "only" for almost 20 months after being a long time SPG platinum. I was intrigued by having a single program due to my travels sometimes taking me to the hinterlands and SPG coverage outside of cities is poor. I did about 100 bed nights with Marriot over that time, plus 7 or 8 small meetings (10 elite nights is a great benefit). 80% of my stays are at Ritz/Luxury Collection type properties in a few locations and it covers me making platinum each year. This year I went back to SPG full time this year.