Stays no longer relevant - best strategy for "road warriors"?
Apr 21, 2018, 4:14 pm
#16
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Hilton HONORS is the only major hotel loyalty program where you can get top elite status with 30 stays. This should be relatively easy to obtain if your stays are 1 night stays. Then choose a second and third loyalty program that suits the cities you visit the most. World of Hyatt still offer 2pm check-out for the lower (10 night/yr) and mid-level (30 night/yr) elites. Even at the new Marriott Gold (25 night/.yr), you can get 2pm late checkout. It depends on what is important to you. Late check-out is important to some and breakfast and/or lounge benefits may be more important for others.
Be careful. The new Marriott Gold 2 pm checkout is based on availability, not guaranteed. Some hotels claim that late checkouts are never available. Plus, having to ask the morning of departure (and wake up early to call the front desk as soon as the morning shift arrives) to maximize the chance can be extremely inconvenient.
Apr 22, 2018, 7:22 am
#17
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: LAX, SAN, ORD, MAA & COK
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Apr 22, 2018, 7:26 am
#18
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Not always an option as not all chains are in all locations. I was on the "road" for over two years solid. I picked based upon proximity of where I wanted to be and cost. Got me top tier in four programs! Was nice to have options no matter where you go.
Apr 22, 2018, 8:51 am
#19
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Well, as I stated in post #8, my travel includes not only big cities, where all chains are present, but also some secondary destinations, where often only a small selection - which varies - is present. And as I also said, I have no influence on the destinations ... I quick analysis showed my top three cities are London (all major chains present), Berne (Accor only) and Bogotá (all chains except Hyatt present, but not necessarily in convenient locations).
Last edited by swiss_global; Apr 22, 2018 at 9:01 am
Apr 22, 2018, 10:50 am
#20
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Surely the regular AmEx Plat card is available in Switzerland? IIRC it (check details for the Swiss version) currently gives SPG Gold and Hilton Gold, so you would at least get mid-level status for freein those chains, although we don't know about Starriott in the future. I've done pretty well getting late checkouts and upgrades as Hilton Gold.
Apr 22, 2018, 11:05 am
#21
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And then when there is no Stariott hotel where you need it, you have a one-night stand with whoever looks the prettiest. Maintaining a number of wives / steady partners is just exhausting.
Apr 22, 2018, 11:16 am
#22
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Zurich
Programs: BA GGL, TK*G EL, KL P ELPL, ex AB P, ex LH/LX Sen, HHonors D4L, Bonvoy P
Posts: 1,647
Surely the regular AmEx Plat card is available in Switzerland? IIRC it (check details for the Swiss version) currently gives SPG Gold and Hilton Gold, so you would at least get mid-level status for freein those chains, although we don't know about Starriott in the future. I've done pretty well getting late checkouts and upgrades as Hilton Gold.
Apr 22, 2018, 11:18 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2018
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Book with virtuoso/fhr/visa luxury collection?
Apr 22, 2018, 11:22 am
#24
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Apr 22, 2018, 4:54 pm
#25
Join Date: Apr 2006
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That should be one of your targets, while making Marriott the other. Then buy the Ibis business card to give you gold for Accor, that should cover most locales.