IHG vs. Hilton
 

For years I have used IHG as my preferrred Hotel group. Why? I started off with a lot of points, some from their credit card and others from various promotions. Over time they seemed to have rates that were a bit better than other large chains so why not stay with them and collect points on their travel plan as well as their CC. Did I mention a family member worked for an IHG franchiser in a town I frequently visit and got me a great family discount. :-)

But, today the world has changed. First, over the past two years I have burned through most of my points. I currently have about 6,000 left. Also, my family member is no longer working in the hotel hospitality business, so no discounts. Also IHG prices have really gone UP! In the past I found similar properties were usually cheaper than Hilton. Not anymore.

I am thinking of finding a new chain and right now it looks like Hilton is high on the list. Hilton seems to have the same geographic coverage as IHG. Marriot and Hyatt leave me out in the cold at times due to a lack of properties. Plus they seem to be even more expensive.

Any thoughts on why I should switch to Hilton? Or not make the switch? I have a Hilton Amex card but rarely use it. I will be doing a lot more travel in the USA and Canada and would like to concentrate on one chain and hopefully build up some points and ''status", though I am not sure status is worth much these days.

Oh, it's all personal travel. My days as a road warrior are now over for good. :-)

Thanks.

Hilton's big advantage to me is the ability to choose my room and bypass the front desk entirely. Their digital key works well, especially compared to Marriott's, and IHG's app is pretty hopeless compared to those two.

One positive aspect of IHG is that you can essentially buy Plat status at IHG for $49 a year with their credit card.

I have both, status with both, and IHG is better. While some Hiltons are still nice, they have fallen far, especially since Covid. I know each is unique, managed differently, etc. But I do travel internationally and domestically nonstop (I literally live in hotels) and see a lot. In fact, just last night it took me 1.5 hours to cancel a Hilton reservation via Twitter DM. It was a negotiated rate for 45 days. I made it with the GM when I left the hotel. However, she never conformed it in writing (I have the reservation, but not the negotiated rate). I finally gave up on her. I'd booked a back up--at an IHG. But because it was set in the system by the GM, it was not anything I could adjust online. The process was so irritating, it made me want to cancel all my upcoming Hilton reservations.

Now, the above is an outlier and anecdotal, but I am also working through some longer term IHG stays in the UK this summer. I get replies within an hour or two via email (which I prefer) from IHG. They are just easier to work with all around.

FOOTPRINTS: I am unsure. But they seem close enough that if I had to pick that would not be my factor. Over the past few years, I have found myself leaving a Hilton hotel for an IHG more than once. This even happened in Cairo at the most dirty and disgusting place. I was welcomed to the IHG property and instantly upgraded to a one-bedroom suite. (Did I mention I get way more upgrades at IHG than Hilton--which usually tries to upsell me in the app, if it offers any at all?).

POINTS/VALUE: IHG points go further, even though Hilton points are, arguably, easier to accumulate.

CREDIT CARDS/STATUS: My IHG card is $99 a year (Chase). It's a good card with a free night, TSA/GE credit, some travel protections. Pays for itself. Comes with Platinum. Most of my views here were as a Platinum (not sure you can get Plat via card for $49 now? Think that was the old Club card.). I earned Diamond through stays, and now I like it even more, to be honest.

My Hilton card is Amex (Surpass), and was $95 (what I paid this year). It goes to $150 next year, and I will cancel prior to that, as it holds little value. It used to have Priority Pass lounges, which helped when no Admirals Clubs were available (or international OWE lounges, but that was rare), but that went away as they raised the price. No free nights unless we spend $15K (but during Covid I charged both surgery and part of a car, they extended the free night, and I did enjoy a free stay by adding 95K and one paid for a long NYE weekend at the Waldorf in Chicago. Free nights are not capped if you do earn them if a standard room is available.) The Amex Hilton mid-level card comes with Gold, which is meh. I will downgrade to the Silver card.

BOTTOM LINE: My primary hotel choice is Hyatt (Globalist) when I can use it, but of course more limited footprint. However, my number 2 is IHG. Behind that is Marriott actually (And this year, I'll earn higher Marriott status this year, too.) I must say Marriott has been better to me at lowly Chase-card Gold than Hilton, which says a lot). #4 is Hilton.

ELITE BENEFITS: Keep in mind that IHG hotels are more generous with things like late check outs, as well. Hilton is the only chain that doesn't even attempt to offer it. Little nitpicks like that matter when you have a late or delayed flight. Hilton always makes me feel like I am begging or negotiating a deal.

OVERALL: Some Hiltons are fine, even great, of course. As a generalization from a person who is in a hotel 365 nights a year, this is obviously my view, but it is informed (and others will differ and be correct, depending on where they stay), Hilton is nickel and dime-ing more and more, and it shows. Frankly, after 1.5 hours on chat to cancel a reservation, I am just really cranky in general. Oh, and now, today after that debacle, the hotel called because they heard there was an issue... That, that is the core of it. Think of it the way you would airline IRROPS. Do you want a legacy carrier, despite their issues, or do you want Frontier?

I absolutely would not make Hilton my number one unless I were traveling to specific places where I was sure the hotels were excellent. IHG is not some majestic superior chain but if you want to be treated better, don't go to Hilton as a primary. As with anything, YMMV.

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm always looking to improve my travel situation when the opportunity offers itself and I will keep your comments in mind. Since my IHG points are currently very meager, I feel like I am starting all over again and might as well consider other chains. I've had some modest upgrades here and there, with IHG though lately, upgrades are harder to some by.

My problem is that (in the U.S., at least) I find the property quality varies quite dramatically with IHG depending on the hotel owner. There doesn't seem to be as much franchise enforcement as with Hilton. I've been at some really dreadful Crowne Plazas that I think were worse than any regular Hilton I've stayed at. I think Hamptons are a cut above HI Express (which also has breakfast, so I'm comparing on that basis) and more consistent.

I do think this varies with location, though. I stayed in an excellent HI Express in Amsterdam. What brands of hotels do you prefer to stay in?

As someone who has never travelled for work, I will take free status from whatever chain, but to be tied to a specific chain is pointless to me. There are so many places in the world that being loyal to a chain would result in a crappier hotel, at a higger price than a higher standard locally run hotel.

My advice, take whatever free status you can get with a credit card, go where you want to go, and not where your specific hotel chain just happens to have a hotel at.

I've never been loyal to any particular hotel chain, and I haven't stayed in as many hotels as other people in this thread, but please let me give my two cents. Hilton's quality has fallen dramatically over the last 15 to 20 years. 25 years ago, Hilton was my favorite hotel brand. Nowadays, every time I stay at a Hilton I am disappointed. Their properties look very old, basic, and cheap. I get the impression that they have not invested as much in upkeep and modernization as other hotel chains. To give just one example, I fly from Japan to the central US every year, and I have a choice of going through DFW or ORD. One of the reasons I now prefer DFW is that the Grand Hyatt DFW is far superior to the Hilton O'Hare. It's a totally different experience. The Hilton O'Hare just looks tired and depressing.

The one really good thing about Hilton is their app - their online checkin and digital key feature work really well.

I am an overall GM in all loyalty options so I have both hh and ihg and they’re both fine to me. If I stayed at a hotel extremely often then I would seek high loyalty with both. As a rare hotel consumer, it’s more about the city (location) and then seeing the options for lodging.

It also depends on what your typical redemption is. Mine are mostly Holiday Inn Express and my experience is that their point cost beats Hampton virtually every time (plus the HIX breakfast is so much better). I have often found that I can get a HIX room for 15,000 points where the town's comparable Hampton is 30,000+

GM = General Manager ??

I speak gaobest.

GM=General Member

I wonder if there are any IHG/Hilton split properties that could conceivably have a single person fulfill GM roles at both simultaneously.

I must admit, I do shop price. And while I like Holiday Inn Express they are slowly pricing themselves out of the market in many areas compared to some locally owned hotels. So are all the Big Name chains.

The other day I booked a local hotel on Booking.com and got a better price than through hotels own website. Odd, but true.

Limited service brands on the same corner, owned by the same franchise company? You betcha.

Hilton offers a lifetime status. IHG does not.

Lifetime Hilton Diamond requires 1,000 nights or $200,000 in base spend at hotels. Likewise Hyatt Globalist. Both are the top level in their respective program.

Marriott offers lifetime status at its three lowest (of five) levels: Silver (250 nights & 5 years), Gold (400 nights & 7 years), and Platinum (600 nights & 10 years). Only the latter offers any meaningful benefits. Unlike the other two chains, "nights" can be earned through (U.S.) credit cards, so it is by far the easiest lifetime status to earn (for Americans).

In the IHG versus Hilton calculus, lifetime status should only be a consideration if one is likely to stay 1,000 nights (or its base spend equivalent) over the course of one's travelling years.