Miles Ahead

I doubt that lounge overcrowding is caused by infrequent travelers with comped status. For that to happen, a large fraction - most likely a substantial majority - of Marriott elites would have to be from United matches.

The point of the program from Marriott's perspective is to drive incremental business to their properties under the proposition "We'll treat you a little better than our competition" and possibly to entice long-term loyalty. Clearly they believe the new level of benefits will let them meet these goals. We shall see if they are correct.

My own view is that it probably will not be enough to sway me to stay at their properties (others will feel differently), largely because they have not done a good job with the existing published benefits. Multiple times I was declined an upgrade to available rooms, and indeed, right now I am at a Marriott property in their smallest room. (Smaller than advertised, in fact) Just as if someone on the Marriott side might well walk away thinking "Silver ain't that great".

nomad420

Being LT Hilton Gold and caught up in the Hilton points game over the years I have only occasionally taken advantage of using my Marriott status through UA. After all of this I am certainly less likely to pursue Marriott as an option (not that Hilton Gold is anything great either).

uastarflyer

zombietooth

I think you will be happy with Hilton.
After last year's downgrade of Hyatt, I ceased all stays with them and gave most of my business to Hilton (90 nights so far this year), and it has worked out very well for me, especially in Asia where I find Hyatt's properties to be inferior to Hilton's in the same price range and location. However, I still have given Marriott around 25 nights this year that were primarily influenced by the status match. I won't avoid Marriotts like I am avoiding Hyatts if I am not Plat next year, but I certainly will give them less business.

flyin´ruddl

Like so many others: If not, fare well, MR... Enjoyed the last 42 nights in 24 months in cozy lounges but that would be it.

F.R.

dinoscool3

Boraxo

Not happy with downgrades in Hyatt and Marriott programs, but the defections to Hilton are highly amusing. This is the program that massively devalued a few years ago, charges absurd 95k points at many hotels and offers no guaranteed suite upgrades. Enjoy the free breakfasts and lounge access (which many of us will miss) but that's about all you'll get.

As for location I'll take SPG, IC in Rome any day over Hilton. Ditto for SPG Aspen, Deer Valley over Waldorf Park City, Ritz Tahoe or Hyatt Incline over Hampton, etc. The only place I find Hilton coverage to be superior are hick areas like Bakersfield.

Kacee

You mean the $10 f&b credit that Hilton claims satisfies the breakfast benefit at many properties?

zombietooth

Hey, Jerry Brown thinks enough of Bakersfield to spend 100 Billion to take the "High-Speed Rail" there!

In Tokyo or Bangkok, I'll take Hilton any day over Hyatt/Starriott. I do like some Starriott properties in Thailand though.
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margarita girl

Miles Ahead

But here's the thing. It's not guaranteed at Hilton, but I have done much better with Hilton than on the Marriott side, where it is guaranteed, "subject to availability", but seems not to ever be available. So one chain is under-promising and over-delivering and the other is over-promising and under-delivering. It's only natural that this influences my decisions. Look at the message above mine and you'll see a similar experience.

katan

I just stayed at the Marriott Circular Quay on Friday, and my data point is a little different. 3 previous times I have stayed as a Platinum matched from UA GS, and every time I've been upgraded to a suite. This Friday, first as a Gold matched in 2018, I was given a regular room with a bridge view.

Two thoughts - first, I have been extremely happy with the upgrades at that Marriott (and maybe a few more). 100% as a plat was pretty good.

Second, yes that room was a bit small with a marginal view. But looking back I can not believe they put a solo traveler like me in that monster room. It served no purpose, except for feeling good. That hotel did a good job of making me feel valued.

I don't think we can generalize too much, but I've been happy with the UA end of RewardsPlus. It will be sad if we get dropped back to new Gold. It will lose the driving incentive for me.

kmersh

Upgrades are luck of draw, but in my experience when travelling with my wife (who is a Lifetime Platinum and some years like this one Platinum Premier, now with Ambassador Service) and from her reports back, upgrades are non-existent. The general consensus is that many Marriotts are not built with the amount of suites that other hotels have and thus upgrade percentages are far lower than other brands.

We stayed four times at the Circular Quay Marriott and none of the times we have been upgraded, not even a to a room with a view of the bridge. In fact last time, my nephew was also staying there (he is a Silver) and he was given a room with a view of the bridge and we (my wife, the Platinum Premier and I) were given a regular room.

Kacee

I cannot agree with that. Upgrades in any program are YMMV, but I get meaningful upgrades from Marriott (including suites) a substantial percentage of the time.

Boraxo

Ayy, don't remind me about all the tax $$ wasted on the $100B train to nowhere. But seriously I personally think it is hard to top the Park Hyatt Tokyo (admittedly not metro-close) or St. Regis Bangkok though haven't stayed at Hiltons in either city.

To be clear I'm not talking about room categories, i.e. higher floors, but strictly suite upgrades. As an elite across all programs I've found that every one delivers a higher category room when I checkin except for the awful Hilton Aberdeen. But almost never receive suites (SPG excepted) unless I use a guaranteed suite night upgrade cert. That's why I value the certs (Hyatt, and soon Marriott) and not the empty promises which don't work when I am traveling with a family of 4.