Hotel loyalty programs - is there any real loyalty in this sordid world?

[Sprucegoose]

Some change Hotel Loyalty Programs the way some people change into the next big fad...........me personally the only loyalty I exhibit to a hotel is where I am reciprocating. Basically I dont take them seriously and happy to jump to the next best offer.

At present I am relcultivating a relationship with IHG and Accor, dropping Hilton after they dropped me from Diamond to Silver - no soft fall there.

Do others approach these schemes with the same casual abandon as I do?

 

[drewbles]

I am only new to the world of hotel loyalty, but have jumped into the deep end.

Was HHonors Gold via various free promos, then Diamond with VA. I was then shown Hyatt's program (on the Oneworld Megado) and began to take them seriously.

If you're travelling a lot, it's a good way of ensuring that your stay is nice. Each program has pros and cons, and each suits people differently. Hyatt works very well for me. I've found HHonors to be de-valued to the point of being a joke (it's so easy to earn points, and the awards levels reflect that; I looked into booking a night at the SYD Hilton in December on a Friday night with points and pay and it was 89000 points or $350, compared to the Park Hyatt which was 22000 points or $960).

If you're eligible for corporate rates at specific brands, loyalty can be earned easily and without excessive cost. Hyatt's tie-up with MGM in Vegas means it's easy to earn status cheaply too (I visit Vegas several times a year already).

A bit of careful planning and suite upgrades, bonus points, complimentary lounge/club access, complimentary internet and breakfasts all become a reality. I think there's actually more value in hotel loyalty schemes than most frequent flyer schemes, at least, at present.

 

[Boris spatsky]

I am as fickle as you. Was Diamond Hhonors and Gold Marriott. Hilton downgraded me to silver, so goodbye from me! Not enough Marriotts outside the US to retain status as my work trips to the US have dried up.

Chasing SPG Gold now. Also have some IHG status. All i really want is free internet, and free brekky when i can get it.

 

[drron]

Hilton treated me well for a few years as a diamond but they started nickel and diming me so got a match to SPG Plat.Didn't hurt when my first SPG plat stay was at the Westin Madrid and I got an upgrade to the Royal Suite.
Have treated me well.Not concerned re hotel awards as I transfer points to airlines.So I am loyal.Life time Platinum will be a real bonus.

 

[markis10]

I am as fickle as you. Was Diamond Hhonors and Gold Marriott. Hilton downgraded me to silver, so goodbye from me! Not enough Marriotts outside the US to retain status as my work trips to the US have dried up.

Chasing SPG Gold now. Also have some IHG status. All i really want is free internet, and free brekky when i can get it.

No need to chase SPG gold, one stay with Mastercard in APAC will do it.

 

[markis10]

.So I am loyal.Life time Platinum will be a real bonus.

Had they had lifetime status back in 2006 I would more than likely be Lifetime plat, Cest La Vie, the trimming of properties in Australia was the straw that broke the camels back, glad the trend is finally reversing. The two level Royal Suite at the BNE Sheraton would come close to being my best room, eclipsed only by the four room suite at the former Sheraton Perdana (now Westin) in Langkawi for my honeymoon.

 

[amaroo]

I have never chased hotel status.

After 17 years of blind allegiance with QFF.....I like the freedom of staying where we want. Some of the Worlds best hotels/brands don't offer a loyalty scheme - they don't have to.

 

[markis10]

I have never chased hotel status.

After 17 years of blind allegiance with QFF.....I like the freedom of staying where we want. Some of the Worlds best hotels/brands don't offer a loyalty scheme - they don't have too.

It can have benefits, tonight I turned 40000 Hilton honors points into a 5 night stay in KL, being Gold I get breakfast included as well as an upgrade to the lounge for $20 a night which will cover the coffee needs and drinks/dinner, those 40000 points came from 4 car rentals at around $30-40 each

 

[Daver6]

No need to chase SPG gold, one stay with Mastercard in APAC will do it.

Can you elaborate on this please?

 

[markis10]

Can you elaborate on this please?

I do believe any Mastercard will work after rego:

World MasterCard® | Starwood Preferred Guest®

 

[drewbles]

I have never chased hotel status.

After 17 years of blind allegiance with QFF.....I like the freedom of staying where we want. Some of the Worlds best hotels/brands don't offer a loyalty scheme - they don't have too.

I have enough points at present for around 10 nights at the Park Hyatt SYD. That's $9600 of hotel rooms, at regular rates. Arguable one of the best hotels in the world from reports i've read (not including the resorts and specialty ones). I've not spent $9600 to acquire those points, thanks to Hyatt promos and being Diamond.

Loyalty has its perks. Hyatt is one of those that I do not credit my stays to Airlines. Hilton, I did briefly but only during excellent promos in NA for crediting to AA.

 

[amaroo]

I have enough points at present for around 10 nights at the Park Hyatt SYD. That's $9600 of hotel rooms, at regular rates. Arguable one of the best hotels in the world from reports i've read (not including the resorts and specialty ones). I've not spent $9600 to acquire those points, thanks to Hyatt promos and being Diamond.

Loyalty has its perks. Hyatt is one of those that I do not credit my stays to Airlines. Hilton, I did briefly but only during excellent promos in NA for crediting to AA.

I agree - it's easy to accumulate points. Our 5 night stay at PHT last year was enough to earn two free nights at PHT or PH Syd.

We start a 28 night visit to LOTFAP next week....after researching we settled on a total of 6 nights with Hyatt. The other 22 nights were split between 7 other brands because IMO they offered the best or near best in the location.

We could easily rack up sufficient points on this trip to earn > 150,000 HGP.....looking for experience/enjoyment rather than point accumulation.

 

[ric_melb]

I understand that to obtain SPG Gold with a Mastercard it has to be a "World Mastercard".
It would seem that World mastercards are only the top tier with the various banks, eg Altitude Black with Westpac.
I don't think our Qantas EDR mastercard qualifies.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I have never chased hotel status.

After 17 years of blind allegiance with QFF.....I like the freedom of staying where we want. Some of the Worlds best hotels/brands don't offer a loyalty scheme - they don't have too.

Agree I love that freedom when I allow myself to set free!

 

[boomy]

I have never chased hotel status.

After 17 years of blind allegiance with QFF.....I like the freedom of staying where we want. Some of the Worlds best hotels/brands don't offer a loyalty scheme - they don't have too.

I agree that a lot of great hotels don't offer loyalty programs and unfortunately that's the reason I can't afford to stay with them.

Using points from work related stays allowed me to book some great hotels when going on holidays and the plat status got me some very impressive suites upgrades that I could only dream about if I had to use my own $$.

 

[markis10]

I understand that to obtain SPG Gold with a Mastercard it has to be a "World Mastercard".
It would seem that World mastercards are only the top tier with the various banks, eg Altitude Black with Westpac.
I don't think our Qantas EDR mastercard qualifies.

Like I said, I believe any platinum mastercard will suffice after rego, FWIW it worked with a prepaid one in my case

 

[ReLoad]

I understand that to obtain SPG Gold with a Mastercard it has to be a "World Mastercard".
It would seem that World mastercards are only the top tier with the various banks, eg Altitude Black with Westpac.
I don't think our Qantas EDR mastercard qualifies.

The Qantas EDR card works just fine for this qualification. It worked for me.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Some change Hotel Loyalty Programs the way some people change into the next big fad...........me personally the only loyalty I exhibit to a hotel is where I am reciprocating. Basically I dont take them seriously and happy to jump to the next best offer.

At present I am relcultivating a relationship with IHG and Accor, dropping Hilton after they dropped me from Diamond to Silver - no soft fall there.

Do others approach these schemes with the same casual abandon as I do?

I think you have do what's best for you at the time ie don't stay at a Sheraton just because you are SPG Gold if a Hilton property suits you better.

At present with current status match offers & instant elite status with a hotel chain if you have a certain credit card IMHO it's worth it to sign up for hotel loyalty membership even if you only had one night planned at that chain.

For example until our last trip to the US we hadn't stayed at a Hilton as a HHonors member however after taking advantage of a promo offer for HHonors Gold we booked stays at Hilton Elara in LAS, Airport Hilton MIA, Hilton CUR, Hilton LAX Airport & Hilton Waikiki Beach (formerly Prince Kuhio) in HNL.

To have not spent a cent on Hiltons prior to this trip then instantly as a HHonors Gold receive instant room upgrades to high floors, free breakfast, free wifi, complimentary water, dedicated HHonors checkin desk, late check-out, access to Exec Lounge for canapés in the evening which in a lot of cases takes care of dinner, why would anyone not sign up?

These days it's like reverse loyalty as the chain gives you everything upfront then to maintain that elite level you need to keep staying with them vs get all the runs on the board first in the form of stays prior to achieving elite status and earning any goodies.

As with airlines once you have elite status with one airline eg QF, how many of you on AFF have used that as leverage to get an elite status match with VA, TK, EY, EK etc?

Similar to airlines where we know that earning frequent flyer points has very little to do with flying frequently, being an elite traveller with hotel loyalty programs can have very little to do with how frequently you've stayed with that chain, if at all.