Picking a hotel loyalty program is very much a personal decision, as there’s not a “one size fits all” answer as to which program is best. Everyone is looking for different things from a hotel group.
In this post I wanted to compare some of the major hotel loyalty programs. While there won’t be “winners” and “losers” here, I wanted to share pros and cons of the big programs, so that people can hopefully take those points into consideration to decide what makes most sense for them.
In this post:
What makes a hotel loyalty program good for leisure travelers?
I thought it would be interesting to look at hotel loyalty programs from the perspective of a leisure traveler. Why? Well, business travelers might not have to work hard at all to rack up elite nights, and for that matter, their hotel stay decisions may be driven by corporate contracts, where they need to stay for work, etc.
It’s a bit of a different story for leisure travelers. Here are some of the things that I think make a hotel loyalty program good for non-business travelers:
- Easy to earn status — leisure travelers have to earn elite status on their own dime, so it’s worth considering the amount of effort that it takes to earn status
- Free breakfast — while business travelers typically have an expense account, leisure travelers generally appreciate perks like free breakfast, since it can save you significant money
- Guaranteed elite perks — while perks that are “subject to availability” are better than nothing, there’s something really nice about being able to secure the perks that matter most to you in advance of your stay
- Suite upgrades — leisure travelers often travel with family, and it’s nice to have more space on your vacations
- A big global footprint — being loyal to a hotel group is hard, so the bigger the hotel group, the easier it is to stay loyal
Pros & cons of major hotel loyalty programs
Let me share what I consider to be the pros & cons of the major hotel loyalty programs. I don’t think there’s a single program that’s best for everyone, but hopefully this is a good starting place for people to decide which program makes the most sense for them.
I’ll be focusing on Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt, which are the biggest hotel loyalty programs in the United States that have co-branded credit cards, lots of aspirational properties, etc.
Hilton Honors
Hilton Honors is the best program for earning status easily, and in terms of how quickly you can rack up points.
The way I view it, the pros of Hilton Honors include:
- You can receive top-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status just for having the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express (review); you can also easily earn Hilton Honors Gold status with a variety of credit cards
- Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members receive complimentary breakfast, executive lounge access, and/or a food & beverage credit at all brands
- Hilton Honors has excellent points earning rates for elite members, especially since the program consistently has global promotions, and paying with a co-branded credit card is a good deal as well
- Hilton has a huge global footprint, with over 7,500 properties worldwide
Meanwhile the cons of Hilton Honors include:
- Hilton Honors isn’t great when it comes to guaranteeing benefits, as late check-out isn’t guaranteed, and suite upgrades are at the discretion of the hotel
- Of these four loyalty programs, Hilton Honors is the only program not to offer any sort of confirmed suite upgrades that can be applied in advance, which isn’t great for planning a special stay
The information and associated card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
IHG One Rewards
The IHG One Rewards loyalty program was relaunched in 2022, and has been greatly improved. For the first time, it’s actually competitive with other programs.
The way I view it, the pros of IHG One Rewards include:
- IHG has a large global footprint, with over 6,000 properties worldwide; in particular, there are lots of limited service and more economical properties, which many leisure travelers may appreciate (conversely, these properties may offer limited perks for elite members)
- IHG One Rewards makes it easy to earn status, especially with the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (review) and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (review); you can earn IHG Platinum status just for having the card, and IHG Diamond status for spending $40,000 on the card in a calendar year
- The IHG Milestone Rewards program offers some fantastic perks that members can pick for passing certain elite night thresholds, including confirmed suite upgrades, club lounge access, food & beverage credits, and more
- IHG One Rewards has pretty good points earning rates, between the standard earning rates, the bonuses for elite status, and IHG’s global promotions
Meanwhile the cons of IHG One Rewards include:
- IHG One Rewards is weak when it comes to guaranteeing benefits, as late check-out and suite upgrades are entirely at the discretion of hotels, rather than a guaranteed benefit
- IHG One Rewards is somewhat limited when it comes to aspirational redemptions; not only are points redemptions often not a great deal, but many of IHG’s highest end properties (including many Six Senses) don’t participate fully in the program
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy is probably the most well-rounded hotel loyalty program, in terms of a combination of a big global footprint, status being easy to earn, and solid elite perks.
The way I view it, the pros of Marriott Bonvoy include:
- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members and above receive solid benefits, including breakfast at most brands, suite upgrades subject to availability, guaranteed 4PM late check-out at non-resorts, etc.
- Marriott Bonvoy has Nightly Upgrade Awards that can be selected as part of the Choice Benefits program; while not as useful as Hyatt or IHG suite upgrade awards, they’re better than nothing
- Marriott has a huge global footprint, with over 8,600 properties worldwide; there are many great luxury resorts, and points redemptions typically remain a great value
- You can earn Platinum status just for having the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review), which makes the status really easy to earn; you can also earn additional elite nights with credit cards, including the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (review)
Meanwhile the cons of Marriott Bonvoy include:
- Marriott Bonvoy is notorious for over promising and under delivering, so in practice you might find elite benefits to be similar to what you’d get with Hilton Honors
- Marriott Bonvoy isn’t great about consistent elite benefits across brands; for example, elite members don’t receive free breakfast at brands like Ritz-Carlton and EDITION
World of Hyatt
World of Hyatt is probably the strongest hotel loyalty program, but status is also the hardest to earn, and Hyatt has the smallest global footprint.
The way I view it, the pros of World of Hyatt include:
- World of Hyatt Globalist status is the most valuable hotel status, and is best when it comes to honoring elite benefits, from late check-out, to suite upgrades
- World of Hyatt has the strongest breakfast benefit of any major hotel group, as a hot restaurant breakfast with gratuity is included when a hotel doesn’t have a lounge
- World of Hyatt offers the best confirmed suite upgrades of any hotel program, as Globalist members may select at least five of these as part of the Milestone Rewards program, each of which can be used to confirm a suite for seven nights at the time of booking
- World of Hyatt has Guest of Honor, where Globalist members can share their elite perks with friends & family, which is especially useful when booking multiple rooms
- World of Hyatt waives resort and destination fees for all members when redeeming points, and for Globalist members on all stays
- World of Hyatt points are the only hotel points currency that can efficiently be racked up with transferable points, as transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt is a good deal
The way I view it, the cons of World of Hyatt include:
- Hyatt has the smallest global footprint of these hotel groups; while Hyatt’s footprint is improving, it’s still a distant fourth after Hilton, IHG, and Marriott
- World of Hyatt is pretty weak when it comes to points earning rates, and Globalist members only receive 30% bonus points; furthermore, World of Hyatt isn’t terribly consistent when it comes to global promotions
- World of Hyatt Globalist status is the hardest to earn with credit cards; while the World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (review) can help you earn elite nights, it’s still going to take a lot more effort than with other hotel groups
Bottom line
Which hotel loyalty program is best is highly subjective, and I don’t think there’s a single right or wrong answer. To consolidate my take and recommendations:
- Hilton Honors is great for the super easy status and generous points earning rates, especially with constant promotions
- IHG One Rewards is getting better, but I also have a hard time recommending IHG as someone’s sole hotel loyalty program
- Marriott Bonvoy makes it easy to earn valuable status with credit cards, and offers solid perks, but not to the level of World of Hyatt
- World of Hyatt is the all-around best when it comes to elite status, but it’s also hardest to earn
I think generally you can’t beat the simplicity of earning Hilton Honors Diamond or Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status just by having a credit card, while World of Hyatt can be worth it as well, but requires more effort.
What’s your take on what the best hotel loyalty program is?
I'm intrigued by this review, which fails to address or include the question of transferring hotel points (all mentioned chains) to airline loyalty programs and the value / opportunity cost of doing so.
Given that the 'leisure traveller' market is generally lower / medium tier members of hotel loyalty programs, many of this group use the ability to transfer hotel points to their favourite airline FF program, in order to bolster available balances for claiming...
I'm intrigued by this review, which fails to address or include the question of transferring hotel points (all mentioned chains) to airline loyalty programs and the value / opportunity cost of doing so.
Given that the 'leisure traveller' market is generally lower / medium tier members of hotel loyalty programs, many of this group use the ability to transfer hotel points to their favourite airline FF program, in order to bolster available balances for claiming points-based flight rewards. Seems odd to leave this aspect out of contention in a review of rewrds and how to use them.
IHG has been good to us as retired, leisure travelers. My wife and I have a Platinum & a Select card each. That translates into 4 free nights. And, when our eastbound train from Sacramento to Denver was cancelled last month, I used points to book and check in early at a Fisherman's Wharf Holiday Inn Express at 10 a.m. and checkout late the next day at 2 p.m. We have used points and free nights all over the world. The free nights easily pay for the annual fee.
I know it’s not the most upscale brand but Wyndham rewards is a surprisingly great program.
Accor- 5500+ properties worldwide ranging from five star to slightly above youth hostel, including some unique options like African safari properties. If you spend a lot of time traveling outside the USA, they often have some good options, and you can buy your way to Gold status by stacking a couple of their paid membership programs.
I don't know why OMAAT doesn't include Accor as one of the global programs, because outside of the USA, it's a significant program, and in Asia/Pacific and Europe, I would argue it often has a bigger footprint than the other programs that OMAAT talks about. It's got a good spread of properties across all budgets as well.
All valid points, but you must have missed the memo that proclaimed the travel blogosphere dogma that "programs with small footprints, like World of Hyatt or now-defunct SPG, are 'best' by definition because, due to their small footprint, they must try harder and offer...
All valid points, but you must have missed the memo that proclaimed the travel blogosphere dogma that "programs with small footprints, like World of Hyatt or now-defunct SPG, are 'best' by definition because, due to their small footprint, they must try harder and offer more compelling benefits to entice and keep members." In other words, to a World of Hyatt fanatic like the OMAAT host who believes in the "small footprint" dogma, Accor's size does not matter at all.
It's pretty decent in South America, too, and absolutely huge in Brazil- there are countless Ibis and Mercure properties in places nobody at Hyatt HQ could possibly pronounce and/or find on a map.
But that doesn't matter to the bloggers, as apparently it's not 'aspirational' enough, presumably because it works like a hotel chain with a loyalty programme as opposed to being a credit card business with some hotels attached to it and/or a...
It's pretty decent in South America, too, and absolutely huge in Brazil- there are countless Ibis and Mercure properties in places nobody at Hyatt HQ could possibly pronounce and/or find on a map.
But that doesn't matter to the bloggers, as apparently it's not 'aspirational' enough, presumably because it works like a hotel chain with a loyalty programme as opposed to being a credit card business with some hotels attached to it and/or a source of huge commissions for the freelance travel 'advisors' whose jobs revolve around emailing hotels asking them to upgrade their clients (I know that Accor does have a programme in place for Virtuoso-type bookings, but it only covers a tiny proportion of their hotels).
I’m partial to Hyatt and Hilton. Hilton with a slight edge on ease to earn points and confirmed connecting rooms, which is the biggest differentiator for us.
I’m a Hyatt loyalist and really love the program from free breakfast, ok point redemption (was better) and suite upgrade awards. I am planning a trip to Europe this summer and the ending of the relationship with SLH is a huge negative in my book. Hopefully Mr. And Mrs. smith helps but hasn’t been implemented yet.
Hyatt is best. Period. Full stop. End of discussion.
They have the best hotels.
I’d rather stay at a Hyatt with no status than anywhere else with status, the only exception being if I had guaranteed lounge access at a Hilton, IHG, or Marriott hotel with a lounge worth spending a few hours in.
Well, as clearly a rabid Wold of Hyatt fanatic, like the forum host and his sycophants, you would naturally want to declare the discussion over.
However, with the "discussion" here being about "which hotel program is best for leisure travelers", one can convincingly argue that, because of its tiny footprint, Hyatt has much less to offer to "leisure travelers" in terms of diversity of locations...
Well, as clearly a rabid Wold of Hyatt fanatic, like the forum host and his sycophants, you would naturally want to declare the discussion over.
However, with the "discussion" here being about "which hotel program is best for leisure travelers", one can convincingly argue that, because of its tiny footprint, Hyatt has much less to offer to "leisure travelers" in terms of diversity of locations and overall flexibility than more "mediocre" programs, especially since "leisure travelers" are not likely to give a shit about "confirmed suite upgrades" or most of the other garden variety elite perks that apparently make WoH "the best. Period. Full stop. End of discussion."
G'day.
WoH is the best because you can earn the status with spending on the credit cards only. You can easily earn lots of points with Bilt too. With the generous benefits that are very useful, this particular leisure traveler goes out of his way to retain the Globalist status. It’s only April 15, I am already at 52 nights with only leisure travel, award nights, and credit card spending. It’s actually not that difficult.nd
...WoH is the best because you can earn the status with spending on the credit cards only. You can easily earn lots of points with Bilt too. With the generous benefits that are very useful, this particular leisure traveler goes out of his way to retain the Globalist status. It’s only April 15, I am already at 52 nights with only leisure travel, award nights, and credit card spending. It’s actually not that difficult.nd
IHG is the second choice for me as the improved breakfast benefit is quite good. Marriott is now the third-choice for me since they apparently have too many members and too many hotels to qualify control both their technology (I am supposed to have lifetime Platinum but the status has not yet updated) and hotels.
Hilton Diamond is the worst in terms of benefits. Good luck getting any hot breakfast as a benefit in the U.S.
Uh, you can literally earn Hilton/Marriott status with $0 spend on a 1x card?
WoH spend is nice if you basically have infinite spend, in which case, sure, but LOL at someone who thinks 1x on a WOH card beats racking up Ink signup bonuses.
I don’t have infinity spend and I don’t plan my trips around Hyatt so nah. My last stay at a Hilton as a Diamond got me a suite upgrade so…
LOL. You sound like one who's been gaslighted for too long.
Simple math: figure out now much you will need to spend on the WoH visa to make Globalist and compare that to what it takes to earn HH Diamond on the incredible HH Aspire card...
Don't forget that for $200 you get Intercontinental Ambassador which gives IHG Platinum status, extra perks at Intercontinental hotels, and one free weekend night.
None.
The best part of being a leisure traveller is avoiding chains as much as possible, especially outside the US. Just buy whatever room/suite you want, and dont worry about status.
Of course, take advantage of any free statuses credit cards and promos give out, but paying extra to be loyal is just stupid.
How about Choice Privileges (Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Rodeway Inn, Econolodge, etc.)? Huge footprint, particularly near interstate highways and medium sized cities. Fixed award levels, not like Delta SkyMiles / SkyPesos).
Hotels.com used to be great at 9% return until about a year ago.
No thanks. Those hotels don’t meet the minimum standards of hospitality that a traveler ought to expect. I’d rather sleep in my car and shower at the nearest Planet Fitness.
Oops, my first statement was in support of Derek's comments. I've had very good experience with Choice properties. As with any program, there will be some bad units - just be cautious.
I agree with you. If yu travel in rural ore small market cities, the other hotels are hard to find or way more expensive.
Hotel loyalty these days are overrated unless you travel a lot in the US for work (paid). Most of my travels are in Europe where the hotel rates are a lot more reasonable than US but also less presence of the big chains. IHG has hotels literally everywhere I go but not always in the location I want to be. Hilton is also good but cannot compare to IHG. Hilton rarely has any valuable promos...
Hotel loyalty these days are overrated unless you travel a lot in the US for work (paid). Most of my travels are in Europe where the hotel rates are a lot more reasonable than US but also less presence of the big chains. IHG has hotels literally everywhere I go but not always in the location I want to be. Hilton is also good but cannot compare to IHG. Hilton rarely has any valuable promos but IHG promos can lead to literally tiny cost to stay if you value their points at 0.5 cents each. In the time of elite benefits are weak or underdelivered, premium booking platforms can literally cover everything I need if I want to pay so much. But most people here should ask themselves if it is worth paying so much. Many hotels that are not in the big chains or premium booking sites can be a lot better value in terms of what is included in the rate and the location/ratings etc. I think many people in this hobby do not realize that. Some sort of addictions
100%. Outside of the US, there are a lot of nicer/better hotels that are not part of any chain.
However, I am very happen that people in "the hobby" stay at their crappy chain hotels, it keeps them out of nicer hotels.
Exactly, and you can get some great values (including on major chain hotels) by booking through OTAs. Yes, you don't get points and you aren't protected much in case things go wrong, but the latter isn't usually a major factor if just booking a few nights on a simple trip (plus you could always get points and protection if using certain cards to book)
I used to think hotels are cheaper in Europe until I have kids. It is much much more difficult to find hotels with rooms for 4 instead of just 2. Booking hotels in Europe would require a family of 4 to book 2 rooms or a suite. If your kids are small, you on;y real option is to book a suite. Most US hotel rooms can accommodate 4 people. Booking a room for a family...
I used to think hotels are cheaper in Europe until I have kids. It is much much more difficult to find hotels with rooms for 4 instead of just 2. Booking hotels in Europe would require a family of 4 to book 2 rooms or a suite. If your kids are small, you on;y real option is to book a suite. Most US hotel rooms can accommodate 4 people. Booking a room for a family in Europe requires you to pay at least 2x per room rate which is higher than the US price for a night. There are some family style apartment hotels, but they are much fewer. For family leisure travel in Europe, the prices and options aren't good.
That isn't a Europe thing, it is how most hotels globally are set up. Having two double beds in one room is pretty much restricted to the USA (incl. American chains in other countries) and maybe a couple of other places (I think I may have stayed in one or two such rooms in China). Personally I don't think it's a good idea to cram four people into a single space, but then again I...
That isn't a Europe thing, it is how most hotels globally are set up. Having two double beds in one room is pretty much restricted to the USA (incl. American chains in other countries) and maybe a couple of other places (I think I may have stayed in one or two such rooms in China). Personally I don't think it's a good idea to cram four people into a single space, but then again I have no desire to have children.
Notwithstanding the above, virtually all Novotels have rooms with sofa beds which should be just about good enough for your needs.
Oh boy, here comes the <b<gaslighting...yet again...
Is it not time to update the plethora of now demonstrably bogus claims that have been recycled for years?
In the reality-based world, all suite upgrades are at the discretion of the hotel, irrespective of the program. In travel blogosphere, self-anointed "travel gurus" will tell you that the only reason loyalty programs deny you nice things "confirmed"...
Oh boy, here comes the <b<gaslighting...yet again...
Is it not time to update the plethora of now demonstrably bogus claims that have been recycled for years?
In the reality-based world, all suite upgrades are at the discretion of the hotel, irrespective of the program. In travel blogosphere, self-anointed "travel gurus" will tell you that the only reason loyalty programs deny you nice things "confirmed" suite upgrades or those coveted standard awards even when standard rooms are clearly available for sale is that "hotels play games with availability or inventories". Yeah, right. To set the record straight, how providing a link to the T&C of programs in which suite upgrades are not at the discretion of hotels?
"...deny you nice things like "confirmed" suite upgrades..."
“The claim is bogus! In reality, the claim is true everywhere!”
Hyatt says suites are your entitlement as a Globalist member. This is evident in marketing materials and the member FAQ which has been provided to you and then stubbornly refused by you. Hyatt hotels are under an agreement to upgrade Globalist members to available standard suites. The T&C is confidential between Hyatt and the hotel operator, so you won’t find a link on the...
“The claim is bogus! In reality, the claim is true everywhere!”
Hyatt says suites are your entitlement as a Globalist member. This is evident in marketing materials and the member FAQ which has been provided to you and then stubbornly refused by you. Hyatt hotels are under an agreement to upgrade Globalist members to available standard suites. The T&C is confidential between Hyatt and the hotel operator, so you won’t find a link on the public internet.
It’s a nice day in New York. I hope you don’t squander it in your apartment.
Well, that's not much of an argument because statement is true of every program, ain't it? Hilton Honors Diamonds get suites whereas Golds do not, therefore, suites are also a HH Diamonds' 'entitlement'.
However, that is not even the point. What you need to provide is the text in the Hyatt T&C where it says that individual hotels do not have a say in...
Well, that's not much of an argument because statement is true of every program, ain't it? Hilton Honors Diamonds get suites whereas Golds do not, therefore, suites are also a HH Diamonds' 'entitlement'.
However, that is not even the point. What you need to provide is the text in the Hyatt T&C where it says that individual hotels do not have a say in deciding what they call a suite for the purpose of upgrades.
Wrong. Look at the T&C of every hotel loyalty program and you will see that individual hotels get to determine what is a standard room or suite for the purpose of award booking or suite upgrades.
DCS:
"What you need to provide is the text in the Hyatt T&C where it says that individual hotels do not have a say in deciding what they call a suite for the purpose of upgrades."
I can help with that. From World of Hyatt Terms and Conditions, Appendix C ("Tiers of Elite Status"), under "V. Globalist Status":
"(c) Best Room Available: Globalists will receive the best room available at the time of check-in at...
DCS:
"What you need to provide is the text in the Hyatt T&C where it says that individual hotels do not have a say in deciding what they call a suite for the purpose of upgrades."
I can help with that. From World of Hyatt Terms and Conditions, Appendix C ("Tiers of Elite Status"), under "V. Globalist Status":
"(c) Best Room Available: Globalists will receive the best room available at the time of check-in at Hyatt hotels and resorts, including Standard Suites and rooms with Club lounge-access. The best room available will be determined by the applicable hotel or resort in its sole discretion and may vary from stay-to-stay. The “best room” may, but will not necessarily be, of a room type/category higher than that booked by the Member. Best-room-available benefit includes only Standard Suites (where available), which are defined as rooms within each participating hotel’s or resort’s introductory suite category. Premium, Specialty, Premier, Presidential, Diplomatic, and other suites other than Standard Suites are not included in this benefit. Not valid at Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Destination by Hyatt Residences, or Hyatt Vacation Club hotels and resorts."
Now before you jump up and go, "See, it says it's determined by the applicable hotel! I'm right!", hold your horses. Hyatt is actually pretty transparent about what counts as a standard suite. Look up almost any Hyatt from any of the included brands, and if they have a suite available, you'll see one of the following in the room description:
1. "This is a standard suite. See World of Hyatt program terms for upgrade eligibility."
2. "This is a premium suite. See World of Hyatt program terms for upgrade eligibility."
If it says the first one, then as long as they have one available for the duration of your stay, you are entitled to it if you're a Globalist member. The hotel cannot say no (unless there's genuinely a glitch in the system, where the online inventory is showing availability but the hotel itself is actually out of them).
In other words, it's up to the hotel's discretion *in the beginning* to determine which suite categories count as standard and which don't - but the hotel doesn't get to determine later, on a whim, that suddenly some of their "standard suites" aren't upgrade-eligible today.
Let's address another part of your comment:
"Hilton Honors Diamonds get suites whereas Golds do not, therefore, suites are also a HH Diamonds' 'entitlement'."
I know we've talked about this before, because I remember you made me aware of some interesting language on Hilton's "Benefits and Member Tiers" page, after clicking on "Diamond", under "Space-available room upgrades":
"If we have a better room available, it’s yours – up to a 1-bedroom suite."
This is interesting, because it contradicts the relevant part of Hilton's terms and conditions:
"Diamond Hilton Honors Members MAY receive upgrades to preferred rooms, based on availability at the time of arrival. Upgrades for Diamond Hilton Honors Members MAY include upgrades up to “junior”, “standard” or “one-bedroom” suites. Upgrades exclude executive suites, villas and specialty accommodations/floors/towers (which may include, but not limited to, "Vista," "Villa," or “Club” accommodation types), subject to the discretion of the hotel. Group reservations and certain rates are not eligible for suite accommodations and may not be eligible for complimentary upgrades. ... The following brands do not offer complimentary upgrades: Embassy Suites™, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hampton by Hilton™, Tru by Hilton™, Spark by Hilton™, Homewood Suites by Hilton®, Home2 Suites by Hilton®, Hilton Grand Vacations®, and Motto by Hilton®. Excludes Napua Tower at Grand Wailea, Imperial Floor at Rome Cavalieri, Waldorf Astoria Malfives [sic] Ithaafushi, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, and Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa." (Emphasis added on both instances of "may.")
First, it beats me why upgrades to "executive suites" - a pretty standard suite category - would be excluded, but that's beside the point. The point is the word "may." By the terms and conditions, a hotel is not obligated to upgrade a Diamond to a standard suite, even if it's available. Hotels are bound by the terms and conditions, not some online marketing language on the chain's website. Thus, suites are not an 'entitlement' for Hilton Diamond members. (Also, man, that's a *lot* more exclusions than Hyatt has.)
I look forward to seeing how the goalposts will move this time. :)
Yup, you got it:
Yup, you got it:
To add to this, I should note that there might be some very rare cases where an upgraded non-suite could be better than a standard suite in terms of Hyatt's "best room available" benefit.
For example, think of an oceanfront property where half the rooms face the ocean and half face the city. Perhaps a high-floor ocean-view room (non-suite) might be more valuable than a low-floor standard one-bedroom suite facing the city.
In that case,...
To add to this, I should note that there might be some very rare cases where an upgraded non-suite could be better than a standard suite in terms of Hyatt's "best room available" benefit.
For example, think of an oceanfront property where half the rooms face the ocean and half face the city. Perhaps a high-floor ocean-view room (non-suite) might be more valuable than a low-floor standard one-bedroom suite facing the city.
In that case, if a Globalist books a standard room, and there are no ocean-view standard suites available, the hotel might, "in its sole discretion," decide to upgrade the Globalist to the high-floor ocean-view room over the low-floor standard city-view suite. Even moreso if the Globalist booked a standard (lower-floor) ocean-view room, indicating that an ocean view is important to them; they might truly feel that a city-view suite is a *downgrade.*
That, I assume, is the main reason the "in its sole discretion" language is there. It doesn't mean that the hotel can, "in its sole discretion," just decide not to upgrade guests to standard suites, period, even when they clearly objectively *are* the best available room up to that category.
Otherwise, what would be the point of spelling out what counts as a "standard suite" and what doesn't? If it were all just up to the hotel's discretion, it wouldn't matter if something is a "standard suite" for upgrade purposes, but clearly, it does. (Again, see the language: "This is a standard suite. See World of Hyatt program terms for upgrade eligibility.") Thus, if a Hyatt hotel refuses to upgrade a Globalist guest to a (clearly superior) standard suite, they are in violation of the T&C.
To extend our previous example, let's say a guest booked a standard king room at our oceanfront hotel. The hotel proactively upgraded him to a high-floor ocean-view king, since that's the "best available room" according to them. There are no ocean-view standard suites available; just that low-floor city-view suite. But upon learning that information while checking in, the guest says, "Actually, I don't care about having an ocean view at all. I would much rather have the city-view suite, please." In other words, even though the high-floor ocean-view room is more "valuable" (going for a higher rate), the city-view suite is more valuable *to the guest.* Then that *becomes* the "best available room" for the guest. At this point, the hotel should absolutely upgrade the guest to their preferred option, the city-view suite. (Are they technically violating the T&C if they don't? I would argue yes, but admittedly, it's a gray area. They're certainly violating the spirit of them, if not the letter.)
Again, this would be a pretty rare exception. If you're staying at a random Hyatt Regency in some big city or suburb thereof, chances are there's no view that's so desirable that it would make a standard room better than a one-bedroom suite without said view (I won't get into the case of hotels that try to pass off "studios" and other non-suites as suites, though). So in 99% of cases, it's fair to assume that if there is a standard (one-bedroom) suite available, it is indeed the best available room for upgrade purposes - and in 100% of cases, the "sole discretion" language doesn't give the hotel license to say "no suite for you."
That's not at all uncommon nor is it specific to Hyatt. All programs exercise the option to upgrade members to any room, at their sole discretion, which can sometimes be to better, non-standard rooms or suites. I memorably recall being upgraded...
That's not at all uncommon nor is it specific to Hyatt. All programs exercise the option to upgrade members to any room, at their sole discretion, which can sometimes be to better, non-standard rooms or suites. I memorably recall being upgraded to a presidential suite at Embassy Suites Montreal or to "Executive" Suites at various Hilton hotels (e.g., old Hilton Singapore, Hilton Newark Airport), all of which are excluded by the HH T&C from suites that properties can offer as complimentary elite upgrades
Oh, just thought of a much more common exception: bed type. Say a guest books a room with 2 queen beds, but the only standard suites available have 1 king (or vice versa). Sometimes, the number and size of beds can be very important, so the hotel may decide ("in their sole discretion") to not upgrade someone from a 2-queen room to a king suite, or a king room to a 2-queen suite.
A truly...
Oh, just thought of a much more common exception: bed type. Say a guest books a room with 2 queen beds, but the only standard suites available have 1 king (or vice versa). Sometimes, the number and size of beds can be very important, so the hotel may decide ("in their sole discretion") to not upgrade someone from a 2-queen room to a king suite, or a king room to a 2-queen suite.
A truly good hotel will try to call the guest on their day of arrival and proactively ask them if such an upgrade would be okay or if they'd prefer to stay in the bed type they'd booked. (That's happened to me exactly once, at a Hyatt Regency resort in Florida; great service. I happily took the suite.)
At the other end of the spectrum, the guest can put something in the comments like, "Any suite upgrade appreciated, even if bed type is different." (I've done that before, but I get the impression that a lot of hotels just don't read the comments.) If the guest makes it clear that a different bed type is okay, then the hotel should upgrade if available, as "discretion" is no longer a reasonable defense; there is now clearly an objectively best available room for upgrade purposes.
(OK, that's probably all for now.)
I agree because it is all irrelevant anyway. The only thing that is relevant that "The best room available will be determined by the applicable hotel or resort in its sole discretion"
Be well.
Opening an article on this site and not expecting Ben to spout out factual misinformation is asking too much.
Just enjoy his unbiased self-funded review trips and move on.
What factual misinformation? Ben is the most accurate travel blogger in the business. I’ve never been led astray by his facts, or even by his opinions. Contrast that with Gary Leff who thinks of himself as an authority on Chinese food in Manhattan Chinatown lmao
LOL. To make such statement from within a comment that clearly documents one of Ben's long-running "factual misinformation" is truly rich. It establishes you as clueless and a kool-aid drinker who's taken it in hook, line and sinker.
DCS is to Hilton what Tim Dunn is to Delta... Guys this is someone's blog/pastime I don't understand why people come here with arguments trying to prove they are right. Take what you want, make a comment if you think the author is wrong and go your way. This is not some professional space nor a court of law
Such nonsense.
@Ken -- You are truly stupid, so let enlighten you. Dunn is all how "DL is best" and nothing else. That being the case, the more apt comparison would be that Ben, the host of this site, and his sycophants like you, who constantly preach about how "Hyatt is best", are to Hyatt what Tim Dunn is to DL. Really.
Anyone with an...
Such nonsense.
@Ken -- You are truly stupid, so let enlighten you. Dunn is all how "DL is best" and nothing else. That being the case, the more apt comparison would be that Ben, the host of this site, and his sycophants like you, who constantly preach about how "Hyatt is best", are to Hyatt what Tim Dunn is to DL. Really.
Anyone with an ounce of gray matter between the ears would have noticed that I seldom claim Hilton Honors' "superiority", like this site claims Hyatt's "superiority" across the board. Instead, my "crusade" has been to use evidence-based and rigorous analysis to set the record straight on a whole host of issues (like dethroning the Hyatt point as the "single most valuable points currency"), but especially about the plethora of utterly and demonstrably bogus claims about Hilton Honors, like "...[Hilton] suite upgrades are at the discretion of the hotel...", because it is a program I know more about than any self-anointed "travel guru" out there that purports to be qualified to judge the program.
Have a nice life.
Hilton doesn't charge sort fees on award stays.
In my experience, they do
Only chain to waive resort fees on awards is Hyatt
I love Hyatt, but this statement ("Only chain to waive resort fees on awards is Hyatt") is incorrect. Directly from Hilton's "Benefits and Member Tiers" page, "No resort fees on reward stays" has a check mark for all levels (including non-elite Member).
https://www.hilton.com/en/hilton-honors/member-benefits/
I do think Hyatt is the only program to waive resort fees on *paid* stays, though (for top-tier elites).
LOL. To make such a statement from within a comment that...
LOL. To make such a statement from within a comment that clearly documents a clear "factual misinformation" by none other than Ben is truly rich, as it establishes commenter @Biglaw V10 Partner as clueless and a kool-aid drinker who's taken it in hook, line and sinker.
Wyndham is the largest chain in the world no mention? Over 9,000 properties, top tier status with earner business card for only $95 that matches to Caesars diamond. When I stayed at the Shanghai airport ramamda was upgraded to a suite.
Accor is also much bigger than Hyatt- and it's got lots of options at different price points (I mean, if people want to spend $350 for 7 hours in a Hilton next to an airport and get a FREE UPGRADE!!!!1 due to their status, that's fine by me, but I won't be joining them). It makes no sense to mention 'global footprint' while excluding some of the biggest global chains.
Re: Wyndham, the question is how many of those properties are ones worth considering. Wyndham includes such lovely brands as Travelodge, La Quinta, Hawthorn, AmericInn, Baymont, Ramada, Microtel, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, and Super 8. This means that even the nicer Wyndham brands will attract the kind of person who earns status by frequently staying at the cheaper, dirtier, seedier brands, automatically making them less nice. (Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's true; people...
Re: Wyndham, the question is how many of those properties are ones worth considering. Wyndham includes such lovely brands as Travelodge, La Quinta, Hawthorn, AmericInn, Baymont, Ramada, Microtel, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, and Super 8. This means that even the nicer Wyndham brands will attract the kind of person who earns status by frequently staying at the cheaper, dirtier, seedier brands, automatically making them less nice. (Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's true; people tend to take their habits with them when they travel, including cleanliness standards or lack thereof.)
Under a different comment about Choice Hotels, another commenter said, "Those hotels don’t meet the minimum standards of hospitality that a traveler ought to expect. I’d rather sleep in my car and shower at the nearest Planet Fitness." I echo that sentiment here for any of the above brands.
I think it's a bit unfair to tarnish all these hotels as undesirable just because some of their patrons may not be very sophisticated- I agree that the brands offer no guarantee of a high standard of accommodation, but they do have some good hotels in the portfolio. I have stayed in a few decent Ramadas and even a couple of nice Days Inn properties (including one or two suites!), and I don't recall having...
I think it's a bit unfair to tarnish all these hotels as undesirable just because some of their patrons may not be very sophisticated- I agree that the brands offer no guarantee of a high standard of accommodation, but they do have some good hotels in the portfolio. I have stayed in a few decent Ramadas and even a couple of nice Days Inn properties (including one or two suites!), and I don't recall having any issues with fellow guests. Come to think of it, I could say the same thing about 2-3 stays in Choice brands too (Clarion and Quality Hotel). On the other hand, there are certain Marriotts and Hiltons to which I wouldn't be keen to return as they seem to attract some rather noisy/obnoxious leisure customers from the USA.
Very fair point - surely a lot of variance among individual properties. I'm probably paranoid, but when I think of the cheaper budget brands, I just can't help but imagine (an increased risk of) bed bugs and general dirtiness, and management (and thus employees) that don't care as much about health and sanitation, etc. I'm sure there are some decent ones that don't fit that description, just as there are some from the Big Four...
Very fair point - surely a lot of variance among individual properties. I'm probably paranoid, but when I think of the cheaper budget brands, I just can't help but imagine (an increased risk of) bed bugs and general dirtiness, and management (and thus employees) that don't care as much about health and sanitation, etc. I'm sure there are some decent ones that don't fit that description, just as there are some from the Big Four that definitely aren't up to the usual standards. (Based on TripAdvisor reviews, it seems like newer Comfort Suites properties are sometimes surprisingly nicer than a lot of their Big Four rivals in the same star categories, for example.) (Also, keep in mind my experiences are from the US, and I understand that our hotel brands are often way nicer overseas than they are here.)
Still, I think it's fair to say that in general (with some exceptions), it's likely that the overall lower standards at those budget brands trickle into a chain's nicer brands, by some combination of management attitudes and lower guest expectations.
That's a really interesting comment, as I recently visited the USA for the first time in over a decade and was shocked to see that lots and lots of budget hotels had reviews mentioning bed bugs, cockroaches, drug addicts loitering around etc. We are talking DOZENS of hotels plagued by such reviews- there were even a few similar complaints about Holiday Inns and other 3-4* places.
I have visited over 70 countries around the globe...
That's a really interesting comment, as I recently visited the USA for the first time in over a decade and was shocked to see that lots and lots of budget hotels had reviews mentioning bed bugs, cockroaches, drug addicts loitering around etc. We are talking DOZENS of hotels plagued by such reviews- there were even a few similar complaints about Holiday Inns and other 3-4* places.
I have visited over 70 countries around the globe and have never seen anything like that before - sure, there are plenty of cities all over the world with a couple, or even half a dozen, dirty/dilapidated/problematic hotels, but the vast majority of e.g. 2-star options will still deliver adequate cleanliness, some level of daily room cleaning, reliable heating etc.
There may be hostels and some B&B places that really are poor/dirty, but those will typically be VERY cheap and run independently without any branding/association with chains.
Whether one is going to Senegal, Portugal, Brazil, the UK, Singapore etc, a bit of basic research should ensure that staying at a budget hotel doesn't create serious health and safety risks. It seems like standards in US are lower than virtually anywhere else, and people who've been exposed to those brands in the US assume [not unreasonably] that their properties in the rest of the world will be just as bad.
I think you are missing the most simple and straightforward option for travelers, who are willing to pay a premium: American Express fine hotels and resorts. You can stay one time or 100 and still get the same guaranteed perks on every trip which include most of what you already mentioned. Layer that on with the ability to potentially earn hotel points with your stays, and you have a winning combination. I realize this doesn’t...
I think you are missing the most simple and straightforward option for travelers, who are willing to pay a premium: American Express fine hotels and resorts. You can stay one time or 100 and still get the same guaranteed perks on every trip which include most of what you already mentioned. Layer that on with the ability to potentially earn hotel points with your stays, and you have a winning combination. I realize this doesn’t always work for the budget traveler, but the best package of perks makes this my go to suggestion for my friends and family, who only travel on occasion.