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I’ve always wondered, how come people try and stick to one brand of hotels? I know status gives you things like free breakfast/early check in etc. When you can usually get a different brand cheaper on that day, whilst still getting avios via the likes of hotels.com (8 avios/£1). Doesn’t this give more value? Or am I missing a trick
@krispy – it’s a difficult question. This site is obviously built around helping people maximise points opportunities and this clearly works for many who are happy to stay a lot of nights with one particular chain to earn and then maintain certain statuses. I, and others, prefer to be totally agnostic when choosing a hotel in a given place – I generally avoid chain hotels, but they can sometimes be the best option, but it’s equally likely that an independent hotel, non favoured chain or an Airbnb provides the best price/quality option.
From my experience, the benefits of fancy status (eg breakfast, upgrades, lounge access etc) that one often has to spend huge numbers of nights to earn are quite readily offered by hotels when contacted directly and they will commonly offer better prices plus guaranteed rather than ‘subject to availability’ upgrades. With the various loyalty schemes, obviously they also offer points that equate to a small rebate, often with enhanced earning bonuses that can then be leveraged into outsize value redemptions. However, personally I prefer the individual route of choosing the most suitable hotel wherever you go without the loyalty tail wagging the dog. If you can get a better price and or extra Avios etc. you are ultimately not only better off but you have stayed exactly where you wanted to.
So, I definitely don’t think you are missing a trick but others will be along to disagree!
To me, it always makes sense to choose a hotel based on the best compromise between location, experience and price. Brand is only relevant insofar as it affects the price: sometimes I may have a free breakfast or guaranteed upgrade based on brand, for example, so, if I plan to pay for those things anyway, that brand of hotel may be cheaper.
It’s easy to be irrationally seduced by freebies. Take Park Lane in London, for example: usually the Hilton is cheaper than the Intercontinental, but sometimes the Intercontinental is cheaper than the Hilton. The price differential is normally much more than the cost of a breakfast, and both hotels offer a similar experience and location, so it wouldn’t make any sense to allow status to determine the choice.
@Krispy many of us are in our prime earning years, doing much work travel that has preferred agreements with the big chains. So it’s very easy to stay at say an Intercontinental for work Weds-Fri then stay on at own cost Fri-Sun. Many corporate setups allow staff to stay the self-funded nights at the corporate rate. These are obviously prices that are never shown on the public website or via a third party agent. It’s an important point that is typically unsaid on here.
Reasons why I always look out for Hilton properties first:
five nights for four (using points)
complimentary breakfast
a good presence in many placesAlso lounge access where relevant, but this isn’t as big as the first two reasons.
(I don’t travel to America very much).
That free breakfast alone can be worth a lot.
It’s definitely a good idea to keep an open mind; I think the chain hotels have become progressively more and more expensive in the assumption that people won’t shop around. For example, I’m planning a road trip around central Spain next year and there aren’t many chain hotels in that region so I’ve been looking at which other options there are in the cities on our route. Prices for beautiful Parador properties are often on a par, or lower than, (sometimes) bog standard Marriotts (the only chain represented outside Madrid in that region).
The common misconception is that you need to spend a lot of nights in chain hotel to get status. You can easily buy status these days through various schemes for very little or through credit cards like Platinum. Some programmes, like Marriott run frequent double elite nights and you can usually get status for half the nights normally required. Having status in more than two chains also mean that you have more options to choose from.
However, with so many status holders, your status benefits are diluted. If you want them somewhat guaranteed, then best bet is to negotiate these in advance leveraging your status.
I used to value hotels.com when they run excellent promos for Gold Members in mid to late 2010s with 50% off at certain points in the year. I stayed at some great suites and villas for very little (Thailand, Mauritius, Seychelles, etc.). This is on top of the reward stamps, etc.
My strategy is now moving more towards independent hotels and AirBnBs simply because status means very little these days. Hotel breakfasts don’t appeal to me as I don’t like most buffets. Upgrades are really hard to get and usually you only get one category up. AirBnBs luxe categories can be a real value over hotel stays in some places. And the best part, you can negotiate late checkout at the time of booking.
The only status at the moment worth having for me is Hyatt and Accor. Hyatt because you can get suite upgrade at the time of booking in exchange for some points (you just need to be a member so not even high status). Accor has good status recognition for Golds and above because guests and hotel owners seem not have caught on that status can be bought cheaply. I have no doubt that things will change with Accor soon.
To get best deals you need to constantly change strategies.
@NorthernLass – wow, breaking free of your chains sounds like a truly Damascene conversion. You have a wonderful world of less expensive but better hotels ahead of you.
@jj – your point re the irrational seduction of freebies is spot on! The true cost of the apparently ‘free’ breakfasts etc. is often extortionate but the hotel loyalty people know their market.@BWS – it’s a very valid point that those earning most of their status/points via work stays are in a different position, although many here seem to be on the chain treadmill on their own account. Corporate rates may not be published but aren’t entirely inaccessible to the public!
It becomes even sillier if you allow location to be determined by the availability of a particular brand of hotel.
The Greek islands are an example of that particular madness. The big chains have no representation in most islands and, frankly, the islands where they are represented, are the kind of island that a rational, objective traveller would rarely choose to visit. So people end up in Santorini, Mykonos or Corfu instead of vastly more attractive alternatives just because, well, it’s a Marriott, darling, and we get a free breakfast there.
I’ve always wondered, how come people try and stick to one brand of hotels?
When you’re travelling for work between major towns and cities all the brands are often represented. Favouritism/loyalty in these circumstances can pay off when you later chip in your points and status on holiday. Pick your favourite chain and flim-flam only when the offers are really tempting (HfP doing the hard work for me in this respect).
For holidays themselves earning/using loyalty is not a big consideration for me. My last two Istanbul stays were in chain hotels, for points, because, why not? I have the points and there’s a ton of choice in that city.
I’m staying in Kochi in India soon. The chain hotels are in the wrong place, and even if they weren’t, lack the charm which I’m looking for. I’ll save my points for another day. Free breakfast or a possible upgraded room isn’t going to change my mind.
I hadn’t thought about that – it makes perfect sense for people who’s work gives them offers on hotels/don’t mind, then you can cash in on your own personal holidays!
I hadn’t thought about that – it makes perfect sense for people who’s work gives them offers on hotels/don’t mind, then you can cash in on your own personal holidays!
I only found this site because of bored nights on work trips in hotels trying to understand their loyalty schemes and frequently finding the best information was from Rob!
I’m staying in Kochi in India soon. The chain hotels are in the wrong place, and even if they weren’t, lack the charm which I’m looking for.
The Old Harbour Hotel is lovely if you didn’t already pick somewhere.
I’m staying in Kochi in India soon. The chain hotels are in the wrong place, and even if they weren’t, lack the charm which I’m looking for.
The Old Harbour Hotel is lovely if you didn’t already pick somewhere.
It was on the shortlist – but went for the Secret Garden instead.
I’m staying in Kochi in India soon. The chain hotels are in the wrong place, and even if they weren’t, lack the charm which I’m looking for.
The Old Harbour Hotel is lovely if you didn’t already pick somewhere.
It was on the shortlist – but went for the Secret Garden instead.
Looks a lovely place to avoid a chain hotel miserable breakfast.
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