OT: Hotel loyalty programs.. Hotels.com shredded theirs.. what you got?

[Xenomorph]

Hotels.com just took off and nuked their "Book 10 nights get 1 Free" from orbit and replaced it with a 2% cash back plan called One Key. Adding insult to injury, they piszed down my back and told me it's raining by saying what a good thing it is and how it's an amazing opportunity for business travelers.

I book a dump truck load of rooms/year and I want to delete the Hotels.com app after July 6th. I book all travel on corporate AMEX so a rewards card is useless to me.

What you got?

 

[aTotal360]

The Derby will honor that deal.

 

[patdog]

Man, I sure like that old program better. 9% rewards vs 2% now. I use only Hilton or Marriott hotels and use their rewards program (mostly Hilton these days since some of the places I like to use my free nights don't have a good Marriott option). I like that I don't have to save up points till I get a free night, I can pay using points + cash. No idea if I'm getting the best rewards deal or not (probably not). But Hilton hotels are generally pretty good and I care a lot more about where I'm staying than what it costs (to an extent).

 

[johnson86-1]

Man, I sure like that old program better. 9% rewards vs 2% now. I use only Hilton or Marriott hotels and use their rewards program (mostly Hilton these days since some of the places I like to use my free nights don't have a good Marriott option). I like that I don't have to save up points till I get a free night, I can pay using points + cash. No idea if I'm getting the best rewards deal or not (probably not). But Hilton hotels are generally pretty good and I care a lot more about where I'm staying than what it costs (to an extent).

I have not done a hotel loyalty program largely because of the hotels.com one. Just didn't want to lockmyself into a particular chain when being able to pick between Marriot and HIlton chains might be a $25-40 per night difference. My need to pick one now.

 

[The Peeper]

I had a Hilton Honors Visa for 15 years and that worked well for me. I like the Hilton family of hotels because you can choose something afordable (Hampton) all the way up to Waldorf Astoria with Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Garden Inn etc etc in between and know that it is going to be right. They however severed their ties w/ each other and offered me some other Visa that I'd never heard of (nothing to do with hotels) so I told them no thanks. Little did I realize when they cancelled their relationship, which cancelled my card too, my credit score tanked because I had been using that card for almost 15 years and it was the longest reigning thing on my credit report, matter of fact other than my house it left me w/ nothing on my report. It took me about 4 years to recover from the hit my credit took. I didn't have any bad credit at all, just nothing buy my house after the card was gone. They do have an AMEX Hilton Honors though now if you want AMEX.

 

[Darryl Steight]

Hotels.com just took off and nuked their "Book 10 nights get 1 Free" from orbit and replaced it with a 2% cash back plan called One Key. Adding insult to injury, they piszed down my back and told me it's raining by saying what a good thing it is and how it's an amazing opportunity for business travelers.

I book a dump truck load of rooms/year and I want to delete the Hotels.com app after July 6th. I book all travel on corporate AMEX so a rewards card is useless to me.

What you got?

I was a loyal hotels.com user. Got lots of free nights. But I've been using other methods since I saw the announcement a couple months ago. I have had some success with Agoda. Similar to Hotels, but I've been able to find cheaper rates most times I've booked lately. They have some sort of rewards, but I think it's percentage based similar to the new hotels.com plan. But they do send me coupons and special rates all the time. It's not bad.

 

[GomJabbar]

Yea it's garbage.

I have a starwood-turned-Marriott card that I will prob use more.

I really like some the of the IHG offerings, so I may get one of their CCs.

Also looking into Rakuten to earn cashback across several other sites.

 

[Faustdog]

Hotels.com just took off and nuked their "Book 10 nights get 1 Free" from orbit and replaced it with a 2% cash back plan called One Key. Adding insult to injury, they piszed down my back and told me it's raining by saying what a good thing it is and how it's an amazing opportunity for business travelers.

I book a dump truck load of rooms/year and I want to delete the Hotels.com app after July 6th. I book all travel on corporate AMEX so a rewards card is useless to me.

What you got?

Best hotel reward program is Hyatt. Chase points can be transferred. Look into the Chase trifecta. I use chase points for hotels and Amex for flights.

Unfortunately it seems like everyone is devaluing right now, but Hyatt is the best points value as far as hotels and has for a while.

 

[8dog]

Hotels.com just took off and nuked their "Book 10 nights get 1 Free" from orbit and replaced it with a 2% cash back plan called One Key. Adding insult to injury, they piszed down my back and told me it's raining by saying what a good thing it is and how it's an amazing opportunity for business travelers.

I book a dump truck load of rooms/year and I want to delete the Hotels.com app after July 6th. I book all travel on corporate AMEX so a rewards card is useless to me.

What you got?

Marriott with the Marriott visa. I’ve gotten a ton of mileage out of it without ever traveling much for work. Visa is like $85/yr but it comes with a free night up to 35k points which if used right can really go a long way.
I’m shocked people use hotels.com. It was always a nightmare for me bc if you had issues you weren’t dealing with the hotel directly.

 

[Other Kind]

I really like some the of the IHG offerings, so I may get one of their CCs.

Insane. Literally never heard anyone say that. As someone that spends 80+ nights in hotels a year, they are rock bottom behind choice.

 

[patdog]

I’m shocked people use hotels.com. It was always a nightmare for me bc if you had issues you weren’t dealing with the hotel directly.

Had similar issues with Expedia. I always deal directly with my airline, rental car company, or hotel. If there’s a problem, they fix it. No dealing with 2 companies pointing their fingers at the other & saying “there’s nothing we can do.”

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

I retired a few years ago from a company that did business with all of the major hotel brands. They all had some sharp people in their corporate staff but almost all of those people with 30 or more years experience have retired. They were replaced by mostly straight out of college kids that have a whole lot to learn. They will figure it out in time if they hang around, but in the meantime most of them are pretty clueless. They make a lot of mistakes and don’t exercise good judgment. I don’t think any of the Brands are what they were a few years ago.

 

[ChE1997]

Hotels.com just took off and nuked their "Book 10 nights get 1 Free" from orbit and replaced it with a 2% cash back plan called One Key. Adding insult to injury, they piszed down my back and told me it's raining by saying what a good thing it is and how it's an amazing opportunity for business travelers.

I book a dump truck load of rooms/year and I want to delete the Hotels.com app after July 6th. I book all travel on corporate AMEX so a rewards card is useless to me.

What you got?

Without an awards card to get quick status on, if it's your company amex, use the amex travel for perks. Otherwise it's tough to build up enough.

Marriott used to have the best one to use ( the points to get a night can be very low) and they have "double points and nights" promotions sometimes.

But none as good as 9% return.

 

[NWADawg]

Yea it's garbage.

I have a starwood-turned-Marriott card that I will prob use more.

I really like some the of the IHG offerings, so I may get one of their CCs.

Also looking into Rakuten to earn cashback across several other sites.

I'm not gonna go out and say I really like IHG but I use them almost exclusively for work due to convenient locations. These work trips build up decent points so I can get free nights (paid with points) just about any time I want to go somewhere not work related. I'm not saying I prefer them to all other hotels but I am saying I usually prefer free to me IHG nights compared to pay nights at other locations.

Also, once you get to diamond, platinum......level, the points come faster and easier and they will often upgrade you for no additional charge.

 

[Mobile Bay]

I have been using Mariott rewards (Bonvoy) for years. During Covid nights did not expire so I went up in status some and it was pretty sweet. I chose Mariott because after a couple of years of staying wherever was cheap, I said screw this. I make way too much money to have to sleep in a roach motel trying to make an extra buck. Mariott takes The Mariott Standard very seriously. More so than Hilton does. So I know I can walk into any Mariott world wide and it will be acceptable.

But I got most of those traveling for work and there were convenient locations. But I just recently changed jobs and now I will just have to stay Wherever the conference is at. But the Pentagon doesn't send high brass to conferences in dumps.

 

[BingleCocktail]

MOTEL 6. THEY LEAVE THE LIGHT ON FER ME

 

[jxndawg]

There are a lot of articles online about how all travel rewards programs (airline frequent flyer programs, hotel reward programs, etc.) are slashing benefits right now. Has something to do with how, pre-Covid, they were starting to be borderline-too generous, and then, after Covid, they all went nuts to try to encourage people to start traveling again. As a result, every airline frequent flyer program suddenly found themselves with Bubba and Tammy as Double Secret Elite Platinum members even though they'd only flown from Jackson to Atlanta twice and stayed at a Days Inn 4 nights since 2016. So there's a massive correction going on right now.

I don't fly or travel more than a few times a year, so I'm sticking w/ my AmEx, that defaults me to a semi-ok Hilton Honors and Marriot Bonvoy status. I took my kids to Yellowstone this summer, and it got me upgraded to a ridiculous suite at a ridiculously nice hotel, plus 5x points because I booked through AmEx Travel. It's still not a very good mathematical exchange of points, but as seldom as a traveler as I am, it's what works best for me.

 

[GloryDawg]

I always stay at Hilton Properties and fly Delta.

 

[GomJabbar]

Insane. Literally never heard anyone say that. As someone that spends 80+ nights in hotels a year, they are rock bottom behind choice.

You do you, homie. I just like the look of the Kimptons in many major cities.

 

[patdog]

I always stay at Hilton Properties and fly Delta.

Can’t go wrong with that. That’s what I do too, with fairly rare exceptions.

 

[Bulldog45]

I'm not gonna go out and say I really like IHG but I use them almost exclusively for work due to convenient locations. These work trips build up decent points so I can get free nights (paid with points) just about any time I want to go somewhere not work related. I'm not saying I prefer them to all other hotels but I am saying I usually prefer free to me IHG nights compared to pay nights at other locations.

Also, once you get to diamond, platinum......level, the points come faster and easier and they will often upgrade you for no additional charge.

I use IHG primarily. Combine it with their credit card and points really add up quickly since the card itself gives you platinum status. Around $85 per year annual fee but you get a free night annually, then book a 3 nights consecutive stay with points and get a 4th night free. Not to mention I can get generally a good corporate discount with IHG so works well for me.

 

[Bulldog45]

You do you, homie. I just like the look of the Kimptons in many major cities.

Agreed. IHG also has Indigo and Intercontinental. And if I’m traveling for work I like something small with easy in and out for parking so I’ve got no issues with even the Staybridge, HI Express, Avid, or Even brands. Matter of fact I really like Even due to the gyms.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Son of a bìtch. Loved that program. Best since the very early days of IHG rewards.

Sleeping in my car from now on.

 

[cphillips615]

Hotels.com just took off and nuked their "Book 10 nights get 1 Free" from orbit and replaced it with a 2% cash back plan called One Key. Adding insult to injury, they piszed down my back and told me it's raining by saying what a good thing it is and how it's an amazing opportunity for business travelers.

I book a dump truck load of rooms/year and I want to delete the Hotels.com app after July 6th. I book all travel on corporate AMEX so a rewards card is useless to me.

What you got?

I am constantly traveling for work and use Marriott Bonvoy. Even if you use your company credit card to pay for the rooms, you personally get the points. I have already racked up over a 9 nights for free and the best thing is, that you can redeem "1 free nights" promotions at almost any Marriott. Even the super nice ones. I stayed at the W Austin in Austin, TX for free for two nights using them. Usually costs around $380 per night with my discounted corporate rate. Great perks on all kinds of things.

 

[cphillips615]

Can’t go wrong with that. That’s what I do too, with fairly rare exceptions.

Southwest > Delta

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Hotels.com just took off and nuked their "Book 10 nights get 1 Free" from orbit and replaced it with a 2% cash back plan called One Key. Adding insult to injury, they piszed down my back and told me it's raining by saying what a good thing it is and how it's an amazing opportunity for business travelers.

I book a dump truck load of rooms/year and I want to delete the Hotels.com app after July 6th. I book all travel on corporate AMEX so a rewards card is useless to me.

What you got?

I stopped anything but Marriott or Hilton after having to go through the pain of making a change to a reservation I had made on Hotels.com. I was there on arrival day, in the lobby, facing the hotel human and had to call and talk to someone overseas at Hotels.com to make a change. I get much better service if I book through my Hilton app.

 

[8dog]

I stopped anything but Marriott or Hilton after having to go through the pain of making a change to a reservation I had made on Hotels.com. I was there on arrival day, in the lobby, facing the hotel human and had to call and talk to someone overseas at Hotels.com to make a change. I get much better service if I book through my Hilton app.

Not to mention you will get at least 1 night free if you pay for 10 nights at Hilton or Marriott. And you will probably do better than that.

 

[patdog]

Southwest > Delta

SW is ok if you can get a direct flight to where you’re going. But Delta is the best airline by almost every metric. And it’s not close.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Not to mention you will get at least 1 night free if you pay for 10 nights at Hilton or Marriott. And you will probably do better than that.

And they have to at least pretend like they are super happy to see me when I arrive!

 

[Other Kind]

Southwest > Delta

What?!?! This thread has some insane takes.

 

[Jwsjr]

I'm not gonna go out and say I really like IHG but I use them almost exclusively for work due to convenient locations. These work trips build up decent points so I can get free nights (paid with points) just about any time I want to go somewhere not work related. I'm not saying I prefer them to all other hotels but I am saying I usually prefer free to me IHG nights compared to pay nights at other locations.

Also, once you get to diamond, platinum......level, the points come faster and easier and they will often upgrade you for no additional charge.

This is the correct answer. Nit because if anything another than my age… and Covid …..
.
Hilton Diamond
Mariott lifetime Plarunum
Amex Platinum
Mariott Amex
Hiton Amex
Mariott Visa
Amex Green for spouse
Bank of American Visa for 3% back on category of your choice
PayPal - 2% back in all
Apple Card - 2% back across board /3% is using Apple pay.


Could prolly go on and on.

got over 1M in each of Amex/Mariott/Hilton

it’s ALL about playing the game if your credit is good enough and you like playing the game.

i do.

I'm not gonna go out and say I really like IHG but I use them almost exclusively for work due to convenient locations. These work trips build up decent points so I can get free nights (paid with points) just about any time I want to go somewhere not work related. I'm not saying I prefer them to all other hotels but I am saying I usually prefer free to me IHG nights compared to pay nights at other locations.

Also, once you get to diamond, platinum......level, the points come faster and easier and they will often upgrade you for no additional charge.

This is the correct answer. Only because of a long career in sales and nothing else I’ve been able to stockpile a couple of points ……got well over 1M in each of Amex and Bonvoy and Hilton loyalty programs…..

it’s a game for those that like to play it

I like to play it……
.
I currently have
Amex platinum - business and I us
Amex Green - for spouse
Amex Hilton
Amex Mariott
Mariott Visa
Amex Hilton
Bank of America ~ 3% of all home purchases. You pick a category each month
PayPal - 2%?off all purchases
Venmo - no idea why - daughter said I needed

DO NOT carry a balance EVER !! Each purchase has thought as to which card to use.

We gonna use miles to go to Mars soon.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

All I know is English Teachers in India need to be Kicked in the Nuts. Hard.