Preferred Hotel Chain

[NCherches]

So im a Hilton Whore... wanted to see what others thought. Best rewards, nicest hotels?

I think Marriott Rewards program might be better but for some reason I still like Hiltons/Embassy's and Hamptons!

 

[CA1900]

Hilton and Marriott are about a wash for me; I like them more or less equally.

I will give Marriott credit for one thing, though: they offer many more room options when redeeming hotel rewards. For example, if I redeem Hilton points for a Homewood Suites, my choices are "King" or "2 beds" -- that's it, even if I tell it I have 4 people. Though the hotel offers 2-bedroom suites for regular bookings, there's no option to book one with reward points (at least not online; not sure if you can do it by calling in). Marriott Residence Inns, on the other hand, list the 2-bedroom suite as a reward option; it just costs more points.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

I like Hilton and Priority Club (Holiday Inn). The Staybridge Suites (Holiday inn suite hotel) are fantastic.

My only complaint with Hilton is that it takes too long, too many stays, to get beyond Silver.

 

[BoilerUP]

I got charged just under $17 the last time I used "Marriott Rewards" for a reward stay. That kind of pissed me off; never been charged a penny with Hilton.

I prefer Hilton due to their AMEX affiliation, but I wish they required fewer stays in order to move up....you shouldn't have to hopscotch hotels in order to properly whore your points.

And NPH is hilarious!

 

[stupidpilot]

I hate holiday Inn but I like Staybridge and HI Express. The staright Holiday Inns for the most part are old and crappy. I really like Hampton Inns(the one in Ogden UT and MSP is awesome! Curious about Hyatt place, they look nice but I haven't stayed in one.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Hilton but I hear Marriott is doing well.....

a majority of the Diamond members are NJA pilots. They get Diamond status immediately when hired....

I am stuck at Gold status...

 

[CA1900]

Curious about Hyatt place, they look nice but I haven't stayed in one.

I've stayed at one. I liked the room (big LCD TV, which I hooked to my laptop), and the services available were good.

What wasn't good was the noise level. I got a first-floor room (all the was available), and I felt like I was in a school cafeteria, it was so loud, with people milling in and out of the lobby/restaurant, talking, yelling, running, etc. The upper floors were probably fine, but the first-floor room I had was totally unusable for crew rest.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Hilton all the way baby, especially Embassy Suites.

Points, Miles, Manager's Reception...

Better than Marriott by far in my opinion.

Besides, Barron Hilton is an aviator and does a lot with his money to preserve warbirds (he also helped Bob Hoover fight the FAA). The Marriotts are just two creepy old guys with their portrait in every lobby. *shudder*

 

[learflyer]

Hgi!

So im a Hilton Whore... wanted to see what others thought. Best rewards, nicest hotels?

I think Marriott Rewards program might be better but for some reason I still like Hiltons/Embassy's and Hamptons!

I like HGI, and Embassy. Just having a microwave in the room, and free breakfast (cooked to order) is huge for me. HGI plays with your mind though, because they are all identical, and it messes you up!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Here's some bad news from Hilton though:

Earning Tier Status
Effective January 1, 2009, members can earn and maintain VIP tier status based on stays, nights, or Base points earned in any calendar year. A "calendar year" is understood to mean January 1st through - December 31st of each year. Members must re-qualify for VIP status each calendar year.

I am a Silver member now with around 25,000 points. I have 11 "stays" and 16 "nights".

I need 60,000 points, 16 "stays" or 36 "nights" to move up to gold.

 

[CA1900]

At the rate things are going with your schedule, you may still make Gold!

 

[CA1900]

Hilton all the way baby, especially Embassy Suites....

Ugh, no thanks. Embassy Suites are very familiy-friendly, and no offense to the parents out there, but "familiy-friendly" and "crew rest accommodations" are mutually exclusive entities. Embassies are generally very loud, especially on the weekends. You can mitigate it somewhat with a high floor, but even that's no guarantee. And there's something about those walkways that scream "racetrack for children."

The last one I stayed at, in Greensboro, NC, had some kind of convention of nothing but 12-year-old girls. I'm stunned that all the glass in the hotel didn't shatter from the shrieking!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

The last one I stayed at, in Greensboro, NC, had some kind of convention of nothing but 12-year-old girls.

mmmhmm... no comment...and that, my friend, is your Christmas present.

 

[Thedude]

I prefer Crowne Plaza hotels. They are aimed at the biz traveler and are very well appointed and comfortable.

 

[CA1900]

Sorry man, I draw the line at the age of consent for wherever I'm staying. I wear one of these on the road to help:

http://www.tshirthell.com/funny-shirts/international-age-of-consent-tour/

:laugh:

 

[siouxicide]

1. Hilton(Hampton/Embassy), 2. Marriott(Residence Inn), and 3. Holiday Inn

Gave Marriott the #2 spot because the Fairfield Inns are terrible. Paper thin walls.
Redeeming points at the Holiday Inn was extremely easy. I don't have experience with the others yet. Check out the Madison, WI Holiday Inn. Nice gym, good stay. The Marriott Downtown Kansas City by far has the best gym I've ever seen in a hotel.

 

[rettofly]

Curious about Hyatt place, they look nice but I haven't stayed in one.

Hyatt Place is all new. Nice rooms, informal limited dining. Just the thing for a minimum rest turnaround.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Preferred Hotel Chain?

none.

whatever hotel is the best avail in the area you are in...simple as that.

Nothing worse than driving by 3 great hotels in great locations to stay in some friggin Marriott to get pilot points...:angryfire

And Embassy Suites -- very bottom of the list next to sleeping on the sidewalk. Those places suck. Whitetrash Weddings every weekend and mobs of illigit children roaming the halls....Manager bubba reception? again, mobs fighting for stale popcorn and warm Bud Light while their kids run wild and pee in the pool....no thanks....



:laugh:

 

[rettofly]

I prefer Crowne Plaza hotels. They are aimed at the biz traveler and are very well appointed and comfortable.

Crowne Plaza used to be one of my favorites. Lately, they seem to have gone down hill, especially the one at HPN.

My preference is Hilton, especially Garden Inn and Embassy (comments above about shrieks and footraces duly noted).

The mainline Marriott and Hyatt hotels (and some Hiltons) are too snooty for my taste.

 

[CA1900]

The full-service Hiltons have something that I, as a coffee drinker, really appreciate: single-serve coffee pod machines with Lavazza coffee grounds in the pods. (These aren't the ones with the disposable plastic trays you see in some hotels -- those are just awful. These are individual round pods.)

Here's what you'll find in all the rooms:
http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2006_3rd/Jul06_Lavazza.html

Minor detail, but it's nice to get a decent cup from the room for the ride to the airport, or if you have some time in the room in the morning. Most also have real half-and-half in the room, versus that non-dairy garbage.