Going after status - a big trap waiting?

What The Heck?

Master Blaster
I usually wonder why people continue to go for status for any particular hotel group. Is it really worthy enough just to hunt for status which is going to last for just 1-1.5 years (that too for breakfast or wi-fi or some 2 hours extra checkout option which one can spend even in the hotel's lobby if necessary) and one has to continously keep spending in that particular hotel chain despite cheaper options available outside the chain? Is loyalty turning in to some kind of slavery? Most of the hotel statuses except for the top tier of that particular hotel doesnt seem to be worth it (most of them dont even have guaranteed suite upgrades out there) and personally i dont think they are worth it except for hardcore business travellers. When occassional travellers tend to go after status they tend to overspend and simply enter in to some kind of indirect slavery to that particular hotel chain. Is it even worth the effort by getting carried away reading posts/comments of bloggers/business travellers out there going on status runs either because the blogs get them sufficient revenue for them to have statuses at all hotel chains or their business pays up for their stays. Other than for these two sets of people, going after hotel status is a waste of time, money, entering in to some kind of bonded labour and a big trap waiting. Am i missing something here?
 

Sesq

Level 2 Member
Equating it to slavery is a bit much, no?

I have gotten good perks out of status that have gone straight to my bottom line, mostly in the form of free breakfast/wifi on vacation with the family along with some extra miles/points due to the multipliers. Most of us are pretty good at cost/benefit analysis and there are lots of backdoor/side door means to reach the end.
 

f0xx

Level 2 Ninja
Am i missing something here?
Yep.
You must not travel a lot or enough to be able to grasp why some statuses are good.

Late Checkout is nice if you've had a late night and want to sleep in or you have kids that take forever to get ready.
Free Breakfast is well.... free. You don't have to pay for it. (If you had a family, think about how much that adds up if you had to pay)
Upgrades? Who doesn't like a free upgrade?
Free internet? Again... It's free. Something you don't have to pay to use.

A hotel is about kicking back and relaxing at the end of the day. Not having to worry about extra fees and expenses is a plus.

The only "trick" or "big trap waiting to happen" is what you decide to do.
Blogs try to sell this amazing picture of you flying first class and staying in lavish hotels.
They show you what you can do with all these points and miles and then throw a CC link at you. It's tempting and most people fall for it.
Travel bloggers are pawns to the CC companies. It's how they make their money and the CC company makes money off of you spending money.
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Status is great, but I would never chase after it. I'm a big fan of HH Gold, the highest level I have (until Kimpton made me Inner Circle) but I wouldn't pay to get it.
 

TheBOSman

Moderator
Staff member
Well, I am SPG Platinum, so here are a few benefits (official and unofficial) that I've gotten:

Showed up at the W Sentosa hotel in Singapore at 6:30AM on the day of my stay. My rate included breakfast. I had just gotten off the old Singapore Airlines Newark-Singapore nonstop. Hotel gave me a room by 7:30-8AM, a room that was still a two category room upgrade, and let me use my included breakfast that morning so I could eat breakfast while I waited, instead of the following morning. I will pay extra to stay at that hotel now based on that and other great treatment I received on that stay.

Upgraded three category levels to an Executive Suite (a suite that actually has the closing doors on the bedroom) at the Sheraton Barra in Rio de Janeiro (now a Radisson, good place to use CC points).

Suite night upgrade at the Liberty Boston for a special stay, hotel was nearly sold out as it was graduation weekend in Boston.

That's just what I recall offhand, I've gotten quite a few other upgrades and lots of free food and drink :).
 

What The Heck?

Master Blaster
Equating it to slavery is a bit much, no?

I have gotten good perks out of status that have gone straight to my bottom line, mostly in the form of free breakfast/wifi on vacation with the family along with some extra miles/points due to the multipliers. Most of us are pretty good at cost/benefit analysis and there are lots of backdoor/side door means to reach the end.
My first language is not english and in my first language i am used to lot of paraphrasing and hence please excuse me if i tend to paraphrase as i may not be able to get the exact word that i intended, to be there. Slavery doesnt literally mean slavery - i was meaning more like "instead of hotel chains coming behind us for our money, we shouldnt end up going after them". Honestly i dont have a word for that in my limited english knowledge. Sorry for that.
 

f0xx

Level 2 Ninja
My first language is not english and in my first language i am used to lot of paraphrasing and hence please excuse me if i tend to paraphrase as i may not be able to get the exact word that i intended, to be there. Slavery doesnt literally mean slavery - i was meaning more like "instead of hotel chains coming behind us for our money, we shouldnt end up going after them". Honestly i dont have a word for that in my limited english knowledge. Sorry for that.
You're fine :)
I understood where you were coming from.
Credit and Credit Cards can be/have been very sticky situations.

I've been against points blogs etc because they push this "oh look what you can have!!!" but never tell about the risks. They expect the user to be responsible enough. (Not everyone is... Sadly)
 

What The Heck?

Master Blaster
You're fine :)
I understood where you were coming from.
Credit and Credit Cards can be/have been very sticky situations.

I've been against points blogs etc because they push this "oh look what you can have!!!" but never tell about the risks. They expect the user to be responsible enough. (Not everyone is... Sadly)
You are 100% true about the blogs. It is really nice to see that many people like you have realised the evils of these blogs and are trying to do your best in whatever way you can to stop that evil from spreading more. What is happening is extremely dangerous but thanks to guys like George of TBB, Matt and some other bloggers that i really admire, there is a hope for many that there is a cure for this cancer in this country. If not for these bloggers, people like me would have been left groping in the dark without even knowing that we are in dark. Big thanks to all you guys.
 

PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member
I think it's up to individuals to be responsible and decide what works for them and what is a waste of money. Individual responsibility is an important thing, and it's not just points/miles blogs that market to us - it's everywhere and you can't be an idiot about it. Consumerism is a powerful force, though, so I appreciate the guys who write about it.

I have Hyatt Diamond, which I got through their challenge. I wouldn't have chased it, except that we were already booked (with Amex FHR, a great alternative to status) at the Park Hyatt Aviara for 9 nights. Once we had those plans set, I emailed about the diamond challenge and enrolled, figuring I could do 3 nights at a Hyatt sometime over the next two months. It was worth it just there because we instantly were able to use the suite certificates to upgrade, and with a 2 year old it's nice to have all the space you can get.

When I signed up, it was initially until March 2015, which would have given me a little less than a year. Still worth it to me since we do like Hyatts and we'll pick them if they have properties where we're going. I ended up doing the last 3 nights on basically a staycation - the Boston Hyatt over Memorial Day weekend. Somehow, they had cash+points for 2 of the nights, and paid cash for the 3rd. Was able to use a suite certificate. I emailed them after the fact, and it took me two tries to get to a manager, but they eventually extended my status through March 2016 because I started my trial one day before that would have been official. I asked, didn't demand, and they were really nice to do it, so they'll have my loyalty.

That said, I would not go out of my way to acquire hotel status. I've been HHonors Gold and SPG Gold for a long time, and neither tier is worth the price of admission IMHO. I have no experience with top tier SPG, but it'd be expensive to acquire if you're going out of your way to do it. An inlaw is HH Diamond and I've never seen anything special done for him when we all go on family trips. Gold gives you free wifi and breakfast, and I think that's the sweet spot.

In most cases it's nice to walk in with some level of status, but again, not worth buying on its own. I keep the Amex Platinum around, so SPG Gold comes from there, as did HHonors Gold last year. When my Hyatt status runs out, I won't be running off to get the Hyatt CC though.
 

KennyBSAT

Moderator
Staff member
Earning hotel status makes zero sense for me but lots of sense for some people. Not a whole lot different with airline status for us - I'll likely wind up ~2400 miles short of DL silver but see no reason to book a crappy routing or extra waste-of-time trip just to get it.
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
What about Casino status? Gotta be worth a lot more than airlines and hotels...

It's on my mind since I just wrote two posts on the subject :)
 

DarcyMae

New Member
I'm top tier in IHG/Priority Club and second tier in Club Carlson by virtue of keeping their credit cards each year. Believe me, I don't keep those cards for the status. I can recall once getting an upgrade in a Crowne Plaza because of my status. Otherwise, zip.

I could see pursuing status at Hyatt or Hilton for the status perks, particularly if one's stays are partially or fully reimbursed by an employer or client. However, as a single traveler whose hotels are paid from my own pocket (or points stash) I care more about a room's price ($ or points) than whether or not I'm earning anything toward status.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
I think status only makes sense in certain situations. I never had any hotel status of any kind until a few years ago. I raised four children who were competitive athletes in multiple sports and a lot of my travel for several decades involved whichever property was nearest the ice rink, tennis venue, baseball tournament or soccer fields. If I had really been strategic and could do it over again I would have become the parent in charge of soccer hotels for both of my sons' teams and selected properties around a particular brand or two when possible, and I think that could have been a good play. Now that my children are raised and college educated, I have almost no debt, and a lot more time and flexibility. So I travel, a lot, and I saved to do this. So I have leveraged status matches, challenges and credit card benefits to have status of some kind in almost every hotel program and as a result, don't have to be necessarily loyal to one or two, but can choose from among many. Check out my hotel reports. Status does enhance the experience and some of the chains where I have the highest status can be particularly generous, although I am convinced it is the way you go about it and the so-called social engineering that can make a huge difference in the outcome.
 
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Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
You can get hilton gold with a cc. The free breakfast benefit for my family of 4 is worth the small annual fee in just a few nights. I typically also get room upgrades and free waters. Now I wouldn't advocate mattress runs IMO for getting it, but for < $100 I get my $ worth....
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
You can get hilton gold with a cc. The free breakfast benefit for my family of 4 is worth the small annual fee in just a few nights. I typically also get room upgrades and free waters. Now I wouldn't advocate mattress runs IMO for getting it, but for < $100 I get my $ worth....
Citi Hilton Reserve is worth it for the Gold status for sure. The Club Carlson card is worth it more for the extra night redemption more than the Gold Status, and it is a points machine. Hyatt card gives Platinum status which includes some benefits such as a category 1-4 certificate each year which pays for the card if you leverage it well. Marriott card gives you credit for 15 nights, essentially giving you Silver status, plus in addition to category 1-4 when you get card, you get a 1-5 certificate at your anniversary. You can also spend 3K to get additional nights credit if you are working on Gold or Platinum. IHG card gives you a free night each year and Platinum status, so it's worth it for the free night. SPG is great for the airline transfers. They are all worth keeping. My husband just got the Ritz-Carlton 140K card, so we have the bases pretty well covered! I actually think there is more value in hotel redemptions than most people realize.
 
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PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member
What about Casino status? Gotta be worth a lot more than airlines and hotels...

It's on my mind since I just wrote two posts on the subject :)
If I still lived in Jersey, I'd be at the Borgata with you.

Remember when some dude threw a beer bottle at that gigantic, 7 figure hand blown chandelier in the entryway a couple years after it opened? I think I was in the poker room when that happened, I remember seeing pieces of it on the floor when we left.
 
R

RamboAroundTheWorld

Guest
Honestly, I don't know why anyone wouldn't carry all the hotel credit cards if they travel. Effectively, you earn 1 free stay at a pretty damn decent hotel for between $50 and $75 ($100 for the Citi Reserve). Not to mention the status benefits. You can't beat that with a stick.

Now as for buying into status upgrades, to each their own. When I finally get to Vendome I'm going to try to pull a Diamond challenge. Hilton Diamond is pretty worthless. The rest I've got via the CC's.
 

Fishing4Deals

Level 2 Member
Citi Hilton Reserve is worth it for the Gold status for sure. The Club Carlson card is worth it more for the extra night redemption more than the Gold Status, and it is a points machine. Hyatt card gives Platinum status which includes some benefits such as a category 1-4 certificate each year which pays for the card if you leverage it well. Marriott card gives you credit for 15 nights, essentially giving you Silver status, plus in addition to category 1-4 when you get card, you get a 1-5 certificate at your anniversary. You can also spend 3K to get additional nights credit if you are working on Gold or Platinum. IHG card gives you a free night each year and Platinum status, so it's worth it for the free night. SPG is great for the airline transfers. They are all worth keeping. My husband just got the Ritz-Carlton 140K card, so we have the bases pretty well covered! I actually think there is more value in hotel redemptions than most people realize.
What is your view of SPG Gold Status? I recently got a targeted offer to upgrade to Gold with 2 stays over the next couple of months.

Doesn't seem worth going out of my way for, but I don't really know what I'd me missing in terms of real world benefits. My usual preference is to book Priceline stays.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
What is your view of SPG Gold Status? I recently got a targeted offer to upgrade to Gold with 2 stays over the next couple of months.

Doesn't seem worth going out of my way for, but I don't really know what I'd me missing in terms of real world benefits. My usual preference is to book Priceline stays.
Ha, ha. Am Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Platinum, IHG Platinum, Best Western Diamond. It is one of the few I don't have, so don't have a lot of experience with the benefits of SPG. My husband is Gold and loves it. For two stays, I would go for it. Wish I had been targeted!
 

satz

Level 2 Member
What is your view of SPG Gold Status? I recently got a targeted offer to upgrade to Gold with 2 stays over the next couple of months.

Doesn't seem worth going out of my way for, but I don't really know what I'd me missing in terms of real world benefits. My usual preference is to book Priceline stays.
While I don't patronize SPG heavily, I don't think Gold status is worth much imho. Especially since they give it away to Amex Platinum cardmembers. Even that did not entice me to switch my stays to SPG. Marriott is quite lenient in their BRG approvals which can mean huge savings and Hyatt treats their Diamond members very nicely.
 

What The Heck?

Master Blaster
Ha, ha. Am Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Platinum, IHG Platinum, Best Western Diamond. It is one of the few I don't have, so don't have a lot of experience with the benefits of SPG. My husband is Gold and loves it. For two stays, I would go for it. Wish I had been targeted!
Whatttt? :eek:
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
While I don't patronize SPG heavily, I don't think Gold status is worth much imho. Especially since they give it away to Amex Platinum cardmembers. Even that did not entice me to switch my stays to SPG. Marriott is quite lenient in their BRG approvals which can mean huge savings and Hyatt treats their Diamond members very nicely.
That's right and why I haven't focused on them. My husband has SPG Gold through Amex Plat. He gets upgraded all the time though and frankly if you have a couple of stays coming up, why not try to get SPG Gold? Getting status mid level status with Marriott is 50 nights. I would love to get mid level with them by two stays!!
 

Matt

Administrator
Staff member
Gold is... Tricky. I was going to say it's crappy and I only got free wifi but as I think more I've done well from it.

I've had some minor upgrades, not to suites generally, but in India we got some amazing upgrades (suites with massage chairs, dining areas etc)

Westin Europa Venice (2 drinks which were a little pricey) and a slight bump in room to exec class.

Sheraton Niagara Falls cracking room, falls view plus something (pts I think)

I have had these great little perks, but I still expect nothing more than free wifi from it, and that is often all you might get.

I have it through the platinum that I keep forgetting to cancel.
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
I thought they did at high spend- $30k or something?
Yeah, my husband hit the high spend one year and got gold. I think the card gives you equivalent of 2 stays, 5 nights if I remember correctly. No, the card is lacking Forex and any kind of status equivalent.
 

PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member
SPG Gold was my first hotel status and I still have it through Amex. I think it's back to 2008 or whenever I got into this crap. I'll say that in 6 years of SPG elite status, it hasn't done much for me, but it hasn't cost me much to keep. Upgrades have been more to things like a "better view" and occasionally club level if the hotel has it. I've never gotten a suite out of SPG Gold - I'm sure some have, I don't have a ton of stays to really pull a good sample. Wifi is free, though, and the 4pm late checkout is usually available.

I think the only hotel status that's really worth some marginal attention to keep is one that offers breakfast, at least for me. I'm usually traveling with my family and eating in the morning at the hotel is just easier with a toddler. I think HHonors Gold is the only mid-tier status that offers it. We usually prefer HGIs when staying at Hilton, and their breakfast is decent, predictable and free as a Gold.

Hyatt Diamond has been good, though - most of the places we've stayed at will take whatever you ran up off the folio. The Regency in Boston told me they didn't even know what the limit was, but that nobody had ever come back and complained. Then again, I'm not likely to stay 50 nights in 2015 so that'll be a one and done for me.
 
I have hotel status through CCs (Club Carlson, IHG, SPG/Amex Plat, HH) and also did Hyatt Diamond challenge. Hyatt is my favorite because the perks of having breakfast (and the Regency Club when available) for a family of four is so worth it. I actually have 2 more nights to complete (which will be finished next weekend) & all were places that we were going anyway, with the exception of one local night that I booked when we had a minor house fire (long story). I used points+cash for most of the 12 nights that I needed. I also bought a discounted Hyatt gift card (10% off) so that made it a bit cheaper. I have found that Hyatt also gives the best amenities too, and I have often been given extras (like 1000 points AND a free cabana AND a bottle of wine), but that was just people being really nice, I think. I have had Hyatt Diamond 3 times, so I guess I find it to be worthwhile:) With the others (and only having the second tier), I have gotten breakfast, wifi, and recently at a Sheraton was given access to the club lounge plus vouchers for free food from the restaurant (friends who were with us & also Gold did not get these things, so I'm not sure why & didn't ask!).
 

PWMTrav

Moderator
Staff member
This is kind of an aside, but at least with Hyatts, I try to avoid hotels with club lounges so that we can have breakfast at the restaurant.
 

LowHassleMS

Level 2 Member
I simply don't pay for that many hotel stays and since I collect points from every chain with signups and promotions, I find it hard to stay loyal to one.

I'd go for status if I can achieve it with MS. I think the only ones I'm aware of is SPG Gold for $30k and Hilton diamond for $40k spend. I'll be doing hilton diamond this year. I've received great treatment at many hilton family hotels with gold status.

MSing on marriott card to get status doesn't seem worthwhile. I wish I could get carlson status with MS as that card is a points machine.
 
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