Hotel cards with annual free nights

[CreditScholar]

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@red259 wrote:

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@CreditScholar wrote:

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@wl123 wrote:

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I've narrowed it down to either IHG or Hyatt. Both offer "platinum" status. Is this actually useful for upgrades and other perks? Would you recommend I put any spending (other than paying for hotel stays) on either card?

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Platinum status at Hyatt won't get you much other than free internet, priority check-in and late check-out. If you're looking for upgrades, you'll be sadly disappointed. You'll probably be given rooms on higher floors (or something similar), but they're only supposed to upgrade within the same category you booked (normal, deluxe, club or suite). It's fairly rare to book one category and then get upgraded to a different category altogether (for example normal room to suite). Any such upgrade is solely at the property's discretion.

In terms of benefits granted by status solely obtainable through CCs, from top to bottom IMO:

Hilton Diamond

Hilton Gold & Marriott Gold

Club Carlson Gold

Hyatt Platinum & SPG Gold

IHG Platinum

Marriott Silver

I'm not sure where GHA Black fits into this hierarchy (comes with the palladium), since I never stay at GHA hotels. It would occupy one of the top 3 spots though.

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Hilton and marriott gold are on par with the benefits rewarded? My understanding was that Hilton Gold was much better. I never had marriott gold although I currently am plat with them and gold with hilton but never diamond. 

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I'm currently have both Marriott gold (from the Ritz CC) and Hilton gold (via stays). For the most part, I've honestly found them to be fairly comparable/interchangable.

Both give free internet, priority check-in and late check-out (upon request). Marriott gold gets guaranteed lounge access, while Hilton gold only gives it if you're upgraded to the executive floor. If you're not, you're given breakfast instead. Both give a 25% bonus to the number of points earned.

In this area Marriott gold has a slight advantage, as I've been to several properties where breakfast was included as gold plus I received lounge access as normal. With Hilton it's usually one or the other as gold, diamond will receive both.

Marriott gold also offers a 48 hour room availability guarantee, while Hilton only gives that to diamonds. Unless you're travelling on last-minute business, this usually won't be a big deal for most people.

How do you find Marriott Platinum vs. Hilton Gold?