Category Archives for Hotels.
Hyatt’s internal owner documents reveal something surprising: Hyatt Place hotels rely heavily on World of Hyatt members—who generate roughly half of their total revenue—but franchise incentives still don’t fully align with elite-member interests. Hotels clearly see what your loyalty is worth, but short-term cost pressures and weak territory protections help explain why elite treatment can often fall short of what members expect.
Hyatt Regency Austin has completed its renovation, with modernized rooms, a redesigned lobby, an upgraded market, and a suite-upgrade approach that’s unusually generous for a Category 4 property. It’s still one of the best ways to use a Category 1–4 certificate, especially during peak Austin events like SXSW, where cash rates can top $750 while award nights run just 18,000 points.
Holiday Inn will stop offering any cooked-to-order or à la carte breakfast on December 1. Every property in the U.S. and Canada moves to a standardized buffet, and the brand’s internal guide shows just how minimal that operation can be. Hotels only need two staff to run the entire service window, the required menu is tightly limited, and pastries can legally be held and reused for up to 24 hours.
A guest approved for a 1 p.m. Diamond checkout says housekeeping repeatedly entered his room before noon and the front desk refused to verify the extension. The hotel then called police, who removed him and issued a 30-day ban.
A reader was upgraded to the Presidential Suite at the Hilton Branson Convention Center — and found a 13-year old mattress that’s well outside the brand’s own standards. Photos he shared also showed maintenance issues and worn furnishings, raising basic questions about quality control at a full-service Hilton.
A reader staying at the Holiday Inn Oklahoma City Airport says he found what appeared to be mouse droppings near the vending machines and asked the hotel to cancel an upcoming prepaid reservation. The property refused, and IHG backed the decision, telling him that prepaid terms still apply. That leaves the guest stuck with a stay he no longer feels comfortable taking—an example of how non-refundable rates offer little protection when a hotel’s condition doesn’t match what the brand advertises.
Hilton is rolling out a major Honors overhaul in 2026, and I can confirm the key changes: a new Diamond Reserve tier with confirmed upgrades and guaranteed late checkout, lower requirements for Gold and Diamond, and the end of rollover nights.
Some hotel guests are learning that even towels aren’t safe from surveillance. RFID chips are now embedded in linens to track inventory — and one hotel warns guests they could face fines of up to $17,000 for taking them.
Marriott’s newest brand, City Express, gives old hotels a second life — two shades of gray, a yellow stripe, and a new sign. Here’s how the company is re-branding entire properties with little more than paint, signage, and breakfast.
A reader who stayed at a Hyatt property reports finding DRIFT bulk soap on housekeeping carts while the bottles mounted in their guest room displayed Jonathan Adler branding. The hotel advertises Jonathan Adler as its standard amenity, raising questions about whether the in-room bottles are being refilled with a different product.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
