Hotels

Category Archives for Hotels.

Marriott CEO: People Prefer Bonvoy Over Starwood 8-to-1

by Gary Leff on November 8, 2019

Nov 08 2019

We’re all familiar with lies, damn lies, and statistics. The new program has higher redemption prices than Marriott Rewards. It has weaker elite recognition than Starwood Preferred Guest. There is virtually no enforcement of elite benefits at the property level, at best paying our rewards to hotels for elite satisfaction scores.

Do you like Marriott Bonvoy more than both Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest? I’d love to see if we’ve got an 8-to-1 margin here… or if this is just Sorenson being Sorenson.

Hyatt Airport Hotel Has Boeing 787 Simulator You Can Use For $173

by Gary Leff on November 6, 2019

Nov 06 2019

Spending less than $300 for simulator time with an instructor is a great deal – a reason that some people may force an overnight for themselves at Haneda airport even. For an aviation geek there’s nothing like flight simulator time.

But what if I told you there’s an airport hotel where you can spend points to stay the night, that has a Boeing 787 simulator and where sim time is even cheaper?

How Much Hyatt Pays Hotels When You Redeem Points for Free Nights

by Gary Leff on November 5, 2019

Nov 05 2019

A hotel program books your room on points. They take the liability on their books for your point balance, and use it to pay the hotel.

Since hotels are mostly independently owned, they need to get real cash from the chain for your stay. Hotels actually benefit by filling unsold rooms with reward night guests, getting revenue from the loyalty program for a room that would have sat empty.

That Didn’t Last Long: Hyatt Adding New Category 8 Hotels, and Many Limited-Participation Properties

by Gary Leff on November 5, 2019

Nov 05 2019

I don’t have an issue with limited-participation hotels, and it makes sense for timeshare hotels not to offer complimentary breakfast as an elite benefit. However it’s not really fair to say that Hyatt is growing and delivering more value to members by adding hotels where redemption is not possible.

And I think we can assume that moving five Destination Hotels into category 8 is just the beginning. We’ll eventually see more at the inflated 40,000 points per night level.

Double Elite Nights at Hyatt’s Soft Brand Through End of Year

by Gary Leff on November 1, 2019

Nov 01 2019

Hyatt’s ‘soft brand’ – the umbrella for independent hotels to join Hyatt without matching specific brand standards – is called “Unbound Collection.” The chain is offering double elite qualifying nights for stays at Unbound Collection hotels through end of year. (Registration required.)

There are 20 Unbound Collection properties.

Marriott Changes Rules for Suite Night Awards (Advance Confirmed Elite Upgrades)

by Gary Leff on November 1, 2019

Nov 01 2019

Many Marriott Platinums see their suite night awards expire unused. Nonetheless, when they work they’re great.

Marriott has made two changes to Suite Night Awards, each reflecting problems with Marriott’s own internal systems that they’ve been unable to solve.

Finally a Good Hotel Promotion: 4X Bonus on IHG Stays

by Gary Leff on October 25, 2019

Oct 25 2019

IHG Rewards Club – the program that includes Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Kimpton and related brands – is offering progressively bigger bonuses with each stay booked by December 15 and completed by January 31, 2020.

Mayor Bill de Blasio Wants Your Next New York Hotel Stay To Be More Expensive

by Gary Leff on October 18, 2019

Oct 18 2019

De Blasio is proposing to eliminate the ability for new hotels to be built ‘by right’ as long as they conform to zoning laws, and instead require a special permit in “a process that would effectively grant the local City Council member veto power over any new hotel room.”

The largest hotel owners in the city say “they’ll rest easier if the city severely restricts the construction of competing accommodations.”

For Marriott’s New Global Promotion, They Won’t Tell You What It Is

by Gary Leff on October 15, 2019

Oct 15 2019

Marriott has a new global promotion (registration required by December 31) and it’s a secret promotion. What we know about it so far is incredibly weak. You don’t find out full details of the promotion until after your second stay.

Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans Collapses Leaving One Dead, 18 Hospitalized

by Gary Leff on October 12, 2019

Oct 12 2019

The under construction Hard Rock hotel New Orleans collapsed this morning leaving one person dead and 18 people hospitalized. “[C]onstruction workers ran to safety” before “[u]pper floors began to fall on top of each other before one side of the building fell to the ground below.”

The collapse at the construction site was captured on video.