Category Archives for Hotels.
Several readers asked me yesterday what to make of IHG hotels’ systems being down. I figured “it’s just poor IT” and things will return to normal eventually. That remains true, but the hotel giant acknowledges they’ve been hacked.
Marriott actually makes hotels pay them for the right to charge you a resort fee. Having just audited the franchise agreement for their AC Hotels and Westin brands, I found it fascinating that they charge a one-time $1500 fee, plus $550 per year, to hotels that bill customers resort or destination fees. Marriott also has the right to exempt elite members from paying resort fees, under their franchise agreement, but doesn’t do this.
Marriott claimed over 140 million members at the end of 2019. At some brands members represent about two thirds of revenue. Based on franchise disclosures, the average Marriott Bonvoy member pays AC Hotels a $200.74 daily room rate and at Westin hotels it’s a $185 daily room rate. Guests aren’t customers, they’re Marriott’s product – and the product that all hotel chains sell to hotel owners. While hotel chains push ‘book direct’ as a way of lowering costs, distribution isn’t free. Franchisees pay more for Bonvoy members than non-members, on the theory that Marriott is delivering these “leads” to hotels. And those fees fund points that members earn. For Westin in 2021, Marriott is charging 4.2% of “qualifying revenue generated by customers earning loyalty points or miles” for the cost of Bonvoy, not including bonus…
may not be how things work in practice and the housekeeping you receive may not be the housekeeping you’ve come to expect.
They will make the bed (not change sheets), replace towels, and take out trash. They’ll restock the coffee, but ‘supplies’ are pretty limited since most properties are using wall-mounted toiletries anyway.
The Bellagio hotel now gives black plates and black napkins at the buffet to Noir members to identify them visually to staff for better treatment
American Airlines AAdvantage elites – even mere Gold members – can register for Hyatt Explorist status for 90 days. Then there’s a path to keep status through February 2024.
For the night of Saturday, August 5, 2023 – generally the last night bookable at the end of IHG’s calendar right now – most hotels in most cities that have loaded reward night inventory are pricing at just 16,000 points per night.
I just spent a couple of nights at Hyatt Regency Hill Country. I live in Austin, so you might expect me to head out to the Lost Pines property for a sort-of staycation. But it wasn’t the resort we were after as much as a great jumping off point for SeaWorld San Antonio, which is basically across the street.
Several Hyatt hotels have figured out a trick to save themselves money and cheat members out of points. And there’s nothing that Hyatt will do about it, so they can get away with it with impunity.
You should register now – while the offer is in front of you, so you don’t forget and in case you happen to have any Hilton stays – because you can earn double points between September 6 – December 31, 2022 and you’ll also earn 2000 additional bonus points on all stays that end Monday through Friday.
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 »
