A couple of months ago, The Deal Mommy posted an interesting article. She discussed the "Status Trap", where we make decisions solely based on chasing (or maintaining) elite hotel status. In other … [Read more...] about Free Breakfast Is the Most Overrated Hotel Loyalty Benefit
hotels
Review: Hilton London Hyde Park, Kensington, London
My 24 hours in London spanned two days, necessitating an overnight in the city. I prefer boutique hotels, but also wanted to take advantage of Hilton's triple points promotion. That led me to the … [Read more...] about Review: Hilton London Hyde Park, Kensington, London
Is Loyalty Still Worth It? Case: Starwood Preferred Guest
I don't think the loyalty game is dead, but it certainly is more difficult than it once was. In may ways, the benefits of elite status are better than ever, but it is also typically more difficult to … [Read more...] about Is Loyalty Still Worth It? Case: Starwood Preferred Guest
Review: Andaz Ottawa Byward Market
I tend to have a lot of business trips to Canada. Until this year, one place I hadn't spent much time in was Ottawa. When searching for a place to stay, I found a brand new Andaz scheduled to open … [Read more...] about Review: Andaz Ottawa Byward Market
Review: The Tarpon Inn Port Aransas, Texas
For my wife's birthday this past March, we both wanted to enjoy one last pre-baby getaway somewhere. With late March the peak of my busy season, we needed to keep it reasonably close. I'd long heard … [Read more...] about Review: The Tarpon Inn Port Aransas, Texas
Review: The Westin San Francisco Airport
I've had an unofficial boycott of Starwood hotels for the better part of 10 years. I felt I was unfairly denied a wheelbarrow full of Starpoints after a lengthy stay at a Starwood property in India … [Read more...] about Review: The Westin San Francisco Airport
The Sweet Spot for Status with Each Hotel Loyalty Program in 2016
This morning I released my third annual update of my hotel loyalty program comparison tables. While I try to keep those unbiased, this post is all about opinion. If you’re aiming for elite status then … [Read more...] about The Sweet Spot for Status with Each Hotel Loyalty Program in 2016
Comparing Hotel Elite Status in 2016
After comparing the four major U.S. airlines earlier this week, I'm now back to review six major hotel chains side-by-side. My objective is to compare each loyalty program to the others using common … [Read more...] about Comparing Hotel Elite Status in 2016
Rumor: Hyatt Will Limit Expiration of Diamond Suite Upgrades in 2016
Apparently the recent update to the Gold Passport systems has already had one consequence: Diamond Suite Upgrades can no longer be applied to reservations past their expiration date. Existing suite … [Read more...] about Rumor: Hyatt Will Limit Expiration of Diamond Suite Upgrades in 2016
What Matters When Comparing Hotel or Airline Loyalty Programs?
Each year for the last three years I've created a chart summarizing the main features of the biggest airline and hotel loyalty programs that operate in the United States. My goal is to provide a quick … [Read more...] about What Matters When Comparing Hotel or Airline Loyalty Programs?
Scott Mackenzie created Travel Codex to share his tricks for better travel.
