Not sure if it was DH’s preference or what chain his company preferred, but when he travelled a lot he was previously a Hilton guy. Then became a Marriott guy. We have burned up all the Hilton points and now have a boatload of Marriott points, but some
Marriott’s are now that they used to be.
Yes, that’s what I meant by overlap. I just don’t bother to keep straight which is which and have loyalty accounts with all of them.
Same feeling here! Between dh’s frequent flier miles and hotel points, we’ve had some nice vacations. And with four kids who chose colleges all over the country, we saved a lot of money for hotels just on regular travel to visit our kids in their (expensive for hotels) college cities.
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The best part of using hotel points vs paying for the hotel is not paying the extra taxes that local and state governments impose on travelers (to tax non residents who are the majority of people staying in hotels).
You’re not just saving $300 but actually $330/night because of the artifically high taxes.
Ten years ago I started my current job. Prior to Covid I traveled between 2/3 to 3/4 of the time. When I started, my boss recommended that I pick a brand for both hotel and airline (company has preferred rental car vendors) and stick with them, since I’d earn points faster. I picked Hilton and American.
Even though the company paid for my travel, I was allowed to keep all my points. My family’s personal travel, especially hotels, was usually paid for completely.
When Covid hit and we moved to remote, it was pretty disheartening how quickly my points evaporated. I sank from Business Platinum on American to boarding group 6.
Travel has slowly started again, but I don’t anticipate it ever being where it was - the clients I used to travel to now have remote employees, so being there in person is no longer a priority.
Previously I traveled 30+ weeks a year for work, but in 2024 I will have traveled 9 weeks. I’ve noticed some big changes - flights are almost always completely full, and the hotel quality has dropped. I don’t consider myself a very high maintenance traveler, but my last client I ended up changing hotels between my first visit and my next, even though that added 20-25 minutes in commuting time each morning. Issues including power outages, the fire alarm going off daily, slow/broken elevators, and hot breakfast not being available due to equipment failure. This was a Holiday Inn Express.
Lately I look at reviews, proximity, and price, including whether parking is an extra charge. I have accounts with all the different hotel brands and my level of travel is not high enough anymore to earn the kind of points I used to, so brand loyalty isn’t a factor.
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We are loyal to Hampton Inn—the included breakfast was a great time saver when we were traveling with 3 kids–they could always find something they would eat. Running around looking for a breakfast place was a waste of time and money. Also, there were Hampton Inns near the 3 different colleges that our kids attended, so we accumulated reward points when moving them in/out, parents weekend, etc.
I stayed at a Fairfield Inn while traveling on business once (not my choice) and the breakfast was atrocious—frozen Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches, and a microwave to thaw them out!!! Yuck.
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That’s a legal thing. Companies have tried to change that and lost. The only time you don’t get points is direct bill - so my company has a meeting in Charleston for 100 people and the company will pay directly vs. us paying and getting reimbursed. Then no points. But when you are traveling solo, even if on a company card, you get the points.
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Hampton, in most cases, are better than Fairfields. Better beds, better breakfast. But if you travel a lot, you make that Hilton or Marriott choice.
I’m an oatmeal guy - so most work. Not all make the pot - some have the packets or worse, some just have grits!! But most have oatmeal.
But I agree with you on Hampton vs. Fairfield but I rarely stay as I’m a Marriott guy. Some HIEs are very nice too!!
Many hotels are being renovated - the brands are making the franchisees step up - as there’s lots of choices today. Often time, at one street corner, you’ll see three or four - a Hampton, Fairfield, HIE, Choice brand, etc. - one owner.
My Courtyard I’m typing from is being refurbished. The gym was closed. No issue - they own the Staybridge too (IHG brand - i.e. Holiday Inn) - I used their gym. Many franchisees are playing all sides.
H traveled on a company card for years and didn’t get the points. When his company had to sell his division they were bought and became a small company. No company cards. He used his (our) hotel and airline cards and got lots of points. The small company reimbursed him quickly, so win-win!
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My card direct bills to the company but I have to do an expense report to get it paid or I’m on the hook.
He must have traveled a long time ago. Companies did that but lost the ability. There were some legal challenges as I recall way back when.
But again, a direct bill - but that’s usually group meetings - then yeah, you get butkus.
Same with airlines - companies can’t keep the points.
And don’t forget your rental car - I get 600 Southwest points for each Avis rental. We used to have National (a much better brand) and I got a free day for every 7 rentals.
I’m becoming more and more loyal to Airbnb. 
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I’ve not done - well I did at Acadia actually.
Do they have a loyalty program? Every restaurant I go to now does. Some car dealers. It seems Loyalty programs are all the rage - whether a clothing retailer, hotel or alternate, or anything else.
If they don’t, I bet they will soon!!
Loyalty, credit card, etc.
We generally pick Hiltons. Our two brands of choice are Hampton Inns and Home2suites. This started after some terrible breakfasts at Marriott properties and having trouble finding Marriotts that would accept our 60 lb dog in a few locations. Breakfast quality and dog friendly are very important to us. The points are just extra. I don’t travel enough to get anything meaningful. Right now I think I have enough for two free nights and I have been at Silver level for a few years.
I have had wildly varying experiences with Airbnb, from spectacular to awful. But if we’re traveling in a group it often makes the most sense.
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We are traveling this weekend, stopping at a Tru by Hilton on the way. I’ve passed them and they look brand new. Hoping for a good stay.
A couple of weeks ago we stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn for the same reason, it looked newer. I do like an included breakfast which is not at that chain so I thought I try the Tru.
No business travel here so no brand loyalty.
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Same experience with sometimes not getting the points when my husband traveled. They would have to go through their corporate travel agency, places like Egencia, concur AMEX corporate travel, Carlson Wagonlit, etc., and back in the day they were given corporate business cards. Rarely was my husband able to get the credit for the travel.
As for other aspects of travel loyalty, I am now a very loyal Delta flyer partly due to convenience with our home airport but also because I get a lot of miles with my card and I prefer to fly nonstop. I have high status so not only do we get lots of perks, but One of them is also to be president’s With Hertz. That has a few handy-dandy conveniences with nicer cars personalized service and they will occasionally chauffeur you to the airport.
One time, though, when my husband switched from his former employer to his current employer, he had a very high-level status with Hilton. He was traveling with his boss out of the country and he had to make arrangements for his boss to get a nicer room using his pull/status 
it was pretty funny.
We’ve had great experiences using vrbo.
I’ve stayed at Tru by Hilton before. They try to optimize space in the rooms - I don’t think they have closets, but they have hooks on the wall for hanging items, and shelves for placing items. It’s fine for an overnight stay.
I think they are trying to appeal to a younger demographic than me - I found the breakfast to be so-so. But interested to hear your review!
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Among Hilton properties, the best breakfast that’s included in the price (not based on status) is the Embassy Suites. It’s a full breakfast with an omelette station.
If you have 4 people with no status, it’s often a good option if the price is similar to other hotels.
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Husband has had a Hilton American Express card forever, I’m an authorized user, and we use it for larger $$ purchases. Points can accumulate rapidly. So we normally try to find Hilton brand properties when we travel. Sometimes we find a great offer from another company - once with the Venetian in Las Vegas, and once at a new Lowe’s in Chicago. On rare occasions in non metro areas, the only Hilton properties are badly rated so we’ll use another brand.
It’s true the point redemption requirements have skyrocketed. It used to normally range from 20,000 to 40,000 with a rare 50,000. And there were “sales” during various times at the lower end properties. Embassy Suites breakfasts are great; also Homewood Suites. They both have afternoon happy hour type food too.
My favorite HHonors customer service story was 11 years ago. Son was moving home from San Jose to Chicago. Husband and I were both supposed to fly out and help drive the son’s car and a separate U-Haul van back, sharing driving. But I was laid up with a badly broken ankle so husband went alone. We had pre-booked Hilton property points rooms on the road.
Husband calls me second night and says that they were two hours short of the hotel city and son couldn’t go further and that they were in the middle of nowhere, it was late, and he was very upset with no idea what to do.
They were in Park City, Utah. 
I was laid up in bed with a dumb phone and an Itouch for internet. I got on the Hilton website, saw they were one mile from a Hampton in town, and booked them a points room. I also identified a restaurant that was still open. Then I called HHonors and the representative agreed to a late cancellation and refund of points. I likely sounded pitiful.
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