Recommendations on hotel loyalty scheme to chase

Greetings brains trust,

I'd love to know the AusBT - (sorry, I mean ET) - community view on the best hotel loyalty scheme to chase from scratch.

While I'm down with the intricacies of airline loyalty, hotels not so much. But next year that's likely to change.

So from zero status, to attaining something useful, any thoughts on the best scheme to pursue. For the next few years, I'll be living in the UK, and visiting London several nights per year. But I'll also be making 3-4 trips per year back to Australia, with Sydney the main base, followed by Melbourne.

Until the pandemic wiped out my frequent trips to Melbourne, my main scheme had been Langham (which wasn't a particularly good scheme anyway), so I'm now ready to switch to an alternate chain. I doubt I'll be a massive road warrior - maybe 20-30 room night per year. It's my own business, so price point is also a consideration.

I should also mention that although I'm Qantas P1, I don't have anything beyond gold with Virgin, so I don't think I'll get a hotel status match that way.

Any advice on where to place my hotel loyalty?

Thanks in advance!

I am here as the other travel website I hang on, seems to be out of action.

How many trips do you plan to have per year, I find Accor is good, but their points expire if no activity for a year.

With Covid, its been like this.

Rydges points also expire.

Best Western is a good one, as their points don't expire, but they don't have a lot of hotels around.

You could join Discovery motels, they have an annual fee of $50 per 2 years, but they have more holiday parks around.

To sum up, I would go with Best Western.

They have a pretty good hotel in Melbourne CBD, the rooms are small, and box like, but have own shower and toilet.

Discovery is more so out of the city centre of Melbourne/Sydney, no international partners though.

Edit: ah, going to be based in UK, maybe Accor, if you stay in a hotel once a year, it would be easy to accumulate 2000 Accor points, they will sooner or later be linked to QFF.

Have a look at Best Western, and second Accor.

I have always steered towards Hilton and IHG, over the years I have found their programs to be the easiest to navigate and most rewarding, decent hotels in most locations. I find Accor a challenge, which is a shame because they have some good hotels but too many brands, too many exemptions, they always seem to disappoint and their response to covid is a prime example, I actually find booking Accor hotels through Qantas more rewarding, bonus FF points and good deals, room upgrades etc.

The obvious answers are Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy. They have presence in major markets in Australia, in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia. The status benefits are material, and the points have some value (especially Bonvoy with the wide range of efficient airline partners).

Accor, while having lots of properties in Australia and Europe, is a wasteland in North America. Their IT systems are really flaky and they frequently require follow-up to get stays credited. Their points also have a very specific monetary value; there's no way to arbitrage for outsized value with Accor.

IHG have better coverage in North America and some decent redemption opportunities, but their status benefits leave a lot to be desired.

If you're going to consider loyalty with cheap chains having minimal aspirational redemption opportunities or status offering, then as well as Best Western have a look at Choice and Wyndham.

Hyatt has a very good program and Radisson is decent, but they don't have the footprint of the others.

I run my own business so pricing a factor for me too. For Europe, Asia and Australia I've found accor to be very good. I don't have the experience of other schemes to compare but for what you have described it seems similar to me and I've been gold/platinum for a number of years. Novotels are good in the cities you describe with Sofitel/Pullman for better luxury or others when cash is tight. Good benefits if you add the advantage fee, giving discounts on food and drink. I've had no issues.

I am Diamond with Accor. In my experience its hit or miss. They either are incredibly attentive or have zero regard for status. Due to frustration, I started a matrix on receiving any items that are aligned with status (Room upgrade/early check in/ late check out/ room gift) and I barely reached 60% compliance. The experience in Asia was much more pleasant than in Australia All in all rather disappointed with Accor.

Agree with your comments, in Asia & Europe as a diamond member i was treated like a king. In Australia i get the same bottle of water as when i was silver.

Thanks for the advice, y'all - particularly on Accor. I'd been leaning in that direction but based on the feedback, perhaps I'll think again on that