Hotels like to reward loyal guests to keep them coming back. One of the ways they do that is through elite status benefits. If you stay with a hotel chain often enough, or if you open one of its travel rewards cards, you could get elite status with it.
At first, this sounds amazing. You get to check in at a special desk instead of waiting in line, breakfast is free, and your room might even get upgraded. Before you start counting up your nights and trying to earn elite status, you should know about the downsides.
1. The benefits only get good in the highest status tiers
Most hotel loyalty programs have several tiers. The highest status tiers have the exciting benefits that everybody wants, such as:
- Complimentary upgrades when available
- Free breakfast
- 48-hour room guarantees
- Access to the hotel’s clubs/lounges
Elite status can be great when you’re in one of the highest tiers and getting all those benefits. It’s a lot less impressive at the lower end. If you’re in the first elite tier, the only notable perks may be free bottled water and a small number of bonus points on bookings. It’s better than nothing, but that’s about it.
2. Upgrades aren’t guaranteed
Complimentary upgrades are one of the highlights of having elite status. And to be fair, it’s always fun to find out you’re getting a better room. With some hotels, guests in the highest status tiers can even get upgraded from a standard room to a luxurious suite.
But upgrades are always subject to availability, which can be hit or miss. I’ve browsed travel forums online, and some people with elite status say they rarely get upgraded. It all depends on how busy the hotel is, so you can never count on getting an upgrade.
3. It’s hard to get into the highest status tiers
Elite status is designed for a hotel’s most loyal guests. To get into the top status tiers, you need to be a frequent guest.
For example, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status requires staying at least 50 nights in a calendar year, and Titanium Elite requires at least 75 nights. Hilton Honors Gold status requires staying at least 40 nights, and Platinum status requires at least 60 nights. Most people don’t travel nearly that much.
Now, there is a way to skip the line, so to speak. Some hotels offer credit cards that include automatic elite status. But the cards that get you into high status tiers typically also charge expensive annual fees.
4. It encourages you to book with that hotel even if there are better options available
It takes a lot of work, or paying a hefty annual fee on a hotel credit card, to get elite status. After all that, you’ll probably want to make the most of your status by staying as often as possible.
But that hotel chain may not always have the best properties at your destination. Maybe you’re looking for a place right on the beach, and only other hotels have that. Or prices at your preferred hotel chain are much higher than they are at comparable properties.
Even though having elite status is beneficial, it can also make booking travel more complicated. It’s no longer just about finding the best place to stay. It’s about finding the best place, that’s hopefully also part of a specific hotel chain.
Elite status can save you money and get you a better travel experience. But making it into the highest status tiers isn’t easy, and for the typical traveler, it isn’t worth the effort. I’d only recommend it if you travel often and you have a hotel chain you stay at regularly.