I was talking with my lawyer who is a super-smart guy when he found out how much I travel and that I am not part of any rewards programs he talked me into it. So in 2019, I started with the Mariott and Star Alliance for air travel. That year I ended up spending $11,000 more in hotels and about the same for air travel. Was my experience better? No. Actually, about half the time I ended up staying in a worse hotel for more money. Or taking not the most ideal flight. The only thing that I even valued was the late checkout and for the amount of extra money I was paying could have just bought extra nights. So I have to agree hotel loyalty is a joke.
"loyalty programs" are a fancy way of saying "expensive programs", they know you are rich and will try their hardest to take as much as they can from you.
Andrew, entrepreneurs are decisive doers. No time for bullshit and excuses. Time is the most precious resource. Nobody's gotten time for kids pretending to be serious adults.
I think the insight that Andrew provides in this video is so valuable. Even though I'll never be at an Ambassador level(lol), the concept of everyone in these environments being so scripted to the point that it's insulting. The reality that your loyalty has to be absolute but there's is only if it's available is so true in so many rewards programs today, not just hotels. Great video.
@@nomadcapitalist Andrew, I just watched this again, here is a key observation: most luxury hotels, such as Ritz-Carlton & Four Seasons, did not have loyalty programs, before being purchased by mega hotel companies. Thus there is little tradition of the benefits at most 5-star hotels. In France as an example, which non-corporate, "Palace Level hotels" have any loyalty programs? Often in Paris these "Palace Hotels" are often upwards of $2,000 a night, for a basic room; yet the five-star, Park Hyatt Vendome is $800. So 5*'s with loyalty programs, such as Hyatt are 1/3 cheaper than the true Palace Hotels, which have few loyalty benefits. Why is this, does this mean the ultra-wealthy don't care about such things? Or do these properties reward generational guests personally, based on their families decades long relationship with the hotelier?
Many high-end hotels are run for the staff more than for the guest. All the employees are doing what the manager requires, not what the guest requests. For example, the guest in a fine hotel should be free to rearrange items in the room, including some of the furniture, within reason, to suit their own comfort. Too often, no matter how high the nightly rate, if you try this, the items will be completely rearranged, back to the check-in configuration, every time you return to the hotel. This is because the hotel manager insists on having it his way. The guest's preferences really do not have anything to do with it. If you find a nice hotel where your chair stays where you like it, for the duration of your stay, that is a truly fine hotel, regardless of many other factors.
You are correct about the major hotel chains. I think the problems you experienced were because you are an individual. I spent much of my career traveling in the Marriott system and was treated well for the most part. The reason is that I had a massive corporate travel contract supporting me. If I complained to my corporate travel and they contacted Marriott is was always followed by a month of Marriott going out of their way to make me very happy.
So glad to hear this coming out of somebody else's mouth. I bought an apartment in the Hilton Surfers Paradise and paid well over a million dollars for one of their residences, expecting the Residences to be run & serviced like the Hotel. It has turned out to be an absolute disaster for everybody (except Hilton) who continues to treat the individual owners like lemmings & provide zero service nor any sort of decent treatment to residents. The value of the residences has dropped by 40% in 8 years, so a horrendous investment also.
@@nomadcapitalist My recent experience as Titanium in Panama City I was treated very well, suites, seven for seven at four star Sheraton and Le Meridian.
One trick that Ritz Carlton uses for its upgrades is that they go from the regular room to a suite with a intermediate level which is a regular room with a view. Therefore they upgrade regular rooms to regular rooms instead of regular rooms to suites. So you call and ask them what is one room below the suite and then you book that one.
I understand you so much. I started working at Marriott and I got so frustrated that I couldnt go off “script”. They are the saddest fakest people ever at the front desk. I’m sorry you saw Marriotts truth!
Harder to find, particularly in central locations & last minute arrangements however, a true Bed & Breakfast I’ve always found to be the best service & experience.
They might have snuck it on his bill. Always check your bill. I've read several complaints from RC reviewers about "complimentary" foods, beverages, or services being added to the bill, and disputing with the FD got no result.
Too many entities these days are way to corporate including services such as PayPal where they treat victims of fraud like criminals, Stripe is taking over as a result. Perhaps an idea for your next episode could be how you have dealt with credit fraud while traveling as a Nomad. It happened to me three separate times this Winter!
Haha probably a better example of corporate bs than hotels. Always amazes me how many time I pay good dollars for an “upgrade” but my meal choice isn’t available. I have changed my words when describing service from excellent service to having excellent answers for failing to meet their promises.
Like when they come around to your chair to say hi to you by name, but they so lack the subtlety of hotels that they look at the iPad while reading your name rather than even trying to pretend that they have remembered it? hahaha
As one of the IBMers that he is talking about, I can tell you why the loyalty programs matter to us: because we choose our hotels and flights and rental cars, etc, but we never have to pay the bill for them. So if a loyalty program can get us some extra perks and benefits, it is basically free to us. If we had to pay those bills out of our own pockets or with our own company's money, yeah things would be very very different. :)
Can't agree more,5 star hotels are the dregs of corporate liars,I have been using AirBnB which has been a nightmare at times,but I am paying for what I get and not only that I make sure there is a mom and pop cafe near by,and I eat local which has been a delight.
I love the quote ,, there is no reason to be upset.. if I could get a dollar for every time I heard this, in last 10 years, I would have a 1 milion dollars extra to invest in my own properties. Right on Mr. Henderson
Completely different from my experience. I spend almost all my time in Asia. I was assigned an ambassador in the US. I asked to have one in Asia and was immediately assigned a wonderful Shanghai girl who took care of everything for me, always called ahead to make sure all my needs and preferences were met. When I was attending Canton Fair in Guangzhou, she called to the GM of the Westin, and he met me and accompanied me to the club lounge, where I had some relaxing and free coffee and lunch, though I wasn't staying there. The treatment I got at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo was sublime. Upgraded to an amazing suite overlooking Mount Fuji. Given the free breakfast even though it's not a perk at the Tokyo Ritz. I always got the best rooms, including Presidential Suite because I didn't tell them I don't want an ambassador. Nothing was a fight, ever. Late checkout is always available. I'm listening to your rant, and you may be the worst person in the world. No idea how you manage to have such a difficult time. It's astonishing that you have been treated so poorly in the same places I have been treated like a king.
I think the main difference is that you were in Asia. The best service in the world is always in Asia and Middle East, especially in Japan. I grew up in Japan and I’ve stayed at hundreds of hotels around the world so I know the difference. In Japan, people provide the best service they can because they think of it as their pride to their work, while in the US, everything is about money, they don’t want to provide anything to you if they don’t think they can make more money out of you.
Also in Japan, there is a culture that “customer is god!” A customer is addressed in an honorific title that is the same as a god, so that you’re status is very clearly higher than the server. As long as you don’t interfere with other “gods’” needs, the servers will always deliver to the best of your needs, even if it’s just a convenient store. If a manager in the US tells their employees that their customer is god, you’ll get a look like, “Yeah, right!”
@@yutaka12131415 Absolutely. There was one young lady that took cares if us in Tokyo at the Ritz, and she was amazing, but in the back of my mind I thought she was angling for a good tip. Only when I find out that it would be an insult to try to tio her did I realize how genuine she was. Definitely the service all over Asia its exceptional.
Correct, the USA? Maybe. Most other locations besides the U.A.E they treat any member as a god. One thing he did wrong was remind them who was Ambassador. Just went to Panama and was upgraded (four start not five)7 out of 7 nights, on three stays to real two room suites, welcome basket, note. Never mention your status, they should know. Four stars are dominated by business travel where five stars are dominated by people who will drop 80K a weekend and an Ambassador that spends 20k a year is a smmoe 😎
So true! For those of us who spend thousands of nights in their Properties, their lies are so transparent. Boutique hotels on the rise, only way to go. JW Marriott in Singapore, masters in lies.
Great video! I have had pretty good service at Westins with no status and with Gold status. I have still had issues like charging me for a room that was on points and having to wait beyond the check in time to get a room. However, there have been numerous upgrades to at least water view that I can appreciate. But I totally get your video, I feel the same way about calling many companies where there call center agents don't even seem to work there they know so little!
Andrew, I know EXACTLY what are you talking about. Many other areas of business are this way also,... and many areas of business are excellent and take of you, (THE CUSTOMER) Being retired Military I enjoy Bed and breakfasts and the Adventure of Air Band B. GO WHERE YOU ARE TREATED THE BEST! ;-)
Wow. This is revealing. I never looked at hotels from this "perspective." But knowing how corporate chains of anything works, this makes total sense. "No lies detected." As a Bonvoy member, I've noticed the decline in Marriott's customer service over the last few years personally. I just never "connected the dots" the way he just did.
Platinum level is the sweet spot. Get suite upgrade and free bfast every stay. Skip the titanium or ambassador. Unless you literally stay in hotels for work all year long
I don't agree with the bad service you mention. I'm spending 140 nights per year at Hiltons and had awesome experiences particularly in the middle east and Asia. Not to mention plenty of free nights due to points and credit cards.
I'm a dummy layman and will probably never come anywhere near "ambassador" status or equivalent on a loyalty program. I've read many romantic things about Ritz-Carlton. How the "genuine care and comfort" of guests is RC's highest mission, how the lowest level employee is empowered to spend up to $2K per day on a service recovery, and how supposedly they won't let you end your stay without a smile on your face, and that you must be completely delighted at checkout. Customer service book authors have raved about this "great" luxury chain. But quite a few reviews on RC properties online report dirty rooms and corridors, mediocre to crappy food, indifferent and sometimes rude staff, lies by omission, and getting a worse room than expected, kind of related to bait and switch. They've also mentioned having to ask repeatedly for housekeeping, turndown service, and other "personal" services that should be delivered without asking. A noted radio host reported how shocked he was about the lack of cleanliness at the RC he stayed. I've half joked that RC Dallas is on my bucket list. And I've viewed vlogs and blogs from hotel staff whining about how elite members "are the worst" and "are so entitled and arrogant". At least one GM posted a comment indicating he has a GTFO approach to guests he deems difficult. In the meantime, I'm actually a member of a loyalty program with nearly 6000 points. It's the "Choice Privileges" loyalty program. It didn't save me from getting permanently banned by a manager of a small Comfort Suites. My offense? I complained to corporate over an issue with a TV (not the first time, and not a unique problem with my stay). She also reminded me of "their right to refuse" lodging to anyone, which is true.
I am a Hilton loyalty member. I always pay for what I want instead of anticipating an upgrade or other perks. So I see that you don't need to try and stay a minimum number of nights to make their quota. So long story short the loyalty program is not important to me as I get what I pay for.
Great video, I like hearing your view of how it fits your lifestyle. I am the Corporate guy you mention, I stay 130-180 nights a year in Marriot hotels. I am also not a big fan however with millions of points in the bank that pay for my yearly vacation to Bali or Bangkok I tend to keep staying as it doesn't come from my pocket. Ambassador service is a joke, it's funny to finally hear from someone with the same view. Nice perspective, thanks for sharing however I have had better luck in upgrades as I tend to stay at only the same hotels year after year. Sheraton Mexico City probably should name a room after me consider I have 1000 nights this decade in this hotel alone. Again thanks for the video, looking forward to your airline rewards one so I can decide which ones to remove.
Love the video .I've experienced the same thing when in China and other places. You're so much more diplomatic than I am . I've been known in that situation to just take the bloody curtains down and hang them over though the back of the of the couch or raise my voice at the receptionist and demand The summons of the hotel manager. It's amazing how the squeaky wheel gets the oil, especially when other customers are listening.
It's been my experience sometimes the squeaky wheel gets discarded into the city dump. I didn't even yell about the difficulty with my room TV. I got banned from a Comfort Suites for complaining to corporate about having to wait till after 9 pm for maintenance to address it. Desk wouldn't come up "because of COVID risk".
Marriott has been a major disappointment over the years. You pay a 30-40% premium and you don't get basic amenities like a small refrigerator in many properties. Their main target are the corporate road warriors who collect points so they can take a vacation. I have found that many of my contacts who actually own and operate their businesses find good quality mid-range chains where they get good, personalized service.
Yes, also Airline Loyalty Programs are very similar in the fact that loyalty only works one way. YOU the paying customer has to be loyal, they own you nothing and give you next to nothing for your money and loyalty not even in Premium Classes!
Watched this one long ago and thought "yeah, yeah, yeah" and carried on blindly booking Hilton. Today, as she stood behind a large Hilton Honors signs, a "host" was telling me I had to pay for the continental breakfast as Hilton Honors didn't apply because I had booked through AMEX. She then tried telling me that her Hilton wasn't a Hilton before finally telling me that she was just trying to "educate me!" Wow. Caveat for sure. Led to some rapid changes in our business booking practices.
Marriot's marketing plan is to appeal to the middle by saying you will be treated like a king & queen. Basically they are the best of the worst. I am glad you mentioned the Ritz in Cancun, do they still have the beautiful flowers in the lobby? Now out:)
Loyalty programs, in general, trap you. Even as a low-income person currently, I never sign up to things to get "10% off" or "get a free this!" or whatever. That's not a rich person's mindset.
This is so true, I don’t get as frustrated but I do often have to reassess… “if in doubt lower your standards”. Personal service is a very low bar since the plague.
As someone who works in reservations for timeshare condos, so much of this is true in my experience. People can call to want to spend $600 a night at an oceanfront property and there's no way we can guarantee them a notion front room. They are on a request basis and never guarantee. And there's so many blackout dates for using your loyalty points. What an absolute nightmare.
My strategy is to not find the perfect boutique hotel because it just takes too much time and it’s not worth it for me. I don’t travel for the hotel. Therefore, I use Priceline which saves me a ton of time and money. I just look for a five-star hotel in the area that I desire that has a rating of 8.0 or 9.0 and above and I get it for half price or sometimes even 1/4 the price. Although you don’t know the hotel in advance, I am always satisfied, part of which is because it’s so cheap that I’m more forgiving of imperfections. When you get a $600 room for $150 you don’t care if they don’t deliver the tea. Hotwire is my Plan B, and sometimes has good deals not available on Priceline.
The same applies to most consumer purchases for me. By following the deals or good values, I find myself much more forgiving and appreciative of what I’m getting. It actually makes me feel better to not pay too much because I’m more likely to have low expectations and to get them met. Thus, I carefully decide where to spend more and risk the higher expectations.
I've heard bad things about using Priceline and Hotels.com. I've heard you have an increased chance of getting "bumped" due to overbooking, or if your reservation is honored, getting a crappy room in less than ideal condition, possibly reserved expressly for people who book through discount sites. If I were OK with a crappy room, I'd book with Days Inn. Thanks, but I'll take Hampton by Hilton or a Holiday Inn Express. Best overall value imo.
Me and my friends agree that it's not worth it to try to get higher than Platinum/Titanium. Club lounge access(free breakfast/dinner) and suite upgrades are nice but the ambassador thing is such bullshit thats no benefit at all.
These programs are marketing for perceptions management: "you're special, a cut above the rest, and will be treated better". Trouble is your expectations go up and, especially at these high-end places it's so easy for them to not be fulfilled. This affects your experience as negative. Better to stay at places where your expectations of service are not high and so when you get personalized services, like at boutique hotels, these extra little touches can surprise you and make your day.
In the UK we have something called data laws, this means companies have to tell you everything they know about you, any company which wants to process data for there own purposes should be bombarded by everyone for them to disclose the data, then they wouldnt bother.
I once was in BKK and booked a flight using points, so free. I showed up to get the ticket and the main office was already closed, 20 minutes before it was supposed to be. I could see people inside, knocked, but they would not open the door. Flight left without me the next day, Sunday. I lost the points for not collecting/using the ticket.
Any loyalty program should be judged on its merits and if that loyalty is a two-way street. Personally, I have never had success with hotel programs. Airlines programs I have had success with and saved hundreds of thousands in airfares but it's not always a clear cut and depends on the program.
I worked for a company that sent me to south Texas for 12 weeks for work. I stayed at the Marriott the entire time and signed up for their “rewards” program. After 84 days of staying there, I earned enough points for 1 free night stay at a low end hotel in Amarillo Texas. LOL. Not even worth signing up.
I'm 22 now, & at 19 I realized I hated hotels & when available I only stay at Airbnb's. The experience is just so much more genuine, in the sense that it's not corporate. Most times I never see the owner & its self check in. Hotels are garbage cookie cutter BS that is quite frankly, over priced. You get much more bang for your buck with Airbnb & it's a much more genuine experience. On there you expect a personalized decorations & a unique stay every time, it's a lot more adventurous. I'll only stay at a hotel if its somewhere remote like a pass through town with no good airbnbs. I'm in Canada & enjoy driving around a lot, I've driven from Ontario to Vancouver & back so many times. I have a home in Vancouver but my family is in Ontario & I come 3 times a year for Christmas, Thanksgivings, & Easter. But I have a mod my sedan specifically for driving across Canada. It a Hyundai Elantra with its passenger seat removed & I have a wooden frame bed with a foam mattress custom cut to the shape of the car. I can lie flat & sleep there just as good as in a normal bed because it stretches from front to back, I'm 6'1" so it ain't cramped. I chose the Elantra cause it doesn't stand out, no one is robbing me in that, also it has a naturally aspirated port injected engine so itll be very reliable with little carbon build up as the gasoline will act as a solvent for the valves as opposed to a direct injected engine. This is good cause at night I'll leave the engine running for AC to dehumidify the air in summer, & obviously to heat it in winter. I've slept in -40 degree weather in that car in the middle of no where & it's always served me well. When I'm in Vancouver I just take out the bed & put the seat back in. It takes about 20 min to convert my passenger car into a comfortable solo camper. I also like filling up gas, it's so cool the idea of putting liquid fuel into a vehicle to power it, technology is amazing. Like I would be mad at the prices but I cant cause thinking of the technology behind it just makes me so happy & excited any time I fill up my vehicle, it's so cool!
The activity that annoys me having a price for every service or item on a menu but then in fine print stating the price does not include a service charge and VAT. So $100 price becomes ($100 + $10) x 1.15 = $126.50. Assuming at 15% VAT. Why not just print the price of $126.50?
Why is there an additional charge for service? Surely, service not something I have to pay additional money for? Even McDonald's can manage to print menus inclusive of VAT and they do not charge extra for service.
I joined the HIlton and Marriott rewards programs for the slightly discounted rates and free wi-fi. I dont stay enough to have good status but I always ask for an upgrade at check in and I usually get it most of the time.
Holy cow, this is such a whiny entitled, pretentious view on this. Listening to him, he would probably read that as a compliment. The problem is your expectation. You are simply getting the elite status by the nature of your business and stays. It is simple benefit and yet you interpret it as a sign of lack unconditional loyalty. I do agree with you that haggling for an upgrde isn't something I like to do as well but I do not go in with the expectations of unconditional loyalty that you are seeking and then that ruins your stay. This video reeks of pretentiousness which I do not care for yet again, he would probably think of it as a complement.
I like the four seasons and mandarin oriental, they provide amazing service but you will pay for it. I feel like marriot and hilton try to lure people by tricking them in to thinking they are getting stuff for free. but if you are going on vacation to relax and there are so many hoops to jump through its not worth it
Booking.com, Agoda for Asia, Airbnb, what do I need rewards membership for? Nothing. I treat each individual stay as a new case and if things go wrong I list and explain them on the website so other possible customers become aware. This works much more than any legacy membership program.
This is hilarious. Im also an ambassador elite and I have experienced the same. I LOVE luxury hotels but it is disappointing that good service no longer exists. This year, I’m booking more Airbnb’s in the mix and also considering real estate purchases in a couple of my favorite countries.
This is interesting. I like Airbnb for long-term stays in many places. Hotels I enjoy for a night or two as I change locations and get comfortable during the transition days. My favorite method to find accommodations is to speak with locals and find something most foreigners would never find. But I see why this wouldn't be very useful for 7 or 8 figure entrepreneurs 😁🙌
because talking to locals still saves you a few thousand a year. I’ve a local in Medellin, that basically clears his place for me every time I come. I now pay a better deal then locals do now for one of the best places in the city. On one hand I have the local contacts that like me as a person. and on the other hand I provide the stability of such an entrepreneur can. As such I get a better deal the even the locals in exchange for my not bringing local problems (ie late rents, etc.) Practically: local rents have gone up. A lot. But when I come I pay the same rent I’ve paid for the past three years simply because I asked for it. In fact, my guy canceled a month long Airbnb reservation that was worth about 30% more then my monthly rent, simply because he knows I’ll be there a few months (cause I told him I would.) Mind you.. my rent is still cheaper then a local 6 month contract. He communicated to me if he did that Airbnb would punish them 70 days, I again assured them I’d again be there for a few months. He asked me if I could pay what was the local rate, I told him I wanted to pay what I paid last time..he asked me what it was, and I told him (honestly,) and.. that was that. The rate hasn’t changed since. All utilities included.
Also there are other social benefits. I got my girlfriend because the locals in the building saw I was lonely. Once I was walking through the lobby and I overheard them talking about how a female friend of theirs walk lonely. They saw me and everyone stopped for a second. They called me over showed me her picture and asked if I though she was pretty. A week later they invited me to a party.. sh was there. One of the guys from the building, who was seated next to her called me over to chat. Suddenly within two seconds no one was talking to me or her despite the table being crowded. (He got up and so there was no one between us) Some other guy was a bit quicker on the uptake and started talking to her, and like.. the expression on all my neighbors face briefly changed: within a moment like three guys just started talking to him and she was alone with me again (also with an expression like wtf just happened.) except this time I picked it up. We’ve been dating for over a year now.
It's not just 5-star hotels. The 3-star & 4-star hotels will also blatantly lie to your face, and not do things they promised. I've been living on the road (365 nights per year) for almost 4 years now, so I've got the experience, and I'm just road-weary at this point. My greatest demand these days is just to be left alone (because I'm tired of dealing with the lies and the incompetence), so I prefer to stay in AirBnB's now. I can rent an entire 3-bedroom house for $1400 to $1800 per MONTH, so it's both less fuss and less expensive than 2 weeks in a hotel.
Come on though Andrew, Most of us, even earning pretty high incomes cant really afford to buy a nice place in every country we go to without a mortgage. Its doable over a long period of time, like for me it would take 10 years or so at least, but in that time I for sure will have to stay in hotels. I dont know, I for some reason really like nicer hotels for some odd reason.
Used to be a Hilton Blue Diamond member. My experience was very similar to yours. But hey, I did get two free nights after staying in Hiltons exclusively for two years. 🙄
For me, when I consider loyalty programs, I only care about the value of the points and ease of accumulating free nights. I see hotel chains stripping away elite benefits, so why chase elite status?
Idea:) Why not get together with your man in Cambodia & others and start a Hotel luxury chain around the world. You can call it simply...........Henderson"s. Out.
Welcome to the Caveat, sir. We are pleased to present the new Caveat Emptor Presidential Palace Luxury Suite. It includes a complimentary pot of tea, but never on time when you ask for it. Just the way you want it. Our Loyalty* Program offers world renown 5-Star Service** for those who call The Caveat home.*** *Depending on corporate definition of loyalty 🤔 **According to on-site manager’s idea of 5-star service.🖕 ***You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave. 😭
You’re not crazy. Service at most hotels is absolute garbage. Especially at Marriott’s brands. I’m stuck with IHG and they’re worse. But strangely okay outside the USA. I was considering Hyatt based on reviews but you just reinforced what I already knew deep down: NOT WORTH THE HEADACHES.
This was a very interesting video and I'm glad I watched it in its entirety. Have you come to a conclusion in your mind as to why hotels and their staff are so obstinent when it comes to basic requests? Is it simply too much effort? And is it that nobody really cares unless it starts affecting their bottom line? Or do you think most people are just lazy ?
I think it’s very much dependent on the work culture of your destination. In the US, hotel workers really don’t give a shit because they don’t really associate themselves with the corporate rules and they don’t care to provide more to you for your elite status because they don’t get paid extra. If you want them to “do their job,” they expect a big tip from you. The plot in the White Lotus is ironic but it’s actually quite reflective of American service culture. If you want to experience your elite status, you need to go to a culture where people take pride in their work, like Japan or the Middle East.
It's all marketing to get you to spend more with THEM. The only thing I'm interested in doing lately is juicing my CC for air miles. No one deserves my loyalty - only my wallet. Get the best deal for YOU , brand aside. This is the South Asian mentality. Quality over brand.
Loyalty programs are only as valuable as they are free (company paid). If you're doing it out of pocket, you're overpaying for all that "luxury". Basic economics. Better late then never for some ambassadors. ;)
You are so dead-on correct here Andrew, brilliant video! Also, if anybody on here works for Marriott....please pull Andrew's file and post it here for us to see!!! :)
I feel like hotel award programs are just for corporate travelers who are using corporate dollars and hope to have the perks for themselves of free nights. From my experience it makes no sense as someone who pays his own way.
I was talking with my lawyer who is a super-smart guy when he found out how much I travel and that I am not part of any rewards programs he talked me into it. So in 2019, I started with the Mariott and Star Alliance for air travel. That year I ended up spending $11,000 more in hotels and about the same for air travel. Was my experience better? No. Actually, about half the time I ended up staying in a worse hotel for more money. Or taking not the most ideal flight. The only thing that I even valued was the late checkout and for the amount of extra money I was paying could have just bought extra nights. So I have to agree hotel loyalty is a joke.
Absolutely. You end up just going with Marriot and then you don’t realize you’re paying so much more because of it.
"loyalty programs" are a fancy way of saying "expensive programs", they know you are rich and will try their hardest to take as much as they can from you.
Mariot is a Mormon owned company.
You need to carry a book of Mormons, with you. Then put it on the front desk at check in.
💯
Any suggestions on getting low prices then? instead of gettin suckered into a loyalty program?
I honestly have had much better experiences at small boutique hotels than the luxury chains.
I believe it!
I believe you.
Andrew, entrepreneurs are decisive doers. No time for bullshit and excuses. Time is the most precious resource. Nobody's gotten time for kids pretending to be serious adults.
I think the insight that Andrew provides in this video is so valuable. Even though I'll never be at an Ambassador level(lol), the concept of everyone in these environments being so scripted to the point that it's insulting. The reality that your loyalty has to be absolute but there's is only if it's available is so true in so many rewards programs today, not just hotels. Great video.
Thanks for the support, Kenneth.
@@nomadcapitalist IHG Royal Ambassador is the hardest, as it is "Invite only."
@@nomadcapitalist Andrew, I just watched this again, here is a key observation: most luxury hotels, such as Ritz-Carlton & Four Seasons, did not have loyalty programs, before being purchased by mega hotel companies. Thus there is little tradition of the benefits at most 5-star hotels. In France as an example, which non-corporate, "Palace Level hotels" have any loyalty programs? Often in Paris these "Palace Hotels" are often upwards of $2,000 a night, for a basic room; yet the five-star, Park Hyatt Vendome is $800. So 5*'s with loyalty programs, such as Hyatt are 1/3 cheaper than the true Palace Hotels, which have few loyalty benefits. Why is this, does this mean the ultra-wealthy don't care about such things? Or do these properties reward generational guests personally, based on their families decades long relationship with the hotelier?
Many high-end hotels are run for the staff more than for the guest. All the employees are doing what the manager requires, not what the guest requests. For example, the guest in a fine hotel should be free to rearrange items in the room, including some of the furniture, within reason, to suit their own comfort. Too often, no matter how high the nightly rate, if you try this, the items will be completely rearranged, back to the check-in configuration, every time you return to the hotel. This is because the hotel manager insists on having it his way. The guest's preferences really do not have anything to do with it. If you find a nice hotel where your chair stays where you like it, for the duration of your stay, that is a truly fine hotel, regardless of many other factors.
You are correct about the major hotel chains. I think the problems you experienced were because you are an individual. I spent much of my career traveling in the Marriott system and was treated well for the most part. The reason is that I had a massive corporate travel contract supporting me. If I complained to my corporate travel and they contacted Marriott is was always followed by a month of Marriott going out of their way to make me very happy.
Oh my god, this. Made it to ambassador in the same hotel / city and they couldn't even get my (filed!) personal room preferences right half the time.
So glad to hear this coming out of somebody else's mouth. I bought an apartment in the Hilton Surfers Paradise and paid well over a million dollars for one of their residences, expecting the Residences to be run & serviced like the Hotel. It has turned out to be an absolute disaster for everybody (except Hilton) who continues to treat the individual owners like lemmings & provide zero service nor any sort of decent treatment to residents. The value of the residences has dropped by 40% in 8 years, so a horrendous investment also.
Please ring 60 minutes or current affair and try to get these shysters named and shamed on national media
"Go where you're treated best"...words to live by. Great insight
Those are the five magic words. 😊
@@nomadcapitalist Mariot is a Mormon owned company.
Take a Book of Mormons, with you.
Then put it down, on the front desk.
@@nomadcapitalist My recent experience as Titanium in Panama City I was treated very well, suites, seven for seven at four star Sheraton and Le Meridian.
One trick that Ritz Carlton uses for its upgrades is that they go from the regular room to a suite with a intermediate level which is a regular room with a view. Therefore they upgrade regular rooms to regular rooms instead of regular rooms to suites. So you call and ask them what is one room below the suite and then you book that one.
Often they’ll give you this worst suite in the hotel even though better ones are available. It’s happened to me
The main issue is you picked Marriott. Hyatt is the best - the rest are ok - and then Marriott is the worst.
True; Marriott was chosen by default after the SPG merger.
@@nomadcapitalist Prior to merger Starwood loyalty was pretty good. Marriott is like Walmart, always shaving expenses
Ok, I'll admit it, I was belly laughing at the end of this video. Andrew, thank you. Great stuff.
I prefer the Four Seasons. They truly resemble luxury. Though they have less hotels around the world compared to the Marriott
I understand you so much. I started working at Marriott and I got so frustrated that I couldnt go off “script”. They are the saddest fakest people ever at the front desk. I’m sorry you saw Marriotts truth!
This is GREAT feedback...I always wondered about those programs!
Harder to find, particularly in central locations & last minute arrangements however, a true Bed & Breakfast I’ve always found to be the best service & experience.
When you make a decision to stay in a hotel because of a loyalty program, you just screwed yourself out of staying somewhere else you like better.
Service is a dying art. Fav line..........(holds head with both hands) "O silly me" Hotels distilled.
the part with the Tea… LOL !!
They might have snuck it on his bill. Always check your bill. I've read several complaints from RC reviewers about "complimentary" foods, beverages, or services being added to the bill, and disputing with the FD got no result.
Too many entities these days are way to corporate including services such as PayPal where they treat victims of fraud like criminals, Stripe is taking over as a result. Perhaps an idea for your next episode could be how you have dealt with credit fraud while traveling as a Nomad. It happened to me three separate times this Winter!
Andrew, I watch your videos habitually everyday as part of my routine and admire your loyalty to your followers 😊🥂
Andrew - do you feel the same with airline loyalty?
Good topic for a future video.
Haha probably a better example of corporate bs than hotels.
Always amazes me how many time I pay good dollars for an “upgrade” but my meal choice isn’t available. I have changed my words when describing service from excellent service to having excellent answers for failing to meet their promises.
Like when they come around to your chair to say hi to you by name, but they so lack the subtlety of hotels that they look at the iPad while reading your name rather than even trying to pretend that they have remembered it? hahaha
Though the benefits of airline loyalty is vastly better than hotels even if they do lack subtlety.
Yeah pleas talk more about airlines. It's really a hot topic Andrew
As one of the IBMers that he is talking about, I can tell you why the loyalty programs matter to us: because we choose our hotels and flights and rental cars, etc, but we never have to pay the bill for them. So if a loyalty program can get us some extra perks and benefits, it is basically free to us. If we had to pay those bills out of our own pockets or with our own company's money, yeah things would be very very different. :)
Can't agree more,5 star hotels are the dregs of corporate liars,I have been using AirBnB which has been a nightmare at times,but I am paying for what I get and not only that I make sure there is a mom and pop cafe near by,and I eat local which has been a delight.
Great insights, Maria.
I love the quote ,, there is no reason to be upset.. if I could get a dollar for every time I heard this, in last 10 years, I would have a 1 milion dollars extra to invest in my own properties. Right on Mr. Henderson
It´s not even a matter of having "no reason to be upset", it´s a matter of being constantly upsold on shit and being tired of the fakeness of it.
Completely different from my experience. I spend almost all my time in Asia. I was assigned an ambassador in the US. I asked to have one in Asia and was immediately assigned a wonderful Shanghai girl who took care of everything for me, always called ahead to make sure all my needs and preferences were met. When I was attending Canton Fair in Guangzhou, she called to the GM of the Westin, and he met me and accompanied me to the club lounge, where I had some relaxing and free coffee and lunch, though I wasn't staying there.
The treatment I got at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo was sublime. Upgraded to an amazing suite overlooking Mount Fuji. Given the free breakfast even though it's not a perk at the Tokyo Ritz. I always got the best rooms, including Presidential Suite because I didn't tell them I don't want an ambassador. Nothing was a fight, ever. Late checkout is always available. I'm listening to your rant, and you may be the worst person in the world. No idea how you manage to have such a difficult time. It's astonishing that you have been treated so poorly in the same places I have been treated like a king.
I think the main difference is that you were in Asia. The best service in the world is always in Asia and Middle East, especially in Japan. I grew up in Japan and I’ve stayed at hundreds of hotels around the world so I know the difference. In Japan, people provide the best service they can because they think of it as their pride to their work, while in the US, everything is about money, they don’t want to provide anything to you if they don’t think they can make more money out of you.
Also in Japan, there is a culture that “customer is god!” A customer is addressed in an honorific title that is the same as a god, so that you’re status is very clearly higher than the server. As long as you don’t interfere with other “gods’” needs, the servers will always deliver to the best of your needs, even if it’s just a convenient store. If a manager in the US tells their employees that their customer is god, you’ll get a look like, “Yeah, right!”
@@yutaka12131415 Absolutely. There was one young lady that took cares if us in Tokyo at the Ritz, and she was amazing, but in the back of my mind I thought she was angling for a good tip. Only when I find out that it would be an insult to try to tio her did I realize how genuine she was. Definitely the service all over Asia its exceptional.
Correct, the USA? Maybe. Most other locations besides the U.A.E they treat any member as a god. One thing he did wrong was remind them who was Ambassador. Just went to Panama and was upgraded (four start not five)7 out of 7 nights, on three stays to real two room suites, welcome basket, note. Never mention your status, they should know.
Four stars are dominated by business travel where five stars are dominated by people who will drop 80K a weekend and an Ambassador that spends 20k a year is a smmoe 😎
So true! For those of us who spend thousands of nights in their Properties, their lies are so transparent. Boutique hotels on the rise, only way to go. JW Marriott in Singapore, masters in lies.
Yeah,the Singapore guys have been well educated by the Swiss liars and taken their tactics to heart.
Great video! I have had pretty good service at Westins with no status and with Gold status. I have still had issues like charging me for a room that was on points and having to wait beyond the check in time to get a room. However, there have been numerous upgrades to at least water view that I can appreciate. But I totally get your video, I feel the same way about calling many companies where there call center agents don't even seem to work there they know so little!
Andrew, I know EXACTLY what are you talking about. Many other areas of business are this way also,... and many areas of business are excellent and take of you, (THE CUSTOMER) Being retired Military I enjoy Bed and breakfasts and the Adventure of Air Band B. GO WHERE YOU ARE TREATED THE BEST! ;-)
Wow. This is revealing. I never looked at hotels from this "perspective." But knowing how corporate chains of anything works, this makes total sense. "No lies detected." As a Bonvoy member, I've noticed the decline in Marriott's customer service over the last few years personally. I just never "connected the dots" the way he just did.
You know, even when I think one of your videos is entirely irrelevant to me, I still watch and enjoy.
Platinum level is the sweet spot. Get suite upgrade and free bfast every stay. Skip the titanium or ambassador. Unless you literally stay in hotels for work all year long
I don't agree with the bad service you mention. I'm spending 140 nights per year at Hiltons and had awesome experiences particularly in the middle east and Asia. Not to mention plenty of free nights due to points and credit cards.
I feel you pain bro!!! I hate incompetence.
I'm a dummy layman and will probably never come anywhere near "ambassador" status or equivalent on a loyalty program. I've read many romantic things about Ritz-Carlton. How the "genuine care and comfort" of guests is RC's highest mission, how the lowest level employee is empowered to spend up to $2K per day on a service recovery, and how supposedly they won't let you end your stay without a smile on your face, and that you must be completely delighted at checkout. Customer service book authors have raved about this "great" luxury chain. But quite a few reviews on RC properties online report dirty rooms and corridors, mediocre to crappy food, indifferent and sometimes rude staff, lies by omission, and getting a worse room than expected, kind of related to bait and switch. They've also mentioned having to ask repeatedly for housekeeping, turndown service, and other "personal" services that should be delivered without asking. A noted radio host reported how shocked he was about the lack of cleanliness at the RC he stayed. I've half joked that RC Dallas is on my bucket list.
And I've viewed vlogs and blogs from hotel staff whining about how elite members "are the worst" and "are so entitled and arrogant". At least one GM posted a comment indicating he has a GTFO approach to guests he deems difficult.
In the meantime, I'm actually a member of a loyalty program with nearly 6000 points. It's the "Choice Privileges" loyalty program. It didn't save me from getting permanently banned by a manager of a small Comfort Suites. My offense? I complained to corporate over an issue with a TV (not the first time, and not a unique problem with my stay). She also reminded me of "their right to refuse" lodging to anyone, which is true.
I am a Hilton loyalty member. I always pay for what I want instead of anticipating an upgrade or other perks. So I see that you don't need to try and stay a minimum number of nights to make their quota. So long story short the loyalty program is not important to me as I get what I pay for.
Great video, I like hearing your view of how it fits your lifestyle. I am the Corporate guy you mention, I stay 130-180 nights a year in Marriot hotels. I am also not a big fan however with millions of points in the bank that pay for my yearly vacation to Bali or Bangkok I tend to keep staying as it doesn't come from my pocket. Ambassador service is a joke, it's funny to finally hear from someone with the same view. Nice perspective, thanks for sharing however I have had better luck in upgrades as I tend to stay at only the same hotels year after year. Sheraton Mexico City probably should name a room after me consider I have 1000 nights this decade in this hotel alone. Again thanks for the video, looking forward to your airline rewards one so I can decide which ones to remove.
I've stayed at the Maria Isabel Sheraton.
Love the video .I've experienced the same thing when in China and other places.
You're so much more diplomatic than I am .
I've been known in that situation to just take the bloody curtains down and hang them over though the back of the of the couch or raise my voice at the receptionist and demand The summons of the hotel manager.
It's amazing how the squeaky wheel gets the oil, especially when other customers are listening.
Thanks for sharing, Geoff.
It's been my experience sometimes the squeaky wheel gets discarded into the city dump. I didn't even yell about the difficulty with my room TV. I got banned from a Comfort Suites for complaining to corporate about having to wait till after 9 pm for maintenance to address it. Desk wouldn't come up "because of COVID risk".
Marriott has been a major disappointment over the years. You pay a 30-40% premium and you don't get basic amenities like a small refrigerator in many properties. Their main target are the corporate road warriors who collect points so they can take a vacation. I have found that many of my contacts who actually own and operate their businesses find good quality mid-range chains where they get good, personalized service.
Yes, also Airline Loyalty Programs are very similar in the fact that loyalty only works one way. YOU the paying customer has to be loyal, they own you nothing and give you next to nothing for your money and loyalty not even in Premium Classes!
Watched this one long ago and thought "yeah, yeah, yeah" and carried on blindly booking Hilton. Today, as she stood behind a large Hilton Honors signs, a "host" was telling me I had to pay for the continental breakfast as Hilton Honors didn't apply because I had booked through AMEX. She then tried telling me that her Hilton wasn't a Hilton before finally telling me that she was just trying to "educate me!" Wow. Caveat for sure. Led to some rapid changes in our business booking practices.
Ritz Carleton is my favorite hotel, but they seem to be in vacation locations most of the time. Nice video,Andrew, thanks.
Marriot's marketing plan is to appeal to the middle by saying you will be treated like a king & queen. Basically they are the best of the worst. I am glad you mentioned the Ritz in Cancun, do they still have the beautiful flowers in the lobby? Now out:)
Loyalty programs, in general, trap you. Even as a low-income person currently, I never sign up to things to get "10% off" or "get a free this!" or whatever. That's not a rich person's mindset.
Which is why you will never be wealthy, "a poor person's prison of the mind i.e., the prison of belief."
Totally agree...always thinking The next tier will be better...is like going to a Japanese hostess club
This is so true, I don’t get as frustrated but I do often have to reassess… “if in doubt lower your standards”. Personal service is a very low bar since the plague.
Wow! Thanks for the advanced warning. One way loyalty and corporate BS... Sounds about right.
As someone who works in reservations for timeshare condos, so much of this is true in my experience. People can call to want to spend $600 a night at an oceanfront property and there's no way we can guarantee them a notion front room. They are on a request basis and never guarantee. And there's so many blackout dates for using your loyalty points. What an absolute nightmare.
I just enrolled as a Marriott Bonvoy Gold member as an Amex reward. God damn you, Andrew Henderson!
My strategy is to not find the perfect boutique hotel because it just takes too much time and it’s not worth it for me. I don’t travel for the hotel. Therefore, I use Priceline which saves me a ton of time and money. I just look for a five-star hotel in the area that I desire that has a rating of 8.0 or 9.0 and above and I get it for half price or sometimes even 1/4 the price.
Although you don’t know the hotel in advance, I am always satisfied, part of which is because it’s so cheap that I’m more forgiving of imperfections. When you get a $600 room for $150 you don’t care if they don’t deliver the tea. Hotwire is my Plan B, and sometimes has good deals not available on Priceline.
The same applies to most consumer purchases for me. By following the deals or good values, I find myself much more forgiving and appreciative of what I’m getting. It actually makes me feel better to not pay too much because I’m more likely to have low expectations and to get them met. Thus, I carefully decide where to spend more and risk the higher expectations.
I've heard bad things about using Priceline and Hotels.com. I've heard you have an increased chance of getting "bumped" due to overbooking, or if your reservation is honored, getting a crappy room in less than ideal condition, possibly reserved expressly for people who book through discount sites. If I were OK with a crappy room, I'd book with Days Inn. Thanks, but I'll take Hampton by Hilton or a Holiday Inn Express. Best overall value imo.
Me and my friends agree that it's not worth it to try to get higher than Platinum/Titanium. Club lounge access(free breakfast/dinner) and suite upgrades are nice but the ambassador thing is such bullshit thats no benefit at all.
True.
It´s like the Casino penthouse in GTA V, the more upgrades you buy the worse it gets.
Yup!
This is better than circuit comedy on a Saturday night 🤣🤣🤣
These programs are marketing for perceptions management: "you're special, a cut above the rest, and will be treated better". Trouble is your expectations go up and, especially at these high-end places it's so easy for them to not be fulfilled. This affects your experience as negative. Better to stay at places where your expectations of service are not high and so when you get personalized services, like at boutique hotels, these extra little touches can surprise you and make your day.
Case "perception is reality".
In the UK we have something called data laws, this means companies have to tell you everything they know about you, any company which wants to process data for there own purposes should be bombarded by everyone for them to disclose the data, then they wouldnt bother.
We don’t have much privacy or consumer protection/corporate restraints in US. 😂😒
I once was in BKK and booked a flight using points, so free.
I showed up to get the ticket and the main office was already closed, 20 minutes before it was supposed to be. I could see people inside, knocked, but they would not open the door. Flight left without me the next day, Sunday. I lost the points for not collecting/using the ticket.
Any loyalty program should be judged on its merits and if that loyalty is a two-way street. Personally, I have never had success with hotel programs. Airlines programs I have had success with and saved hundreds of thousands in airfares but it's not always a clear cut and depends on the program.
Yeah case Airlines know they need you, Hotels? Depending on demand, there´ll be middle class competition
Thank you all for this video and the comments. I thought it was just me who has become fed up with the service at the “better hotel/inns.”
In the hotel everyone is on auto pilot.
I worked for a company that sent me to south Texas for 12 weeks for work. I stayed at the Marriott the entire time and signed up for their “rewards” program. After 84 days of staying there, I earned enough points for 1 free night stay at a low end hotel in Amarillo Texas. LOL. Not even worth signing up.
My experience with Hilton properties has been quite good. Sorry Marriott fell down for you.
You get your loyalty upgrades?
@@piecesofme8531 9 times of 10 I'm offered an upgrade. Hilton has always taken good care of me.
Hampton Inn by Hilton is great, especially in the 2, 3 star class, and so is Hilton's Embassy Suites.
This makes me sad, but thanks for the perspective
You are absolutely right.
Also, update us when Marriot calls you. For apologies and to negotiate :p
We won't hold our breath.
I'm 22 now, & at 19 I realized I hated hotels & when available I only stay at Airbnb's. The experience is just so much more genuine, in the sense that it's not corporate. Most times I never see the owner & its self check in.
Hotels are garbage cookie cutter BS that is quite frankly, over priced. You get much more bang for your buck with Airbnb & it's a much more genuine experience. On there you expect a personalized decorations & a unique stay every time, it's a lot more adventurous.
I'll only stay at a hotel if its somewhere remote like a pass through town with no good airbnbs. I'm in Canada & enjoy driving around a lot, I've driven from Ontario to Vancouver & back so many times. I have a home in Vancouver but my family is in Ontario & I come 3 times a year for Christmas, Thanksgivings, & Easter.
But I have a mod my sedan specifically for driving across Canada. It a Hyundai Elantra with its passenger seat removed & I have a wooden frame bed with a foam mattress custom cut to the shape of the car. I can lie flat & sleep there just as good as in a normal bed because it stretches from front to back, I'm 6'1" so it ain't cramped.
I chose the Elantra cause it doesn't stand out, no one is robbing me in that, also it has a naturally aspirated port injected engine so itll be very reliable with little carbon build up as the gasoline will act as a solvent for the valves as opposed to a direct injected engine. This is good cause at night I'll leave the engine running for AC to dehumidify the air in summer, & obviously to heat it in winter. I've slept in -40 degree weather in that car in the middle of no where & it's always served me well. When I'm in Vancouver I just take out the bed & put the seat back in. It takes about 20 min to convert my passenger car into a comfortable solo camper.
I also like filling up gas, it's so cool the idea of putting liquid fuel into a vehicle to power it, technology is amazing. Like I would be mad at the prices but I cant cause thinking of the technology behind it just makes me so happy & excited any time I fill up my vehicle, it's so cool!
Airbnb's are good until things go wrong and the place is unsafe or you can't access the property.
Nice rant!
Thank you for your honesty.
The activity that annoys me having a price for every service or item on a menu but then in fine print stating the price does not include a service charge and VAT.
So $100 price becomes ($100 + $10) x 1.15 = $126.50. Assuming at 15% VAT.
Why not just print the price of $126.50?
Why is there an additional charge for service?
Surely, service not something I have to pay additional money for?
Even McDonald's can manage to print menus inclusive of VAT and they do not charge extra for service.
I joined the HIlton and Marriott rewards programs for the slightly discounted rates and free wi-fi. I dont stay enough to have good status but I always ask for an upgrade at check in and I usually get it most of the time.
Holy cow, this is such a whiny entitled, pretentious view on this. Listening to him, he would probably read that as a compliment.
The problem is your expectation. You are simply getting the elite status by the nature of your business and stays. It is simple benefit and yet you interpret it as a sign of lack unconditional loyalty. I do agree with you that haggling for an upgrde isn't something I like to do as well but I do not go in with the expectations of unconditional loyalty that you are seeking and then that ruins your stay. This video reeks of pretentiousness which I do not care for yet again, he would probably think of it as a complement.
For me hotel for 1 or 2 nights stay.
Anything longer airbnb.
Much cheaper and also more like home
I like the four seasons and mandarin oriental, they provide amazing service but you will pay for it. I feel like marriot and hilton try to lure people by tricking them in to thinking they are getting stuff for free. but if you are going on vacation to relax and there are so many hoops to jump through its not worth it
It's the same with car rental programs.
Booking.com, Agoda for Asia, Airbnb, what do I need rewards membership for? Nothing. I treat each individual stay as a new case and if things go wrong I list and explain them on the website so other possible customers become aware. This works much more than any legacy membership program.
Here here!
1:57 Chase Hyatt credit card is worth it. Best point value out there. Good rooms & locations
This is hilarious. Im also an ambassador elite and I have experienced the same. I LOVE luxury hotels but it is disappointing that good service no longer exists. This year, I’m booking more Airbnb’s in the mix and also considering real estate purchases in a couple of my favorite countries.
Good service is almost non existent in the United States or Europe for corporate hotels nowadays.
@@yutaka12131415 I still see good service at four star Marriott hotels in the states, and very superior service overseas.
I completely get you!
This is interesting. I like Airbnb for long-term stays in many places. Hotels I enjoy for a night or two as I change locations and get comfortable during the transition days.
My favorite method to find accommodations is to speak with locals and find something most foreigners would never find.
But I see why this wouldn't be very useful for 7 or 8 figure entrepreneurs 😁🙌
because talking to locals still saves you a few thousand a year. I’ve a local in Medellin, that basically clears his place for me every time I come. I now pay a better deal then locals do now for one of the best places in the city.
On one hand I have the local contacts that like me as a person. and on the other hand I provide the stability of such an entrepreneur can. As such I get a better deal the even the locals in exchange for my not bringing local problems (ie late rents, etc.)
Practically: local rents have gone up. A lot. But when I come I pay the same rent I’ve paid for the past three years simply because I asked for it. In fact, my guy canceled a month long Airbnb reservation that was worth about 30% more then my monthly rent, simply because he knows I’ll be there a few months (cause I told him I would.) Mind you.. my rent is still cheaper then a local 6 month contract.
He communicated to me if he did that Airbnb would punish them 70 days, I again assured them I’d again be there for a few months. He asked me if I could pay what was the local rate, I told him I wanted to pay what I paid last time..he asked me what it was, and I told him (honestly,) and.. that was that. The rate hasn’t changed since. All utilities included.
Also there are other social benefits. I got my girlfriend because the locals in the building saw I was lonely. Once I was walking through the lobby and I overheard them talking about how a female friend of theirs walk lonely. They saw me and everyone stopped for a second. They called me over showed me her picture and asked if I though she was pretty. A week later they invited me to a party.. sh was there. One of the guys from the building, who was seated next to her called me over to chat. Suddenly within two seconds no one was talking to me or her despite the table being crowded. (He got up and so there was no one between us) Some other guy was a bit quicker on the uptake and started talking to her, and like.. the expression on all my neighbors face briefly changed: within a moment like three guys just started talking to him and she was alone with me again (also with an expression like wtf just happened.) except this time I picked it up. We’ve been dating for over a year now.
What about alternatives to Airbnb. Are there any? Have you ever used them?
@@amir5593 Facebook groups are a good option 🙌🙌 find what's local and post that you're looking, or browse for already posted homes
@@NickDemski Something you suggest would be quite helpful. Thanks. 🙌
It's not just 5-star hotels. The 3-star & 4-star hotels will also blatantly lie to your face, and not do things they promised. I've been living on the road (365 nights per year) for almost 4 years now, so I've got the experience, and I'm just road-weary at this point. My greatest demand these days is just to be left alone (because I'm tired of dealing with the lies and the incompetence), so I prefer to stay in AirBnB's now. I can rent an entire 3-bedroom house for $1400 to $1800 per MONTH, so it's both less fuss and less expensive than 2 weeks in a hotel.
Im only loyal to amex and Schwab. So I earn amex points then covert it to cash and invest it. 😏. Plus boutique hotels are better anyways
Well said awesome video
spot on
The next time I go on vacation, I'll take an Airbnb.
I generally use Hotels . Com app or Booking. Seem to have good last minute prices.
Come on though Andrew, Most of us, even earning pretty high incomes cant really afford to buy a nice place in every country we go to without a mortgage. Its doable over a long period of time, like for me it would take 10 years or so at least, but in that time I for sure will have to stay in hotels. I dont know, I for some reason really like nicer hotels for some odd reason.
Used to be a Hilton Blue Diamond member. My experience was very similar to yours. But hey, I did get two free nights after staying in Hiltons exclusively for two years. 🙄
Truth!
For me, when I consider loyalty programs, I only care about the value of the points and ease of accumulating free nights. I see hotel chains stripping away elite benefits, so why chase elite status?
Idea:) Why not get together with your man in Cambodia & others and start a Hotel luxury chain around the world. You can call it simply...........Henderson"s. Out.
My hotel chain will be named The Caveat.
@@nomadcapitalist WOW, that is excellent. Good luck, Andrew.
Welcome to the Caveat, sir.
We are pleased to present the new Caveat Emptor Presidential Palace Luxury Suite. It includes a complimentary pot of tea, but never on time when you ask for it. Just the way you want it.
Our Loyalty* Program offers world renown 5-Star Service** for those who call The Caveat home.***
*Depending on corporate definition of loyalty 🤔
**According to on-site manager’s idea of 5-star service.🖕
***You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave. 😭
@@maimkim too funny!
You should hire a VIP travel concierge. Someone like me... :)
You might as well join the programs to get the points but I agree, no need to be loyal.
You’re not crazy. Service at most hotels is absolute garbage. Especially at Marriott’s brands. I’m stuck with IHG and they’re worse. But strangely okay outside the USA. I was considering Hyatt based on reviews but you just reinforced what I already knew deep down: NOT WORTH THE HEADACHES.
This was a very interesting video and I'm glad I watched it in its entirety. Have you come to a conclusion in your mind as to why hotels and their staff are so obstinent when it comes to basic requests? Is it simply too much effort? And is it that nobody really cares unless it starts affecting their bottom line? Or do you think most people are just lazy ?
I think it’s very much dependent on the work culture of your destination. In the US, hotel workers really don’t give a shit because they don’t really associate themselves with the corporate rules and they don’t care to provide more to you for your elite status because they don’t get paid extra. If you want them to “do their job,” they expect a big tip from you. The plot in the White Lotus is ironic but it’s actually quite reflective of American service culture. If you want to experience your elite status, you need to go to a culture where people take pride in their work, like Japan or the Middle East.
I best your way better treated (Internationally) with the Amex Centurion Card, than with any loyalty program.
This is the problem with US & EU allowing large international monopoles.
It's all marketing to get you to spend more with THEM. The only thing I'm interested in doing lately is juicing my CC for air miles. No one deserves my loyalty - only my wallet. Get the best deal for YOU , brand aside.
This is the South Asian mentality. Quality over brand.
Those wanna be hotels forget em! The four seasons is my go to ! Rarely lets me down !
Loyalty programs are only as valuable as they are free (company paid). If you're doing it out of pocket, you're overpaying for all that "luxury". Basic economics. Better late then never for some ambassadors. ;)
Best Western Rewards is more my style. Simple to understand, decemt rewards, and they treat me nicely.
That’s just the hotel experience, you haven’t even mentioned restaurant experiences in these emerging markets...
Are the steaks and crab worth the "loyalty"???
You are so dead-on correct here Andrew, brilliant video!
Also, if anybody on here works for Marriott....please pull Andrew's file and post it here for us to see!!! :)
Illegal!
@@MisterMikeTexas Federal or State law?
I feel like hotel award programs are just for corporate travelers who are using corporate dollars and hope to have the perks for themselves of free nights. From my experience it makes no sense as someone who pays his own way.
I would tend to agree at this point.