When I first started traveling for work, it was with a new company, and it took a while for us to figure out the best types of hotels for overnight trips. After a few “profit-maximizing” decisions led to some questionable stays, we started to develop a few basic rules:
- No hotels with a number in the name
- If the front desk clerk is behind bulletproof glass, move on
- No chains with a misspelling in their title
- No hotels where you have to park directly outside your room
- Avoid places where the TV remote is bolted to the counter
These guidelines weren’t perfect, but they helped us avoid some… memorable experiences.
Beyond that, over time I started gravitating toward a single hotel brand for most of my travel. Brand loyalty makes a lot of sense when you’re on the road frequently. There is less friction when selecting and booking with brands you are familiar with. Plus concentrating your stays allows you to build status and unlock perks that you simply won’t get if you spread your business around.
I experimented with Hilton for a while. It’s very easy to earn status, and their points accumulate quickly. The downside is that those points just aren’t worth that much, which makes redeeming them less appealing. It’s a large chain, but early on there were also a few key locations where Hilton didn’t have great options near my clients.
I’ve always liked Hyatt. In many ways, it’s the best value for redeeming points, especially in premium locations (although this may be changing with recent devaluations and a move to a tiered redemption system). For years, it was often cheaper to stay at a Hyatt using points than to use points or pay cash with any other brand. Add in no resort fees on point stays and strong customer service, and it’s a compelling option. The challenge is scale. Hyatt simply doesn’t have as many locations, especially at the lower-cost, business-travel end of the spectrum. And earning meaningful status with Hyatt can be more difficult.
That led me to Marriott.
The biggest factor is footprint. No matter where I go, there’s almost always a Marriott option (or multiple) nearby. That matters when your travel schedule isn’t just built around vacation destinations but around where the work is.
Second is reliability. You generally know what you’re going to get. When you’re bouncing from city to city, that consistency matters more than you might expect. I know that when I stay at a Courtyard, for example, that they will have reliable free internet, a business center where I can print as much as I need, and a restaurant on property that has a burger I like and can get for free with my welcome gift. Knowing things like that when I roll into a new city can relieve a lot of anxiety about work preparation.
A nice bonus is the range of price points. Marriott has everything from basic, budget and business options to family friendly choices up to full-service and luxury properties. That flexibility makes it easy to match the hotel to the purpose of the trip.
Last time I checked, my lifetime total at Marriott properties was over 1100 nights. The bulk of those were work trips where I typically ended up staying in dozens of different Fairfields and Courtyards all over the country. Over time, that has added up to Lifetime Platinum status. That gets me welcome gifts, bonus points, late checkout, and the occasional room upgrade. None of those perks by themselves are life-changing, but together they make travel a little easier, a little cheaper, and a little more comfortable.
These days, even when I’m traveling for personal trips, Marriott is usually my starting point. I still shop around, but once you factor in status benefits, familiarity, and convenience, it’s often the best overall option. There are things I like about other brands, and I still use them occasionally. But for me, Marriott has the best balance of location, availability, price range, and rewards.
It’s not perfect, but it’s consistently good. When you travel a lot, that might be the most important thing.
