Status Matching at Hotels

When I first started earning miles and points I looked at some of the award charts for major hotels and thought that just with my personal travel there was no way I was going to ever make it to elite status with a hotel.

But once I did a little more investigating I discovered that hotel elite status is easier to get than you would think. For many hotel chains you can simply get it by having their affiliated credit card. For example, I have the Hyatt Visa Card and it gives me Platinum status with Hyatt as long as I have the card. The benefits of Hyatt Platinum are:

- Achieve rewards faster with a 15% point bonus when choosing points

-Enjoy a preferred room including rooms on higher floors or larger rooms, based on availability upon arrival

-Receive the confirmed bed type at check-in

-Stay connected with complimentary in-room Internet access

-Expedite check-in at a dedicated are for elite members

-Ensure a room is always available with our 72-hour guarantee

-Extend your stay until 2:00 p.m. with a late check out request

-Book reservations through an exclusive Platinum line

But before I had the Hyatt Visa Card I had no status with any hotel. Luckily for a time Hyatt was offering free Platinum status if you had a Visa Signature card. I signed up for this offer and received instant approval to Platinum status. I then leveraged that into a status match with Club Carlson at their  during their "Radisson Big Night Giveaway" promotion. This not only allowed me to get the offered 50,000 bonus points with one stay that Radisson was offering, but it also offered the following benefits: 

• Complimentary room upgrades as available
• 25% point bonus on every eligible stay
• 2,000 point online booking bonus at clubcarlson.com or any Carlson Rezidor hotel website
• Early check-ins and late checkouts as available upon request
• Roll Over Nights (unused elite-qualifying nights count again next year toward elite status)
• Elite Customer Service Line

When I went on my mattress run with Club Carlson to earn the 50,000 points it helped me get an upgrade to a king suite both times and late check-out when I requested it. 

Though these are the lowest levels of status in both of these hotel chains, the little benefits that come with it are enough that it makes the stay a bit better. 

If you are interested in other chains View from the Wing has a great post about the status challenge that Marriott will offer you to reach their top Platinum tier with 9 stays. I suggest you check this great article out.