Which hotel loyalty program benefits are best in APAC?

Did you know hotel loyalty program benefits in APAC differ outside of US, Canada and Europe? Read on to find out which hotel loyalty program may be for you in APAC.

I will cover the three most popular programs globally: Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt.

Loyalty Program Benefits Comparison

Mid-tier status

Before diving into the mid-tier status benefits note the number of APAC properties are about 1/6th of the global footprint for Marriott and Hilton. For Hyatt it is about 1/4th the global footprint.

The property count is important because mid-tier benefits are typically "as available", meaning you're competing against both the number of higher status tiers staying at the hotel and the numbers of guests arriving at the hotel. The good news is your chances are higher for receiving these if you're traveling during non-Western holidays. As you already know, many Asian countries have long holidays at different times from Western holidays. For Australia, the southern hemisphere also brings about different seasonal peaks also.

There are really only 2 benefits at the mid-tier worth your understanding and you need to determine how valuable these are. My opinion is you shouldn't pick a loyalty program based on mid-tier goals at all. You can get more benefits by booking through travel advisors from Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt.

1, Room upgrades - at the mid-tier level, don't expect too much in terms of a room size upgrade. You will most likely get your choice of higher floor, away from the lift/elevator, and that's about it. Unless the hotel is quite vacant, don't expect a room upgrade. The US has made it super easy to achieve higher tier status resulting in guaranteed benefits simply by holding a certain credit card.

The only time I got a room upgrade at a mid-tier was towards the end of Covid at a Hilton, when got an upgrade to a suite at a beach resort.

2, Late checkout - Basically gets you a few more hours to use hotel amenities like the pool or gym. If you don't use these, then perhaps you get to sleep in late.

Top-tier status

The breakfast and lounges in Asia are better than in the US or Europe without any doubt. My Australia experience is quite limited. There's almost no presence in New Zealand outside of Auckland for these 3 brands.

Having said that, I think you should choose the loyalty program based on the locations you plan to visit the most and also based on whether the hotel actually has a lounge. The numbers skew heavily in Marriott's favor in APAC, especially if you visit cities other than the capital, or if you want to be in a particular location in a city, whether on business or leisure.

My thoughts on what to choose if you value:

• Breakfast: Hilton is the easiest to achieve if you only care about breakfast. The benefit starts at Gold (25 nights, 15 stays or $6K spend). I've found exceptional quality even at Hyatt Place. For mid to high-end, all three are much better in APAC than in the US. Park Hyatt breakfasts are amazing. Hiltons are great and they tend to offer a dedicated queue and seating area for Gold or higher status. This is priceless if you like your peace and quiet. Sometimes these special areas have a special menu also. The Hilton Okinawa is one such example. Breakfasts even at a Courtyard Marriott in Japan are quite spectacular in terms of variety, both Western and non-Western.
• Lounge: The lounges in Asia serve more real food that either requires real cooking or contains more protein. The things I've seen in the US and Europe are basically just a bunch of cheap carbs.
  • Dinner: Even some low-end Marriotts (e.g. Four Points) have a "lounge" in China for dinner and offer a decent protein-packed dinner. Taste may be a disappointment, but they're offering you free stuff with good protein at a Four Points! If you must know, the eco-friendly nature of many hotels these days mean they serve you leftovers from the previous meal service or upcycle whatever is left in the fridge or from the restaurant. Sometimes you even get some amazing stuff like crab, but of course in limited quantities and not on a predictable cadence. The early bird gets the worm. Marriott wins my vote here. Park Hyatt despite being the top Hyatt, have no lounge.

Lounge alcohol ... Marriott standardizes so it tastes the same everywhere. Only the food differs consistently between brands and geographies. In my experience, the lounge in the evening is used less than half the number of nights I stay at a hotel. Why would I pay to stay at a more expensive hotel overseas just to eat hotel food instead of going out?

If you're a lounge person, Marriott is the winner in APAC.

• 4pm late checkout - I've always thought 2pm late checkouts are on the verge of not worth anything, but 4pm is quite a game changer. Now you don't have to rush to finish your lunch. Instead you can squeeze in another morning activity, shower after, and perhaps enjoy the airport (lounge) if you have a late flight. All programs are great with this benefit. If you happen to have many 1-night stays, Hilton's is the easiest to achieve at 40 stays, and Hyatt the hardest.
• Suite Upgrades - You must be very optimistic if you think you'll actually get a suite upgrade when you check-in. Confirmable suite upgrades earned through status at any one of the 3 loyalty programs above are what will get you a suite upgrade 90%+ of the time at major metropolitan hotels. You'll get some suite upgrades in smaller tiers cities via status only.

Conclusion

While perks are interesting, you must also consider the convenience/location of the hotel, the design style, etc. Based on the numbers of hotels in APAC with or without a lounge, the number of brands (read: different design) and age of hotel, Marriott is the clear winner. Hyatt is 2nd only because of lower property count. I would say Hilton is 3rd despite a lot of properties and decent food because it lacks in number of brands and design is pretty dated for many properties in APAC.