Chain Hotel Brands
One of my favorite bits from the late, great Mitch Hedberg starts something like this: “I was gonna get my teeth whitened, but I thought, ‘F— that. I’ll just get a tan, instead.'” Sometimes, I need to look at stuff a different way. I’ve come to that conclusion with chain hotel brands.
In my view, the increasing number of brands has been out of control for years. Back in 2021, I wrote about the phenomenon, something worsening ever since. Or has it? Perhaps more hotel brands, no matter how off-putting I’ve deemed their quantities, can work out better for me now. Here’s what I’m thinking.
Obfuscation = Opportunity
With increasing chain hotel brands, there’s just more nonsense to sift through. Getting my head around each new entrant’s aesthetic, amenities, footprint, redemption matters – it can easily overwhelm. Even in small portions, this puts more work on the conscientious consumer. By the numbers, the rewards landscape has become more unclear. But for unshakeable points and travel hobbyists, this could enable more opportunity.
I recently wrote about my favorite points and travel barriers to entry. The number of hotel brands and the level of effort to master them is my latest inductee here. The process of selecting the optimal hotel award redemption has become tougher. Maybe that’s a good thing. I’m confident with more hotel chain brands, some rewards decisions have becoming more challenging. Perhaps if I work a bit harder for that redemption, the reward will be exponential.
I’ve said it before. If something’s easy, more would be doing it. And if more are doing that thing, it would probably devalue or disappear faster.
Decentralization
Perhaps related to above, increasing chain hotel brands widens the scope of possible redemptions. There’s much more variety in product for the masses to consider. In theory, for every Alila Ventana Big Sur, Waldorf Astoria Cabo, Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, etc, there are larger buckets of undiscovered/less tainted properties and locations for individuals to comb through. Ultimately, perhaps this means more to pick from, maybe in terms of inventory, but definitely in terms of variety. Inevitably, more properties will be discovered, soiled, and spoiled. But also, perhaps other reliable, less popular options come about which aren’t debased to such an extent. Does this absolutely mean flatter redemptions across a wider scope of brands? Not necessarily, but I can hope for it.
Trying Something New
In the process of all these new chain hotel brands, perhaps I can grow. Maybe I’ll actually try a new one (or more) and find something to like. I have no interest in staying at a “wellness” property or walking through a nightclub to hotel check-in, but I feel open to most other options. While I’m at times crotchety, I’m trying to cooperatively consider more chain hotel brands.
Chain Hotel Brands – Conclusion
I know this new openness will occur in fits and starts. Inexplicably, I bemoan the seemingly-unending creation of brands on the low-end while also looking for the next La Quinta, Days Inn, or Comfort Inn hidden gem. I also must remember that trying new brands may not always work out favorably. It’s as if I’m eating new vegetables. With these new chain hotel brands, I could find a few I like and many more I have no taste for, but I’m better off for trying them. We’ll see how this goes.
What newer chain hotel brands have you visited? How were your experiences?
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Who are you and what have you done with Benjy?
Well played, Christian! 😉