StrategyUpdated by the TierHop team
Which status challenge is worth it in 2026
IHG Platinum costs five nights, Hyatt Globalist twenty. We put a dollar value on each tier and rank the four programs by return per night.
Blog
Strategy notes from the TierHop desk. Every piece is written by a former hotel-side operator and revised when a program changes its rules.
- Mattress runUpdated by the TierHop team
Six mattress-run mistakes that waste a whole season
Ineligible rates, franchise properties that never post, six identical nights in one week. The failure modes we see most, and how we pace bookings around them.
- F&F ratesUpdated by the TierHop team
Friends & Family rates: what you gain and what you give up
Employee-linked rates cut 30-60% off the public price but usually earn no points or nights. Here is the break-even maths for a five-night stay.
- HiltonUpdated by the TierHop team
Why Hilton Gold is still the best value tier in hotel loyalty
Free breakfast at almost every brand, an 80% points bonus and no nights required through instant elite. We price out a year of Gold against a year of Diamond.
Looking for the full explainer instead? Read how hotel status hacking works.