Which hotel brand is best, Marriott Vs. IHG? Marriott hotels include the luxury subsidiaries Bulgari, EDITION, Luxury Collection, JW Marriott, and Ritz-Carlton hotels. IHG includes the luxury hotel brands Regent, InterContinental, Six Senses, Kimpton, Vignette, and Indigo hotels. We review which is best below.
Both Marriott and IHG luxury hotels are gorgeous, and which you pick will depend on which destination you are heading to. Many major cities and resorts house both a Marriott and an IHG hotel. These locations include London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, and Cannes. We compare these two brands in detail below.
1. Loyalty
Marriott hotels and its subsidiaries are part of the Marriott Bonvoy brand loyalty program, so you collect Marriott Bonvoy points by staying at these Marriott Hotels. Marriott Bonvoy Members with Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite status enjoy complimentary club lounge access at JW Marriott hotels.
IHG has at least two reward schemes: IHG One Rewards is free to join and gives you access to exclusive member rates. It is relevant to all IHG brands, including Regent and Kimpton. You can earn points for reward nights, get free Wi-Fi, and have a better chance of getting late checkout. Plus, you get perks like bonus points, reward night discounts, welcome amenities, and milestone rewards.
InterContinental Vs. Regent Vs. Kimpton
Which hotel brand is best, InterContinental Vs. Regent Vs. Kimpton? The choice between these three hotel brands varies between individual hotels within each brand. As a general rule, InterContinental was one of the original luxury business hotels and remains a luxury, if slightly corporate, hotel brand that is present in most major cities. InterContinental hotels are typified by large modern buildings with a generic interior finish and lots of business facilities. Some InterContinental hotels, like the InterContinental Geneva, have very good pools and leisure facilities.
IHG also has an InterContinental Ambassador, which is relevant only to InterContinental hotels and which is a loyalty program that delivers benefits exclusively at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts properties worldwide. The benefits of InterContinental Ambassador membership are: guaranteed one category room upgrade, guaranteed extended 4:00 pm checkout, complimentary weekend night, Platinum Elite status in IGH One Rewards and the corresponding benefits, restaurant, and bar credit of USD20 for every stay, complimentary mineral water, complimentary internet, dedicated check-in area, a single room rate for double occupancy and for mainland China only, complimentary breakfast for one each night you stay.
The cost of InterContinental Ambassador membership is USD 200 every 12 months. IHG One Rewards members can also purchase membership for 40,000 points.
The complimentary weekend night is valid on the second night of a minimum two-night paid weekend stay on the Ambassador Complimentary Weekend Night Rate at any InterContinental Hotels & Resorts property worldwide, excluding InterContinental Alliance Resorts.
The Marriott Bonvoy or IHG loyalty benefits are usually nowhere near as good as the benefits you get by booking via our luxury travel concierge. Our travel agency partnership with JW Marriott and IHG hotels means you will get brilliant free benefits at all luxury Marriott and IHG brands, usually including breakfast for two, prioritized room upgrades (subject to availability), hotel credit, and more if you book with our concierge. Our deals are almost always better than booking directly on the hotel website for both brands.
If you book with our team, you will also get all your usual Marriott Bonvoy or IHG points during your stay. In Paris, New York, and London, you get free club lounge access when you book an InterContinental hotel via our team. Your loyalty tier is irrelevant to this perk.
2. Style
Regarding style, Marriott hotels fall just below their sister subsidiaries, JW Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, BULGARI, EDITION, and The Luxury Collection. These brands occupy a 5-star luxury category, with room quality and size, service, restaurants, and the hotel offering an ultra-luxurious setting. Marriott offers excellent quality but lacks the customer service and room size found in these more luxurious brands.
10 Best Marriott Hotels In Europe
What are the 10 best Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Europe? The Marriott brand includes Luxury Collection, EDITION, St Regis, W Hotels, and JW Marriott, as well as mid-range brands like Autograph Collection, Renaissance, Sheraton, Le Meridien, Design Hotels, and Westin. With 6,900 hotels across 130 countries, Marriot and its associated Bonvoy loyalty scheme include almost every travel destination you can imagine worldwide. Some of our favorite destinations in Europe have Marriott hotels.
JW Marriott Venice is probably our favourite Marriott hotel and one of the best Marriotts in Europe. This hotel has its own modern style set on its own private island.
While it does not have a club lounge, all the rooms are great. The breakfast is excellent and is served indoors and outdoors, and some of the rooms even have their own garden and plunge pool, so this hotel is worth a try.
We have also reviewed the JW Marriott Venice in detail, so do take a look at both hotels as great options for staying in Venice.
Review: JW Marriott Venice
I write this review while lazing on the balcony of my Junior suite, dappled in sunlight at the JW Marriott Venice. The outlook is not what you would expect of Venice; all I can hear is bird song, and all I can see is an expanse of green forested gardens with the odd glimpse of Venetian Lagoon through the trees. This impressive luxury Marriott hotel opened in March 2015. Arrive by water taxi if you can. Not only is this a glamorous way to travel through Venice, but the dock at the JW Marriott is like something out of a Bond movie, providing a great first view of the property.
Beyond Venice, we have also reviewed the JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London, which offers an excellent club lounge with a fantastic food offering. However, the rooms and corridors are a little dated. The Sheraton in London Park Lane, which is also part of the Marriott brand, is overall a better choice if you are staying in London.
The London InterContinental Park Lane sits around a 5 minute walk South of the JW Marriott Grosvenor House and almost next door to the Sheraton. It is surrounded by London’s Parks and is around positioned on Hyde Park Corner moments from Buckingham Palace.
Review: InterContinental London Park Lane, England
The InterContinental London Park Lane is an elegant luxury hotel right in the heart of London. It offers rooms of varying sizes with incredible views across Regents and Green Park, as well as the Hyde Park Corner roundabout. It also has a great gym, Elemis Spa, two excellent restaurants, and an unbeatable location. Interestingly, the hotel is situated on the site of Queen Elizabeth II's former residence (145 Piccadilly) and was opened in 1975. My favourite thing about this hotel is that it has the best Club Lounge in London, check it out in our video tour.
The InterContinental London is one of our favorite InterContinental hotels and has a lovely foyer downstairs with Theo Randall’s delicious Italian restaurant, along with a main bar area and an additional restaurant. Mayfair rooms here have been recently refurbished and have a slightly Asian feel with a modern cherry blossom-type design behind the beds. But the highlight here is their fabulous club lounge, which is the best club lounge in London for views.
The boutique London Marriott Park Lane is located further North of the InterContinental and the JW Marriott Grosvenor House and has a great club lounge. This Marriott feels intimate and unique.
There is another Marriott on the far side of the River Thames called the London Marriott County Hall, which is another great choice in London, particularly if you like to walk along the river and want to be able to see Big Ben from the hotel.
Honestly, all the Marriotts mentioned above in London are great, but we prefer the views from the InterContinental Park Lane. This is an exceptional InterContinental, and if you book a stay here via our luxury travel concierge, you will get free club lounge access at this InterContinental hotel.
Review: Club Lounge At InterContinental London Park Lane
We've previously reviewed the best executive or club lounges in London. I am a big fan of the executive lounge at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House for the ambiance and food. The club lounge at the Langham London is also a great lounge with excellent food. But in my humble opinion, the "Club InterContinental" which includes the lounge at the InterContinental Park Lane in London, has the best views of any Club or Executive lounge in London.
For Marriott hotel choices in New York, the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel and the JW Marriott Essex House are not particularly luxurious properties in New York, although both have interesting historic aspects, such as the JW Marriott lifts. If you want an alternative to the Ritz-Carlton hotels in New York, the St. Regis NY is also worth considering as it has a very good breakfast. We prefer the Ritz-Carlton hotels in New York. These are both brilliant hotels and are head and shoulders above much of the competition.
The InterContinental New York Barclay sits above the JW Marriott and Sheraton in terms of luxury in New York but below the Ritz-Carlton hotels. This is a great hotel with a fabulous club lounge. This is an exceptional InterContinental, and if you book a stay here via our luxury travel concierge, you will get free club lounge access at this InterContinental hotel.
The other InterContinental in New York is InterContinental New York Times Square, is another great property, but we don’t offer free club lounge access here.
Ritz-Carlton New York Nomad Vs. Central Park. Which Is Best?
There are two Ritz-Carlton hotels in New York. The original, older, Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park Vs. Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad. Which Ritz-Carlton in New York is best? We outline the pros and cons of each hotel below. Ritz-Carlton New York Nomad is well located, steps away from Madison Square Park, the Flatiron Building, and a short walk to the Highline.
There are also numerous Marriott hotels in Paris and have outlined the best Marriott hotels in Paris separately. The Bulgari Paris is the best Marriott-branded hotel in Paris, and none of the IHG hotels come close to this hotel in style and luxury.
The Paris Marriott Champs Elysees Hotel is the best, reasonably priced Marriott hotel in Paris. InterContinental Paris Le Grand is your luxury IHG choice in Paris, and again, if you book a stay here via our luxury travel concierge, you will get free club lounge access at this InterContinental hotel. This hotel is gorgeous and recently refurbished, and its club lounge is a great place to hang out.
There are also several Kimptons in Paris and London, which should be considered if you are looking for a stylish hotel and are not bothered by a slightly smaller room size. Kimpton St Honoré Paris is an excellent boutique hotel in Paris that feels very special and unique compared to the more generic and corporate Marriott hotels.
We also reviewed the excellent Kimpton Fitzroy in London, which we love for its funky British decor and great atmosphere. Like all Kimptons, the rooms aren’t large here, but the communal areas are really fun, and the level of luxury is similar to the Marriotts. This is a great IHG choice.
Cannes is another destination with a Regent, which is part of IHG, and a JW Marriott. The Regent is head and shoulders the winner here with chic contemporary decor, a beautiful pool and a brilliant seafront location. The JW Marriott Cannes is nowhere near as stylish and falls below the Regent Cannes in almost every aspect. We have compared these hotels in more detail for those choosing between these hotels in Cannes.
Carlton Cannes, A Regent Hotel Vs JW Marriott Cannes
Which hotel is best, Carlton Cannes, A Regent Hotel Vs. JW Marriott Cannes? While you might be tempted to earn or burn some Marriott Bonvoy points at the JW Marriott, the Carlton Cannes, A Regent Hotel is an incredible hotel that is part of the IHG loyalty scheme and is head and shoulders above the JW Marriott Cannes in terms of luxury. Carlton Cannes, A Regent Hotel, encapsulates French chic. I can't think of another hotel that does it better. I share more details of this comparison below.
3. Location
As a general rule, luxury Marriott Hotels and IHG Hotels are both centrally located in cities. Most of the Marriott and IHG hotels in New York are located in the concrete jungle, a walk from Central Park, unlike the Ritz-Carlton hotel, which is located on the edge of Central Park with gorgeously green park views. The Ritz-Carltons win our hearts in New York.
In Cannes, the Regent is in the heart of the action, and in London all the luxury IHG and Marriott hotels are central.
4. Size
Marriott and IHG hotels vary hugely in size. Some larger Marriott and IHG hotels are used for conferences. Again, there are exceptions, with some brand hotels that are almost boutique in size, so it is worth investigating each hotel individually. Kimpton is a lovely IHG boutique brand and is worth considering if you want a more unique place to stay.
5. Rooms
Standard rooms at IHG hotels tend to be similar to those at Marriott hotels, but again, this depends on the individual hotel. Some Sheraton rooms are particularly good, spacious, and unique, such as those in the Sheraton in London but many are small and generic without much character. Rooms at Kimpton hotels are small but bursting with fun.
6. Pool & Gym
Whether there is a pool and gym is very property-dependent. In Orlando, the JW Marriott has a lazy river and some super slides, and the neighboring Ritz-Carlton has a more classic rectangular pool. These two hotels share facilities, and they are great. There is no InterContinental or IHG hotel that has comparative pools in this area.
The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott on Wailea beach also have great pools. There are not many good IHG hotels on Hawaii and their pools are not as good, so as a general rule, Marriotts beat IHG hotels when it comes to pools.
Best IHG Ski Hotels
What are the best IHG ski hotels in America, Europe, and Asia? IHG owns several brands, including InterContinental, Regent Hotels, Six Senses Hotels, Kimpton Hotels and Resorts, Hualuxe, Crowne Plaza, voco Hotels, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn club vacations, avid, Candlewood Suites, EVEN Hotels, and Staybridge Suites. The most luxurious of these are the InterContinental, Regent Hotels, Six Senses Hotels, and Kimpton Hotels and Resorts, so where we have been able, we have picked the best IHG ski hotels from these brands.
Very few InterContinentals and Marriotts in New York have pools, although the Park Hyatt has a good one set high in the sky.
7. Ski
Marriott and InterContinental has some brilliant ski hotels. We have investigated the best Marriott ski hotels separately which include St. Regis, W, and Westin ski hotels.
Top 10 Best Marriott Bonvoy Ski Hotels
Which Marriott Bonvoy hotel, including St Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton, and Westin, is the best luxury ski hotel in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio? Which is best in Canada, America, and Europe? We review the top 10 best Marriott Bonvoy ski hotels below. Having already reviewed the best Four Seasons ski hotels and the best Hyatt ski hotels, we felt it was time to turn our heads to the Marriott brand of hotels. Ritz-Carlton hotels are often some of the best Marriott Bonvoy hotels in an area, particularly if you are looking for a club lounge.
The best IHG ski hotel is the Six Senses Residences Courchevel, which has 53 hotel residences and has been thoughtfully designed with interiors mirroring the beauty of their Alpine environment.
8. Club Lounge
Most Marriott hotels also have club lounges, and if you have top-tier Marriott Bonvoy status, you get access to Marriott club lounges for free.
Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite Marriott Bonvoy members can access Executive Club M Club lounges at Marriott properties, including JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, or Sheraton hotels. They can also bring one guest to the lounge as long as they stay in the same room. You will get Platinum Elite status after staying 50 nights a year at a Marriott property. To get Titanium Elite, you need to stay 75 nights each year.
InterContinental hotels have brilliant club lounges, too. The two InterContinental club lounges in London are fantastic (one at the O2 and one on Park Lane). The fact that our luxury travel concierge agents can get you free club lounge access at many InterContinental hotels might sway your choice towards the IHG brand.
Best Ritz-Carlton Executive Club Lounges
Ritz-Carlton executive club lounges are some of the best club lounges in the world. Usually, they include five daily meal presentations, complimentary drinks and snacks throughout the day, and alcoholic drinks and events such as wine flights in the late afternoon and evening. Add in a sophisticated environment and often amazing views, and you will understand why these lounges can be worth paying extra for. Marriott Platinum members do not get free access to Ritz-Carlton club lounges.
9. Family Facilities
Marriott and IHG hotels are both great for families, particularly if they are located on a beach. Ritz-Carlton hotels are even better, but the best brand for family-friendly luxury hotels are the best at Four Seasons as well as some Belmond properties like the Hotel Cipriani.
10. Price
Price is brand and region-dependent. Asian hotels are often cheaper than their Western counterparts, although Hong Kong and Singapore tend to buck this trend. Marriott and Kimpton hotels tend to be less expensive than Regent, InterContinental, and Ritz-Carlton hotels. Bulgari Hotels, a subsidiary of Marriott, are almost always the most expensive hotel in a city.
For a more reasonable Marriott stay, check out our review of some of the cheapest Marriott hotels.
10 Cheapest Marriott Bonvoy Hotels In The World
While St Regis, Ritz-Carlton & W Bonvoy brands tend to be the most expensive Marriott hotels, pick a Westin, Delta, Sheraton, or Marriott, and your stay will probably be cheaper. Even cheaper are brands like Courtyard, Four Points, and SpringHill Suites, which are also part of the Marriott Bonvoy brand. So which are the cheapest Marriott Bonvoy Hotels in cash and points in Canada, America, Asia, Europe, and beyond? We review our pick of the top 10 cheapest Marriott Bonvoy hotels below.
11. Conclusion
While both Marriott and IHG hotels are great hotel choices in a city or a resort, the differences between the brands within these umbrella groups mean that you should research before you pick your hotel. We prefer the more boutique hotels within each brand, like the Kimpton hotels. You will have a ball if you can stretch to a stay at a Regent or Bulgari hotel.
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Image courtesy of Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel.
Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.
