The Easiest Status Match Ever
One of the coolest things about this hobby is being able to obtain elite status. Some status is as easy to get as signing up for a credit card and other status, like my beloved Hyatt Diamond takes some work. Much more work!
Either way, if you travel enough, having hotel status can make a huge difference. I wrote about all of my elite hotel statuses a few weeks ago and how I obtained each one. Some were through credit cards and others through matches. Just the other day I decided to add another top tier status to my tool belt.
Best Western Status Match
Since we will be staying at a Best Western hotel in Gothenburg, I decided it was time to match my top tier Hyatt Diamond status to Best Western’s top tier Diamond status. Don’t get me wrong, these two Diamonds aren’t much alike, but status is status.
Best Western actually publicizes their status match program and has a webpage dedicated to it. Here is what they say you need to do to get matched:
To match your ELITE status in any other hotel program, download the Status Match… No Catch form (EN),
or French form (FR) , provide us with proof of elite status with another hotel program, and we’ll take care of the rest!
The form says to email StatusMatch@bestwestern.com with the proof. I decided not to fill out the form and instead just included all of the requested information in my email. This included my Best Western Rewards number and proof of my curent elite status. I sent the email off at 1:45PM and received a response by 2:09PM that my status was matched. Talk about a quick turnaround!
Best Western Elite Benefits
You can find the details of Best Western’s elite benefits here, but other than a lot of nothing, the main benefit of becoming a Diamond is a modest room upgrade and 250 points or a welcome beverage. I figure that being a top tier elite can’t hurt, although I am not expecting much during our upcoming stay.
No Expiration?
One of the most interesting things I discovered when looking into Best Western’s status match is that the status doesn’t seem to expire. I wasn’t given an expiration date and can’t find one on the website. Others have reported on Flyertalk and elsewhere that it seems to be a sort of permanent match. Only time will tell, but I’m sure it will run out eventually.
Conclusion
It still amazes me how easy it is to obtain at least mid-tier status with most programs. With this latest match, I now have status with Club Carlson, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG, SPG, Mlife and Best Western. Pretty good overall, but perhaps I need more. Maybe I should get Marriott status through a credit card signup or match to Kimpton Inner Circle? Nah. I’m good for now!
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I requested a status match and made the claim that because Diamond requires 30 nights and Club Carlson Gold requires 35 I should be granted Diamond status instead of Platinum. Of course, I haven’t actually stayed 30 nights at CC properties, I just have the CC Visa.
Hit post too soon…
I was granted Diamond status within 15 minutes of sending the email.
[…] The Easiest Hotel Status Match I Have Ever Experienced. An eternal status match? […]
I matched BW to Diamond about 2.5 years ago and had it for a while and just checked and I’m down to Platinum (haven’t stayed or earned points for over two years) so I can’t tell exactly how long ago they downgraded me. Agreed, if you have stays coming up is good to match. Otherwise not even worth the time.
Just applied for this status match 10 minutes ago. Which means the status gnomes are already hard at work polishing my Diamonds.
Can IHG Platinum be matched to any?
Generally so. I do believe it would work with Best Western.
I’m Diamond Best Western & was wondering if anyone had hotel status matches FROM Best Western Diamond to another program (Which would probably be much more worthwhile)? Great site by the way!
Very few programs have straight status matches, but I believe you could do Club Carlson most likely. Kimpton Inner Circle is really good with matches, although I’m not sure if they will match Best Western.
Shawn –
As I know you like Kimpton, perhaps you would write a post about status matching (or status challenges) with them?
They are definitely not good for a lifetime. Some time ago when I visited Verona, Italy for the annual summer opera festival — staged in an intact Roman arena in the center of town — the best hotels were those centered in the downtown area, and there was precious little chain presence.
BW had a couple of hotels located in the downtown core and one was recently renovated with great A/C for the hot Italian summers. Not sure if I was Marriott Platinum or Gold but got status matched to BW Gold and got an upgrade to a larger room.
Long story short, eventually was downgraded — although they offered me a fast track to re-gaining status. Declined of course, as it was a one shot deal with BW — their hotels are definitely better in Europe than in North America as a general rule, and in any event I chose to earn AAdvantage miles with them, rather than their pathetic points program.
Yeah I don’t think I would want to earn BW points since they will be stranded. I have seen a ton of great BW properties in places outside of the U.S. As you say, in the U.S., their properties aren’t very nice generally.
Any idea if these status matches are only good once in a lifetime?
Thanks for the post, did the same thing from club carlson and received a response with a status match within 15 minutes.
could you elaborate BW Diamond status benefits ?
@linda – Yes, they are. We have been providing a lock of back data to R Peterson & the group
@Shawn – I got the same match last year, but it isn’t honored consistently (at all) outside of the USA. If you stay at a corporate BW then you are in much better shape. I had a less than stellar experience with my BW in Hong Kong, which was a franchise property.
I have done this match and I think you will be disappointed. LOL! All I have ever received is 30% points per stay. Never the welcome snack or the extra 250 points even when I complained about it by email. Its a huge joke! Hope you have better luck!
Not expecting much. Just figured it was worth trying and I had been meaning to do it for awhile. Either way, I’m impressed with their speed!
is anyone getting virus warnings on site being hacked….is there a virus on this site???
Yes. I’m getting virus warnings. At first it was just when I typed in “Miles to Memories dot com” w/o “Boarding Area” in the URL. Tonight I got it from clicking the hot link in the email.
It is a rogue advertiser and BA is working hard to track it down. I am so sorry.