Elite status feels like a golden ticket-until you tally up what it actually costs to keep it.
When elite status and stacks of points fail to deliver, what actually separates a great hotel loyalty program from a mediocre one is how its people treat you when things go sideways.
Asia's luxury hotel scene is unlike anywhere else on earth: overwater villas in the Maldives, rooftop infinity pools in Bangkok, ryokan-style suites in Kyoto, and colonial-era grandeur in Mumbai.