Hilton Honors - 2013 Changes to Award rates, new Category

[serfty]

Important Message from HHonors - 2013 Program Changes
..

Since the Hilton HHonors™ program began more than 25 years ago, there are more opportunities for members to earn and redeem points than ever before. Now members can redeem points for any room, any time, anywhere at more than 3,900 hotels and resorts worldwide. Plus, members can get to reward stays faster with Points & Money Rewards™. To ensure that we continue to be a world-class guest loyalty program, changes to our program need to be made from time to time. As of March 28, 2013 the following changes will go into effect.

• Reward Categories – We will be expanding to ten hotel reward categories to account for all of the new hotels and resorts that have opened in the past few years. With 3,900 hotels and resorts in 90 countries you are sure to find the perfect place for your next reward stay.
• Seasonal Hotel Reward Pricing – For most of our hotels and resorts, we will introduce seasonal pricing for reward stays. The amount of points needed for a Standard Room Reward and a Points & Money Reward will vary during certain times of the year.
• 5[SUP]th[/SUP] Night Free – Now members with Silver, Gold or Diamond elite status will get a free night* when they book a Standard Room Reward stay of five or more consecutive nights.

..


UPCOMING CHANGES - EFFECTIVE AS OF MARCH 28, 2013

As of March 28, 2013, the following Standard Room Rewards chart will go into effect. To learn more about how many points are required for a free night at each participating hotel, view the reward pricing for Standard Room Rewards.

[TABLE="width: 100%, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #4c6876, colspan: 2, align: center"]STANDARD ROOM REWARDS[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="width: 45%, align: center"]HOTEL CATEGORY[/TD]
[TD="width: 55%, align: center"]HHONORS POINTS REQUIRED FOR ONE FREE NIGHT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]5,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="align: center"]2[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]10,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]20,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]20,000 to 30,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]30,000 to 40,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]30,000 to 50,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]30,000 to 60,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]40,000 to 70,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]50,000 to 80,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]70,000 to 95,000 Points[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
5th Night Free: Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members will receive every 5th night free* on Standard Room Reward stays of 5 consecutive nights or more (up to 4 free nights on a stay of 20 consecutive nights).
[h=2]Frequently Asked Questions[/h]

1. Why is there a point range for some categories?
   
   Some hotels within a category may have seasonal reward pricing throughout the year, where the number of Points needed to redeem for Standard Room Rewards or Points & Money Rewards may vary if the stay is during an off-peak period. For example, during an off-peak period, a hotel would offer a lower point redemption rate. Seasonal pricing of Rewards can change on a month-to-month basis depending on the demand period for each hotel.
   
2. How do I know what category a hotel is in and how many Points will be required for one free night?
   
   You can view the list of hotel categories to learn about the new category for each hotel, or view the reward pricing to see how many Points are required for one free night.
   
3. How will I be able to redeem points for the 5th Night Free benefit?
   
   Taking advantage of the 5th Night Free benefit is simple for HHonors Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members.
   • Log in to your account at HHonors.com or contact Hilton Reservations & Customer Care
   • Create a Standard Room Reward reservation of five consecutive nights or more
   • Members will automatically receive a discount equivalent to the average Point price per night for every five Standard Room Reward nights booked (up to 4 free nights for 20 Standard Room Reward nights booked)
   
   
4. When do the new changes become effective? What happens if I want to book a reward stay before they are effective? Can I make modifications to existing reservations after they become effective?
   
   The new changes will become effective as of 12:01AM CST on Mar 28, 2013. Until this time, you can redeem Points for rewards stays at the current prices. You can book online, call +1-800-HHONORS (+1-800-446-6677, toll-free in the United States) or contact your local Hilton Reservations and Customer Care center. After this date, you can continue to make modifications; however, all standard room redemptions will follow the new standard room chart. Therefore, if the number of points changes from what was originally booked, up or down, the new point values will apply.

* Free night calculated based on the average nightly value of the stay.

 

[serfty]

Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

[TABLE="class: grid, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD]Property[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Old
Cat.
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Old
Points
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]New
Cat.
[/TD]
[TD]New
Points
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Adelaide[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]4
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]30K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD]30K-50K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Auckland[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]50K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD]50K-80K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Brisbane[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]40K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD]30K-60K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cairns[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]5
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]35K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD]30K-50K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lake Taupo[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]5
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]35K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD]30K-60K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]South Wharf[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]50K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD]40K-70K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Parmelia Perth[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]50K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD]30K-60K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]On the Park[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]40K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD]30K-50K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Queenstown[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]5
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]35K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD]30K-60K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Surfers Paradise[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]50K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD]40K-70K[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sydney[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]50K
[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD]30K-60K[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

---

Source: http://hhonors3.hilton.com/resources/media/hh/en_US/pdf/HotelCategoryChart.pdf

You can bet your sweet bippy the higher rates will apply more often than not. :evil:

 

[dajop]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Just looked at the last HHonors stay I did (a Hilton Garden Inn in NYC) and going from Cat 6 to Cat 9 means points have changed from 40K to 50-80K,

The golden rule of loyalty programs: Thou shall devalue over time. Therefore earn and burn as quickly as possible.

 

[Daver6]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

That is a huge devaluation. Just stayed at the Conrad Tokyo for 50k points per night. Now category 10 at 70k - 95k points per night. That is an insane devaluation.

Was actually just considering whether to switch hotel programs after some recent HH hotel stays. I think this just answered the question for me.

 

[dajop]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

You can bet your sweet bippy the higher rates will apply more often than not. :evil:

A tool is available to find when different rates apply: Hilton Honors Standard Room Rewards Pricing

Just picking three examples:

Hilton Sydney (now 50K) will be 60 K year round
Hilton South Wharf (now 50K) will be 70K in Oct, Nov & Mar and 60K for the rest of the year
Hilton Surfers Paradise (now 50K) will be 70K in Dec & Jan, and 50K for the rest of the year

 

[markis10]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

LOL, having read all the folks saying they were going back to Hilton on the PC FT threads, now I wonder where they will go. Swings and roundabouts, loyalty does not pay if its with one brand only.

 

[moa999]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Struggle to see how Auckland is a Cat 9, HSW Mel a Cat 8, yet Hilton Syd a 7 and HOTP Mel a 6.
HOTP is often more $$ then HSW.

 

[serfty]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

For me, rewards stays are nice and I have had many.

However, it's the guaranteed status benefits which are easy enough to access in Oz that will keep me with HHonors as my major hotel loyalty scheme.

 

[simongr]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Glad I burned a fair amount of points recently - this is a major change. A bit like serfty though I stay "loyal" to a chain for the status benefits more than the hotel awards.

 

[NinaG]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Was thinking of shifting to HH this year as I won't make platinum in IHG because of recent changes. Might have to rethink and look at SPG.

 

[kpc]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

I've just got off the floor.......:evil::evil::evil:. Need to burn, burn, burn prior to the changes

 

[drron]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Funny I was just thinking last night what I will do when I get LTP with SPG(though still a few years away).Was considering going back to HH.This puts an end to those thoughts.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hilton Honors - changes to Award rates, new Category

I've just got off the floor.......:evil::evil::evil:. Need to burn, burn, burn prior to the changes

I've got 250K points and was thinking exactly the same thing

 

[turtlemichael]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

For me, rewards stays are nice and I have had many.

However, it's the guaranteed status benefits which are easy enough to access in Oz that will keep me with HHonors as my major hotel loyalty scheme.

Agree. I have moved away from PC because 1.When my status dropped from RA to A it meant I got virtually no benefit when staying at an IC and 2. I almost never got a benefit (breakfast, internet, upgrade) anyway at other IHG properties anyway. The guarantee of benefits is more important to me than redemptions.

 

[markis10]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Agree. I have moved away from PC because 1.When my status dropped from RA to A it meant I got virtually no benefit when staying at an IC and 2. I almost never got a benefit (breakfast, internet, upgrade) anyway at other IHG properties anyway. The guarantee of benefits is more important to me than redemptions.

I have to agree, having stayed in every SPG, Hilton and IHG property in downtown KUL over the last week the Double Tree was the best experience thanks to being Diamond, but its also important to have hotels at places you frequent, with changes over the last few months Hilton and SPG are looking a lot better locally, even if they struggle to get to the average $125 a night I pay for IHG.

 

[dajop]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

In some ways it's worth considering shunning the big chains altogether. It's not a matter of spg vs hilton vs ich it's also (chain) vs (independent). I've sort of kept SPG & Hilton going, but also look round for good deals at smaller hotels. Due to changed requirements for Gold, Hilton was already too difficult, and this change is definitely pushing me more towards independent hotels (or SPG if they are value competitive).

Before I lived in Singapore, during frequent work trips I used to routinely stay at a boutique hotel - cheaper than the chains, by up to $100SGD and whose rates included assorted freebies, including breakfast, soft minibar, internet and local calls. Often was upgraded, I was given a gift on my 10th stay, and staff knew me and provided a level of service beyond the chains. And it was small enough that I never had to queue for a taxi! I've also stayed at smaller boutique properties in other places, for example in NYC at a property that included internet, breakfast and a wine and cheese hour - nice.

 

[Danger]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

A tool is available to find when different rates apply: Hilton Honors Standard Room Rewards Pricing

I had a look at that tool for the first time today but found it inaccurate. The DoubleTree in KL, for example, can be had for 10k HHonors points a night any month of the year according to the tool when in reality it's much higher. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong.

Struggle to see how Auckland is a Cat 9, HSW Mel a Cat 8, yet Hilton Syd a 7 and HOTP Mel a 6.
HOTP is often more $$ then HSW.

And the early 1980s-feel Parmelia Hilton Perth at 60k, the same as Sydney. Wow. This led me to think that some of these seemingly extortionate points requirements could be somehow offset with a higher earn value. So, for example, if the Parmelia wants to be a 60k per night hotel, then it should come with some minimum points earning when you use cash to stay; the higher the category of hotel for burn, the higher the earn rate when you pay to stay. In theory, the burn at, say, a category seven hotel would be offset by what you would you might expect to earn on a paid stay. But places like the Parmelia blow that out of the water. Prior to Christmas I paid about AUD80 for a room and that was without the Hilton Macquarie discount. How many stays at $80 a night to redeem a room at that hotel? It must be upwards of 25, which simply doesn't make sense to me. In contrast, you can routinely expect to pay upwards of $200 a night at the Hilton Sydney, which to me goes some way to justifying the 60k a night it will soon demand.

By way of comparison, the vastly superior Hyatt Regency in Perth is a category three of a maximum six categories in the Hyatt Gold Passport program.

It seems it's a bit of 'loyalty devaluation' season at the moment. Hyatt is my key program but I'm concerned what it might have around the corner.

 

[kamchatsky]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Looking at Hilton Adelaide using their seasonal rewards pricing scheme, most of the months the requirements is 50K points, and very low season at 40K. I can book it for $150 AAA rate or $139 AP rate. Unbelievable.

 

[dajop]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

I had a look at that tool for the first time today but found it inaccurate. The DoubleTree in KL, for example, can be had for 10k HHonors points a night any month of the year according to the tool when in reality it's much higher. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong.

It remains to be seen how accurate the tool will be. But as it is a guide for points required following the change (ie for bookings made on/after Mar 28), what you are seeing appears accurate, and expected. DT KL seems to be a shining light, at the moment it is a Cat 3 requiring 25k pts, but after the changes it becomes at Cat 2, requiring 10K pts. Well done on finding a place where the points are actually appreciating in value

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

I've just got off the floor.......:evil::evil::evil:. Need to burn, burn, burn prior to the changes

That must of been you I tripped over, because I found myself on the floor as well!

Thanks to serfty for the heads up on this one. Most of my stays have been cash, so most don't matter too much to me, but I was merrily saving my points for Conrad Rangali. Now 50k/nite.........after March 95000/nite :shock: :shock: :shock:.......every month of the year!!!!!!

So with this paragraph..

The new changes will become effective as of 12:01AM CST on Mar 28, 2013. Until this time, you can redeem Points for rewards stays at the current prices. You can book online, call +1-800-HHONORS (+1-800-446-6677, toll-free in the United States) or contact your local Hilton Reservations and Customer Care center. After this date, you can continue to make modifications; however, all standard room redemptions will follow the new standard room chart. Therefore, if the number of points changes from what was originally booked, up or down, the new point values will apply.

My bolding suggests to me we can book before 28 Mar 2013 and stay after that date provided no mods are made to the booking. Is that the way everyone else reads it?

I note it is still bookable @ 50k with the 4, 5 & 6 nite diamond point breaks still available. We have no idea if that will continue or whether that 5th free takes the place. The 5th free would beat the 4 night point break, but with the MASSIVE new burn rate just doesn't come close to current rates! The new rates for a 6 nite+ stay is over double the point burn.

I wasn't ready to book but hey.......adaptability is the key!


Two major HH "enhancements" in quick succession. :evil: :evil:

I hope they've now got all that cough out of their system. (that's the limit of my medical vocabulary)