Citi Select Free Hotel Stay

[DaveB]

The comp. hotel stay has been removed from the marketing list of card benefits so have to think it's days are numbered. And to think only a few years back, Citi used to send a gift bottle of Veuve or a cellars choice red with each annual renewal.
Funny though in all the years, have never made use of the Priority Pass card which for unlimited entry costs US$399 pa. Wonder how much value cardholders place on this rather expensive cost benefit.

 

[deka2]

Just booked my Free Hotel Night at The Sydney Hilton for a Saturday night next month

I would also like to book and pay for Friday night and one way or the other end up in an Executive Room for both nights.

Being Hilton Gold doesn't guarantee any upgrades here so would it be better to call and book an Exec Room for the Friday Night and upgrade for the Saturday or will I be able to use NOR1 upgrades in due course.

 

[thehound]

I just tried to book a hotel night for next March (before the so-called expiry on 31 March), and was told by the travel booking people that Citibank have instructed them that all travel needs to be completed by January 31 2014! Absolutely bull****. Citibank have changed the goalposts again.

Has anyone else had this problem? I'm going to call Citibank and see what they will do.

 

[albyd]

I managed to book for Hilton Sydney mid Jan last week. Had last claimed it in May 2013 with my membership year ending in August. They initially told me that as it has been leas than a year since my last freebie, I couldn't claim another until I reminded them it works on a membership year basis which he then confirmed.

I was also told it had to be used by the end of Jan 2014. Was quite surprised there was any availability on a Saturday night given the offer is just about closed. Hope this helps.

Albyd.

 

[tharaka]

I was told last day is 31st March 2014. Managed to get mine in for early March. One last free hotel stay

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Are you able to claim hilton benefits on the booking?

I was told on the phone last time it was per calendar year... which isn't so bad just need to wait 4 days if that is the case

 

[ermen]

Interesting... I just called up today and they said was 31 Jan 2014 and that they can only book hotels up to this date.
How to tell if its 31 March 2014?

Just saw this on the Citibank Terms and Conditions - if they are going to withdraw this benefit they have to give us 90 days. Given that we haven't heard anything - it should be the case where this benefit is at least honoured to late March 2014?


Citibank reserves the right to withdraw or change the Complimentary Hotel Stay Benefit subject to applicable laws and provided that Citibank will give you:
(a) 90 days notice of the withdrawal of the Complimentary Hotel Stay Benefit;
(b) 60 days notice if Citibank or Citibank Travel Program introduce any fees in relation to the Complimentary Hotel Stay Benefit;
(c) 30 days notice (via the www.citibank.com.au/citiselect website) of the removal of any hotel chain or property unless that hotel is no longer operated by an eligible hotel chain. Members must check the website for latest list of participating hotels); and
(d) 30 days notice of all other changes unless the change does not cause any detriment to you.

 

[ermen]

Just saw this on the Citibank Terms and Conditions - if they are going to withdraw this benefit they have to give us 90 days. Given that we haven't heard anything - it should be the case where this benefit is at least honoured to late March 2014?

Citibank reserves the right to withdraw or change the Complimentary Hotel Stay Benefit subject to applicable laws and provided that Citibank will give you:
(a) 90 days notice of the withdrawal of the Complimentary Hotel Stay Benefit;
(b) 60 days notice if Citibank or Citibank Travel Program introduce any fees in relation to the Complimentary Hotel Stay Benefit;
(c) 30 days notice (via the www.citibank.com.au/citiselect website) of the removal of any hotel chain or property unless that hotel is no longer operated by an eligible hotel chain. Members must check the website for latest list of participating hotels); and
(d) 30 days notice of all other changes unless the change does not cause any detriment to you.

So called up Citibank and the CSO says that this benefit has been removed [Feb 2014 - he doesn't know the exact dates - says need to call Citi Travel]. Claims that a letter has been sent out informing card holders. I say I haven't received it. And he tries to look through my files to see if any has been sent... says was with the Sep statement. Didn't recall seeing it but I could be wrong.

Just wondering if anyone seen this letter yet? If they were going to remove this benefit, I understand they have to give 90 days notice as per their terms and conditions. What is our recourse otherwise?

Edit: As per statement sent out on Sep 13 - notice had been given stating benefit no longer available from 31 Jan 2014. I unfortunately missed it.

 

[thehound]

So called up Citibank and the CSO says that this benefit has been removed [Feb 2014 - he doesn't know the exact dates - says need to call Citi Travel]. Claims that a letter has been sent out informing card holders. I say I haven't received it. And he tries to look through my files to see if any has been sent... says was with the Sep statement. Didn't recall seeing it but I could be wrong.

Just wondering if anyone seen this letter yet? If they were going to remove this benefit, I understand they have to give 90 days notice as per their terms and conditions. What is our recourse otherwise?

Edit: As per statement sent out on Sep 13 - notice had been given stating benefit no longer available from 31 Jan 2014. I unfortunately missed it.

We must have been on the phone at the same time. Unfortunately when the rep went to speak to her manager, I waited for a while before being hung up on.

I've gone back to check and I CANNOT find any notification from Citibank. Was it on your actual statement, or sent as an additional PDF to you?

 

[ermen]

It was in my monthly statement (PDF) sent to me on 2 Sep 2013.
I don't normally check the pdf statements unfortunately.. relying on the internet banking summary..

 

[thehound]

I checked all statements and there's no notice of a variation to the hotel stay T&Cs.

So I called back Citibank and told the rep I'd just been hung up on. Unfortunately the last rep hadn't made any notes so I was forced to explain the situation again - no doubt with a bit more heat and frustration in my voice. The rep puts me on hold and comes back after talking to a manager - "I can confirm that the hotel stay benefit does end on 31 January". I repeat to her, once again, that the point is not that the benefit ends, but that I was not given any notice by Citibank which is a breach of their own T&Cs and their obligations to me. She told me I can book a hotel until January if I want, but I point out that I have no use for this and want to book for March.

I told her that if this could not be resolved by speaking with someone more senior then a dispute lodgement would have to be made with the Financial Ombudsmen Service, and that I was very confident of the legal position. I pointed out my large annual spend and said I'd have no qualms cancelling the card and moving to another provider for that expenditure if this couldn't be resolved. I told her that I would be happy to accept compensation of a similar dollar value to the free hotel stay - I pointed out that previous advertising correspondence from Citi had put that value at $350. She went away again, and when she returned she said I could wait to speak to her manager who was on another call, but that if I'd prefer not to wait she could give me 10,000 points! She sheepishly pointed out that wasn't much, especially given my current balance of ~600k points.

I held the line and said 10,000 points was no where near a fair compensation compared with a $350 hotel room (knowing anyway that Citi had capped the value for the hotel stay at something like $220!) - please put your manager on. At this point she offered me $350 credit onto my statement and a lengthy apology.

So all up a reasonable win for about half an hour on the phone.

 

[ermen]

FWIW, this is what i got...

 

[uproared]

List of hotels has been removed from the website. Plan to book a stay for January.

Anybody have the latest list for Melbourne?

 

[thehound]

List of hotels has been removed from the website. Plan to book a stay for January.

Anybody have the latest list for Melbourne?

You have to call Pinpoint and ask them for the list now. A bit premature of Citi to remove it from their website.