Getting the best price on Hilton Hotels - Advance Purchase/AAA/etc.?

[turtlemichael]

I know it is the RACP. I was being a touch facetious as the annual meeting is why my partner, and me as +1, are there.

 

[Cynicor]

Current sale has improved prices for some hotels, but with many in here saying they do not book pre-paid rates, I'm wondering what I should do.

Looking at the Hilton Fiji in mid August and rates start at 440FJD/night. My other question is that, as a diamond, do you think I'll be safe with a studio and bank on a multi-level upgrade?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

do you think I'll be safe with a studio and bank on a multi-level upgrade?

(My bold above)

I can't answer your question, but I firmly believe you cannot "bank on" an upgrade. I always hope enthusiastically, but never "bank on".

 

[straitman]

Current sale has improved prices for some hotels, but with many in here saying they do not book pre-paid rates, I'm wondering what I should do.

Looking at the Hilton Fiji in mid August and rates start at 440FJD/night. My other question is that, as a diamond, do you think I'll be safe with a studio and bank on a multi-level upgrade?

A 1 Bedroom Beachfront seems to be the standard upgrade for Fiji. I have had that each time I have been there.

 

[Pooch]

A 1 Bedroom Beachfront seems to be the standard upgrade for Fiji. I have had that each time I have been there.

Is there anywhere you two haven't been? And anywhere y'all don't get the premium suite (thinking DRW here)

 

[straitman]

Is there anywhere you two haven't been? And anywhere y'all don't get the premium suite (thinking DRW here)

A few places and occasionally.

 

[beardoc]

After booking three nights of Advance Purchase fares for Melbourne and Adelaide just two days before the Great Getaway sale, I think I am going to avoid booking any advance purchase fares more than about 7-10 days out of staying. I booked and prices came in about $30-40 cheaper within a couple of days.

I'm of the belief that now booking the Best Available Rate as early as possible and then waiting for a cheaper deal to come along is the way to do it. I've been bitten by Advance Purchase too often now. And you lose the flexibility too.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'm of the belief that now booking the Best Available Rate as early as possible and then waiting for a cheaper deal to come along is the way to do it. I've been bitten by Advance Purchase too often now. And you lose the flexibility too.

Do AP rates increase the closer to the date? I thought they did, but right now I can't say for sure.

 

[straitman]

Do AP rates increase the closer to the date? I thought they did, but right now I can't say for sure.

I find they are a little like airfares.

They go up or down depending on how heavily booked the hotel is.

 

[Sprucegoose]

After booking three nights of Advance Purchase fares for Melbourne and Adelaide just two days before the Great Getaway sale, I think I am going to avoid booking any advance purchase fares more than about 7-10 days out of staying. I booked and prices came in about $30-40 cheaper within a couple of days.

I'm of the belief that now booking the Best Available Rate as early as possible and then waiting for a cheaper deal to come along is the way to do it. I've been bitten by Advance Purchase too often now. And you lose the flexibility too.

i agree with you here. I got stung on a few poor decisions on my part in the states recently and they were not as flexible as I woud have liked!

 

[drron]

Just my experience(admittedly with SPG) last week.Six weeks before we leave and the time I usually lock in rates.Six hotels-rebooking 4 on a non cancellable rate saved~$1600,1 was virtually the same as my initial BAR and one-Tokyo-had gone from 18,000 Yen to 42,000 as the advance purchase so sticking with my original booking and switched my suite night awards to another property.

 

[JohnK]

If I decide I will stay at a Hilton then I will book the Advance Purchase rate and stick with it. Generally I do my bookings <60 days from date of travel.

I am thinking of a few nights at Hiltons in Thailand in ~30 days and I have not yet booked. If rate increases then so be it and I shall find another hotel. Not the end of the world....

 

[beardoc]

If you're doing that, JohnK, you may as well book a refundable booking rate, like the AAA rate, and if it rises, you've locked in a rate, if it falls, you just cancel.

 

[JohnK]

If you're doing that, JohnK, you may as well book a refundable booking rate, like the AAA rate, and if it rises, you've locked in a rate, if it falls, you just cancel.

The problem with that theory for me is I do not want to pay what they are charging as a flexible rate or even the AAA rate.

Just as an example I am looking at Hilton Hua Hin in July in a King Bay Room.

Great Getaway Sale - ฿3,903
Advance Purchase - ฿4,660
AAA Rate - ฿5,525
Best Flexible Rate - ฿5,826

That is a sizeable difference in price between Best Flexible and Advance Purchase and even bigger down to Great Getaway Sale. The AAA rate looks poor.

With Diamond status I can justify 2-3 nights at the cheaper rate possible as that would cover breakfast and I would have canapes for dinner.

If I did not have Diamond status then I would simply book 5 nights at Thipurai City in Hua Hin in a superior room at ฿7,000 for 5 nights and 6 nights in Eastiny Seven in Pattaya in a superior room at ฿6,900 for 6 nights and 1 night near BKK airport at ฿900 for the night. Take note all these rates include buffet breakfast for 2 people.

If I want to spend 40-50 nights in Thailand a year I can do without the luxury.

 

[sydunipete]

I am recently back from a trip through Europe, the Middle East and Moscow

With Moscow you wouldn't have had much choice. You need to book in advance so you get their Visa Support service. (ie confirmation of a booking is required before you can get a tourist visa to Russia unless you want to use one of those online third party services that charge a fee and sound decidedly dodgy.)

 

[dandandan]

I had made some reservations for next year in Singapore and New York and cancelled and re-booked them when I saw some promos and subsequent lower rates. I was very careful to ensure I cancelled the existing reservations and not the new one's at the lower rate however when looking at this today under my reservations it shows the original reservations and their confirmation numbers at their higher rates. I tried searching for the new reservation under the emailed confirmation number however they do not show up. Has anyone experienced this? The cancellation emails you receive have a cancellation number which does not reference any of the confirmation numbers from the bookings. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[ronicat]

I had made some reservations for next year in Singapore and New York and cancelled and re-booked them when I saw some promos and subsequent lower rates. I was very careful to ensure I cancelled the existing reservations and not the new one's at the lower rate however when looking at this today under my reservations it shows the original reservations and their confirmation numbers at their higher rates. I tried searching for the new reservation under the emailed confirmation number however they do not show up. Has anyone experienced this? The cancellation emails you receive have a cancellation number which does not reference any of the confirmation numbers from the bookings. Has anyone else experienced this?

This is what has happened for one of my bookings in Washington also. The original booking was $800 more than the one I changed to. I know that i cancelled the original booking because i did it before making the cheaper booking. My booking was showing with the correct pricing earlier but now I can only see the original high priced booking. To rebook now is more expensive again. I did the same for bookings in other cities and they are showing correctly ( the difference was not as great in the price of these though).

 

[ronicat]

I should also mention that when I click on the link in my confirmation email for the cheaper booking it shows it as a cancellation not a booking even though the email says confirmation of your booking.

 

[dandandan]

When I click on the link in my confirmation email for the cheaper booking I get this; No reservation was found. Please check your Confirmation number and Last name or last 4 digits of the credit card on this reservation and try again.

I have emailed them outlining my problem so will report back when response received.

I should also mention that when I click on the link in my confirmation email for the cheaper booking it shows it as a cancellation not a booking even though the email says confirmation of your booking.