HH Gold and qualifying period

[Moopere]

I think I've nutted my way through this, but always nice to check the reality from those who have already trodden the path.

I qualified for HH Gold in July, HH runs a calendar year qualification period. The wording on the HH site leads me to believe that once you qualify you are immediately elevated to Gold status for the rest of the current calendar year + the whole of the next one.

So, presumably any Hilton stays I do in the remainder of this calendar year will boost me towards Diamond and have no effect of 2012 Gold requal. 31st December my slate is wiped clean and I enjoy 1 Jan- 31 Dec 2012 as a Gold and need to requalifiy entirely during the course of 2012.


Assuming the above is correct, my question is probably a bit similar to anyone accruing status past Gold in a FF program - I'm unlikely to ever hit Diamond, therefore, once Gold is assured I may as well start building status in another program (because Hiltons are not everywhere and spreading loyalty can make some sense). Or .... does Hilton operate a form of 'soft landing' whereby if I miss Gold one year by a little bit, yet have consistently accrued more than Gold requirements (but less than Diamond) for a number of years previously, they might comp me?

Whats peoples experiences?

 

[simongr]

I was Diamond, they changed the qualifying period rules otherwise I would almost still be Diamond. They dropped me from Dimaond to Silver.

 

[serfty]

As a Blue/Silver/Gold, have 28 stays January thru June (or otherwise qualify) and be diamond from then until the end of March 21 months later. (They give three months extra.)

About five years ago they introduced a "Rolling Tier" when stays/nights/points accumulated during a consecutive 13 month period would be the criteria for Qualification. This cause much confusion/angst and they reverted to the Calendar Year Qualification period.

While there are individual anecdotes of some being soft landed, most of the reports I have come across indicate that isn't SOP. People have gone from Diamond to Blue on 1st April.

 

[Moopere]

About five years ago they introduced a "Rolling Tier" when stays/nights/points accumulated during a consecutive 13 month period would be the criteria for Qualification.

Ah. This would have suited me. Never mind.

So the HH "Year" is up till April? I don't know why I thought it was December ... I could have sworn I read that somewhere, but perhaps I just inferred it. Makes sense to me now actually as my card just turned up and does indeed expire April 2013.

TBH, its pretty generous, but good to know exactly what I need to be doing. The small detail seems to always be hard to find or even missing on companies web sites.

Cheers.

 

[oz_mark]

Ah. This would have suited me. Never mind.

So the HH "Year" is up till April? I don't know why I thought it was December ... I could have sworn I read that somewhere, but perhaps I just inferred it. Makes sense to me know actually as my card just turned up and does indeed expire April 2013.

TBH, its pretty generous, but good to know exactly what I need to be doing. The small detail seems to always be hard to find or even missing on companies web sites.

The qualification year is the calendar year - so for the purposes of meeting the qualification criteria it is indeed December. However, you do get to keep any status through to end of March.

(I don't atcually know why some folk found the rolling calendar was so hard to understand)

 

[serfty]

...

(I don't atcually know why some folk found the rolling calendar was so hard to understand)

I liked it!

If a status level was earned through it, that status would be available for up to 27 months¹ as the status period was still fixed at the year you earned it and the following 15 months Jan-Mar.

I guess the problem was many punters found it difficult to comprehend a rolling qualification with a 'fixed calendar' of benefits.

¹ Have 27 stays in the 12 months leading up to and including December, have 1 stay in January and Diamond was your for nearly 27 months.

 

[simongr]

I also really liked it - the fact that my actual spend made a difference rather than the specific timing of spend was great.

 

[Moopere]

I also really liked it - the fact that my actual spend made a difference rather than the specific timing of spend was great.

Yes, I think this is really what my post is all about actually.

It would potentially flatten customers spend where that spend was optional or personal. Little point for instance, in me taking a weeks holiday mid December at a Hilton hotel if I'm already at gold and won't make it to diamond, better, if possible, to push that spend into January. All feels artificial and woudn't really suit the hotels either I wouldn't think - they'd want a more linear spend pattern I'd have thought.

Thanks for the info though folks - its clear for me now.

 

[munitalP]

the whole thing does my head in....

can someone who knows please just put each tier and number of stays into a simple matrix?

HH really hurts my head

 

[straitman]

the whole thing does my head in....

can someone who knows please just put each tier and number of stays into a simple matrix?

HH really hurts my head

Straight from the HHonors web site:
To Qualify

Blue
To become a Blue-level member of Hilton HHonors®, all you need to do is enroll online, at an HHonors hotel or by calling 1-800-HHONORS (1-800-446-6677) or the Hilton Reservations and Customer Care office nearest you.
Silver
Hilton HHonors Silver Elite membership will be awarded to Members with four stays* or 10 nights* earned during any calendar year. A "night" is a night that is part of a "stay," as that term is defined herein.
Gold
Hilton HHonors Gold Elite membership will be awarded to Members with 16 stays*, 36 nights* or 60,000 Base pointsearned during any calendar year. A "night" is a night that is part of a "stay," as that term is defined herein. Base points earned will count toward Gold Elite tier qualification. Bonus points earned on Base points do not count toward Elite tier qualification.
Diamond
Hilton HHonors Diamond Elite Membership will be awarded to Members with 28 stays*, 60 nights* or 100,000 Base points earned during any calendar year. A "night" is a night that is part of a "stay," as that term is defined herein. Base points earned will count toward Diamond Elite tier qualification. Bonus points earned on Base points do not count toward Elite tier qualification.