HHonors Gold/Diamond for Velocity Gold/Plat

[Ausbt]

Hilton Queenstown for example only provide continental. It's $10 extra to get the full breakfast.

That's good to know actually, as I'm booked into the HQ this coming August. I had been musing that as a Diamond I'd wasted money booking the 'bed and breakfast' package, but possibly I would have had to stump up an extra NZD$10 anyway? Hope the AUD doesn't tank before I get there!

 

[Ausbt]

Now I just have to figure out which car rental offer to go with

Europcar. This week I booked a Standard and they handed me the keys to a Merc C200.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Europcar. This week I booked a Standard and they handed me the keys to a Merc C200.

So Europcar has got the Mercs back.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'm assuming when I hit Plat Velocity that I'll have the opportunity to upgrade to Diamond anyway?

I wouldn't rush into that assumption. There is some evidence to suggest a plat dropping to gold has been newly offered comp status but I can't recall any golds rising to plat being offered the same "double dip". I may be wrong, but I think that's more a possibility than a definite.

 

[Fruitcake]

I may be wrong, but I think that's more a possibility than a definite.

I can confirm it happened to me. I activated Hertz Five Star when gold, then a few months later made platinum and was once again able to choose between the platinum offer for Hertz (President's Circle) or Europcar (Privilege Partner).

However I (foolishly, as it turns out) didn't bother to activate a hotel offer when Gold.

 

[lobo76]

I can confirm it happened to me. I activated Hertz Five Star when gold, then a few months later made platinum and was once again able to choose between the platinum offer for Hertz (President's Circle) or Europcar (Privilege Partner).

However I (foolishly, as it turns out) didn't bother to activate a hotel offer when Gold.

So does that mean I can get Gold with one offer and Plat on another? Maybe I'll go Gold with IHG and Diamond/Plat with Hilton....

 

[Fifa]

Careful with that statement.

While many hotels in this region do provide a full breakfast, Hilton Queenstown for example only provide continental. It's $10 extra to get the full breakfast.

We stayed at Hilton Taupo one year ago and they also only offered continental breakfast with an option to pay $$ to upgrade to cooked.
There was not much variety and the selection was definitely old hat by day 6!

 

[anat0l]

We stayed at Hilton Taupo one year ago and they also only offered continental breakfast with an option to pay $$ to upgrade to cooked.
There was not much variety and the selection was definitely old hat by day 6!

OK that's another 'exception'. It should definitely be noted that the gazetted benefit is continental breakfast complimentary. I know most of us know this well, but it's a bit of a beginners trap, especially if their first experience is a property that offers full breakfast complimentary.


Breakfast is much the same around the world. If "old hat" is achieved on day 3, that's a really good breakfast buffet. Most are old hat by day 2.

 

[Fruitcake]

So does that mean I can get Gold with one offer and Plat on another? Maybe I'll go Gold with IHG and Diamond/Plat with Hilton....

Assuming the system's treatment of the rental car status and hotel status benefits are consistent (and have not changed during the past twelve months) then yes it may be possible to select both if you lock one in before becoming platinum.

 

[serfty]

Having had over 100 stays at Hiltons around the world as a Gold/Diamond, I consider the "continental"/Lounge breakfast as a given and treat anything more as a bonus.

Lot's of bonii in Oz for the last year or so ... before that, not so much ...

 

[lobo76]

Assuming the system's treatment of the rental car status and hotel status benefits are consistent (and have not changed during the past twelve months) then yes it may be possible to select both if you lock one in before becoming platinum.

Hmnn anyone else have a more recent experience with the hotel offers?

 

[QF WP]

Now that I am (finally) up to Plat, when should I trigger my HH Diamond upgrade?? ASAP or wait....don't have bookings until May (PER), but some travel to MEL and PER prior could need Hilton stays.

 

[lobo76]

Now that I am (finally) up to Plat, when should I trigger my HH Diamond upgrade?? ASAP or wait....don't have bookings until May (PER), but some travel to MEL and PER prior could need Hilton stays.

Hey Lindsay, did you already claim the Gold offer? Can you confirm that you get another dip when you hit Plat?

 

[QF WP]

Yes, I did claim the Gold offer to Hilton last year (nothing worse than dropping Gold to Silver, so a nice bump back to Gold). I only achieved Plat yesterday and it does give me the offer page (HH or IHG). No brainer there!

 

[lobo76]

Yes, I did claim the Gold offer to Hilton last year (nothing worse than dropping Gold to Silver, so a nice bump back to Gold). I only achieved Plat yesterday and it does give me the offer page (HH or IHG). No brainer there!

Awesome. So I'm assuming that if you chose IHG that'd you'd retain HH Gold and so hold both?
Although looking at the benefits on IHG they don't seem to compare, their Diamond seems comparable with HH Gold...

 

[markis10]

Awesome. So I'm assuming that if you chose IHG that'd you'd retain HH Gold and so hold both?
Although looking at the benefits on IHG they don't seem to compare, their Diamond seems comparable with HH Gold...

IHG dont have Diamond, its Platimum and as common as Accor A club platinum with about the same number of benefits, unless you are going to China. That will change next year but in the interim Hilton is much better for benefits, which of course are only good if the rates are within what you pay and they have properties where you need them.

 

[markis10]

Now that I am (finally) up to Plat, when should I trigger my HH Diamond upgrade?? ASAP or wait....don't have bookings until May (PER), but some travel to MEL and PER prior could need Hilton stays.

Suggest stay Gold until April, minor loss of some benefits made up for having them for a year longer

 

[QF WP]

So my reading between the lines is that if I trigger before 31/3, I would only have Diamond until 31/3/14, but if I trigger after 1/4, it will be until 31/3/15...

Nice . Thank you very much markis10.

 

[QF WP]

Awesome. So I'm assuming that if you chose IHG that'd you'd retain HH Gold and so hold both?
Although looking at the benefits on IHG they don't seem to compare, their Diamond seems comparable with HH Gold...

Yes, I'd have IHG Plat and (BIB) Hilton Gold. As I had 1 stay with IHG last year, it would mean Club back to Plat, but I am burning points with IHG at the moment and can't see many stays with them in 2013 or 14 (even let go my PP membership last week as I had under utilised it).

IHG Plat is significantly lesser than HH Diamond, IMHO. Can't wait for Diamond (kid in a candy store excited squeal)

markis10 is absolutely spot on with his comment:

IHG dont have Diamond, its Platimum and as common as Accor A club platinum with about the same number of benefits, unless you are going to China. That will change next year but in the interim Hilton is much better for benefits, which of course are only good if the rates are within what you pay and they have properties where you need them.

Where I travel with overnight stay requirements (PER, MEL, SYD, ADL in that order) and with Hilton Premium Club discounts and Gold/Diamond benefits, Hiltons are way out in front for me. Not even a fair comparison really.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

So my reading between the lines is that if I trigger before 31/3, I would only have Diamond until 31/3/14, but if I trigger after 1/4, it will be until 31/3/15...

Nice . Thank you very much markis10.

According to Princess Fionas experience, it doesn't matter whether it's before or after Mar 31, you'll get until Mar 2015 regardless.


My question is, how long have people left these upgrades sitting in their accounts?

I'll qual VA plat in Mar some time, but as I'm HH Diamond until Mar 2014, and IHG Plat. Amb until Jan 2014, and will requal HH diamond this year by BiB (I'm already 1/2 there) and maybe requal IHG, I'm wondering if I can leave it sit there until 2015, effectively giving me HH diamond right through to Mar. 2017. On my J reward bookings for the first half of this year, requaling VA plat will most likely happen so my dilemma seems to be the longevity of these comp offers.