Hilton Honors - 2013 Changes to Award rates, new Category

[Formal Hall]

Given that SPG, Marriott and IHG are all increasing the point costs of their NYC properties at the moment maybe it should be the priority.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Thanks guys, at this stage it's looking like Times Square is winning out. I think the deal is book the standard Diamond Reward room and secure a paid upgrade to a ball drop view ( rack rate $8000 ish). Back up plan is early access to the pens outdoors. Hopefully they'll be nice to us as I'm a repeat visitor there and both Shrek and I are Diamonds.
Not available as a one night redemption so will have to stay 2 or 3 nights and also book 2 rooms to accommodate all 6 of us.
After that my points balance will be zero

 

[drdpr]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

So burn I am. Just completed our family redemption for 3PAX RTW business class with QF, all points gone. Confirmations Booking in for 9 nights Conrad Maldives 1-9th Dec 300k pts; Bahamas 2-6th Jan 170k; Hilton Tokyo 9-13th Jan 136k; Conrad Hong Kong 13/14th 50k.

So update, all points now blown. For the rest slight change in itinerary, so we have booked in 3 nights in Venice at the Molino, 3 nights at Rome Cavalieri, 2 nights LAX, 2 nights Colombo Sri Lanka. Calculated cashed in value for all these nights comes in at AUD $14,343 using AUD/USD 1.02 AUD/EUR 0.78 YEN 95 and HK$ 8. As Rome airport and Madrid airport HH redemption requirements do not change for the time of year I am there, I should hopefully earn some more HHpts to cover at least one more night over the course of this year. Anyway ~$/point value = 14,343/1,080,000 = 0.01328 $/pt. Good luck to all of you for your own plans!

 

[Formal Hall]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Excellent redemption value given that the changes seem designed to ensure you cannot average better than half a cent per point value. The real uncertainty with this change is whether the seasonal point pricing will remain fixed - just because the European airport hotels are not changing at the moment doesn't mean they won't some months down the track with no fanfare.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Points balance now zero
Spent 300K now have 3 nights ( 2 rooms) at Doubletree Times Square 29th Dec -1st Jan.
Paid cost of same booking is currently $11,994 plus taxes.
Now to negotiate a view

 

[burmans]

Points balance now zero
Spent 300K now have 3 nights ( 2 rooms) at Doubletree Times Square 29th Dec -1st Jan.
Paid cost of same booking is currently $11,994 plus taxes.
Now to negotiate a view

That paid rate is insane, much as I like New York! Of course the redempption value makes it a lot better, so congrats. I do think a view would add considerable value.

In the meantime I'll have to put up with the HI in the rocks for same period, albeit at a somewhat reduced redemption rate.

 

[Ewing]

Just spent 75,000 points to save USD$1,300 on a 3 night stay (Conrad New York; cat 9).

Not quite as good as Fiona, but I'm happy with that.

Now to figure out what to do with the rest of my points before March 28

Edit:

Another 120,000 points spent on 3 nights in New Orleans. Also saved me ~$1,300

 

[QF029]

Just spent 75,000 points to save USD$1,300 on a 3 night stay (Conrad New York; cat 9).

Not quite as good as Fiona, but I'm happy with that.

Now to figure out what to do with the rest of my points before March 28

Edit:

Another 120,000 points spent on 3 nights in New Orleans. Also saved me ~$1,300

How does that work? Isn't it 50k per night currently?

 

[Ewing]

How does that work? Isn't it 50k per night currently?

25,000 plus $150 for a king superior suite.

Other options were 50,000/night or ~$600/night inc tax.

Points plus pay sounded like a damn good option

 

[hummel]

Burnt the 50,000 points I had in my account to extend my honeymoon by a day at Bora Bora.

 

[QF029]

Thanks I just did a similar thing for the Millennium Hilton NYC for 25k plus $100 per night for 29/12-1/1 but the Conrad doesn't give a C & P option.

 

[QF029]

Just a heads up that the Doubletree Times Square is now available for a single night redemption (50k) on NYE. Availability for points bookings usually comes and goes but it's fairly unusual not to have a two or 3 night minimum for new year.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Glad I remembered to make my bookings this week! Just blew 125k points (+~$500AUD) for 5 nights (just before Christmas) at the Waldorf in Shanghai, saving around $1200 overall... obviously there's better value to be had at some of the other properties, but it was still better value than redeeming 3 nights (@40k/night), and then paying $$ for the other 2 nights. In saying that, it was the best value for my travel plans, and I'm extremely happy - particularly as I've never 'tried' to accrue HH points (unlike my QF points, especially credit card points) - the HH points have just been accrued in the background as a consequence of a number of great trips. Can't complain really!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Bit the bullet and booked 7 nights Conrad Rangali for Jan 2015.

I note they say they cannot accept bookings more than a year in advance, but I was able to do it so I hope I don't get a "Dear John" email sometime in the future!

 

[smart1999]

Bit the bullet and booked 7 nights Conrad Rangali for Jan 2015.

I note they say they cannot accept bookings more than a year in advance, but I was able to do it so I hope I don't get a "Dear John" email sometime in the future!

Yaeh, over on FT there were discussions that the redemption certificate would only be valid for 12 months and that the Conrad may not accept your booking once you get there...or even before you go. I can't see how they can expect a "normal" customer to know these details as the 12 months validity is not shown anywhere during the reservation process.

Is anyone here concerned that the Conrads that allow you to book now until March 2015 using points (and by the way also using cash which for Conrad Rangali there are some really attractive rates available for 2015 of under $500 per night) will cancel your award booking before your stay?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Yaeh, over on FT there were discussions that the redemption certificate would only be valid for 12 months and that the Conrad may not accept your booking once you get there...or even before you go. I can't see how they can expect a "normal" customer to know these details as the 12 months validity is not shown anywhere during the reservation process.

Is anyone here concerned that the Conrads that allow you to book now until March 2015 using points (and by the way also using cash which for Conrad Rangali there are some really attractive rates available for 2015 of under $500 per night) will cancel your award booking before your stay?

Hilton problem of allowing their web site to accept the bookings. The notice I saw was if the 2015 date was entered straight up. Altering dates allowed it, so how can I be responsible for their site. I complied. I have the booking confirmation. I have a tongue which can strip paint if needed. Let them try........


PS...those mega-cheap US$400 nite in Jan 2015 are no longer available so they are aware that these dates can be booked.

 

[beardoc]

I'm sitting on the eve of the changes and wondering if I should book something now, knowing that there's a good chance I won't be able to make it (like a week at the DoubleTree Suites in Times Square over NYE). Truth is, I am just starting a new job next week and have no idea as to my availability. I know I can cancel without penalty, but I think I might be just copping this one on the chin. My 550,000 HHonors points are just going to get devalued. I didn't exactly have them planned for use, so whilst this is disappointing, it's not devastating.

 

[Pleb Status]

Looking at the new redemption rates for New York, I am happy that I burnt all of my 120k+ HH points prior to 28 March. Doubletree Times Square at 95000 points per night is a bit steep.

Booked the Millennium Hilton earlier this week for 2 nights in June at 50000 points + USD237 (effective point value of 1.51c/pt at current all cash rate of USD429+tax/nt). Now it is 160000 points with no +pay option for the same dates (effective point value of 0.62c/pt at current all cash rate of USD429+tax/nt). In this particular example, Hilton have devalued my future HH points by 1.51/0.62 = 2.43. Even the straight points devaluation is 1.60.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Is anyone here concerned that the Conrads that allow you to book now until March 2015 using points (and by the way also using cash which for Conrad Rangali there are some really attractive rates available for 2015 of under $500 per night) will cancel your award booking before your stay?

Just a bit more on this. Quite a few of us booked rewards stays in advance and before the changes. I think I may have been the only one to push it out past 1 year in advance. I logged on just before to check my resevations and clicked on my Rangali reservation "Rate Detail" tab to see some odd calculations (see pic below).

Two things jumped out at me...
1) my booking is still there, confirmed at the rate booked (262 500 for 7 nites), but each nite is shown as costing 80,750 points; and
2) there appears to be some kind of points break added to that night rate which is not the old diamond 25% off nor the new 5th night free.

I know my maths is not wonderful, but when I went to school, 262500/7 does not equal 80750. I note you can still book that far out, but it does require booking through the reservations call centre and I also note the $ rates are high again too.

I think it's pretty clear that HH and the hotels concerned are honouring these bookings but are dodgying up the points to somehow make sense. I wonder if HH and CR have struck a deal on these odd-bod bookings? What does everyone elses' rate details show?

 

[smart1999]

Don't worry, you are not the "only" one...got a few bookings past March 2014 including a paid booking. All my bookings show different points rates ranging from 76.000 to 78.850 to 80.750 per night just like yours. My paid reservation has not changed in terms of rate though. Interestingly, after I looked at the details of all my future reservations it now says "this reservation is not associated with this Hilton account" and I can't get into the reservation again...another great IT glitch at Hilton I guess.

I'm not sure what they are doing but it looks like this lot of stays will be our last visits to Rangali unless IHG decides to also devalue their points system to the same extend and then pretty much ALL hotel loyalty programs are completely useless for decent luxury hotel stay redemptions.