Hilton Honors discussion

[VPS]

My certificate expired before I was able to use it and I was not a happy camper. I had wanted to use it at the Adelaide Hilton for a special weekend and they couldn't do it so ended up having to use points one night and pay the other. Spent hours on the phone with the call centre and it was still screwed up and I was charged a payment and points for one night. In the end I ended up dealing with the people at the Hilton Adelaide who were fantastic and got it sorted for me and they have given me a free night to use anywhere in the world instead. Be firm but persistent.

 

[Pele]

Gday

Well after five more calls today i finally got my reward night booked. There was plenty of misinformation and a total lack of problem solving ability on show as well as atrocious geographical knowledge, however i got there.

What is clear is that they are having a tonne of problems with reward night certificates as well as customers stays and points crediting properly. This has been ongoing for almost two months with no end in sight. Embarrassing to be honest.

Just as a note for others: if the night you want to book using your weekend night certificate is not available as there are no standard room rewards showing dont write it off. The situation can improve. I had been checking for close on 9 months for the specific night and hotel i desired and it was always showing as a premium reward night at a cost of between 175,000 and 335,000 points. Until this week when two days ago i noticed it was showing at the standard room reward rate of 95,000 a night. The stay is in about 4 weeks time.

Pele.

 

[straitman]

I guess it's time for me to ring the Diamond desk and see what they'll help me with toward retaining Diamond. I might have to use my free year!

 

[VPS]

I guess it's time for me to ring the Diamond desk and see what they'll help me with toward retaining Diamond. I might have to use my free year!

Let us know how you get on - in the same boat

 

[kermatu]

I guess it's time for me to ring the Diamond desk and see what they'll help me with toward retaining Diamond. I might have to use my free year!

I used my free year for Diamond status last year (2018). Very glad I did. I’d not even reached Gold myself. But had a few trips to cities where Hilton status is still worthwhile (in Europe, Asia), so figured I’d use it. Got plenty of great upgrades and lots of access to lounges.

I’ll get another couple of years as diamond courtesy of VA Platinum next. All means I can just select the stays I want without trying to chase Diamond status anymore, which seems too steep to me these days and of less value in our region post HSW and with fewer properties having lounges. Accor a much better option in my view.

No idea if they will, but if one or more of my free years count toward my lifetime 10 year requirement I may get back on the chase.

The other reason I’d advocate using a free year is you never know if the option may be killed one day!

 

[daft009]

Does Gold mean full free buffet breakfast for myself and wife. As some sites refer to it as only a free continental breakfast

 

[woodborer]

Does Gold mean full free buffet breakfast for myself and wife. As some sites refer to it as only a free continental breakfast

Technically the breakfast benefit is for continental breakfast. In practice many hotels, outside the US, will offer Gold members a hot/full breakfast.

 

[DC3]

Does Gold mean full free buffet breakfast for myself and wife. As some sites refer to it as only a free continental breakfast

The bottom line is continental. Depending on the hotel, you may get more. Expect to pay a surcharge for hot items, but then again you may be lucky. In Oz there is often a coffee tax - coffee from a proper (barista) machine. In Asia you may get a better deal than in Oz.

 

[daft009]

Thanks guys. Have booked in Singapore. Let's see

 

[Cynicor]

Singapore and SE Asia will always be full breakfast. Can't think of anywhere that isn't

 

[DC3]

Singapore and SE Asia will always be full breakfast. Can't think of anywhere that isn't

I was reminded at Hilton Cairns, once or twice, that hot breakfast items would cost.

 

[Cynicor]

Sorry, can't think of anywhere in SE Asia. AU and USA I can name a few!

 

[straitman]

Sorry, can't think of anywhere in SE Asia. AU and USA I can name a few!

Singapore gives a full breakfast and last time I was there the Conrad in Hong Kong.

 

[Cynicor]

Singapore gives a full breakfast and last time I was there the Conrad in Hong Kong.

Now we're getting lost! I was saying everywhere in SE Asia gives a full breakfast.

 

[straitman]

Now we're getting lost! I was saying everywhere in SE Asia gives a full breakfast.

Oops. Sorry I misread it.

 

[tinkybelle]

the original offer for free macquarie HHonors visa card with lifetime fee free and gold as a friend of mine has just been charged $395.I also have the card and am wondering if I will get the charge this year too.

 

[Pele]

Tinkybelle,

If this is the offer in mid to late 2017 then yes i have it.

I am going through the same argument now with MBL. I recently went through my statements for the past 6 months and noticed they charged me the $395 in August. I rang up to complain and said i was on the no fee offer. They put me on hold and then came back and said 'no im not, you are on the reduced fee ($99) in the first year and full fee after that offer'. I then asked her if i was charged the $99 in the first year she said yes. I later verified I was charged this too. I said well you can refund that to me aswell. She said that was not the offer i signed up for. I told her i had the email from Hilton with the offer, and the screenshots from my signing up process. She told me to send them through which i did over a month ago. I asked what the turn around time was for this case. She said there is no estimated turn around time. What the f*ck! i am busy at the moment and going away next week staying in Hiltons all the way so will give them a call this time next month if i haven't heard from them.

MBL are scum. Along with citibank they are the bottomfeeders of the financial services industry and we all know how low the bar is set there.

The reason why i saved all the sign up documentation is that i new this would happen.

Anyway send me a private message with you details and i will forward through what i have. If yours was from an offer for a different time then someone else might be able to help.

Pele.

 

[tinkybelle]

Tinkybelle,

If this is the offer in mid to late 2017 then yes i have it.

I am going through the same argument now with MBL. I recently went through my statements for the past 6 months and noticed they charged me the $395 in August. I rang up to complain and said i was on the no fee offer. They put me on hold and then came back and said 'no im not, you are on the reduced fee ($99) in the first year and full fee after that offer'. I then asked her if i was charged the $99 in the first year she said yes. I later verified I was charged this too. I said well you can refund that to me aswell. She said that was not the offer i signed up for. I told her i had the email from Hilton with the offer, and the screenshots from my signing up process. She told me to send them through which i did over a month ago. I asked what the turn around time was for this case. She said there is no estimated turn around time. What the f*ck! i am busy at the moment and going away next week staying in Hiltons all the way so will give them a call this time next month if i haven't heard from them.

MBL are scum. Along with citibank they are the bottomfeeders of the financial services industry and we all know how low the bar is set there.

The reason why i saved all the sign up documentation is that i new this would happen.

Anyway send me a private message with you details and i will forward through what i have. If yours was from an offer for a different time then someone else might be able to help.

Pele.

No mine was free for life with gold for life of the card I have had it for about 3 yrs issued in 08/16 but that could be a second card not sure I thought I had for more than 2.4 yrs a lot of us on here got that offer.

 

[VPS]

I applied in October 2017 and have found the paperwork which was $99 for the first year and then $295 for each following year. I am well past the annual date and haven't got an annual fee but if I do I will cancel it. I also somehow received Hilton Diamond even though I only spent about $4k so I don't want to ask any questions.

 

[tinkybelle]

Macquarie Platinum Visa Credit Card - $0 Annual Fee for Life and Hilton Honors Gold Status cant get the link to re create the offer maybe someone has on old email for oct 16