The HH Devaluation Thread

[Deleted member 29185]

With the Hilton "enhancements" continuing and the discussions spread all over the place, I thought I might try to start a devaluation thread so we can keep track of them.

Here's a start from what I remember.....

2012 - HH Gold loses exec room upgrade to "preferred"* room only
2013 - Status attaining/retaining levels increased (by 20% in some cases)
2013 - Point redemptions altered (generally devalued, in some cases substantially) with additional hotel categories added up to cat.10
2013 - Long stay discount for 4, 5 and 6 night redemption stays removed and replaced by 5th night free
2013 - Macquarie card enhanced with the 20% discount removed and the $99 night removed
2013 - HSYD and HSW tending to choose not to participate in HH promotions
2013 - AUD/USD exchange rate drops (not Hiltons fault but still an impact)
2013 - Espresso coffee and tea now an addition charge of AU$5/cup at AU Hiltons (I think they all now do this?)
2013 - Lack of attractive bonus promo offers from HH this year (personal interpretation)
2013 - Bonus promos failing to work as promised (HH card survey and Europcar bonuses)
2013 - E Upgrade options missing (reportedly)
2013 - HH Diamond room ugrade to "preferred"* room (suite option is still however showing in T&Cs)
2013 - Reference to "high speed" internet is removed although no reported devaluation of this benefit....yet.
2014 - points + fixed miles removed as a "my way" earning option

It seems 2013 is the year of the devaluation. Let's hope it pulls up shortly or there will be no HH benefit left to devalue! Have I forgotten any?

* Preferred room is at the discretion of the hotel rather than guests preference

 

[turtlemichael]

Are you on a mission? I'm sure we could draw a similar list of every reward scheme, hotel or air, in the country.

As you say in respect of your point on the lack of attractive bonuses this year, it is your interpretation. With my stay pattern, usually 4+ days, I reckon I have earned a free night for each 4-5 I've stayed. In Sydney it depends on how often I eat at Glass :shock: That represents a 20% discount that I am more than pleased with. In fact, I think that the current bonus scheme is more generous than most, possibly to recover the sort of business they want, because the last devaluation was so severe.

I'd also point out that at the IC Sydney as an RA I got an upgrade to a suite about one in each 15 stays and then only when they were single night stays. But I was a bottom rate user. I switched to HH with the VA offer because I was frustrated by the cutbacks in the Club (overcrowded, paucity of evening canapes, though I think that has now improved) at ICSyd and the total uncertainty as to whether I'd be renewed as RA. No one knows what they have to do to maintain the only worthwhile status at IHG.

In all hotels, whether I am a scheme member or not, I have come to a conclusion that I should not expect to get more than what I pay for.

 

[serfty]

...
...
2013 - Espresso coffee and tea now an addition charge of AU$5/cup at AU Hiltons (I think they all now do this?)
....

Advised $4 at HSW Sunday morning. Had a basic black 'from the urn' - then nespressoed it in the Exec lounge.

...
2013 - E Upgrade options missing (reportedly)
...

Check near the bottom of your reservation for "Custom Upgrade" when viewing online.

...

2013 - Long stay discount for 4, 5 and 6 night redemption stays removed and replaced by 5th night free
...

This was a definite devaluation for those wanting to stay, say 7 nights. The GLON discounts varied between 15% and 25% and required at least 4 nights. This is a flat 20% discount

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Are you on a mission?

A mission?

To be a frequent flyer for business we're all on a mission. The aim of this thread was to constrain the devaluation posts to just one thread rather than have them all over the place, so I guess yes, perhaps I am on a mission. If you wish to start a thread on the genuine enhancements Hilton has made then go ahead (and there are some of them too), I'd read it. If you wish to start one for all status schemes, go ahead but this one is just for Hilton as there has been far more devaluations than genine enhancements and I see no reason not to list them together for easy reference.

Just on your last point, if you don't expect more than you pay for, why then be a member of a loyalty scheme? Obviously that is a very valid option and if Hilton continue devaluing their loyalty scheme, it'll be an option that more and more people choose but when we join loyalty schemes it's exactly to get more than what we pay for during that one visit but mostly, we do pay for it overall. A package deal so to speak and the less attractive the package, the less desirable it is to buy!

 

[turtlemichael]

I thought you might be on a mission as you've posted several times in the past few days about aspects of the hotels (one in particular) and a scheme that you do not like. I got the impression that you didn't intend to use them again or at least for a while. It is still perfectly valid to post a new thread as you've done, of course. Perhaps it is a good idea to have all this stuff in one place.

I haven't got time to do what you've done looking at the good points so someone else can take up that challenge. Perhaps someone can look at how other schemes have been devalued too. It is the nature of the beast. I just make the observation, which I think is valid to do on the thread you started, that Hilton is not alone and, who knows, maybe not even the worst. I do share you view though that without the sort of bonuses around HHonors at the moment (the ones that suit me ), the accrual of sufficient points for award nights would be very hard.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I thought you might be on a mission as you've posted several times in the past few days about aspects of the hotels (one in particular) and a scheme that you do not like.

Actually I've posted several times in the past few days...for the past few years...about several schemes I both do and don't like. I'm not actually sure which scheme it is that I don't like that you refer to (HHonors?) as I do still enjoy the benefits of HH and intend to do so for a number of years to come yet. My comment was in fact that I'd be booking elsewhere other than HSYD, when I stay in Sydney but I'd still stay in many Hiltons elsewhere. In fact I much prefer most Hiltons over most IHG properties (based on the very limited number of IHG stays I've had) including the Hilton Cairns over the HI Cairns. Saying I'd much prefer the IC SYD over the HSYD should not be construed as me prefering IHG over Hilton as that is not true at all. The CPs and HI I've stayed at are very ordinary (passable, but ordinary) and I'd prefer most Hiltons over most IHG brands any day. Sydney just happens to be the exception rather than the rule.

When I do finally allow my status to wain with Hilton, it will be based on perceived value. If that value is too low, I won't bother with status or switch camps to an alternative which offers me more perceived value. I didn't think I was alone in that thinking, hence this thread. It hopefully will make it easier tracking the devaluation of the status.

 

[drron]

Just remember though it was only in 2006/07 that HH diamonds got quaranteed Exec lounge access.As a diamond I was denied exec lounge access in Dubai,Adelaide and KL which is one of the reasons I jumped to SPG.Another was that suite upgrades then were as rare as hen's teeth.Diamond for 7 years and only suite upgrades at BNE,Kuching and Anchorage-though there had booked a junior suite for mrsdrron's birthday but as the railway to Denali had been washed out and the hotel was overfull got an upgrade to the Governor's suite.Pre Sarah days though!

 

[Cynicor]

I have to say, having just finished a 5 nights points stay at the Conrad Maldives, I have been awarded enough points to return for 2.75 more nights. Since these room, at peak (when I would go/did go) are selling for USD 1200-1400 inc taxes, I really can't complain. For a spend of 5k I'm getting back about 3k in value if I use my points this way.

I also burn on the Hilton niseko. Nights here are going for 400-600AUD and are 30k-60k points. Worst case, I can get 5 nights for $2k of value out of the 5k spend.

This is a pretty decent return on hotel spend, and markedly better for me than my last SPG stay. It is still being fixed but I should get around 9000 points for $3k spend. This won't even get me into the Westin Sydney for a night.(I don't know the ins and outs of SPG but the return on spend seems very poor. Please let me know if I'm doing something wrong!)

While I am not a fan of the devaluations and HH changes, I will probably remain diamond for another year while I reassess my hotel stays for 2015/2016.

 

[drron]

SPG is worth it for transfer to airline points or sometimes cash and points rates.

 

[markis10]

SPG is worth it for transfer to airline points or sometimes cash and points rates.

And their BRG which easily adds 2000 SPG points to most stays, along with the fact up to three rooms count as stays.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

up to three rooms count as stays.

I didn't know that.........or have forgotten that!

 

[JohnK]

I know there has been a fair amount devaluation recently but as a Hilton Gold I cannot fault the service the past 3 nights in Bangkok.

- Hilton Sukhumvit upgraded to executive floor with lounge access and breakfast for 2 and late checkout until 3:00pm
- Hilton Doubletree given access to Mosaic room for coughtails for 2 hours and breakfast for 2 in morning
- Millenium Hilton upgraded to executive floor with lounge access and breakfast for 2

It is a shame about the points devaluation and I need to find a way to use the few points I do have wisely.

 

[vitagen]

That's pretty cool John, Got your moneys worth!

I didn't get any upgrades as spg gold! Haven't stayed in Hilton in ages!

 

[Chesty]

Is there a thread around outlining some of the best award opportunities post devaluation?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Is there a thread around outlining some of the best award opportunities post devaluation?

Not that I'm aware of Chesty.

Do you wish to start one? I'd prossibly add a few entries.

 

[drron]

That's pretty cool John, Got your moneys worth!

I didn't get any upgrades as spg gold! Haven't stayed in Hilton in ages!

There is no doubt HH gold beats SPG gold.It is at the top tier that SPG goes ahead.

 

[vitagen]

Agree Drron... unfortunately Hilton are stinge with their corporate rate agreement.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have about 800K Hilton Points. If my calculations are correct (and thanks to Ewing) this can be transferred to AA giving me 120K AA miles.
Is there any cost for this or any downside to transferring points in this way?
Would anyone else do something different with this amount of points?

 

[boomy]

I have about 800K Hilton Points. If my calculations are correct (and thanks to Ewing) this can be transferred to AA giving me 120K AA miles.
Is there any cost for this or any downside to transferring points in this way?
Would anyone else do something different with this amount of points?

Even after the devaluation the points are still good for some high end resorts like Conrad Maldives. You can get a room that costs ~$1,000 per night for 76,000 points (based on 5 nights stay as diamond).

 

[QF WP]

I've accumulated 351,735 HH points but hoping to be able to use some for European stays later this year. Sad about the overall devaluation, but thems the breaks. Don't think it worth transferring to AA, as I believe I have enough points for our flights.