Hilton Honors - 2013 Changes to Award rates, new Category

[muppet]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Hmmmm. It's just thievery.

I understand the cost proposition changes over the years, but rather than making our balances worth less, they should issue less points.

Just burned 150,000 in Thailand. Want to burn 200,000 more for New York in July.... but I'm not ready to lock in dates.


p.s. Thanks Serfty... glad I didn't find out on 28 March when my points go from 5 nights at Conrad New York to 3 night overnight.

 

[drdpr]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

I just knew this standard room reward point change had to come with all the double and triple points promotions and the down turn in hotel traffic they are experiencing from my sources within Hilton. Get the punters all geared up then devalue.

Classic one step forward, two steps backwards. For whatever they claim, this is certainly no improvement for a holder of points.

In 'fairness' (used loosely), the system as it is, likely to be unsustainable (self-inflicted in part as HH effectively run 2x or 3x bonus pts almost continuously year round), especially when you can stay at Conrad/Waldorfs or other high cost Hilton zones for same price year round.

I am very glad to have been looking over these last 2 weeks on burning my stash of 1,100,000pts on a big RTW trip for end of the year, along with I hope are 2pax J class Qantas RTW QFF redemption and blow the lot away. I have a strong feeling the "same/similar" is going to happen to QFF (especially if they list on ASX separately to the mother ship) and/or once Emirates has all of their Schedule 2 country destinations bedded down into the QFi system.

Certainly I know Maldives (Conrad Cat 10), currently can be had for 37.5k a night under diamond (5nights) and this will devalue to 95k or perhaps with the 5th night free deal it drops to 76k, so still a 100% point devaluation.

Burn baby burn!!!

 

[anat0l]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Ay ay ay! Some of those new points levels look horrendous!

Of course, I blame Hilton HHonors in the US for this one, big time. Handing out HHonors credit cards like toilet paper, with sign on bonuses to boot. It's a vastly inflated currency pool out there.

Unless you were desperate, I'm not sure whether any room is worth 95k points per night.

I'm not sure which of the major chains has had the worst redemption enhancement, but I'm going to order it (from least worst to the worst): SPG, HH, PC.

Hopefully there will be more points+cash opportunities available, as that seems to be the only reasonable way I can see redemptions going forth.

Maybe it's just "time" - like inflation, it had to be done.

 

[kpc]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

I've just got off the floor.......:evil::evil::evil:. Need to burn, burn, burn prior to the changes

Burn achieved!:mrgreen::shock:
Total for stay: 200,000 points
HHonors Points remaining in your account: 0

Hopefully, there are no change of plans for this stay in 2014!!:shock:

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

HHonors Points remaining in your account: 0

Your accounting skills are impecible!

I just hope that wasn't my room you grabbed!

 

[kpc]

I just hope that wasn't my room you grabbed!

Nah.....I think you are planning to go a month before me.

 

[tuapekastar]

Your accounting skills are impecible!

I just hope that wasn't my room you grabbed!

Nah.....I think you are planning to go a month before me.

Maldives, anyone?

 

[Danger]

Is there a way to determine what your status will be after 31 March, when the new HHonors year begins?

i know I didn't requalify for Diamond last year but I'm curious to know if HHonors will do a fairly widespread comping given the outcry over these changes. If I'm comped I'll stay with Hilton for another year; if not, I'll probably burn now and bail.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Is there a way to determine what your status will be after 31 March

Not that I'm aware. The totals for last year are gone from view so if you don't know where you ended up, I think you'll just have to wait (or try calling and ask). As for comps, I'd have my doubts as they've increased requirements for status, which to me indicates they want to decrease stautus numbers, not increase them!

 

[Pumbaa]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Unless you were desperate, I'm not sure whether any room is worth 95k points per night.

My 5 nights stay in the Maldives is going for $2300/night in Jan next year!? I managed to get a 5 night stay for 200 000 points, but in all honestly, at the cash rate, I could even justify the 95 000 points if I had the points to spare!

I must admit when I booked by 5 night stay for 200 000 points, I thought I just scored the best bargain ever!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

My 5 nights stay in the Maldives is going for $2300/night in Jan next year!? I managed to get a 5 night stay for 200 000 points, but in all honestly, at the cash rate, I could even justify the 95 000 points if I had the points to spare!

I must admit when I booked by 5 night stay for 200 000 points, I thought I just scored the best bargain ever!

And raises something else I didn't realise. The point breaks apply to gold as well as diamond!

 

[drron]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

If this statement on FT is true this really does mean a massive reduction in the value of HH points-
FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Changes to HH Reward Stays, new cat., more pts needed

 

[kpc]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

See post #24 above: burn, burn, burn before March 28!!!!!!!

 

[Cynicor]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Goodbye Hilton, hello SPG!!

I don't stay for the points, but I do appreciate being able to burn them at a reasonable rate. With the other enhancements to the program this is just the icing on the cake. I can maintain gold cheaply if I feel I need HH status and I really don't see many benefits of diamond over gold. The guaranteed lounge access and slight increase in points is not worth the extra $6k spend- I could just pay for a nicer room with that money.

Will requal for diamond with base points again this year, finish burning points until I lose diamond in March 2015 and then use SPG for paid stays in 2014 and 2015.

 

[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. Have to do 4 nights Barcelona and then trying to work out schedule if I do Venice and/or Madrid. bye bye HH points. Thank you kindly Hilton.

 

[drdpr]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

FYI, I received a reply from Conrad Maldives about updated pricing for the sea plane transfer. "The cost for return seaplane or domestic transfer for this year is US$507.60 per adult , and children below 12 years will get 50% discount." So Swanning_it I thoroughly recommend as I do, to contact Conrad and ask to pre purchase these flights. A) Eliminate currency exchange rate risk (I do reckon AUD is going to go down in value this year), B) Avoid the likely price hike by them. It is likely oil price will head north again and then they will want to flog you on a fuel surcharge!. 3rd visit for me to Conrad Maldives, these tickets started out at $430 back in March 2010. $460 in Dec 2011. So you see which direction it goes . In fairness, they did rise in 2011, then 2012 the GST successively so this is probably a fair chunk of the cost.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

"The cost for return seaplane or domestic transfer for this year is US$507.60 per adult , and children below 12 years will get 50% discount." So Swanning_it I thoroughly recommend as I do, to contact Conrad and ask to pre purchase these flights.

Many thanks for the heads up. I haven't booked the stay yet, but most likely will do soon.

 

[Cynicor]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Anyone have any info on their transfer times? Not sure how to get there from SIN as MH is my preferred carrier but they don't get in until 10pm...
So should I fly in the following day on Sri Lankan or SQ instead and spend the night somewhere else?

 

[Pumbaa]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Anyone have any info on their transfer times? Not sure how to get there from SIN as MH is my preferred carrier but they don't get in until 10pm...
So should I fly in the following day on Sri Lankan or SQ instead and spend the night somewhere else?

Hi Cynicor, I've done some reading on the matter. Google Conrad Maldives on Flyertalk and you'll find this 300 page thread if you want more info! If you land after 5pm, you'll need to overnight at Male. The airport hotel is an OK place to stay overnight, but its quite expensive ($300+). The following day, you will seaplane it to the Island.

For this very reason, I'll be taking the 10am Singapore flight, even through I'll have to spend a night in Singapore, rather than do the later flight and arrive in Male and overnight it there.

 

[drdpr]

Re: Select Oz/NZ properties - New rates

Anyone have any info on their transfer times? Not sure how to get there from SIN as MH is my preferred carrier but they don't get in until 10pm...
So should I fly in the following day on Sri Lankan or SQ instead and spend the night somewhere else?

Hi Cynicor, I was studying how to do this better then my last 2 trips and a "cheaper" hotel option when flying via SQ and using their timetables to my advantage before I changed to RTW with QF. I recommend to overnight in Singapore in the airport hotel (no customs exit required). Catch the first morning flight out. The hotels in Male I have stayed in were the Hulule and Traders, both good but very expensive for a short overnight sleep. Also with SQ, I recommend you end your stay on a Sunday, get the afternoon flight out rather than the 22;40. Earlier flight meant direct connection through to Adelaide that night at 23.30. However, we did do the overnight flight arriving 7am, all day sight seeing before late night flight back to Adelaide. As I can't sleep on planes, I was a complete zombie by 1pm in downtown Singapore. So plus and minus with everything.