Best value Hilton HHonors points redemptions

[beardoc]

Following on from my thread from how to get the best price, I was wondering if anyone has experience with the best places to spend your HHonors points, in terms of some metric like cents per point. I'm finding that I can get routinely between about 1.5-1.8 cents per point in Manhattan (e.g. week long stay at Hilton New York 23-30 November is USD3895 including taxes, but only 262500 points (HH Diamond Reward) - that's about 1.5c per point.

Any other really good uses of HHonors points in terms of value?

 

[Moopere]

A lot of hotels seem to use a pretty strict points/dollar relationship as the value is consistently bad.

I value my HH points at about 0.5c each and won't trade them for less than this. Mostly I've found Points + pay offering the best redemptions at places of interest to me, but very few offers good enough to make me choose a redemption over cash. Was looking last night at Conrad Bali which seems to have some good P+P offers later this year around Sept.

Occasionally a good deal will just pop out of the woodwork. I remember some particularly attractive P+P redemption opportunities at the Hilton Cairns which, if points were valued at 0.5c each made the bookings almost half the cheapest dollar price /night.

I keep my points for opportunities like this where the spot dollar cost is ridiculous yet the P+P redemption appears to offer more 'normal' magnitude pricing.

 

[straitman]

OT already and something I should probably know.

If you use P+P is this defined as a paid or reward stay?

i.e. do you earn points for the $$ component of these bookings?

 

[beardoc]

OT already and something I should probably know.

If you use P+P is this defined as a paid or reward stay?

i.e. do you earn points for the $$ component of these bookings?

It's defined as a reward stay, and no you don't earn points for the pay component - but you should on incidental expenses run up during your stay.

 

[beardoc]

A lot of hotels seem to use a pretty strict points/dollar relationship as the value is consistently bad.

I value my HH points at about 0.5c each and won't trade them for less than this. Mostly I've found Points + pay offering the best redemptions at places of interest to me, but very few offers good enough to make me choose a redemption over cash. Was looking last night at Conrad Bali which seems to have some good P+P offers later this year around Sept.

Occasionally a good deal will just pop out of the woodwork. I remember some particularly attractive P+P redemption opportunities at the Hilton Cairns which, if points were valued at 0.5c each made the bookings almost half the cheapest dollar price /night.

I keep my points for opportunities like this where the spot dollar cost is ridiculous yet the P+P redemption appears to offer more 'normal' magnitude pricing.

See, I would regard 0.5c/point bad value - particularly where there are better offers, like the Manhattan example mentioned above.

 

[kamchatsky]

OT already and something I should probably know.

If you use P+P is this defined as a paid or reward stay?

i.e. do you earn points for the $$ component of these bookings?

P+P is reward stay and you only earn points on incidentals and not $$ component.

However for fairly expensive hotels I found P+P very good value. eg Conrad HK.

 

[Moopere]

See, I would regard 0.5c/point bad value - particularly where there are better offers, like the Manhattan example mentioned above.

I don't disagree. I guess there has to be a low value point and thats mine. I won't trade for less than that. Its the same for DJ FF points for me. I nominally value them at 3c each and won't trade them for even a fraction less, but of course I'm always on the lookout for the 6-7-8c / point redemptions (and even higher recently).

If the P+P or full redemption value is about half to two thirds the price of a cash/night charge then I'll seriously consider using points.

For a while, when the P+P thing first appeared with Hilton I got very excited and did start doing my planning at 1c/HH point, but fairly quickly realised that it started skewing my calculations and it became obvious that across the board, with some specific property exceptions, I couldn't maintain a proposed HH value of a cent each.

 

[straitman]

It's defined as a reward stay, and no you don't earn points for the pay component - but you should on incidental expenses run up during your stay.

P+P is reward stay and you only earn points on incidentals and not $$ component.

However for fairly expensive hotels I found P+P very good value. eg Conrad HK.

Thanks.

 

[beardoc]

I don't disagree. I guess there has to be a low value point and thats mine. I won't trade for less than that. Its the same for DJ FF points for me. I nominally value them at 3c each and won't trade them for even a fraction less, but of course I'm always on the lookout for the 6-7-8c / point redemptions (and even higher recently).

If the P+P or full redemption value is about half to two thirds the price of a cash/night charge then I'll seriously consider using points.

For a while, when the P+P thing first appeared with Hilton I got very excited and did start doing my planning at 1c/HH point, but fairly quickly realised that it started skewing my calculations and it became obvious that across the board, with some specific property exceptions, I couldn't maintain a proposed HH value of a cent each.

I can understand that - everyone values their points differently. I'm prepared to store them until such a time as I can go to the Conrad HKG or New York, but then I tend to bank points (for better or worse) and wait for the best possible.

 

[serfty]

Most importantly, you do get Stay credits for P+P.

 

[kamchatsky]

I can understand that - everyone values their points differently. I'm prepared to store them until such a time as I can go to the Conrad HKG or New York, but then I tend to bank points (for better or worse) and wait for the best possible.

For me I always burn the points for stays whenever I can because those points do expire if not touched for 12 months. I tend to keep my PriorityClub points for later use because of no expiry date.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

For me I always burn the points for stays whenever I can because those points do expire if not touched for 18 months.

By the term "not touched" are you referring to no action through your account (ie no earning of points), or no redemptions for 18 months?

 

[Moopere]

I've never tried it, but I had the understanding that HH points could be earned, and your account activity registered, by going into any hilton and ordering a sandwich and a coffee from their in-house restaurant, or maybe even a single beer from the bar, supplying your hh card when the bill comes ... is this not the case?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've never tried it, but I had the understanding that HH points could be earned, and your account activity registered, by going into any hilton and ordering a sandwich and a coffee from their in-house restaurant, or maybe even a single beer from the bar, supplying your hh card when the bill comes ... is this not the case?

Have to be staying at the hotel to get points, I believe.

 

[serfty]

I've never tried it, but I had the understanding that HH points could be earned, and your account activity registered, by going into any hilton and ordering a sandwich and a coffee from their in-house restaurant, or maybe even a single beer from the bar, supplying your hh card when the bill comes ... is this not the case?

You generally need to be on an eligible stay with HHonors.

(Note that this is possible for SPG.)

 

[Danger]

Most importantly, you do get Stay credits for P+P.

One of the attractive benefits of the program. I wish Hyatt would join the same club.

By the term "not touched" are you referring to no action through your account (ie no earning of points), or no redemptions for 18 months?

I'm curious in the answer to this too?

 

[straitman]

By the term "not touched" are you referring to no action through your account (ie no earning of points), or no redemptions for 18 months?

I'm curious in the answer to this too?

I believe that it is not activity through the account.

 

[oz_mark]

By the term "not touched" are you referring to no action through your account (ie no earning of points), or no redemptions for 18 months?

In terms of the HHONORS program, the rule is:

1. Members who do not have eligible activity as defined in a. - d. below in any 12 consecutive month period may be removed from the Program and are subject to forfeiture of all accumulated points. At the discretion of Hilton HHonors Worldwide, such Members may be permitted to remain in the Program and removed after five years of inactivity.. To keep accumulated HHonors points, the Member must take one of the following actions within a 12 consecutive month period:
   1. stay at a hotel within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio pursuant to the terms herein;
   2. earn HHonors points through any third party source of HHonors point accumulation, including a Hilton co-branded credit card, pursuant to its terms;
   3. purchase HHonors points; or,
   4. donate points through The Hilton HHonors Giving Back Program.

So, you just need to earn of burn tto keep them alive.

 

[straitman]

In terms of the HHONORS program, the rule is:



So, you just need to earn of burn tto keep them alive.

I just went and looked that up and you had just posted when I came back :!:

Note it is 12 months and not 18 months and they do apply it :!:

 

[kamchatsky]

I just went and looked that up and you had just posted when I came back :!:

Note it is 12 months and not 18 months and they do apply it :!:

I thought it was 18 months. Updated my previous post. That gives you more reason to burn the points if possible!