Is this program free?

[kiwi2768]

Just wondering if the HHonors membership is free, or whether there is an annual fee? Had a look through their website but couldn't find anything about a fee.

 

[notzac]

No cost for a basic HHonors membership. You can get a co-branded credit card from Macquarie Bank (is that how that product works?) which has an annual fee, but the only other cost are the hotel stays

 

[serfty]

As posted; HHonors membership is free.

(I won't refer to the Maq. Premium Club as I beleive the OP is more concerned with travelling around the USA for 7 weeks).

More here: Hilton HHonors - About HHonors

With HHonors stays you can earn "Honors Points" for stays at "Hilton Family Hotels"; accumulate enough and you can redeem them for free (award) stays.

Hilton family hotels come in many categories and price ranges; stays can be as cheap as $50.

Now there's more to this than that; have enough stays and you can earn status, 16 stays will earn Gold status with increased point earning and "VIP" perks which can include complimentary breakfast, upgrades to 'better' rooms, free internet or additional HHonors points when staying at any Hilton family hotel.

However, you do not need to wait for 16 stays to get this "Gold" status. You can enroll in the "Hilton Racing Program" where after 4 stays you get granted Gold status.

More on that here: F1 Hotels and Race Circuit Accommodation - Hilton Racing

 

[steptoe]

Been looking at these pages for a while and here is my first post. I am travelling to the US/europe later this year and would like utilise the Hilton Racing promotion to reach gold staus before I leave. I can do 4 stays in au without too much effort however I would like to know when the 90 day clock starts ticking. I cannot see this on the hilton racing website. Does anyone know if i starts from registration or first stay after registration?

I already have a stay in Adelaide Hilton in June, so I don't know whether to register now or later.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[notzac]

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Welcome to AFF, steptoe!

Clock starts ticking from when you register; note that even though it's supposed to be an entirely online enrollment process, you need to call the HHonors CS team to get registered for the Hilton Racing promotion.

 

[dajop]

Also don't forget to double dip. You can earn HHonors points, but also earn airline points as well. Don't forget to register your Qantas, Virgin Blue Velocity or other airline FF number when you sign up. (you get 1000 QF or DJ points per stay).

 

[steptoe]

Well I have gone ahead and booked four hilton stays over the next 3 months as part of my domestic travel so that I can reach gold before hitting the US later this year.

Went to enrol today as I am within the 90 day horizon, and as mentioned in another thread, the enrolment page has disappeared from hiltonracing.com. It was there until quite recently without any apparent expiry date. I looked at the MVP promotion and that is still avialable but based on US stays only.

I have rung customer service and received a 'don't know' response and suggestion to send an email. I have sent a message off and will advise when and if I get a reply.

Looks like I will be silver not gold when I reach the US :-|

 

[dajop]

Looks like I will be silver not gold when I reach the US :-|

Don't know if it's any consolation, I'd be more disappointed at not having gold in Europe!

In the US, even IF as a gold you get upgraded (certainly not guaranteed) to an exec floor room with exec lounge access - the fare in exec lounges is pretty basic (pretzels and cubes of yellow cheese, maybe a hot item like greasy chicken wings if you're lucky) - and you almost certainly will have to pay for alcohol. By contrast in Europe and Asia, food is usually very good (buffet style) and alcohol free (often with table service for drinks). If you don't get upgraded there's always the free breakfast. But on my last two stays that was strictly continental only - in fact at one place it even excluded fruit, cold meats and cheeses (whereas elsewhere in the world they'll probably give you full hot breakfast). Despite this at Hilton Garden Inn's in the US I've always been looked after very well, in fact prefer these to Hiltons.

Nevertheless, hope I haven't discouraged you - certainly if you ever have plans for travelling in Asia, Australia or going back to Europe I'd thoroughly recommend getting to gold if you can, well worth it . And really it isn't that bad in the US, I am probably exaggerating a little.

 

[steptoe]

I have heard back from hhonours customer service after sending an email:

"Your account has been updated with the promotion you mentioned in your e-mail. You may view your account online at: www.hiltonhhonors.com. Fast Track to Gold with 4 stays in 90 days from today Mar/24 the enrollment date."

So I don't know whether Hilton Racing is still the promotion or not, but when my 4th stay is done in June I will be HH Gold.

 

[straitman]

I have heard back from hhonours customer service after sending an email:

"Your account has been updated with the promotion you mentioned in your e-mail. You may view your account online at: www.hiltonhhonors.com. Fast Track to Gold with 4 stays in 90 days from today Mar/24 the enrollment date."

So I don't know whether Hilton Racing is still the promotion or not, but when my 4th stay is done in June I will be HH Gold.

Excellent news and potentially opens the door for others.

 

[albatross710]

Thanks for mentioning the Hilton Racing Program serfty. I've sent an registration request to HHonors.

Can anyone clarify if staying multiple nights on the one booking counts for 1 stay or the number of nights?

I'm assuming that the reference to 'stays' means one check-in & checkout which could be multiple nights. I have 3 Hilton bookings covering 7 nights in the next two weeks.

Alby

 

[straitman]

Can anyone clarify if staying multiple nights on the one booking counts for 1 stay or the number of nights?

I'm assuming that the reference to 'stays' means one check-in & checkout which could be multiple nights. I have 3 Hilton bookings covering 7 nights in the next two weeks.

Alby

One stay is exactly that. One stay.

So your example above would be 3 stays only but also would show as 7 nights as nights are another qualification option.

ie Hilton HHonors Gold VIP membership will be awarded to Members with 16 stays*, 36 nights* or 60,000 Base points earned during any calendar year. A "night" is a night that is part of a "stay," as that term is defined herein. Base points earned will count toward Gold VIP tier qualification. Bonus points earned on Base points do not count toward VIP tier qualification.