Hilton HHonors - WORRIED

I just booked a 3 night point stretcher award for SYD Airport hotel at a rate of 30,000 points which I think it's a good deal. However, I just ordered the certificate today and paid the U$25 for FedEx up here to Canada. I am leaving for SYD on July 18 and I am worried that what if it doesn't get here before I leave?

I was promised 5 days at max...

[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 07-06-2000).]

Empress - the Sydney Airport Hilton is already sooo cheap - my rate was less than $115 AUD! That I think it's not even worth the 30,000 point stretcher award.

I've been told in the past that you can ring HHonors from the hotel if you dont get the cert in time, and they will sort it out. Never had to however, so dont know if this will work OK.

Just call the HHonors Customer Service number, wait the pre-requisite 30 minutes on hold then tell them it did not make it to you in time. They will electronically send it to the hotel and it will be waiting for you when you check in. Tell the check in clerk there should be an electronic cert as it did not make it to you before you left. Should be no problem.

Empress, my certs have always been delivered by regular First Class mail within the United States between 5 to 7 days.

They are very speedy IMHO, I would think with FedEx on top of that, you should have no problem having the paper in hand before the 18th.

Besides being so cheap, this is not a very convenient location for anything in SYD either. You'll have to take the shuttle back to the airport terminal then hop the rapid transit line to get downtown -- wasting a possible 1-1/2 hours each way -- or take a $20 cab ride back and forth from anything worth visiting and eating at. (But since you're not spending any money for the room, $40 to $50 a day on cabs is not bad.) They used to have a hotel shuttle between the city centre Hilton and the airport one with a couple of trips a day. Check it out when you get there.

Cert arrived via UPS this morning!

Would somebody clarify for me that are we entitle to upgrade as a GOLD if we are staying on points? When I made the point stretcher reservation, I recall hearing the agent saying "Let's go ahead and request an upgrade."

Yes. When staying on a Point Stretcher award, you can request a VIP Gold upgrade (subject to availablity at check-in) just as if you were paying for your stay with cash money. This is one of the things I like best about HHonors...the fact that when staying on an award, you are not treated like a second class citizen.

It's always a good thing to have your request for an upgrade noted on your reservation record. It doesn't guarantee anything, but it might just be the little nudge that gets you one of the few allocated upgraded rooms that day, when someone at the hotel starts blocking rooms early that morning prior to arrivals.

A nice friendly phone call directly to the property the morning of your arrival requesting them to block an upgraded room also improves your chances, in my experience.


[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 07-11-2000).]