Hilton HHonors - Booking through Hotel Discounters - still get HHonors benefits?

If I book a hotel through a discounter, do I still get HHonors benefits?

These include HHonors and Airline FF program credit (double dipping). I am a HHonors Gold VIP member. Would I have full upgrade and other benefits, of gold membership?

The (realtively new) official policy is to grant no perks whatsoever when rooms are booked via online discounters. In reality, every property has its own rules. At times I didn't even receive a free breakfast despite being a Diamond, while in other cases I was upgraded to a 2-room suite on the executive level. FYI - both Hyatt and Starwood offer full benefits to Diamonds/Platinums even on Priceline stays!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MoreMiles!:
The (realtively new) official policy is to grant no perks whatsoever when rooms are booked via online discounters. </font>

That's not quite correct. The official policy is to not provide upgrades and other benefits (e.g., free breakfast, etc.) on stays booked through Priceline-like sites, where you do not know the name of your hotel until you make a binding offer.

What about getting HHonors and airline FF credit, for such stays?

- Definitely no point & miles on Priceline, hotwire and similar stays.

- I was denied benefits for a couple of Expedia stays. Managed to argue my way to an upgrade from awful ROH room in one property, didn't bother with the other as their standard room was in fact quite decent.

Interestingly enough, every agent you talk to will give you a slightly different version of the "official rules".

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MoreMiles!:
Interestingly enough, every agent you talk to will give you a slightly different version of the "official rules". </font>

Sad, but occasionally true. While I rarely, if ever, needed to use it, I always carry a printout of the official HH Terms and Conditions (http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/terms.jhtml) in my briefcase when I travel.

And even those official T&C's do not cover everything, including some of the issues discussed in this thread. Here's an excerpt from the current Diamond VIP brochure:

"Will I still receive Diamond VIP benefits if I book my stay via Priceline.com, Hotwire.com or similar booking channels? You will not receive any Diamond VIP benefits, nor will you earn hotel points, stay credits or airline mileage credit for stays booked via a channel where the hotel brand is unknown at time of purchase."

In response to the last post - does that mean that one will get full benefits if one books through online sites, like quikbook.com, where the hotel brand is known in advance?

PS-I looked over the HHonors guidelines. I am surprised that an Entertainment discount would disallow oneself from being able to enjoy these benefits.

How about stays booked through a travel agent (i specifically chose those HH properties...)?

I really don't care about the miles, but I would like the stays/number of nights count towards my qualifying status and any $ I spend at the hotels (ie room service, calls) to count as HH points.

I in the past have had no problem with both accruing, but recently on a missing stay req was told I would not get any points for my expenditure in the hotel (quite a large amount) and the stays/number of nights would not count either.

Stays through a travel agent should work. I received my Diamond pack Saturday and read over the fine print. According to it if you know you are being booked into a HHonors property than you should be getting point and stay credit regardless of how you book the room.

It is interesting that in the Hilton survey I just finished they brought up all kinds of scenarios that included only getting points if you book online or via the HHonors phone number. A big mistake in my opinion.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MoreMiles!:
The (realtively new) official policy is to grant no perks whatsoever when rooms are booked via online discounters. In reality, every property has its own rules. At times I didn't even receive a free breakfast despite being a Diamond, while in other cases I was upgraded to a 2-room suite on the executive level. FYI - both Hyatt and Starwood offer full benefits to Diamonds/Platinums even on Priceline stays!</font>

Just to clarify, Hyatt will give both stay credit and points for incidentals, but not for room rate, for ANY Gold Passport member on a PL or other discounter stay. Charging to the room is a simple way to get it. They will also upgrade rooms, give the RC access guaranteed to Diamonds and in most cases give the Diamond Amenity.

Starwood will give Platinum benefits...including suite upgrades, etc., and dollars charged to the room will earn points. Like award stays, however, one will NOT receive stay credit toward elite status.

All Starwood properties I've been to on Priceline rates have in fact posted stay & night credit, along with points for incidentals charged to the room. And with no exception I've been upgraded in all of them.

I've gotten full benefits for using wholesalers like Expedia and Hotels.com. The trick is to get you Hhonors numbers added. I believe a problem is that the check-in person sees Priceline and Expedia reservations the same way. Some also believe you don't get credit. However I have always gotten points for these stays.

You MAY get credit,but don't count on it. The problem is that in some towns the HH properties seem priced a lot more than discounters like Expedia. Paying $40+ more per night for me to get points,doesn't sit well with me.

I always compare rates between the Hilton website and Orbitz. Reservations made through Orbitz have never had any problems with points/miles, upgrades or free breakfast.

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