Hilton HHonors - Smartest choices for Reward stays?

The reward desk told me that the Paris H is in the greatest demand for points stays. What would be your suggestions as the top choices for using up Reward point says on daily or GLON basis.

I would look at places with the big point increases. Hawaii (100,000 to 175,000), Cabo(100,000 to 150,00) and Cancun (100,000 to 175,000). I am going back to Cancun in June and Cabo in Oct before the price increase.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by best:
The reward desk told me that the Paris H is in the greatest demand for points stays. </font>

With US tourism to France in the toilet, this might be the time to try for free nights. That is, if you aren't as turned off on France as everyone else.

Paris is certainly a good place to use points if you want to get into the Hilton there. It's an expensive hotel city and it is poorly covered by Priceline. At times, it can even be challenging to nail down a reliable booking at *any* hotel via the major booking engines. All of these things make it a good place to use your GLONP.

Only reason I've never tried to use points there is because my wife and I like to stay in boutique hotels in certain neighborhoods when in Paris. She speaks French, so we send direct emails to small hotels that aren't part of the fully automated online booking systems.

Hawaii is a good place to use points if you are looking for a large-resort experience. Hilton has good properties, and Pricelining a top-quality resort will cost you $150/nt if not more. That makes the 100,000 point ALON a great deal. (No comment on the 175k variety. :mad http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thank you for astute advice. It also seems that the fairly expensive Amsterdam and Brussels h s would be smarter for points.

I believe a smart destination would be one that the user wants to go to and stay for 6 nights as a start. Then the cost of transportation to and in, that spot comes to mind. Another important point might include the cost of other trip related (food, attractions). Naturally, availability is most important.

In many cases it is easier, just go where the wife picks. In my case, she doesn't worry about the "maxing of point value" but the maxing of her desires in location.

Sounds smart to me.

You need to consider opportunity costs or alternatives. Major European cities are now available on Priceline. Also, I believe hotels are cheaper in AMS than Paris. Also, with the boycott, you could probably pick up independent hotel rooms at a nice discount, so the Hilton may be overpriced.

On the other end of the scale - there is the Doubletree Lima (opportunity class hotel).

Pointstrecher reward stays at the majority of European Hiltons...and Conrads http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

AndrewM

Japan is always expensive. Can get great reasonable meals at the Shinjuku train station. Used to be a free shuttle, probably still is.

Hilton Bucharest Plaza Athenee is awesome and very expensive but the country is not. It is a 100 yr old architecturally interesting hotel just renovated. Very nice lounge. So, if you stay on an award, your hotel is covered and dinner out is about $4. The major cultural buildings are walking distance. Concerts are less than $10, art museum was about $.30. In the summer, there are beer tents in the plaza across the street - about a quarter for a beer! You can get a car and driver for the day or rent a car and see Dracula's castle in the mountains. We were there on 9/11 and the people were the friendliest ever.

Hilton Budapest is another great choice - right on the Danube. Budapest has awesome public buildings, castles, etc. Gellert baths, cheap spas, etc. Fabulous shopping street.

Hilton Sofia, Bulgaria is not so expensive but has the best staff we have ever encountered. Took us to the train station free AND put us in our seats so we would not get the wrong train!

Hilton Vienna - what more gorgeous city is there? Well, maybe Budapest! Expensive hotel, cheap public transit taking you all around the Ringstrasse. Fabulous palaces. We bought breakfast at a deli nearby. Saved a bunch.

Pointstrecher reward stays at high $$ rate Hilton properties.

GLON, ALON etc etc at high $$ rate Hilton properties.

As another poster pointed out, is it somewhere you wish to go?

thank you all for the great additional comments!
To further clarify question: it is primarily oriented: A- to find ideas as to where is it smarter to use points vs paying- from the comments it seems above $300/ night maybe better to use GLONP; B- Any new or unusual places to visit. For example recently we loved the Buenos Aires new H, but we paid.

The Hilton in Auckland, NZ. A great boutique hotel in an excellent location.

The Hilton in the South of France/Riviera is one of the better values for points I believe. Cannes?

Has everyone forgotton the Hilton Cavaleiri in Rome at like $500/night?