Hilton HHonors - Can one pay the very low Award rate? (save certificate)

During recent award stay, I noticed that my reservation had a very low $ rate per night:
$19.64. When the rate is so low it seems better to pay and save the award certificate. Have you done this or tried to do it?

Best man/woman
No way you can pay that rate.
My understanding is that is the sum received by the property from Hilton HQ in reimbursement for your award stay.
The experts can correct me if I am wrong.
Koala

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Koala:
Best man/woman
No way you can pay that rate.
My understanding is that is the sum received by the property from Hilton HQ in reimbursement for your award stay.
The experts can correct me if I am wrong.
Koala</font>

You are correct.
The rates listed are either the amount as mentioned above or the rate you might have to pay if you dont cancel in time. The later is often isted on UK properties
How about the award confirmations that show the London Hilton at 350GP/night
mike

I have paid it and saved the cert. in more than one location over the last few years.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DLSIZE:
I have paid it and saved the cert. in more than one location over the last few years.</font>

Are you sure you understood the original question?
I find it pretty hard to believe that a hotel would be allowed by Hilton Marketing or whatever organizational structure within
system that sets rates, would ever permit something like that.
mike

Perhaps an untrained front desk clerk handed over the check-out bill to the customer. The customer saw the rate and was convinced the clerk to give back the certificate in exchange for the same amount of money. I bet that won't happen too often but I wouldn't dount that it has happened.

The one time I stayed on an award I surrendered the cert at checkin. So even if the clerk tried to bill me the cert reimburesment rate I'd still have been out the certificate.

I will say again, on at least three times, I have paid the "$19.73" rate shown on the bill and kept the certificate. It's was like paying the HHonors Award rate that they are paid from HHonors and keeping the points. Never had a problem the times it happened....got HHonors points for the amount of the bill, stay credit, etc... It is strange to look at the statement when you get it....HILTON XXXX 212 base points....106 diamond VIP bonus....1000 Douple Dip QN

I don't doubt that you did, it's just that in my recollection of things worked I wouldn't know how your scenario would come up. Did you not give them the certificate when you checked in? Did you barter at checkin? Did you pay the $19 room bill and then redeposit an electronic reward?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DLSIZE:
I will say again, on at least three times, I have paid the "$19.73" rate shown on the bill and kept the certificate. It's was like paying the HHonors Award rate that they are paid from HHonors and keeping the points. Never had a problem the times it happened....got HHonors points for the amount of the bill, stay credit, etc... It is strange to look at the statement when you get it....HILTON XXXX 212 base points....106 diamond VIP bonus....1000 Douple Dip QN</font>

Care to elaborate as to which properties this occurred since most of my rewards stay folios dont even show an amount as to how much the hotel recieves.

But I suppose its like getting (room rate) points and miles on a reward which happens occasionally but is technically not supposed to be.
Do you go around as asking every hotel to accept your certs for the amount paid to Hilton? What percentage of the times are three you get away with that stunt?
mike

Sometimes when you check-in on an award stay, they don't ask for the certificate, and you forget to give it to them.

This might set up a situation where in the morning or at check-out you get a bill for the low low internal HHonors reimbursement rate.