Hilton HHonors - Staying in ME for the weekend, best way to get 3000 pts

All,

I'm shocked but the Hampton Inn in Portland, ME is a category 5 (!!!?) and requires 35,000 points a night!! I'm 3000 points short, and was wondering the best way to quickly earn 3000 points.

I think I can buy them for $25 or $35 or something, which I'd be willing to do, but I thought before doing so I'd ask if anyone had any ideas.

Since this is for a stay in a couple of weeks from now, I need something that will credit those miles very quickly, not something with a 6-week timeline or something.

Also, if anyone cares to explain how a Hampton Inn is a category 5, I'd be interested in your opinion. Am I stupid for dropping 35,000 points?

Did either of these threads have any answers for you?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/126470-any-way-get-points-quickly.html?highlight=get+points

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/933731-im-4215-points-shy-reward-whats-best-way-earn-buy-points-quickly.html?highlight=quickly

Did either of these threads have any answers for you?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/126470-any-way-get-points-quickly.html?highlight=get+points

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/933731-im-4215-points-shy-reward-whats-best-way-earn-buy-points-quickly.html?highlight=quickly

Thanks. As I'm sure you know FT search is something to be desired, and I wasn't able to find those threads. Anyways, if I could change the intent of the thread to asking about the absurdly high category 5 Hampton Inn...

To add, I was also looking at the Bar Harbor Hampton Inn. It's a category 6 and they want 40,000 points a night? At only $195/night rack rate, that hardly seems worth it, so does anyone know why it's a cat 6? At this point, it's more curiosity than anything!

No, FT Search works quite well. For further information on its quirks, tips and quirks, read Using the Search Feature on FlyerTalk: The Definitive Thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/technical-issues/676224-using-search-feature-flyertalk-definitive-thread.html) in the Technical Issues Forum.

Thanks. As I'm sure you know FT search is something to be desired, and I wasn't able to find those threads. Anyways, if I could change the intent of the thread to asking about the absurdly high category 5 Hampton Inn...

Categories are often assigned on the basis of award demand - so what might be a Cat 3 or 4 property in a town that does not receive much commercial or tourist activity can easily be a higher category in a high-demand area for visitors, such as Bah Harbah, er, Bar Harbor. They obviously prefer selling a room for $195 than to give one away for fewer than 40,000 points, and I'll bet during high season and high demand events they get more than $195.

Is it worth it to drop x points on a property? I think there's no pat answer - what are worth more to you, 40,000 points or $195 (plus taxes)? If you rarely spend points, it may be justified to do that - but if you travel extensively and you want to garner points for Hilton Moorea, Conrad Bali or Singapore, etc. it might be wiser to spend $195+tax. It's a very personal decision (and of course there are threads discussing the value of points to members).

Advanced Search, search thread titles only with results as threads only, use keywords points+worth will reveal a number of them. :)

No, FT Search works quite well. For further information on its quirks, tips and quirks, read [B]

That's an opinion. My opinion is if it needs a thread on how to make it functional, it sucks.

That's an opinion. My opinion is if it needs a thread on how to make it functional, it sucks.

Concur. I hardly even bother anymore with the FT search; I just use Google and insert "flyertalk" to the Google search.

Back to the topic at hand, spending 35k points on a Hampton Inn award stay seems like a poor use of points. Your opinion may differ, especially if those are "orphaned" points you might not have any other use for; however, I would be curious in the actual dollar cost of that room. With the current triple points promotion, you might get enough points to redeem for a stay next time.

Concur. I hardly even bother anymore with the FT search; I just use Google and insert "flyertalk" to the Google search.

Back to the topic at hand, spending 35k points on a Hampton Inn award stay seems like a poor use of points. Your opinion may differ, especially if those are "orphaned" points you might not have any other use for; however, I would be curious in the actual dollar cost of that room. With the current triple points promotion, you might get enough points to redeem for a stay next time.

This Hampton Inn is charging $365 for labor day weekend. So 35K points seems like a good $/point ratio. The fact that it's a Hampton Inn though makes this very frustrating. The 40K hampton inn is only charging $165/night, so I decided to buy that room.