Hilton HHonors - Diamonds, listen up

Just got the word; As of May 1, 2006, Diamonds booking a reward stay at least 48 hours in advance are guaranteed a room regardless if the hotel is available or not, excluding "extreme demand dates".

Sorry, don't know a whole lot more at this point but that's what the word is for now. Stay tuned...

Just got the word; As of May 1, 2006, Diamonds booking a reward stay at least 48 hours in advance are guaranteed a room regardless if the hotel is available or not, excluding "extreme demand dates".

Sorry, don't know a whole lot more at this point but that's what the word is for now. Stay tuned...

You got my attention! Thank you for sharing this good news.

Guess someone at Hilton finally got the hint. ;)

Mike

The current wording:
Enjoy HHonors Hotel Rewards without Blackout Dates: Diamond VIP members may redeem points for HHonors hotel rewards nearly any time, with the only exception being during specified Extraordinary Demand Dates at certain hotels. To make reservations for your reward stays, please contact the Diamond VIP desk at 1-800-HHONORS (1-800-446-6677). Note that it is the same as listed for the Gold benefits. Not quite a Diamond only benefit.

I actually had an agent tell me this was the case as I was booking a reward room at the Amsterdam Hilton - the room was for the 27-29 and she had to put in a "Diamond Special Request". She told me it was too bad I wasn't staying after May 1st since that's when they do away with the "special request " deal altogether and just confirm all Diamond Award rooms on the spot.

So basically you can now use the 48-hour guarantee to confirm a reward room whenever... Yay!

I do not know about the rest of you, but I always got mt "special request" honored.

But, this is less stressful to get award on the spot.

Wirelessly posted (My IV to the Net: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0) BlackBerry7250/4.0.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I do not know about the rest of you, but I always got mt "special request" honored.

But, this is less stressful to get award on the spot.

Ditto.

Now if they said DIA guarantee 24 hrs out, then you would have my attention.
Although if it works the way it is sounding, ie, DD does not need to get involved and do their "special request" that will be nice.

I have not had any luck with special requests at the HGVC properties. Do you know if the Diamond guarantee will work for the VIP rewards at HGVC? I've been told that the HGVC properties don't participate completely in Hilton programs. This was before May 1 though. I hope it has changed so that I can finally confirm a two bedroom unit at the HGVC in Vegas.

However, in the past (from personal experience) if the desired hotel did not have any "standard" rooms to sell (and I am NOT talking about "Extraordinary Demand Dates"), most CSRs at the Diamond Desk would not even put in a Diamond Special Request (a/k/a Diamond Force).

Will be interested to see how the new rules affect that situation. The implication of the previous posters is that it will work just like the paid Diamond Guarantee. I will look forward to the experiences of others.

However, in the past (from personal experience) if the desired hotel did not have any "standard" rooms to sell (and I am NOT talking about "Extraordinary Demand Dates"), most CSRs at the Diamond Desk would not even put in a Diamond Special Request (a/k/a Diamond Force).

Will be interested to see how the new rules affect that situation. The implication of the previous posters is that it will work just like the paid Diamond Guarantee. I will look forward to the experiences of others.

Bingo. But if they let you book a suite instead of a standard room as an award stay, it would pay for Diamonds to wait until 48 hours before attempting to book. After all, you're more likely to get a suite then.

Also, if a hotel is completely booked (say Doubletree Times Square on New Years Eve), how can a diamond book a room? Will they bump someone for you to get an award stay? That would be amazing.

Also, if a hotel is completely booked (say Doubletree Times Square on New Years Eve), how can a diamond book a room? Will they bump someone for you to get an award stay? That would be amazing.

I think that would fall under the "extraordinary demand" periods and would be excluded

Will be interested to see how the new rules affect that situation.If the CSRs aren't any better trained on this change than they are on the rolling tier, the new rules won't affect the situation a bit...

hopefully this doesnt mean you are guaranteed a room looking at the airconditioning on the roof at eye level :rolleyes:

I actually had an agent tell me this was the case as I was booking a reward room at the Amsterdam Hilton - the room was for the 27-29 and she had to put in a "Diamond Special Request". She told me it was too bad I wasn't staying after May 1st since that's when they do away with the "special request " deal altogether and just confirm all Diamond Award rooms on the spot.

So basically you can now use the 48-hour guarantee to confirm a reward room whenever... Yay!
I know I am repeating myself from another thread but felt I should answer this comment
I have tried since may 1 to get award availability in rome and no dice and it is not extraordinary demand but only hilton exec deluxe is available and so if it is not a king deluxe available then no dice with the award.
it is explained to me the change is that there is now 7 days for 205k and smaller amounts for longer stays nothing to do with increased award availability. :mad:

However, in the past (from personal experience) if the desired hotel did not have any "standard" rooms to sell (and I am NOT talking about "Extraordinary Demand Dates"), most CSRs at the Diamond Desk would not even put in a Diamond Special Request (a/k/a Diamond Force).

Will be interested to see how the new rules affect that situation. The implication of the previous posters is that it will work just like the paid Diamond Guarantee. I will look forward to the experiences of others.
thankyou for explaining that!!~
you are correct it hasnt changed at all.

it is explained to me the change is that there is now 7 days for 205k and smaller amounts for longer stays nothing to do with increased award availability. :mad:

7 days in Cat.6 for 205k? is it a new Glonp reward?

I do not know about the rest of you, but I always got mt "special request" honored.

But, this is less stressful to get award on the spot.

I have too; I have never had a problem getting a room in a fully booked hotel. It is a great service. Perhaps they've learned from past activities and now have a way to do yield management a lot better than in the past.

This will be good when it is implemented. Waiting for HH to update the T&C on their website...

Just got the word; As of May 1, 2006, Diamonds booking a reward stay at least 48 hours in advance are guaranteed a room regardless if the hotel is available or not, excluding "extreme demand dates".

Feedback from Diamond Desk was on April 25th that "the night you want is not available" even with Diamond Special Arrangement [sic].

Should try again, then.

[edit]
Tinkybell said aloud my problem as well, should have looked further. Seems that all Diamond guarantees are void in Cavalieri... no point to try again, then. :(

Just tried to book the sorrento palace for an award stay in August- was told there were no standard rooms available, so no special requests could be made.

I guess I can sit on my porch at home, close my eyes, and remember the good ol' days of the diamond desk - seems about as far away a place as italy.

Just tried to book the sorrento palace for an award stay in August- was told there were no standard rooms available, so no special requests could be made.

I guess I can sit on my porch at home, close my eyes, and remember the good ol' days of the diamond desk - seems about as far away a place as italy.Did you ask about a Diamond override? Did they say it was an "exceptional demand" situation?

Did you ask about a Diamond override? Did they say it was an "exceptional demand" situation?

I did ask, and both agents said they could not book it unless there were standard rooms available.

I think that would fall under the "extraordinary demand" periods and would be excluded I did the Waldorf for New years this year on 2 weeks notice with no problems.

Did you ask about a Diamond override? Did they say it was an "exceptional demand" situation?

Called back a third time and spoke with another agent - this agent went to thier supervisor and confimed that the room must be a standard room for the new rule to apply. (so what does the new policy accomplish!?!)
I know this has been discussed many times, but its too bad that when executive rooms are available at a property special accommodations can't be made..

Called back a third time and spoke with another agent - this agent went to thier supervisor and confimed that the room must be a standard room for the new rule to apply. (so what does the new policy accomplish!?!)
I know this has been discussed many times, but its too bad that when executive rooms are available at a property special accommodations can't be made..


Interesting. I have never had a problem with booking late and getting a reservation during a peak period and oversold situation. I'm glad I already booked reservations over the 4th of July a few months ago.
By your post, evidently things have changed.

Interesting. I have never had a problem with booking late and getting a reservation during a peak period and oversold situation. I'm glad I already booked reservations over the 4th of July a few months ago.
By your post, evidently things have changed.

I should clarify (based on my 4th conversation with a very informed agent, Robert)...
This hotel is actually sold out - no executive rooms, suites or anything. I didn't realize this from my earlier conversations because the agents told me "we can only put you in an executive room, and executive rooms cannot be converted to award rooms"
Here's the breakdown on how it all works:
As a diamond, we are guarenteed availability and can always book a revenue room. Typically, the room type booked with the guarantee would be a standard room at the rack rate. If an award was requested, the DD would then go to the hotel and begin the force proceedings, requesting the standard revenue room be converted to an award room.
In this particular case, the hotel is only releasing Executive rooms for the Diamond guarentee - these rooms cannot be used in a forced award situation. Robert informed me that while he could try for the force, there would be no point and it would be denied.

So, it appears that if a hotel does not want to be overrun with diamond forces, they simply need to release non-standard rooms for the diamond guarentee.

I'm happy I at least understand the situation.

Just LOVE these new Improvements NOT. Anyway HH is still way ahead of SPG.

So basically there no real difference except now a Gold can get it also, but for a Diamond everything stays the same. And any Hotel still has its way to prevent overrides from taking away their revenue rooms, Not that I blame a Hotel for wanting to protect itself.

Just LOVE these new Improvements NOT. Anyway HH is still way ahead of SPG.

So basically there no real difference except now a Gold can get it also, but for a Diamond everything stays the same. And any Hotel still has its way to prevent overrides from taking away their revenue rooms, Not that I blame a Hotel for wanting to protect itself.

I could be wrong, but I don't think there is such thing as "Gold force/override".

I could be wrong, but I don't think there is such thing as "Gold force/override".

The new award availability policy for Golds (effective May 1) is a de facto Gold force.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=548312

Mike

The new award availability policy for Golds (effective May 1) is a de facto Gold force.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=548312

Mike

IMHO, "No blackout date" doesn't equal "Gold force", if the hotel is sold out, HH will not contact the hotel to force it convert standard revenue room into reward room for Gold members.

IMHO, "No blackout date" doesn't equal "Gold force", if the hotel is sold out, HH will not contact the hotel to force it convert standard revenue room into reward room for Gold members.

You are correct in saying that Golds cannot get awards in sold out hotels, which is why I mentioned it as a de facto Gold force. If a regular room is available at a hotel (barring extraordinary demand dates), though, a Gold can call and have it converted to an award stay.

This is what I believe was being referred to by craz.

Mike

You are correct in saying that Golds cannot get awards in sold out hotels, which is why I mentioned it as a de facto Gold force. If a regular room is available at a hotel (barring extraordinary demand dates), though, a Gold can call and have it converted to an award stay.

This is what I believe was being referred to by craz.

Mike

I think "no blackout date" is not the same as "no capacity control". To me, "no blackout date" means now reward rooms are available to Gold members 365 days. However, Golds are out of luck if the reward rooms are all gone.

I think "no blackout date" is not the same as "no capacity control". To me, "no blackout date" means now reward rooms are available to Gold members 365 days. However, Golds are out of luck if the reward rooms are all gone.

Oh, how I wish you were right. It would make sense and Diamonds would still have a great benefit over Golds.

But sadly, you're incorrect. If you read the benefits of Gold and the benefits of Diamond they say the exact same thing. Therefore, there are no "reward rooms" anymore for Golds. If there's a standard room available, they can book it as a reward.

No Blackout dates is all it says for Diamonds, too.

Sucks to be a Diamond. :td:

Well, until a Gold testifies that he/she was able to book a reward room at a sold out hotel, we will never know for sure who is right who is wrong.