Hilton HHonors - Hilton diamond availability not what it used to be

Has there been a change in the policy for diamond award availability?

It seems like it's harder now to get a room. I remember being able to get rooms, even when the hotel was "sold out", but recent attempts have been less than successful.

I have never had a problem. Including hard to get rooms at hard to get times. LV HVC during CES

I have never had a problem. Including hard to get rooms at hard to get times. LV HVC during CESI haven't had any problems in the past, either. But I think the OP is referring to recent attempts.

Some concrete examples would help to evaluate her story.

I had the same thing happen a few weeks ago to me. Our family was to go to my parents beach house in NC before we were going to go to Disney World, but my grandfather ended up in the hospital and we went to see him for a couple of days. Anyway, we said lets just drive down to Charleston and then the next day stay somewhere in South Georgia or North Florida. I called the Diamond desk and asked for a place in St. Augustine-sorry sir, no reward stays its full, How about St. Simmons Island, Georgia, sorry sir-unable. We finally ended up in the Hampton Inn and Suites in Amelia Islan, FL. It was OK except for the paper plants. It was downtown and walking distance to alot of overpriced restaurants. I dont think I would go back.

Has there been a change in the policy for diamond award availability?

Yes - it was effective May 1, according to this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=554884

Mike

From reading the other thread, it sounds as though there would be more availability, not less, but I wonder if that will really be the case.

When I called the Diamond desk, they said that it was a corporate decision to the hotels in downtown Atlanta (Hilton Atlanta, and I'm not sure what others) to be unavailable for Diamond last minute request for June 2-8. (ASCO meeting)

I have a friend I can stay with anyway, but wanted to use my points if it would have been possible to do so.

Previously, I'd been able to book rooms (even at the last minute!) for this meeting when all hotels showed no availability.

That was why I was wondering if there had been a change, leading to more restrictive use of the diamond request. I guess time will tell...

PS - I wasn't posting this just so my story could be "evaluated"

From reading the other thread, it sounds as though there would be more availability, not less, but I wonder if that will really be the case.

When I called the Diamond desk, they said that it was a corporate decision to the hotels in downtown Atlanta (Hilton Atlanta, and I'm not sure what others) to be unavailable for Diamond last minute request for June 2-8. (ASCO meeting)

I have a friend I can stay with anyway, but wanted to use my points if it would have been possible to do so.

Previously, I'd been able to book rooms (even at the last minute!) for this meeting when all hotels showed no availability.

That was why I was wondering if there had been a change, leading to more restrictive use of the diamond request. I guess time will tell...

So-called "extraordinary demand dates" - as it sounds like they are considering this period - have never been available for Diamond-forced awards, so I don't see how this is necessarily a new development.

PS - I wasn't posting this just so my story could be "evaluated"

:rolleyes: If you feel this way, maybe you should reconsider posting your opinions on public bulletin boards.

Mike

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)

Easter weekend, one night stay at the Drake 4 days out went through ok.
My other "recent" award stays were back in Feb.

Interesting the OP post a thread title " Diamond availbilty not what is used to be" then cites an example, ONE EXAMPLE.

But the example is one that for anybody who is actually familiar with the program knows has always been the execption in the ie "extraordiinary demand", so does that prove the point?
What is the relative comparison?

FYI I have made four Diamond Special requests in the past year - none have be unsuccessful

Perhaps she should have been more proactive in booking considering the she knew the possible demand around the date of the projected stay. :rolleyes:

The we come to the condescending " I wasnt posting this to have my story "evaluated"
Well tough isnt it?
What makes you different from anybody else here?

mike

I have an award stay at the hilton, for the Indy 500. We did not have any problems getting the room.

Anyone been sucessful in getting an award for use during the World Cup in Germany. I called after I saw a hotel in Munich was accepting reservations but the lady said there was no way I was going to get an award reservation because of the soccer matches.

Does anybody have an idea if this can be done?

As far as diamond availibility in general I've been shut out 3 times in the past year at the Conrad HK for weekend trips...no effort to try and use a force, just a simple not a chance. I'm thinking of switching to Starwood.

I was trying to get in to a Homewood on a long term stay with zero availablity and zero notice. It was in TLH and the legislators are in session so I had no luck calling directly, but called the Diamond line, and they got me in - on a 30 day stay. Pretty good if you ask me since I knew I was not really even able to use the Diamond Force since I was asking for it on two hours notice. Very helpful, very pleased.

Speaking of Homewood, what is the new deal with posting points? I have been here about 5 weeks and they have posted base points (no nights) three times so far. I think I read that they will post points before departure now at Homewood. Assume the regular bonus points and nights post on departure.

If you feel this way, maybe you should reconsider posting your opinions on public bulletin boards. The we come to the condescending " I wasnt posting this to have my story "evaluated"
Well tough isnt it?
What makes you different from anybody else here?Tough crowd over here. :)

Anyone been sucessful in getting an award for use during the World Cup in Germany. .


Last September I tried for June 06 reservations in Munich- no reward stays available. Finally found out that the World Cup would be occuring at the time. I had no interest in the World Cup, but Diamond desk could not even do a force.

As it turns out, there was plenty of revenue availability. The properties just get to declare extraordinary demand with impunity. I asked the Diamond Desk how demand could be extraordinary if availability (at least at that time) was quite ordinary. There was no answer.

Last September I tried for June 06 reservations in Munich- no reward stays available. Finally found out that the World Cup would be occuring at the time. I had no interest in the World Cup, but Diamond desk could not even do a force.

As it turns out, there was plenty of revenue availability. The properties just get to declare extraordinary demand with impunity. I asked the Diamond Desk how demand could be extraordinary if availability (at least at that time) was quite ordinary. There was no answer.

Perhaps if you had some interest in the World Cup you would know that every hotel room in the city will be taken, try booking a roome in Munich or Germany for that matter at this time. The fact that there are rooms back then has does not change the expected very high demand.
It the same as trying to get New Years even in Las Vegas or what I encountered with the Hilton Arcadia during the 2003 Breeders Cup, there were plenty of rooms when I tried book but they were are aall assigned to event sponsors and if I wanted to stay I had to book through them.

mike

The we come to the condescending " I wasnt posting this to have my story "evaluated"
Well tough isnt it?
What makes you different from anybody else here?

mike

Truly sorry, not meant to be condescending, and if you don't get what I meant, I'm quite sorry, but I don't think I can explain it to you.

Please discuss as to whether or not availability to Hilton HHonors Diamond members has improved, remained the same or worsened.

Thank you.

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-Moderator, Hilton forum

This past year I was able to get a room at the Pasadena Hilton during the Rose Bowl, a Embassy in Las Vegas during New Years and a Hampton next to Sun Devil Stadium for the Fiesta Bowl all in about a month's notice. I'm pretty impressed myself with what they offered.