Hilton HHonors - Can Gold "force" a room in a sold out property?

It seems to me that being able to secure a reservation in a sold at property is a diamond benefit, but I've seen mention of being able to do that as a Gold VIP.

Any one know if this is possible, and if so, how to go about doing it?

(Also, would this be bumping some poor traveller out, or do they have a few "spare" rooms for this purpose?)

It's a Diamond benefit. You could check out the Benefits list (http://hhonors.hilton.com/en/hhonors/benefits/levels.jhtml) on the Hilton web site for more information. Gold can get award reservations with no black-out dates but can not force a reservation in a sold-out hotel like Diamonds can.

I haven't really EVER figured out where in the world people think that hotels just keep rooms available, just in case??? Is this just an urban myth or what? I don't understand. Gold's cannot be Forced Sold into a hotel. Only Diamonds can, and it has to be done from the Diamond Desk.

Of course hotels keep one (or more) rooms open at all times. In the business it's called "Elvis's room" (or the pope or the president) but the real pupose is for company executives stuck overnight.

I've been able to successfully demand this room on a regular basis with even minor status. I've also gotten it by offering to pay full rate.

Once when I had spent 232 nights at Marriott the previous year (!!) I was able to walk into the Marriott during the Jazz Festival and get a room.

Glad I don't spend that much time at a hotel anymore.

It's worth becoming Diamond for the privilege alone. I have used it, successfully, many times.

Thanks for the responses. I didn't think that Golds could do it, but there were a few suggestions to the contrary in some threads so I thought I'd check.

At this rate, I may even become a diamond in the next 12 months.

Even sooner if a fast track promo becomes available~

Gold can get award reservations with no black-out dates ...

a nice theory but far from reality.
I needed a room in Dubai over New Year.
Plenty of availability on the Hilton site at a few different properties.
But no availability for awards. Even for Jan 3-6. So I call the hilton awards dept to ask if it is blacked out. Was told there is no blackout but the hotels "have not made any inventory available for awards." Of course I ask why I cannot get an award if there are regular rooms available, and there is no blackout or "period of extraordinary demand". Their answer is like "it should be possible, but I just cannot do it if the hotel did not make any rooms available." (I am a hilton gold).

Following the golden rule of Flyertalk, I call back and speak with a different agent. The story is exactly the same at multiple hotels in Dubai for any award...

a nice theory but far from reality.
I needed a room in Dubai over New Year.
Plenty of availability on the Hilton site at a few different properties.
But no availability for awards. Even for Jan 3-6. So I call the hilton awards dept to ask if it is blacked out. Was told there is no blackout but the hotels "have not made any inventory available for awards." Of course I ask why I cannot get an award if there are regular rooms available, and there is no blackout or "period of extraordinary demand". Their answer is like "it should be possible, but I just cannot do it if the hotel did not make any rooms available." (I am a hilton gold).

Following the golden rule of Flyertalk, I call back and speak with a different agent. The story is exactly the same at multiple hotels in Dubai for any award...

Same thing happened to me as well when I tried booking a hotel on Dec. 15th - 18th at the Gurgaon Hilton Trident. Regular rooms were available but the hotel did not have any awards allocated during those days. Wonder if they would have bend the rules for diamonds.. I am a gold but will be a diamond in a few months.