Hilton HHonors - No Award rooms available for a Diamond?

I am confuseed here and can someone clarify please?
Is it possible I can be denied a reservation because a standard room is not available?
Trying to book London in November next week.

I am confuseed here and can someone clarify please?
Is it possible I can be denied a reservation because a standard room is not available?
Trying to book London in November next week.

I am just back from a trip using points. In Antwerp, they showed no award availability, I asked the Diamond desk to ask for an override. They contacted the hotel with a request and a couple days later I was contacted with the award info.
So - you need to ask for an override - they will tell you it can take up to 1 week for an answer but I have always had a reply in about 3 days.

I've done this 6 times with success every time.

I asked the Diamond desk to ask for an override...
I've done this 6 times with success every time.

Overrides are by no means certain. Sometimes the Diamond Desk even refuses to ask.

The way I understood is you won't be able to get a reward stay if there is no regular room available for sale.

Sometimes, hotel posts no reward stay availability but still have regular room for sale. Under that situation, Diamond Desk can send in request to convert the regular room into reward stay room. I just got a room reserved at Paris ADT with Diamond Desk's help.

DD Comes thru for me!!!!


Thank you for your recent HHonors reward request. We are glad to have had the opportunity to work with you in securing a reservation for you to utilize your HHonors points. Please accept this letter as confirmation of your reservation at the Hilton London XXXXXXX for the nights of 11/xx/2007 to 11/xx/2007 for 1 room(s) for x nights. Your confirmation number is xxxxxxxxxx. Hilton HHonors rewards are valid for standard accommodations. Based on your Diamond VIP status, please feel free to request a room upgrade upon check in. Your request will be given priority attention.

As you know, there are a limited number of rooms available for HHonors Reward Redemption at any given hotel, on any given night. Once these rooms are reserved, no additional reward rooms are accepted. Based on your membership level in the HHonors program, we have made special arrangements with the hotel to allow you to use your HHonors points. HHonors will deduct a total of xxxxx points for the reward(s) redeemed for this stay as follows.

DD Comes thru for me!!!!


Great, ^ for Diamond Desk.

The policy for only standard rooms being available ifor rewards is a Starward policy and not, as far as I understand a Hilton one. I have often booked an executive room and even a suite when making a reward stay both online and over the phone....

If you ever get any similar hassle in the future, just hang up and call back and ask someone else until someone knows what they are doing.

DD rules, not like it was 10 years ago, but still good.

Overall I think the DD and the hotels are trying to see what is going to happen with the Blackstone buyout. Just a lot of uncertainty, and waiting to see a new direction or not.

The way I understood is you won't be able to get a reward stay if there is no regular room available for sale.

Sometimes, hotel posts no reward stay availability but still have regular room for sale. Under that situation, Diamond Desk can send in request to convert the regular room into reward stay room. I just got a room reserved at Paris ADT with Diamond Desk's help.

Earlier this year, DD was able to force an award at a sold out hotel for me, so it's possible even with no rooms for sale, but not guaranteed.

I have only used the DD once to "force" an award - worked like a charme. I even got the points credited to my account for the dollar value the hotel gets from HH ! ;) :D

The way I understood is you won't be able to get a reward stay if there is no regular room available for sale.



Not necessarily true, three of my last eight (all successful) Diamond requests were at completely sold out hotels. My most recently confirmed one... two or so weeks ago.... Conrad Punta del Este was showing sold out for about 10 days both before and after my intended stay.

mike

I have only used the DD once to "force" an award - worked like a charme. I even got the points credited to my account for the dollar value the hotel gets from HH ! ;) :D

Shhhhh :) ... its well....A NOT SO LITTLE known secret that you will get these " bonus" points under these circumstances got them on all seven of my previously completed Diamond request stays.

mike

I have a pending request that was at least equally frustrating. I have a paid stay at London Waldorf and tried to add a award stay day to it. Standard rooms showed available on the internet. Award booking screen showed diamond desk only. When I called the Diamond desk, they said no award availability existed. Initially she said awards only applied to standard rooms, but it was clear that this could not be the rationale for no award bookability. Eventually talked to a supervisor who confirmed that while the Waldorf had standard rooms available, that they did not have award availability, even for Diamond. She seems to have booked a room and (hopefully) requested award stay from the hotel. I guess we'll see.....

My most recently confirmed one... two or so weeks ago.... Conrad Punta del Este was showing sold out for about 10 days both before and after my intended stay.

mike

The Conrad Punta del Este may not be the best use of points (unless you have zillions to burn). I recently arrange for a pre-paid stay for about $120 a night incl tax and breakfast.

From memory, I came accross the listing on the Aerolíneas Argentinas site - click "Hotels".

As an aside, the Conrad Punta del Este is a casino and service was less than memorable. There is no Executive Floor.

The Conrad Punta del Este may not be the best use of points (unless you have zillions to burn). I recently arrange for a pre-paid stay for about $120 a night incl tax and breakfast.

From memory, I came accross the listing on the Aerolíneas Argentinas site - click "Hotels".

As an aside, the Conrad Punta del Este is a casino and service was less than memorable. There is no Executive Floor.

I am locked in to the dates of my stay (meeting up with some friends) but it does appear that my stay will be on a very busy weekend at that resort - Feb 9-11 since some of the rates I got quoted for hotels in the area was insane one which included $365 to $750 for a DAYS INN !!! :D

I also used points for a stay at the Hilton Buenos Aires for the subsequent two nights since their lowest rates were $329 plus taxes.

mike

I am locked in to the dates of my stay (meeting up with some friends) but it does appear that my stay will be on a very busy weekend at that resort - Feb 9-11 since some of the rates I got quoted for hotels in the area was insane one which included $365 to $750 for a DAYS INN !!! :D

mike



WOW!

However I recommend that you keep your expectations low in PDE.

Diamond Desk always comes thru

I am locked in to the dates of my stay (meeting up with some friends) but it does appear that my stay will be on a very busy weekend at that resort - Feb 9-11 since some of the rates I got quoted for hotels in the area was insane one which included $365 to $750 for a DAYS INN !!! :D

I also used points for a stay at the Hilton Buenos Aires for the subsequent two nights since their lowest rates were $329 plus taxes.

mike

For Punta del Este, renting a house or apartment provides better value. The only good thing about the Conrad there is the decent breakfast selection and ease of parking and that it is actually a non-cash stay opportunity. Don't expect much else -- even their idea of a Diamond upgrade is quite laughable. I don't think I've ever come across a more obnoxious reception at check-in at any Hilton property than at the Conrad PDP when on an award stay.