Hilton HHonors - Trying to get Gold membership for friend

We are going to Hawaii with another family over spring break. They have an Amex/Hilton card but are not gold members. Wonder if there is any way to get them to gold fast--so they can enjoy complimentary breakfast for their family?

I wonder if you could book two rooms for yourself and then have your friend pay for their room charges on their credit card when you check out. This way he could get the breakfast and you could get the points.

I would check to see if the breakfast is included for the second room though. I've always gotten breakfast for two rooms when travelling with friends, but I would make absolutely sure before doing something like this.

He could also charge 20k on the Hilton AMEX and get Gold. If he will come close then consider buying no-cost gift cards for items he will use (i.e. airlines, grocery, restaurants, etc.) to put him over the top.

All they need to do between now and the trip is stay 16 qualifying stays or 36 qualifying nights at participating HHonors hotels. :D

Actually, the suggestion in the second post might work. I've booked two rooms under my name for my family, and both rooms have received Diamond benefits.

Get gold status with four stany in 90 days http://www.hiltonracing.com/

Get gold status with four stany in 90 days http://www.hiltonracing.com/

This is absolutely the fastest and most effective way of achieving your goal. Hilton is also offering bonuses for stays by those nominated by existing members (e.g. stays in Italy currently earn 2,500 point bonuses), so this is well worth considering. Good luck.

Is their something wrong/a problem with obtaining a problem with getting Gold this way? :confused: This just sounds so easy. ;)

What do you mean by "wrong"?

Do you mean morally or ethically wrong?
Do you mean wrong as in it is a mistake on Hilton's part and they really do not mean to give out Gold after only 4 stays?

If you are referring to, it is "wrong" because it is so easy. Think of it as Hilton trying to build a new loyal customer base. They could potentially bring in a lot of new business with 4 stays to Gold promos. Their output (paying out of awards, upgrades, etc) is far outweighed by the new loyal customers they would bring in.

Even if someone stayed 4 times (assume 1 night each), earned Gold and then just stayed once (1 night) more it is not like the person was making out like a bandit. Sure they might get an upgrade and they earn some extra bonus points but they won't ever redeem a GLONwhatever. Hilton is not worried about them "milking" the system.

Hilton would not be running these types of promotions (and doing it pretty frequently in my opinion) if it was hurting them financially.
They are in the business of making a profit... if they were doing something that hurt their profit they would stop. ;)

Usually, when there is a post for Gold on the Hilton site, obtained so easily. People are jumping all over the deal. :) I'm not looking at this from Hilton's view point.

I don't see that happening on this! Hence, my question!

My wife has 2 stays this week where it's "group" bookings. Does anyone know if those count? TIA...

My wife has 2 stays this week where it's "group" bookings. Does anyone know if those count? TIA...


Was it booked as a "special rate" (ie a non eligible rate) where there will be no points credited?
Is this going to be billed to one master account?

Please ask that information and read the FAQthread. Hopefully that the above will answer your question(s).

Usually, when there is a post for Gold on the Hilton site, obtained so easily. People are jumping all over the deal. :) I'm not looking at this from Hilton's view point.

I don't see that happening on this! Hence, my question!

Most likely because everyone already HAS Gold... as Hilton has been giving it out in this manner (4 stays in X days) for the past couple of years.

I too thought everybody with a heartbeat has an HH Gold card. As for the OP, have your friends go to the nearest ABC store in Hawaii and buy oodles of nice fresh fruit, some rolls, coffee and have a healthful breakfast on your hotel lanai. If this is unsatisfactory, start a post requesting a free Costco membership and remember the Costco fruit, rolls and coffee are even cheaper and fresher than the ABC stores. Even cheaper is to gather the ripe fruit under the mango, papaya etc trees. Personally I believe anyone who can afford to vacation in a Hilton in Hawaii should be able to cough up a few cheapened $ for breakfast even during these trying sub-prime mortgage days.

MisterNice

Get your gold the way I did, spend 20K on the HH Amex card. Once you hit the 20K threshold, I was switched within a week. I hit my spending threshold in September 07, was made gold until April '09. Now the HH Amex is on the bench in favor of the Citi AA for 2008.