Hilton HHonors - Can you divide a stay into multiple "qualifying" stays?

I stay four days at a hotel. Say I book Sun -Tue, then call and make another booking at the same hotel for Tue - Thu, does that mean I have earned 2 qualifying stays? Or will the computer just merge it together considering they are under the same HHonors numbers. Sounds like cheating, but I dont know how people do it or is there a loophole? I am fairly new to the program and have read most of the online documentation on it.

Also, there is a HGI and Hamptons inn next to each other, so if i stay 2 nights at HGI and other two at the Hampton, will it count as 2 qualifying stays?

Basically, if it is allowed, this would mean you can gain status very fast.

You must leave at least for one night between stays, even booked with separate reservations.

Also, there is a HGI and Hamptons inn next to each other, so if i stay 2 nights at HGI and other two at the Hampton, will it count as 2 qualifying stays? Now, that's the way to do it. Some would say that you should alternate every night!

I stay four days at a hotel. Say I book Sun -Tue, then call and make another booking at the same hotel for Tue - Thu, does that mean I have earned 2 qualifying stays? Or will the computer just merge it together considering they are under the same HHonors numbers. Sounds like cheating, but I dont know how people do it or is there a loophole? I am fairly new to the program and have read most of the online documentation on it.
Also, there is a HGI and Hamptons inn next to each other, so if i stay 2 nights at HGI and other two at the Hampton, will it count as 2 qualifying stays?

Basically, if it is allowed, this would mean you can gain status very fast.

Looks like you missed the most important documentation - HH T&Cs (http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/terms.do).

Accrual of Points

3. A 'Stay' is defined as the total number of consecutive nights spent at the same participating hotel, whether or not a guest checks out and checks back in again.

You must leave at least for one night between stays, even booked with separate reservations.

Now, that's the way to do it. Some would say that you should alternate every night!

Thanks!

Alternating every night seems like a stretch. But if I do 2 per night, it will only help me save a week to gain gold/diamond. Did any of you really alternate?

Looks like you missed the most important documentation - HH T&Cs (http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/terms.do).

I knew I missed something. But thats where FT helps me :) We won't need the forum 80% of the time if everyone knew those TOS in detail.

Thanks for the clarification.

Thanks!

Alternating every night seems like a stretch. But if I do 2 per night, it will only help me save a week to gain gold/diamond. Did any of you really alternate?

If you do 2 per week, instead of 1 per week you will gain gold/diamond in HALF the time

I alternate if I haven't locked down the status yet. I've stayed in places where a hampton and a homewood for example share a parking lot, and just leave the car and go back and forth every night.

I was doing that for a week in Austin for a business thing, and the rest of the people there were all confused, one night I'd get off the shuttle we all took at the Hampton, the next night at the homewood.

It all depends on how fast you need to make or maintain status. Totally up to you what's worth more from those four nights, one, two, three, or even four stays.

But once I've acheived the status, I won't change.

Thanks!

Alternating every night seems like a stretch. But if I do 2 per night, it will only help me save a week to gain gold/diamond. Did any of you really alternate?
I always alternate. We always hotel jump. :D

If you do 2 per week, instead of 1 per week you will gain gold/diamond in HALF the time

How?? I stay 4 nights a week. Diamond is 60 nights/28 stays.

So if I do 1 stay for 4 nights, it will take 15 weeks (nights dominate). If I do 2 stays a week, it will take me 14 weeks (stays dominate). It isnt worth it unless I am alternating every day.

... unless I am misinterpreting the conditions

It may not be worth the trouble though. There are only a handful of hotels that really make Diamond worth it. You would get the additional points bonus, but I think you are more likely to get upgrades if you keep your four nights per week at the same hotel and perhaps talk to the GM. The only reason I would do the switching for diamond is if you have an upcoming award stay, etc.

If I were staying 30 weeks at 4 nights per week at the same hotel I would ask for extra perks like being in the same room all the time, not having to check out on weekends, etc. I stayed in a hotel a good bit like that last summer. They were never full on weekends, and let me keep the key, never check out, etc. I was able to drop off dry cleaning on Thursdays and picked it up on Monday and never really had to pack.

I hit diamond quickly last year because I never stayed in the same hotel 2 nights in a row. I'd move to another HH property every night to get the credit.

I hit diamond quickly last year because I never stayed in the same hotel 2 nights in a row. I'd move to another HH property every night to get the credit.

Did you have to pay for your stays or not send in receipts? When I do my expenses, it would clearly be "weird" (for lack of a better word) and sure to raise some eyebrows of my managers. I mean its nothing wrong, but I do not want to be one of those. I would do 2 stays per week as it can be obvious that maybe the rates were changing. but alternating between 2 hotels is just...

omegadeal said it right. I do not expect an award travel in the next few months at least. I want the complimentary breakfast buffet at HGI, which Gold gives me (i should hit that in the next 1.5 months).

I think I would do it if I didnt have to itemize my expenses and show receipts.

Thanks for the responses all!

My first Diamond re-qual challenge a few years ago was for 7 stays in 90 days. A week-long meeting in SAN had me switching hotels every night. Easy.

And, for me, the Diamond perks continue to be worth it.

The hard part is convincing your co-workers that it makes sense to switch. And don't ever use the phrase "mattress-run" around them.

Actually the hard part is convincing them to stay at a Hilton property when they want to stay at a Marriot...

Alternating every night seems like a stretch. But if I do 2 per night, it will only help me save a week to gain gold/diamond. Did any of you really alternate?
If you do 2 per week, instead of 1 per week you will gain gold/diamond in HALF the time
How?? I stay 4 nights a week. Diamond is 60 nights/28 stays.
nothing sneaky, just simple mathematics:
28 divided by 2 = 14.
28 divided by 4 = 7.
and 7 is half of 14.

nothing sneaky, just simple mathematics:
28 divided by 2 = 14.
28 divided by 4 = 7.
and 7 is half of 14.

You are just re-stating what I said. jan_az implied that staying 2 stays per week, instead of 1 stay per week will get you diamond status in half the time, which is not true.

You are stating the difference between 2 stays per week vs 4 stays per week, which obviously makes a difference.

You are just re-stating what I said. jan_az implied that staying 2 stays per week, instead of 1 stay per week will get you diamond status in half the time, which is not true.

You are stating the difference between 2 stays per week vs 4 stays per week, which obviously makes a difference.

My misunderstanding. My SO is on the road every week. But some weeks are 4, some weeks are 3, some weeks are 2. So switching would make sense if he was a Hilton guy ( which he isnt - he is Marriot so its strictly nites). However since he is already almost requal for 08 we are looking at Hilton for him. What seems to make sense is Marriot on the 4 nite weeks and Hilton on the 2 nite weeks. Everyone nds to see what works for their own travel pattern

Another reason to alternate sites is to double your FF points...especially valuable if Southwest is your program of choice, since you'll receive a full credit for two nights in two locations vs. a half-credit for two nights in one location. Same with rental car bonuses.

For a Gold/Diamond, if you opt for the bonus points, do those point count for each night or each stay?

Basically, once you attain status, do you still alternate nights? Under the Gold benefits, it states that at a HGI, I can get 750 points or free breakfast. Does that mean 750 per stay or per night? Per stay would mean that I can still alternate after being Diamond, and almost get 100% extra bonus if stay is like 75 a night (along with the 50% for diamond, and 50% for double dip)?