Hilton HHonors - A Proposal to Restore Value to Diamond Status

I think it's common consensus that there is now little value in being Diamond vs. Gold concerning upgrades, or vs. Blue when it comes to reward redemptions.

HHonors could take steps to restore value and avoid the flight of Diamonds to Gold status, or out of the HHonors program altogether.

I suggest that Diamonds receive an automatic and required upgrade to Executive Level, either on a paid or award stay, at time of booking or 48 hours ahead of their arrival whenever a single Executive Room remains for sale. If the booking is made less than 48 hours ahead, there is no guarantee. Award reservations could be made if any standard, preferred, or executive room is available (except suites).

If there is no Executive Level, then the Diamond would be assigned to the best rooms available, except suites, by 48 hours ahead. Breakfast would be free.

Diamonds staying at Hampton, Homewood etc. would also be blocked into the best rooms automatically, with a decent amenity or substantial points provided in lieu of the breakfast which everyone gets.

Golds would be upgraded to the next room category only on a space-available basis, and would not normally have Executive Lounge access, reducing pressure on these facilities and allowing better food to be stocked.
Award bookings could only be made if a standard room is available.

Thoughts?

Lame. Most of the time "executive" room is just a regular room with a bathrobe. I could care less.

SPG and IC can offer space available guaranteed suite upgrades for their top tiers. Why not Hilton?

Lots of other ways they could fix Diamond...in fact, the whole HH system...starting with the website, Diamond Desk incompetency, etc. Executive room means nothing.

I think it's common consensus that there is now little value in being Diamond vs. Gold concerning upgrades, or vs. Blue when it comes to reward redemptions.

I disagree on both counts. I've gotten some very nice upgrades as Diamond that I'm sure would not have been contemplated as Gold (and I'll get to test that theory out later in the year when I drop status). Similarly I have gotten some great Diamond forces, even getting a Point Stretcher when there were no award rooms available online.

That doesn't mean I'm happy about devaluation of benefits, which I think is real. I'm just not convinced your assertion there is little difference is right.

Lame. Most of the time "executive" room is just a regular room with a bathrobe. I could care less.

The main value of the executive room is lounge access, which is worth it internationally. The room may be somewhat bigger, offer extra amenities, and most importantly usually has the best view.

SPG and IC can offer space available guaranteed suite upgrades for their top tiers. Why not Hilton?

IC RA does not guarantee space available suite upgrades. Under the program, "executive room" is an option that we've been assigned on 2 of 4 IC stays so far. And one of the 2 suite stays was a King Deluxe at the IC LA, which I consider a suite but not everyone does.

I disagree on both counts. I've gotten some very nice upgrades as Diamond that I'm sure would not have been contemplated as Gold (and I'll get to test that theory out later in the year when I drop status). Similarly I have gotten some great Diamond forces, even getting a Point Stretcher when there were no award rooms available online.

That doesn't mean I'm happy about devaluation of benefits, which I think is real. I'm just not convinced your assertion there is little difference is right.

Were the Diamond forces before HH went to its current reward policy about January 2008?

IC RA does not guarantee space available suite upgrades. Under the program, "executive room" is an option that we've been assigned on 2 of 4 IC stays so far. And one of the 2 suite stays was a King Deluxe at the IC LA, which I consider a suite but not everyone does.

Last year I visited 30 or so InterContinental's (somewhere between 70 to 80 nights) and received an executive room once (if I can recall correct) which was at Mark Hopkins. All others were suite upgrades.

Maybe they offer better upgrades for RA's that have actually earned the status than those that have been referred which makes sense.

Domestically I see very little difference in executive level rooms and standard rooms. Lounge access is nice and I'm usually happy with that even if my room is not actually on the executive level.

That said, I've had a pretty good upgrade percentage, around 50% of my upgrades are more than a view (could care less what's outside the window) and of those upgrade, about 20% have been to suites or similar. I've had 2 upgrades to flagship rooms (Towers Suite at Hilton MIA, President's Suite at ES Atlanta Centennial). There have been times I've been disappointed (usually at HIs where I know there are suites available but I only get a "Study") but more times than not I'm very happy with the upgrades I receive.

Now, just because I've been somewhat lucky with upgrades over the last year doesn't mean I'm opposed to some investment in re-valuing the Diamond program. I envision something like 24 hour space-available Suite upgrades for Diamonds, 2-category excluding suites for Golds, and 1-category excluding suites for Silvers. More than anything, some constancy across properties would help. Some HIs refuse upgrades entirely even when available... make them work within the system or pull their franchise. Also, confirmed points upgrades would be great... seems like an easy way to get folks to spend points even on a paid stay. There are times when I would gladly pay the standard room paid rate + the standard room points rate for a confirmed suite.

Also, allowing upgrades to 2-bedroom suites at ESs would be a nice touch... there are times we travel with friends who aren't very well off and we usually chose an ES and let them sleep on the couch... an upgrade to a 2-bedroom suite would make those trips alot more enjoyable, especially for our friends who we want to help enjoy some travel a bit outside their own means.

A lot of these enhancements would require an overhaul and standardization of the room class system. It would need to eliminate some of the over-classing many properties use to work the system (+1 class for a view, +1 class for a balcony, +2 class for a view w/ balcony, ect). It would require no more than a +1 class bump for a substantial change in view (ocean vs. garden) and everything else be based solely on the room itself (mainly size, possibly renovation if substantial). It seems the hardest part would be making all the properties and (owned and franchised) to adhere to these policies.

I agree that if I regularly get suite upgrades with IHG and Starwoods as a RA and Platinum respectively, why this is not something Hilton could offer Diamond members.

What exactly is it about Diamond that has been devalued? The fact that there are no blackout dates changes nothing with regard to Diamond status. Hilton has not announced that the Diamond force benefit has gone away. What exactly are you complaining about?

What exactly is it about Diamond that has been devalued? The fact that there are no blackout dates changes nothing with regard to Diamond status. Hilton has not announced that the Diamond force benefit has gone away. What exactly are you complaining about?

Probably the fact that there are hardly any Diamond benefits to start with compared to SPG PLT and IC RA. I even value my Hyatt GP Diamond higher than HH Diamond.

Alot of people are also upset about the aparent unanounced change to the rolling qualification tier (rolling 14 months vs. April of the 2nd following year). Also, the No Blackouts change does devalue Diamond and Gold as it offers everyone a benefit that had until then been reserved for Diamond and Gold. With no black-outs for everyone else you have a larger number of people that have access to the same number of award rooms. The Diamond Force protects Diamonds from some of the ill effects... the Golds are likely going to feel that particular devaluation even more.

I disagree. Now, far more rooms/night should be available for award stays. Before it was limited to some percentage of the inventory.

Hilton has systematically shaved benefits for diamonds in Asia and Europe over the past two years. I've shown up at the same hotel the 2nd time in one week. A benefit that was offered me on the first visit has been taken away on the 2nd. (See my reports on the Colombo Hilton.) "We were told we were offering too much by Hilton, so we had to cut back."

I have been very unhappy about stays where I was not given access to the Executive Lounge (Singapore Conrad, Munich Hilton) because the executive floor is full. In the case of the Conrad Singapore, it is a hotel where I have stayed for 10 years, including during SARS when the hotel was near empty.

I have not had a promotion of any substance from Hilton in 2 years. I was not on the target group for the one I got two years ago, but a responsive Diamond agent got me on it.

So yes, count me among those who believe that Hilton has stripped the Diamond level of value. The latest nonsense about the rolling tier, where Hilton has failed to inform its members that it has changed how it determines status, might just be the final straw for me. I've had wonderful stays at Hiltons, but the unpredictability of international upgrades in the past two years has worn me down. This diamond might well be dropping back to gold in 2009, changing program focus to Starwood.

The best thing that Hilton offers me is a wonderful Diamond Desk contact who is totally responsive on anywhere she can help me within the Hilton Hhonors rules.

So yes, I think this is a valuable thread, Hilton needs to pay attention to what it is doing for diamonds, rather than telling local properties to do less and less.

I agree with most all of the previous post. Regarding requalification, changing the qualification requirements for the program is certainly within Hilton's rights. Not telling us anything about the change before its implementation is rather outrageous. I don't think any two people at the Diamond Desk could explain the old requalification rules the same way. I wonder how much confusion the latest change will bring.

As far as promotions are concerned, I've seen a lot of them for individual hotels. But these are on the order of, "Stay here..." or "Come back..." and we'll give you 1000 points. I get better than that from Marriott and SPG and I'm nobody in those programs.

I should reiterate, though, I do not see the no blackout dates benefit as a problem for Diamond members.

As stated by SanDiego1K, the unpredictability of upgrades and lounge access for Diamonds is a huge disbenefit, esp. internationally. This is a new problem, dating from Hilton USA's acquisition of the international operation. Hilton USA imposed equal upgrade benefits for Diamonds and Golds on the international properties, so that a Gold can report an upgrade with lounge access at the London Waldorf, while we were denied lounge access as Diamonds. Previously, Diamonds were almost always upgraded.

As to reward reservations, Diamonds never used to have a problem getting reward rooms absent the very occasional EDD. Now they face more difficulty as standard rooms (necessary for rewards) are redefined, and EDDs are proclaimed more frequently.

I was a Gold member for years and made a push to Diamond to see the difference. That was a huge mistake. The only difference was I found was the additional points received. I received more upgrades as Gold than I have as a Diamond.

I don't think the individual properties have a clue about the program.

I think it's common consensus that there is now little value in being Diamond vs. Gold concerning upgrades, or vs. Blue when it comes to reward redemptions.

HHonors could take steps to restore value and avoid the flight of Diamonds to Gold status, or out of the HHonors program altogether.

I suggest that Diamonds receive an automatic and required upgrade to Executive Level, either on a paid or award stay, at time of booking or 48 hours ahead of their arrival whenever a single Executive Room remains for sale. If the booking is made less than 48 hours ahead, there is no guarantee. Award reservations could be made if any standard, preferred, or executive room is available (except suites).

If there is no Executive Level, then the Diamond would be assigned to the best rooms available, except suites, by 48 hours ahead. Breakfast would be free.

Diamonds staying at Hampton, Homewood etc. would also be blocked into the best rooms automatically, with a decent amenity or substantial points provided in lieu of the breakfast which everyone gets.

Golds would be upgraded to the next room category only on a space-available basis, and would not normally have Executive Lounge access, reducing pressure on these facilities and allowing better food to be stocked.
Award bookings could only be made if a standard room is available.

Thoughts?


Monsignore, out of curiousity: Whatfor is this thread? Whatfor should we discuss what we think could be good for Diamonds? I don't think that anyone at Hilton cares about our wishes and ideas. Just my cheapo two cents.

Monsignore, out of curiousity: Whatfor is this thread? Whatfor should we discuss what we think could be good for Diamonds? I don't think that anyone at Hilton cares about our wishes and ideas. Just my cheapo two cents.I agree. I've never understood the purpose of these "wish" threads.

Lame. Most of the time "executive" room is just a regular room with a bathrobe. I could care less.

SPG and IC can offer space available guaranteed suite upgrades for their top tiers. Why not Hilton? For th emost part I agree. The exec room's do come with club access though.

As a top-tier member in Starwood, Hyatt and Hilton, it is obvious to me that being a Hilton Diamond provides the least value of the three.

Starwood upgrades me >90% of the time (in fact, this email is being typed from a Sheraton Suite right now) and their hotel rewards are easy to get. Service is generally good to Platinum members and I find Westin and W properties to offer fairly consistent expereinces -- I like knowing what I am getting.

Hyatt upgrades me on occasion, usually only at Park or Grand properties (strangely enough), and their bonus point structure, which is based on stays (not length of stay), really benefits me since I am often only a guest for a day or two. I also find their customer service to be very good and caring. I can't think of a time when Hyatt has not been able to satisfactorily handle an issue for me.

Hilton, however, offers an extensive hotel portfolio in the U.S. that the other two can't match. My domestic trips are often to areas where a Garden or Hampton Inn is the only choice. As a result, I earn Diamond easily -- though I do stay at a fair amount of full-service Hiltons as well. The benefit I enjoy with Hilton, apart from their huge selection of hotels, is a fairly generous point earning program and the flexibility of the Diamond Force. The biggest downside to me is their international properties. I cannot tell you the last time I stayed at one of their hotels overseas.

Were the Diamond forces before HH went to its current reward policy about January 2008?

Yes, but somehow I doubt as a gold I would get a fantastic top level corner exec suite released in NYC on NYE. I got that as a diamond force. Yeah I was incredibly lucky to get this.

I also got the best suite at cavalieri as diamond on one of the 3/5/7 stay certs. I doubt I'd be so lucky as a gold.

I got a very nice room (not best suite but certainly not in the lowest few room categories either) as a diamond force (no awards were available), and was given at the reduced point stretcher rate just weeks before that hotel went up a couple of categories.

I've also gotten upgraded to the presidential suite (or whatever they call it) at conrad singapore more than once, even on dirt cheap rates (S$120ish). I doubt that would happen as a gold.

Probably the fact that there are hardly any Diamond benefits to start with compared to SPG PLT and IC RA. I even value my Hyatt GP Diamond higher than HH Diamond.

That might be a function of where you stay. I have no complaints as diamond and will deeply miss the benefits when I drop to gold soon.

Alot of people are also upset about the aparent unanounced change to the rolling qualification tier (rolling 14 months vs. April of the 2nd following year).

That I can understand, but it does impact diamonds equally with other statuses. Then again, perhaps I am downplaying the impact because I never really thought it would be anything other than rolling validity. April of the 2nd following year is just too generous, IMO.

Perhaps the change will make things better for remaining elites if the ranks are thinned a bit? Glass half full.

I was a Gold member for years and made a push to Diamond to see the difference. That was a huge mistake. The only difference was I found was the additional points received. I received more upgrades as Gold than I have as a Diamond.

I don't think the individual properties have a clue about the program.

Ah, that's great point! ^ I am a Gold and am very hesitant about trying to qualify for Diamond, which I am very close based on spending. If I do, I will use it to be comped to SPG Platinum, which is probably a good way to make Platinum without spending much at SPG but get those upgrades at Le Meridien Bora Bora! :D

Now that you say this, I might even be able to convince those folks at Conrad Maldives that Gold VIP is rarer and more valuable. :) I mean, they are probably accustomed to Diamond VIP and non-status people where the former were the only ones capable of making there on points and the latter, very rich people who don't care about hotel points. I am sure Gold is a powerful symbol for many South Asian cultures and it wouldn't be hard to convince them to give me triple upgrade! :p

(Ducking away quickly from angry Diamond VIPs)

IMO - the reason upgrades etc. have decreased over the years is that there are way too many Diamonds. Make the level harder to get and it will be easier for Hilton to pass on real benefits for those who really deserve them.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the top tier with HH is easier to get to than in any other program.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the top tier with HH is easier to get to than in any other program.

I agree and think it is because of the wide variety of properties. Over the last six months I have worked on HH and SPG, with SPG being my first choice. There are however still a lot of cities where the SPG property isn't affordable or available, and that is where HH kicks in. There is always a Hampton that is at or below my per diem.

I agree that there is little value difference between diamond and gold. There are only a few properties that really go out of their way to take care of Diamond (i.e. Cavielieri). I may slip to HH Gold this year and hold both HH gold and SPG gold, but I won't miss anything other than the points bonus.

Personally, I would like to see some type of incremental awards system for Diamond. I never get or need upgrades, breakfast, etc. on business travel. It is the 2x per year that I use for vacation that I'd really like to see the benefits kick in.

I should reiterate, though, I do not see the no blackout dates benefit as a problem for Diamond members.

I am not sure I agree with this. If a hotel has blacked out availability for certain date ranges there is much more chance (in the case of a leisure property) that I will be able to get a room via the old Diamond Force at relatively short notice, than there is that I will under the new policy. Also for the upper end properties, seeing a handful of Diamond forced redemptions every week, compared to a flood of redemptions from the whole spectrum of HH membership, is perhaps likely to take better care of the smaller group than the larger group and less likely to start being creative in changing room categories or having a substantial new line of conference business ;)

You are right in saying what has changed for Diamonds, well the free breakfast and upgrade has now all but disappeared unless your upgrade is to an Exec room and the property has a lounge.

I tend to find that hotel staff are now much more likely to lump Diamonds and Golds into a single category and fail to distinguish between the 2 categories when it comes to assigning upgrades etc. When the OR was inserted into the T&C's for upgrade or breakfast that was when the programme started to slide for me. The only reason to retain Diamond has been because of my large outstanding points balance but even this reason has now gone and like many I am left with no compelling reason to seek Diamond over Gold in the future.

Incidentally HH has some "form" in sneaking in changes to the programmelike the new requaliication criteria, for instance that change to OR mentioned above.

From my perspective its a simple fact that Diamond benefits are now hotel specific. There has been a concerted effort on the part of many hotels to not give lounge access nor free breakfast.

Some hotels remain very "first-rate" as far as I'm concerned....but unfortunately I think that the numbers are dwindling. At least in Europe (where I have most of my stays) this is true. I hate to admit it but I now stay at the hotel that is most conveniant even if there is a Hilton out of the way thats possible. I now have 200K points in Marriott (and used 70,000 last year) and also have 70,000 points in Radisson.

I still believe that the Hilton program is excellent as it gives you the most properties to redeem points at.....but the stay experience for a decent percentage of hotels is average to mediocre these days.

One benefit I'd vote for is free internet access for diamonds at ALL properties!!! No more stupid 20 and 35 euro charges to check your emails at midnight.

Best of luck at the other chains - where their threads indicate just as much disdain/disappointment for their respective loyalty programs. The grass is always greener, right? :td:

Best of luck at the other chains - where their threads indicate just as much disdain/disappointment for their respective loyalty programs. The grass is always greener, right? :td:

I'm not sure you realize the status that at least two of us hold who have posted in this thread. hotju2 spends a lot of nights in hotels, and holds top tier in all the chains he mentions.

Probably the fact that there are hardly any Diamond benefits to start with compared to SPG PLT and IC RA. I even value my Hyatt GP Diamond higher than HH Diamond.

I, myself, thru an unusual confluence of events, hold top tier in


Marriott lifetime platinum
Starwood platinum
Hilton Diamond
Hyatt Diamond
Intercontinental RA


Some of us really have compared and contrasted benefits at the comparable level to Hilton Diamond - and thus our frustration. I'll be letting my IC status lapse, due to lack of sufficient IC properties where I travel. I will likely drop one other top tier - and it looks more and more as if it will be Hilton, thanks to its steadily eroding benefits.

We've got some solid past Hilton enthusiasts posting in this thread. The grass was a lot greener with international Hilton properties two to three years ago than it is today. Don't assume we are whiners because we give some honest feedback.

Yes, but somehow I doubt as a gold I would get a fantastic top level corner exec suite released in NYC on NYE. I got that as a diamond force. Yeah I was incredibly lucky to get this.

I also got the best suite at cavalieri as diamond on one of the 3/5/7 stay certs. I doubt I'd be so lucky as a gold.

I got a very nice room (not best suite but certainly not in the lowest few room categories either) as a diamond force (no awards were available), and was given at the reduced point stretcher rate just weeks before that hotel went up a couple of categories.

I've also gotten upgraded to the presidential suite (or whatever they call it) at conrad singapore more than once, even on dirt cheap rates (S$120ish). I doubt that would happen as a gold.

Well in fairness to Hilton, I too have scored the Governor's Suite at the Millennium Hilton in NYC, and the Presidential Suite at the Conrad Singapore, both on award stays (latter was probably due to a service issue on a previous stay). No Cavalieri experience. But those are a few specific hotels, where advance contact with hotel management was probably also a factor.

Now that you say this, I might even be able to convince those folks at Conrad Maldives that Gold VIP is rarer and more valuable. :) I mean, they are probably accustomed to Diamond VIP and non-status people where the former were the only ones capable of making there on points and the latter, very rich people who don't care about hotel points. I am sure Gold is a powerful symbol for many South Asian cultures and it wouldn't be hard to convince them to give me triple upgrade! :p

(Ducking away quickly from angry Diamond VIPs)

:D

I agree and think it is because of the wide variety of properties. Over the last six months I have worked on HH and SPG, with SPG being my first choice. There are however still a lot of cities where the SPG property isn't affordable or available, and that is where HH kicks in. There is always a Hampton that is at or below my per diem.



I'm viewing IHG as my chief replacement for Hilton in smaller markets. Holiday Inn rates are frequently less than Hampton (where the free breakfasts are awful), and Priority Club quarterly bonuses can be handsome.

Another fallback is Choice, with a massive range of properties and some nice overseas redemption opportunities - plus points transfer from Amtrak and into SWA.