Hilton HHonors - Wacky Pricing

Maybe I'm missing something here.

I tried to book two consecutive nights for a Hilton brand hotel and got a certain rate (the same) for each of the two nights. I then tried booking the same hotel for the same nights but by making two reservations, one for each of the nights, instead if one reservation for the same two nights. The separate night rates were more than 10% cheaper.

So I can check out after one night, check back in, get fresh sheets and save over 10% (and maybe get a second welcome gift).

Anyone know why a hotel would do this?

Probably, I've had mixed luck with it. Usually a call to the hotel works too, tell them you wont' stay for the second night if it's going to cost you more then two nights one at a time.

It's irritating that sometimes they will do a rate change so you save some bucks, and other times they won't and just hit you for some weird higher rate online for multi day reservations.

Or that they will display "as low as" and that's only for one night.

Yeah its fishy at best sometimes. You just have to really pay attention to what it says. Always check one night against your multi-night stays. Generally speaking longer stays will come out a bit cheaper. When they don't, there's GOT to be a reason for it. Here's just a few (my personal take, of course):

Room availability may be almost maxed out for one of the nights. Book two, and your rate is high - book one and it's lower. Keeping the hotel from going into a big oversell.

It's a holiday. There are no rules in life that apply to holidays...this includes room rates. Things get WEIRD when holidays are involved.

There's a convention in town. Lots of rooms one night, and no rooms the next for a hotel really screw with rates.

You're booking during season shift. Example - You book August 31st through September 2nd. August night is way more expensive because it's still "summer" - September is not, thus it's cheaper.

Those are just what's on the top of my head. I'm sure there's more. We run into them all the time.

Also keep in mind, rates that you find online and through 1-800 numbers are usually set by some Joe somewhere who's never even actually seen the hotel. Speaking directly to the property will often yield something a little different. But not always ;-)

And that's my 2 cents for the day! lol :)

Maybe I'm missing something here.

I tried to book two consecutive nights for a Hilton brand hotel and got a certain rate (the same) for each of the two nights. I then tried booking the same hotel for the same nights but by making two reservations, one for each of the nights, instead if one reservation for the same two nights. The separate night rates were more than 10% cheaper.

So I can check out after one night, check back in, get fresh sheets and save over 10% (and maybe get a second welcome gift).

Anyone know why a hotel would do this?

Be advised, you will not get two stays, the booking will be combined at checkin.

Maybe I'm missing something here.

I tried to book two consecutive nights for a Hilton brand hotel and got a certain rate (the same) for each of the two nights. I then tried booking the same hotel for the same nights but by making two reservations, one for each of the nights, instead if one reservation for the same two nights. The separate night rates were more than 10% cheaper.

So I can check out after one night, check back in, get fresh sheets and save over 10% (and maybe get a second welcome gift).

Anyone know why a hotel would do this?

It's absolutely no problem to book two single nights. However, the hotel will not book you out and in again. They will simply merge the two reservations.

Room availability may be almost maxed out for one of the nights. Book two, and your rate is high - book one and it's lower. Keeping the hotel from going into a big oversell.

That is what I normally see. It happens a lot if you book sunday through the week also. Most rooms are cheaper on sunday night and then hotel fills up during the week.

I do not know why Hilton does this.

That is what I normally see. It happens a lot if you book sunday through the week also. Most rooms are cheaper on sunday night and then hotel fills up during the week.Marriott seems to be more consistent in considering a Sunday night stay as a "weekend" stay (qualifying for weekend rates, etc) - at most other major-chain properties, it's hit-and-miss.

Most Marriott program hotels seem give nice weekend rates but only if you book a Fr+SA or a Sa+Su. I did this a few weeks ago.

As for Hilton charging more per night for consecutive nights its probably do to their HH yield management algorithm for maximizing income. Not too many people or TA would bother check out the 2 separate night rates. I have seen where one reservation for 3 night was over 30% higher than booking 3 separate reservations (I booked the 3 separate reservations). Remember HH is on the Hilton Inc team.........not the customer team.

MisterNice

To the people who said the hotel would just blend the reservations:

I don't know where you stay, but wow.....we don't do that. There are lots of reasons a person would have multiple stays. Perhaps one night was for business, and one was for leisure. Can't submit your leisure night to corporate, can you?

I'm actually kinda miffed at whatever hotel did that to you. That's just presumptuous and rude. "Stayovers" are beyond incredibly common in this industry and if any GSR says otherwise they're either new or a liar.

Dunno why that miffed me so much....sorry...hehe

To the people who said the hotel would just blend the reservations:

I don't know where you stay, but wow.....we don't do that. There are lots of reasons a person would have multiple stays. Perhaps one night was for business, and one was for leisure. Can't submit your leisure night to corporate, can you?

I'm actually kinda miffed at whatever hotel did that to you. That's just presumptuous and rude. "Stayovers" are beyond incredibly common in this industry and if any GSR says otherwise they're either new or a liar.

Dunno why that miffed me so much....sorry...hehe

I'm with you-if Hilton wants to force me to book twice to get the best rate, then they should give me 2 of anything they give out on check-in-points, bonuses, etc.

Having said that, I'm not sure that gets me anything, other than the certainty of changing rooms.

I'm with you-if Hilton wants to force me to book twice to get the best rate, then they should give me 2 of anything they give out on check-in-points, bonuses, etc.

Having said that, I'm not sure that gets me anything, other than the certainty of changing rooms.


Hardly! Changing a guest's room is far more work than balancing out inventory and keeping you in your room. Plus, wouldn't that actually count as 2 stays - which puts you a little closer to the next tier? Or no? PLUS if you're Diamond or Gold and you have points on your myway, well that's twice you get 'em....right?

Hardly! Changing a guest's room is far more work than balancing out inventory and keeping you in your room. Plus, wouldn't that actually count as 2 stays - which puts you a little closer to the next tier? Or no? PLUS if you're Diamond or Gold and you have points on your myway, well that's twice you get 'em....right?

Checking out and checking in again at the same hotel (without a break of at least one day in between) is still only one stay.

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.

I'm actually kinda miffed at whatever hotel did that to you. That's just presumptuous and rude.

Actually, when that happens to me and it happens fairly often when I am not sure of how many nights I will need to stay and I have a series of one night reservations, I prefer to think that the "hotel did it FOR me, not TO me" even if I understand it makes it easier on them. I benefit too from not having to change rooms.

Checking out and checking in again at the same hotel (without a break of at least one day in between) is still only one stay.


Oh! Okay, thanks :)

Oh well, either way it's easier for everyone involved if you get to keep your room. 99% of the time anyway.

Now. If you happen to be in my honeymoon suite......and I have honeymooners coming in.........don't be upset if I ask you to move! But I (personally) would tell you why and give you goodies and have someone move your stuff for you. There's always exceptions to the rule, ya know?

I plan to stay at the New York Hilton, checking in 07-01 for three nights. According to Hilton's online reservations, if I check in on 07-02, the rate for that night and the following night is just $289. But if I check in on 07-01, when I prefer, the rate is $329 FOR ALL THREE NIGHTS!! In all my years of travel, I've never run into anything like this. I really hate to make separate reservations and possibly have to checkout and then check-in again. Should I contact the hotel or what? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

On a somewhat related note..... If I'm staying a night at a Hilton for biz, then a night on my own, is it best to make 2 separate reservations (with the per night rate the same). I know that I would only get 1 stay credit, but would prefer to use my biz card for the company trip, and my personal card (for the points) for my solo night. When they combine it together, do they usually combine the billing?

I could do the whole thing on my own, then do an out-of-pocket request; or the whole thing on my company card and pay back. What do others do in a similar case?

I just don't want to have to move my stuff...and someone will be coming with me too.

I would reserve both nights, then ask they charge one night to one card, and the other night to the other card. Just stop by the desk after the first night and make sure they did it right for you.

On a somewhat related note..... If I'm staying a night at a Hilton for biz, then a night on my own, is it best to make 2 separate reservations (with the per night rate the same). I know that I would only get 1 stay credit, but would prefer to use my biz card for the company trip, and my personal card (for the points) for my solo night. When they combine it together, do they usually combine the billing?

I could do the whole thing on my own, then do an out-of-pocket request; or the whole thing on my company card and pay back. What do others do in a similar case?

I just don't want to have to move my stuff...and someone will be coming with me too.
That is exactly what I often do for about the same reason. I think I had to move once in about 100+ (Presendential suite upgraded) reservations. At the Budapest Castle Hilton recently I had 4 separate reservations each to be eventally charged to a different company or cc. It went smoothly without problems and I left with 4 separate hotel invoices.

MisterNice

I really don't care for Hilton to be pulling this stuff. Different rates for different nights-fair enough. But I find no rationale for two nights' rates to add up to less than booking the two nights together.

I will 2X whatever each night's benefits are. I'll be doing this their way, and they can pay what they've offered.

Here's the latest pricing when I checked yesterday:

Book Two One-Night Stays:

Night One $140
Night Two $170

Total $310

Book One Two-Night Stay for Same Dates:

$420

What gives with this?