Hilton HHonors - Strategy for retaining low level tier?

Actually I'm a Silver VIP due to 4 stays within in last 12 month and my status will expire in march 2010.

So far so good.

Unfortunately I never go for business trips and I usually just go once a year for a longer holiday with my family. Next year we will spend 3 weeks in Thailand, so this my chance to retain my silver VIP tier (yes, I know, it's not much worth ... ). Though Thailand is not covered with many hotels of the Hilton group, on our tour we pass Phuket and Bangkok. Right now the plan is to spend 5 nights at Hilton Arcadia in Phuket and 4 nights at Millenium Hilton in Bangkok. Unfortunately I fall short for one night with this plan. The flights within Thailand are already booked, so there's not much flexibility.

The last 4 nights at Millenium Hilton are embedded between our flight from Phuket and our flight back home to germany. So my first idea was to stay one night at Millenium Hilton, then change to Conrad Hotel for one night and then change back to Millenium Hilton for 2 more nights. This would give me 4 stays and the requalification of my silver VIP tier. I knew that this idea was nonsense and after some harsh words from my wife I dropped that idea immediately.

Actually my wife is also a silver VIP (Thanks to Hilton Visa CC), so another idea came to mind. We could alternate bookings at Hilton in Phuket so I book the first night, then my wife book the 2nd, me the 3rd, she the 4th and me the 5th again and then we stay 4 more nights at Millenium Hilton. So is this allowed by HHonors rules and does it give the 4 stay I need for requalification?

I read the FAQs (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/462994-please-read-first-frequently-asked-questions-faqs-pertaining-hilton-hhonors.html), but couldn't find any hints for my "problem".

I know this problem can't compete with those of diamond and platinum members but if I can keep my (low-lvel) tier just by doing some "strange" bookings I would be glad to know this

THX in advance ...

You would do better going to the Conrad. Not sure hwo the hotel would handle you and your wife checking in and out every night. A lot of times they combine the reservation. Can you not get a credit card to at least keep silver? I do not know what they have in Germany.

You would do better going to the Conrad. Not sure hwo the hotel would handle you and your wife checking in and out every night. A lot of times they combine the reservation. Can you not get a credit card to at least keep silver? I do not know what they have in Germany.

I'm a newbie. So 1st of all, hello HHilton forum. Pls explain why going to the Conrad would be better. And would this be the same for the US. I have the cc but am still curious.

If you stay at a different hotel, or break a stay like the OP envisages, then it counts as more than one stay.

e.g. In January I stayed one night at the Singapore Hilton, the next night at the Conrad Singapore and the following night back at the Singapore Hilton. For this I was creditied with three stays.

As long as his wife checks in independently at the same hotel I see no reason why she would not also get a stay credit as well. She has her own HHonors # and CC.

I don't know if the hassle of checking in/out is worth it if this is a vacation. But is there a reason why you and your wife both need Silver VIP if it seems your only trips are with your family? I would just let her book everything and earn the bonus points on her account. Is there a specific need for you both to have Silver?

Is there a specific need for you both to have Silver?

No, not at all. She just became Silver VIP with her Hilton Visa CC and there's absolutely no need for a member tier for her.

The more I think about all this the more I'll be convinced that maybe the best is to just relax and enjoy the vacations and try to get the missing nights later that year with a short weekend trip ...

Anyway ... thanks everyone for your help ... :)