Hilton HHonors - 6/09 fall from grace (Diamond): "Only 2009 stays count"

My Diamond status expires at the end of June. I received a new Silver card, my status through 3/2010. When I called to ask how my new status had been calculated, I was told what this title says.

I did receive a challenge: Stay seven times or 15 nights between July 1 and September 30, and regain Diamond status until 3/2010.

I've been asking in the "transition threads" about what happens to July-December 2009 when status expires in June, but got the sense that even the Insiders here didn't have a guess. Well, here's one answer (including no soft landing, even for half a year).

How would you feel about all this?

Thank you.

It makes me less likely to go for my diamond challenge if the status only lasts a few months.

The reason I was moved to post this is that I was astonished at the answer, that I had to do a Diamond's worth of stays/nights/dollars in six months. (Actually, had to have done, ex post facto. Though I doubt that I could have done it.) "I'm sorry Mr. --, but that's the way it falls if your status expires in June. You are one of our last Diamonds [to last this long] from the rolling tier. At least you've been a Diamond six months into the new way. We think it's a fair trade." Or words to this effect.

I think I liked the rolling tier better, or at least not the transition... This seemed like a particularly hard way to land when the music stopped.

I sent an email in November regarding this issue. My status also expires June 2009. I wanted to know if, since the rolling tier was rolling into the sunset, my 2009 stays would count for renewal of status in June.

The reply (thankfully saved) was yes, and that I need "x" stays or "y" base points or "z" nights before June 30, 2009to maintain status.

When I hit those plateaus in early March, I emailed to ask if my status was renewed through April 2010 or April 2011. The reply was the same as the OP, "only 2009 stays count". Huh...?

Since I live in the jungles of Central America and pick up my mail only occasionally (3x per year?), I have no idea if I received a challenge, have been demoted, etc.

My next course of action is to escalate all of this into Adam Burke's office. After I get the HH MGA to fix my last 5 stays that all posted incorrectly.

Thank goodness there are InterCons and the Priority Club to fall back on!

This stuff get harder and harder to predict even for those of us who have paid careful attention to the nuances in the past.

a) In the past HH never had a soft-landing for non-requalifiers in fact as best I can recall they used to offer Challenges for Gold status only and Diamond challanges only became a little more common a year or so before the Rolling tier was put in place.
b) In addition to above many of the previously offered challenges gave status only untill the end of the calender year as opposed the the previous status period which ended at the end of April of the subsequent year.

Based on your experience it seems that they are reverting back exactly to the old system but if I am not mistaken they seemed to have offered challenges to Diamond non-qualifiers for status ending 02/2011.
Perhaps somebody here who has completed that challenge will confirm or contradict that.

What is really odd and annoys the hell out of me :mad:is that some 2008 non-qualifiers were granted status until 2011 while those of us who actually did the required stays in 2008 got cards with 2010 expiration dates.

Just as a point of interest how many stays did you do in 2008?
Based on your June expiration it appears you last requalified in around Mar/April 2008.

Sorry.... based on what is happening at HH I know of no one who can predict with certainty the answer you are likely to get from them:confused:

As far as going for the Diamond challenge thats a question best anwered by you.
If the challenges are just to afford status for the rest of the year and assuming you want to continue as HH Diamond ....I suppose it serves at least to just let you maintain the benefits while you complete the normal required 28 stays in 2009 with the challenge stays obviously counting into that qualification.

mike

As has been posted in other threads, is Diamond worth anything these days? Think about it. What have you gotten from your "status" that you would not have gotten otherwise? Upgrades guaranteed? Not unless you reserve and pay. Special acknowledgment from Hiltons in the US? Not me. Me? I'd save money and just buy a good room on those trips where it matters.

As has been posted in other threads, is Diamond worth anything these days? Think about it. What have you gotten from your "status" that you would not have gotten otherwise? Upgrades guaranteed? Not unless you reserve and pay. Special acknowledgment from Hiltons in the US? Not me. Me? I'd save money and just buy a good room on those trips where it matters.

That of course presumes that one agrees with the premise of your argument, the other thread or the seemingly tons of a simlar ilk.:)
Sorry ...but I have neither the time/patience to try and convince some here otherwise ( many of the disgrunted are not particularly interested in an opposing view anyway and seem to make their stays based on which competiting chain is offering 50 extra points:rolleyes:)

All i will say perhaps since a high percentage of my HH stays are overseas I can say I am fairly pleased with the benefits/upgrades/treatment received as a Diamond.

And that all folks ;)

mike

Seems like very erratic behaviour from Hilton.
I wonder what my new card will say? 2010 ? 2011 ?
Very confusing ?

I think HH has been programmed to self destruct by Blackstone but they have yet the publish the final date.

MisterNice

That of course presumes that one agrees with the premise of your argument, the other thread or the seemingly tons of a simlar ilk.:)
Sorry ...but I have neither the time/patience to try and convince some here otherwise ( many of the disgrunted are not particularly interested in an opposing view anyway and seem to make their stays based on which competiting chain is offering 50 extra points:rolleyes:)

All i will say perhaps since a high percentage of my HH stays are overseas I can say I am fairly pleased with the benefits/upgrades/treatment received as a Diamond.

And that all folks ;)

mike

I too have received good service both domestically and overseas. But it seems to be hit-and-miss, especially in the US, where most of us do the bulk of our travel. This "elite" status carries none of the dependable benefits of similar status on airlines for example, and seems to be more at the discretion of not the hotel itself, but the individual clerks on duty at any given time. Hilton needs to better define their elite status benefits and start providing them in a more reliable fashion than currently, before I would make any extra effort to maintain Diamond.

Go somewhere for the weekend and inconvenience yourself by switching properties each night. Or find a property in a business park over the weekend to get some really cheap rates; I paid around $150 (taxes included) over 2 nights at 2 different Doubletrees in Atlanta last November...maybe $80 one night and $70 the next...again, that included tax. Dirt cheap. Good luck!

I too have received good service both domestically and overseas. But it seems to be hit-and-miss, especially in the US, where most of us do the bulk of our travel. This "elite" status carries none of the dependable benefits of similar status on airlines for example, and seems to be more at the discretion of not the hotel itself, but the individual clerks on duty at any given time. Hilton needs to better define their elite status benefits and start providing them in a more reliable fashion than currently, before I would make any extra effort to maintain Diamond.

+1

Diamond is nice, but personally other than the increase in VIP bonus points I've not noticed a detectable difference over having Gold. In fact I often travel with a Gold colleague and on occasion he has received better room upgrades than me!

Having said this, Gold or Diamond is certainly better than no status at all!

Mrs. Italy and I have found that foreign acknowledgment of Diamond status is much better ^ than the spotty, meager or non-existent offerings in the US. :td:

My diamond status was due to expire April 09.

I emailed the diamond desk in early January 09 and asked about transition period.

I was told that I had to have 17 stays between Jan 1 09 - April 30 09 to maintain Diamond through April 2012. Thus they essentially gave me credits for my April-Jan 08 stays.

Is this different from what others have experienced?

My diamond status was due to expire April 09.

I emailed the diamond desk in early January 09 and asked about transition period.

I was told that I had to have 17 stays between Jan 1 09 - April 30 09 to maintain Diamond through April 2012. Thus they essentially gave me credits for my April-Jan 08 stays.

Is this different from what others have experienced?

I am fairly certain you posted in another thread that you were told you would be Diamond till 2011???:confused:

I know of no instance ( with the notable exception of the special 10+ year Diamonds) of HH given status for 2+ years based on stay qualification.

mike

I am fairly certain you posted in another thread that you were told you would be Diamond till 2011???:confused:

I know of no instance ( with the notable exception of the special 10+ year Diamonds) of HH given status for 2+ years based on stay qualification.

mike

Mike, you are correct (and have a great memory!). Typo on my part. I wish!

Mike, you are correct (and have a great memory!). Typo on my part. I wish!

No problem :) I was just worried that we might have had additional confusing (if it could possibly get worse) info being provided to HH members.

mike

Just received a silver card as well, without any challenge. Disconnect is on Hilton's end, because I actually have Diamond status through June and I have already qualified for Gold YTD. I have an e-mail from Adam Burke indicating that my rolling period ends in June, and I expect I will need to "prove" this to HH when the time comes.

SG