Hilton HHonors - Reward Stays - Conunted as "Qualifying Stay"?

According to this (http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/about/memlevels.do), the answer is yes ^:

"Your reward stays count toward VIP tier qualification. And HHonors VIP members will receive the VIP point bonus on Base points earned for incidental spending during HHonors hotel reward stays. It all adds up to putting you on a faster track to enjoying exclusive VIP privileges!"

According to this (http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/terms.do#accrual_of_points), the answer is no :td::

"3. ..... The term “stay” under these Terms and Conditions does not include any stays of the following nature: wholesale/tour operator packages; contracted airline crew rates; travel industry rates (including but not limited to travel agent discount rates); complimentary or barter rooms; Reward Stays; NET Group rates; ".

Help enlighten me :)? I did look through the sticky!

Thanks!

yes they count

See this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilton-hhonors/128894-reward-stays-count-vip-status.html

The answer is YES! Look further down to clause 15:

HHonors have updated their T&C's and in the process have made it clear that Hotel Rewards credit for both STAYS & NIGHTS:15. ...
For purposes of counting stays and nights for VIP tier qualification (as explained below), Reward Stays will count towards the number of overall stays and nights.

According to this (http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/about/memlevels.do), the answer is yes ^:

"Your reward stays count toward VIP tier qualification. And HHonors VIP members will receive the VIP point bonus on Base points earned for incidental spending during HHonors hotel reward stays. It all adds up to putting you on a faster track to enjoying exclusive VIP privileges!"

According to this (http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/terms.do#accrual_of_points), the answer is no :td::

"3. ..... The term “stay” under these Terms and Conditions does not include any stays of the following nature: wholesale/tour operator packages; contracted airline crew rates; travel industry rates (including but not limited to travel agent discount rates); complimentary or barter rooms; Reward Stays; NET Group rates; ".

Help enlighten me :)? I did look through the sticky!

Thanks!

The first quote is in the section titled "Membership Levels." The second quote is in the section "Accrual of Points." So, there's the answer. Award stays earn status but they don't earn points (except on incidentals).

I think their wording is clumsy, but the quotes should really be read in context, rather than ripped out of their context, as you have presented them.

(By the way, this question has been asked and answered dozens, if not hundreds, of times on this forum....)

Thanks guys!

^

Yes the count.

My Diamond status ran out in April of this year--although I was only 5 or less stays from re-establishing the status. I regained Diamond status in July after two reward stays, so YES, unequivocally, in my experience, reward stays do count.