Consequence of HHONORS Devaluation: Commitments to Take our Business Elsewhere
Since we at FT are probably the most intense travelers and revenue generators for travel suppliers, we probably have more power than we realize.
I am starting this thread to demonstrate to HHONORS that going ahead with devaluing our points when the economy has plummeted and business travel is in a slump makes no logical sense.
If hotel rates were rising, Hilton would be pressured by its owner franchisees to increase the rates they get when providing reward space. Since rates are plummeting, there cannot be such pressure, and Hilton is obviously making this change to enhance its own profitability at the expense of its most loyal customers.
Over the past several years, Ms. Travelexpert and I have consistently been giving Hilton 120 nights each year.
So I'll start out making a commitment to decrease my Hilton business to zero if possible. On occasion, Hilton may be the best option--but I'll seek out alternatives moving forward if the new award chart is implemented next January.
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AA EXP 2MM; UA 1K MM; Mariott Platinum; Hilton Diamond; Starwood Gold
As with other gripes about this program and that...just read the forums for other hotel programs - same .....ing and moaning at various times. Devaluation...bonuses...blah blah blah. The grass isn't greener elsewhere and whining here isn't going to do anything to change a devaluation that's already announced. Hey, if anyone actually follows through and reduces or eliminates their HH stays, there will be more upgrade opportunities for the rest of us - even with NOR1.
I am a HH Diamond member, in a Doubletree property as we speak. Tomorrow night I have a reservation at a Hilton property, and kid you not have cancelled the reservation a minute ago to transfer to a Sheraton after reading the thread on the increased point redemptions.
I was already on the verge of going back full time to SPG as their top tier benefits are so much more rewarding. You actually get upgraded. Quite often to a suite. 4PM checkout is much easier to get. Their Platinum members are actually valued.
So much so, that I am going to go out of my way, even when geographically it is more convenient to stay at a Hilton property, to patronize SPG properties. As they actually deserve my business.
Programs: IC Platinum Ambassador, UA Mileage Premier Executive, SPG Platinum, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 464
Another HH Diamond here who was prepared to make a few mattress runs to re-up for diamond. After seeing the devaluation I have cancelled my Hilton plans and will stick with SPG Platinum and Priority Club Ambassador.
Thanks Hilton for making the decision easy,
sdcarver
As with other gripes about this program and that...just read the forums for other hotel programs - same .....ing and moaning at various times. Devaluation...bonuses...blah blah blah. The grass isn't greener elsewhere and whining here isn't going to do anything to change a devaluation that's already announced. Hey, if anyone actually follows through and reduces or eliminates their HH stays, there will be more upgrade opportunities for the rest of us - even with NOR1.
I don't think so.
Hyatt and PC both actually improved their programs over the last two years. SPG stays about even - they adjusted some properties but the value of points remains strong because of cash+points option.
Hilton and Marriott programs are by a wide margin the worst of the bunch.
Good luck with your NOR1 though.
Programs: US1, UA1K, Hilton/Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, PC Gold
Posts: 2,505
Quote:
Originally Posted by smmrfld
As with other gripes about this program and that...just read the forums for other hotel programs - same .....ing and moaning at various times. Devaluation...bonuses...blah blah blah. The grass isn't greener elsewhere and whining here isn't going to do anything to change a devaluation that's already announced.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but I respectfully believe you are wrong that the grass isn't necessarily greener or that there isn't anything we can do to affect something already announced (but not yet implemented).
Personally, I believe the grass is a more brilliant shade of green at SPG and Hyatt. While I'm disappointed with my rate of upgrades to suites at SPG (a paltry 24% unprompted), at least I do no worse than at Hilton, and I appreciate the aggressive promotions SPG has offered throughout this year. Hyatt has a phenomenal year end promotion and prior to it I would have never stayed at a Hyatt - now I've got 12 stays and am only one away from top tier status (thanks in part to the stays count double promotion). So Hyatt just earned a bunch of money from me that would have otherwise gone to Hilton to re-secure Diamond for 2010. Not to mention great benefits like free breakfast and Internet, confirmed suite upgrades, and (right now) a whole ton of UA miles and free stays through March 2010.
As it stands, I've got 9 or 10 stays with Hilton YTD. They first lost me due to some dumb*** customer service failures on their part in January (which would have cost them almost nothing to resolve - perhaps $50 in points), and as I pondered returning, I noted with disdain that SPG offered very enticing promos and Hilton offered nothing of particular interest to me. This probable significant points devaluation is all I need to say "adios" to Hilton and get my last 3 SPG stays and 1 Hyatt stay for top tier status with each.
Will they miss me? Not one bit. I'm under no illusions about that, although enough people leave and they'll see a blip on their reports. But I provided incremental revenue for them at typically off-peak times and almost always at the BAR (since my travel is personal and any special rates I might otherwise have access to don't result in benefits overseas). Now that revenue goes to SPG and Hyatt. And I bet there are many others like me.
My experience with Hilton started several years ago because I got a Hilton blue card in the mail (I think from US Airways). Since then they've earned a few thousand dollars from me and I've learned a lot and had some great experiences (think Conrad HK, Conrad Singapore). Despite the great experiences, I've learned enough to know there are better deals with the competition for me (although I will happily recognize that for some/many, Hilton continues to provide value).
To those who stay - good luck and best wishes.
To those who go - good luck and don't take my upgrades.
Moved all my stays to Hyatt and Starwood for the rest of year. Hilton is now the weakest frequent guest program compared with Hyatt, Starwood, Marriott and Priority club. The lack of promotion and drastic devaluation hurts!
<-- see where it says "HH: DIA" in my programs, next year it will say "HH: Nada".
This devaluation validates the decision that I made last year not to patronize Hilton anymore even though I've been HH Diamond for a number of years. It comes down to unimaginative top-tier benefits vis-a-vis the other programs (specifically compared to Starwood and Hyatt) and the lack of loyalty incentives aka promos. Thus, my projected number of stays this year is 4, and only because of the current 25,000 points promo. This was just enough points to top up my HHonors account for a nice Hilton vacation before I lose my status.
I follow what some posters here are saying that devaluation happens to all programs. Hilton has not been the lesser of the evils.
I am a HH Diamond member who struggles to understand why Hilton chose to increase their redemption requirements in this economy. Occupancy rates are at an all-time low. Properties are struggling to attract revenue. Why would you increase redemption requirements? It just doesn't make sense.
I pledge to cancel my reservations at Hilton properties if Hilton continues with this folly. I will take my diamond business elsewhere.
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Latitudes.
For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)
I will be burning my HH points before the change and will be getting rid of my Hilton Amex. I've not stayed in a Hilton property in two years as I have turned my loyalty towards SPG and Hyatt. I've received better treatment, upgrades, benefits, and better promos.
Programs: Severals Golds (BA, BD, AB and LH), Highest tier with HH, SPG and ICRA, lawyer, sometimes a nice guy
Posts: 4,947
The grass is not greener elsewhere. I have certain Hiltons I use frequently and I will continue to use these and I will continue to enjoy excellent treatment there. The same is true for InterContinental and SPG. It is my clear aim to keep top level tier in all three programs because I want to have a choice and Hilton will certainly get its share of 28 stays next year.
Redemption levels? Everybody here is speculating, nobody has information. It is my speculation that in particular European properties and properties in the Australia region will go up for very good reason. The HH point is USD linked and most of you guys value HH points in USD at whatever rate. However, the USD is close to its all time low at 1.50 to the Euro (even worse with the AUD) and the hotels in these regions get less and less value in local currency. Don't complain to Hilton, complain to the US government!
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Do not feel offended by my posts - remember, I am a simple minded litigation lawyer.
Programs: beatya.com Plat, LH SEN, BA Silver, SPG Plat, HH Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, Sixt Plat, PC Gold, IC Amb.
Posts: 4,882
The only reason I am still with Hilton is that Starwood and Hyatt hotels in London (where I have a majority of my stays) are almost prohibitively more expensive than the Hilton hotels there. I might as well stay at Holiday Inn hotels in London, though, as they aren't really worse than the Hilton hotels there. So I am currently considering that. Diamond recognition at the Hilton hotels I usually stay at (London) is almost non-existent. The points devaluation makes it significantly less attractive to suffer through the stays at London Hilton hotels just to use the points at some point in the future in one of the nicer Hilton hotels.
I'll probably requalify for Diamond this year as I am only a few stays away, then burn all my points before the changes to the HHonors program and hope for some Diamond recognition when burning the points and then take all my business to Hyatt/SPG/Priority Club from next year.
I am looking for other opportunities, and I was wondering what would be your choice, given my Hilton stay pattern: diamond on points, 10 stays and 35 nights. This pattern was consistent over the last 3 years and I don't expect them to change much. I am staying mostly in Europe and Asia, and I don't think I can expect to get a good status with SPG as it doesn't account for spending. Would you stay with Hilton in my case? I don't have CC earning opportunity, either, not being based in the US.
I am looking for other opportunities, and I was wondering what would be your choice, given my Hilton stay pattern: diamond on points, 10 stays and 35 nights. This pattern was consistent over the last 3 years and I don't expect them to change much. I am staying mostly in Europe and Asia, and I don't think I can expect to get a good status with SPG as it doesn't account for spending. Would you stay with Hilton in my case? I don't have CC earning opportunity, either, not being based in the US.
If you are happy with the hotels, sure....why not? The current rant is over the Hhonors program and is a minor blip on the radar relative to the general gutting of the program that began several years ago. The people crying the most have just figured out they have been riding the wrong horse.
Since we at FT are probably the most intense travelers and revenue generators for travel suppliers, we probably have more power than we realize.
Ah yes the good old FT perception of our own self iimportance
It seems anytime a member here has to make a decision based on their own personal habits/interests etc .. we are presented with quite a bit of rationalization and much comfort is sought and gained from those who support that point of view
The fact is that in case anyone care to look carefully, SPG for example over recent years has had multiple catagory and point redemption increases when compared to Hhonors. That is mitigated by throwing a ton of points towards their members so that now points garnered by actual stays become almost insignificant relative to promos bonuses.
Seem HH has gone a different route. For example award stays still garner stay credit and even the " not permitted" points awarded on such stays have not been actively persued.
( I for one cannot believe that they are unable to successfully eliminate that " unpublished benefit" if they actually wanted)
It sucks when one has to pay more for anything but to claim tha HH is unique in that regard (as many here attempt to foist on us) is pretty silly IMHO.
