I'm not trashing anything - I've stayed at HWV quite a few times under its previous management. I've had great experiences at many other Hilton properties as well. My beef is with Hilton/Hhonors policy towards Golds - as mentioned before, they hand out Gold status to anyone with a pulse, then complain there are too many and cut back the benefits. A stupid business decision.
Your post is way off base. The reimbursement comes from Hilton for rooms sold for awards. Unlike SPG, where we're not subject to redemption restrictions, a Hilton property can restrict access to free rooms if it wants to offer more rooms for sale.
The reimbursement amount is between the property and Hhonors - it's not our job to make up the difference you personally perceive exists.
If you want to throw your money away by giving it to the hotel for absolutely no valid reason, then have fun - but to suggest we should all be stuck with a $100/day charge for our free room is beyond ludicrous. We already paid for those rooms by spending at other properties, or other channels to earn points.
If the HWV is unhappy with its participation in Hhonors and feels it's getting the shaft, they can leave the program and seek their fortunes independently or with another program.
A big
for suggesting that anyone who redeems a free room and doesn't voluntarily dump cash at the hotel to make up for it is a free-loader. I guess you feel the hotel is a qualified charity of some sort.