Dilution of Diamond Force (with points)
I just tried to book a reward stay at an Italian hotel over the summer and was told there were no standard rooms available for points.
Usually I'd then have called the Diamond Desk to see if they could do a special diamond force (even stated per their T and Cs now), however was told by the DD that this is no longer possible as there are Executive rooms available that can be fully paid for with points (for 130,000 points a night!!!). Until ALL rooms that can be booked with points are sold out, Diamonds cannot force a room using points (including if there is a suite available).
And most hotels, the US-based DD told me, should be over to the new system by the end of the summer.
This was one of the best benefits of using points ... and the Diamond Force...
This does not affect cash bookings as you can 'force' a standard room even if there is an executive room available.
Another significant dilution of the benefits.....