Originally Posted by
pinniped
I'd also snag the HH Visa. Instant Gold plus a fat signup bonus and certificates that more than pay for the annual fee. No-lose proposition. Holding HH Gold, which is honored at resorts, gives you a backup to your backup. Gold is a little weaker than it once was, but it's still the best status you can get from a straight CC signup.
You seem to be confusing two cards (as well as the features of one).
The
HH 50k Visa gives you a big fat signup bonus (with no annual fee), but doesn't make you Gold.
The
HH Reserve Visa gives Gold as long as you hold the card, has a $95/year annual fee (not waived), and gives you two certficates for free
weekend nights
the first year only, and
no bonus points at all for singup. (
Subsequent years on the Reserve you get nothing more than continued Gold status
for the annual fee alone. Getting certificates in subsequent year requires very big spend, not just your annual fee. You might as well put that spend instead toward getting oodles more points churning the 50k card, while holding the Reserve just for the Gold status.)