Originally Posted by
RichMSN
Mine is 85K for $680.
85k points are worth perhaps 85k * $0.005 = $425. So this leaves the residual cost at $250-ish.
I'm PLT via the credit card and I've only stayed 31 head-on-pillow nights this year. I expect a bit higher use next year, but unlikely to be more than 50 nights.
Unless you're staying mostly at HIX/Staybridge (where breakfast is included), it is worth it for the breakfast benefit alone for that number of nights. Even if breakfast often is paid by your employer, let's not forget award nights never include breakfast. Also, breakfast can be quite expensive on privately paid cash nights if you tend to book flex rates (which very rarely see promos that include breakfast).
Also, Diamond puts you a bit higher in the pecking order with regards to upgrades. Even in the US, many Kimptons give meaningful upgrades to Diamond (but less so to Platinums in my experience). And in Asia, all kind of good upgrades happen as Diamond. I've gotten free dinners at IC's, really nice welcome presents, frequent upgrades from base room to suite etc. As you probably know, Europe is somewhere in between the US and Asia elite-recognition wise. At Indigos and such, you can expect clearly better treatment as Diamond in my experience. Hotels are also less likely to decline late check-out requests and so on.
Lastly, even if recognition means nothing to you, the additional points earned might come close in being worth as much as your investment (obv, depends on your average room rate and actual number of nights).