Keyser

my experience has been a little different....my only 2 suite upgrades, in my 5 years as diamond, came during diamond force redemption stays....both last year in hong kong & bali....the other 6-8 times i have used diamond force, i got the same room i had booked....

Ritz

That's been my experience as well. Whenever I've used "the force", I've been denied an upgrade, even a minor one, when requested (and with availability).

UTA_flyinghigh

Used DF once, ended up with a suite. Probably a fluke.

UTA

dwcatty

We managed to finagle a Times Square (but not ball drop) view at the DT in NYC on NYE on a DF stay. We got it by being kind and gracious and patient with a front desk clerk who obviously went out of her way to help us out. I don't think the type of reservation had anything to do with the upgrade.

My other DF rooms were standard, one even substandard (noisey location; no other rooms available when I asked to be moved).

travelinfoo

I've only used the Diamond Force twice. I got an Imperial Room at the Cavalieri and a lovely suite at the Hilton Dubrovnik. So they were most definitely not standard rooms. However, a friend (also Diamond) booked a standard award and also got a suite upgrade at the Dubrovnik. So that may be their standard Diamond upgrade, if available.
But I know the Imperial Room was NOT a standard upgrade (Diamonds are Not supposed to get those upgrades). The hotel was quite busy at that time.

I am disappointed at the change and agree it is a not-so-subtle loss of Diamond benefits. But I did wonder if it was because the "Forced" rooms may often be upgraded rooms anyway.

Land-of-Miles

Thinking about this laterally surely the solution is to get a "friend" to make a refundable booking for all room types showing as available. then when those rooms are sold out force the standard diamond redemption, then cancel the block of rooms. I can see a lot of fun "arranging conferences" in the near future which then mysteriously get cancelled ahead of arrival

travelinfoo

This won't work. Just because a friend cancels a room, it will not be held for you. Others may be waiting for the room and get it ahead of you, either by pay or also DF, not to mention it is rather unethical.

Sweet Willie

The cynical side of me believes we'll see far fewer standard award rooms made available so that we have to redeem greater quantities of points in order to secure an award room at the insane higher levels.

Land-of-Miles

Hmm I don't get you.

I want a standard room for redemption but am unable to diamond force whilst non-standard rooms are available for redemption (at stupid rates).

I thus make revenue reservations for all of the rooms (type and volume) available as non standard redemptions as bookings with full flexibility (pay on departure). I suspect that not there will not be a huge number of the non-standard room types in each properties redemption bucket (i.e. they will not make available 100% of their inventory for redemption even at the higher rates) I then find that no redemption availability exists at all and force a diamond special arrangement. Worst case scenario I have to hold a reservation for every non-standard room in the property's inventory, as there is no cost, why wouldn't I do this?

I then cancel all the non standard room reservations I hold.

As I see it providing there is no obvious connection between the person notionally holding "the conference" using all the rooms and the person trying to arrange the force, this would work pretty well. It would wreak havoc with hotel inventory management (especially if the total held inventory was dumped at the last possible minute) but serves them right I say.

Land-of-Miles

This happens already right now at a few properties who define "standard" room in a very odd way. A room type that amounts to less than 3% of total inventory cannot in my opinion be classed as a standard room.

The whole point of this exercise is a stealth devaluation of points for Diamonds.

I have only ever used it 2 or 3 times in 10 years but it is one of the main reasons I renew Diamond each year so that I can feel confident I will be able to redeem my points when I really want to. Clearly that benefit no longer exists.

beltway

I think it's more accurate to say that it still exists temporarily -- only at properties that haven't yet rolled out Premium Room rewards -- but that the window is closing wicked fast.

Carpe diem, in other words.

Keyser

well said....this is the main reason i renew diamond each year as well....

mookie10

Have used DF 3 times and have not been treated any differently than for cash or rewards stay - twice upgraded, once not because they were fully booked!

dwcatty

Bingo. Loss of confidence, in the ability to book, and in the brand.

stanj

Has anyone tried to get a DF using an AXON award under the new structure? Just wondering if AXON awards will be rendered useless where no "standard" rooms are available.