danlo

Finally got my cert in the mail, and it looks like someone printed out the cert like I would, and then mailed it to me.

I wonder why they don't just make everyone print out their own certificates...

Catman

Before I go on, I have to credit HHonors for prompt action on this.

(and it's a SINGULAR certificate.)

A reward certificate I ordered that was to be mailed to me in 2-3 weeks never arrived. (Suspect either it got LOST in th email or someone in my big apartment buidling got the envelope and just kept it or destroyed it.)

HHonors instead faxed a copy of the certificate. My concern is the hotel won't honor this version, but HHonors said there would be no problem. I hope not.

Plus for now my account runs on a negative balance since the points for a new certificate have to be pulled, then points are recredited for the old one.

I bring this up because I wish HHonors (and Marriott too) would do electronic or automatic rewards where the free nights are automatically credited to the stay so you don' thave to get (or lose) a certificate.

Starwood does this. The negative is if the stay is not credited as FREE. You can get around this by printing a copy of your reseravation for free stay.

Just wish HHonors would get some kind of automatic or electronic award stay credit.

Thanks for reading.


[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 08-02-2001).]

BlondeBomber

Fax certificate is no problem Catman. I used one at London Kensington two weeks ago.

mws

You may now print out a Reward Certificate from the HHonors website.

Had a similar experience just a couple of months ago. Paper RC did not show up via snail mail, called, they cancelled that one, points were credited to my account within 24 hours, and I printed out a new one from the site.

Try the site from now on, works great.

Catman

Thanks guys. It seems like it does work that way. Thanks for the tip.

Will update you to see if I have similar luck.

Beckles

The certificate is not really of value, only the cert number. While in PDX with kokolavish, he had rooms at both the Hilton and Embassy Suites, but stayed at the Embassy Suites and needed to send Hilton the cert and didn't want to walk back to the Hilton, so just faxed the certificate to them (obviously keeping the original) and that's all they needed, not the certificate itself.

thezipper

Catman, taking the Meows out for a night at Hilton? I'm sure they will love the upgrade to the exec. floor and the free milk in the lounge. I had a stay a while back where my flight to HK got cancelled and I needed to change my stay at the Conrad, which was an award stay as well. The HHonors rep credited back the full point amount and I was able to print off another cert. from the web site for the new amount. No problems at all, they were really good in helping me out on that one.

Catman

UPDATE: the points have been recredited and I can rest.

Thanks everyone for your help on this. Again though I would LOVE automatic, electronic confirmation of free stays.

Just a suggestion.

Goldlust

A question:

What happens if one presents a reward certificate for a reward stay and then later it turns out that certificate had been revoked/cancelled by HHonors?

It does not say anything about this in the general T&C and not on the certificate itself either.

NJDavid

I would assume they cancel your HHonors membership and seek damages for the stay at the rack rate of the property.

It would be fraud to do that - just like writing bad checks.

Goldlust

Well, I'd very much doubt they'd go that far. Most of all because frequent travellers could easily have some certs lying around that they did not really remember the "story" of.

However, since neither of us seems to know anything about this, I'd still appreciate it if some of the people with experience in this would give me a pointer.

Eastbay1K

I had a nightmare that lasted several months because of this. HHonors accidentally sent me dup certificates. I called them and promised I'd throw one set away (and did). Well apparently they cancelled the other one. And the first I heard about it was when the London Hilton charged me for the room about a month later. HHonors contacted the HHorribleHHilton in London and sent them several replacement certs, which they never acknowledged. Finally I started a credit card dispute. The Hotel finally reversed the charge and acknowledged receipt of a replacement cert.

Why oh why cant HHonors do it like SPG? You call, they make the reservation and take points out of the acct. No paper. None of this crap. Muy simple.

KathyWdrf

Yes, much as I like the Hilton chain(s) and the HHonors program, I too think they could learn a lot from Starwood!

Kathy (newly-minted HHonors Diamond)

Joh

Not sure what EXACTLY Goldlust is asking but maybe this helps. We had a stay in 2001 at a top flight H property, one of their flagship Hotels in fact. A FT'er 'gifted' us the 5 night stay, and we just might have reciprocated for that kindness.

Anyway, before the stay, all looked fine. Booking was made, it was in our name - HH res confirmed that, and was all looking good. Get to hotel, they knew zippo about it. No trace of us on computer. 100% full kinda night, and late. No record at all. Desk clerk rings HH in front of us. They said stay was cancelled. Much confusion and much anguish from us. Also much panic, as any rooms in that city were several $100 a night.

We both had Gold HH cards, and that made desk guy a bit more compliant, so he found something that night (it was 11pm) and we got a nicer room - a suite actually for next 4 nights. Have no idea what eventuated behind the scenes, but we never heard. Nor paid. Oddly got credited as if a full paid stay, with mega points etc, so it remains one of life's little mysteries.

johnndor

My advice is that if you want to continue to reap the benfits of a great program, do not cheat them. Do unto others...