ed

I reserved two rooms at the London Metropole using the GLON rewards a few months ago. I never received a mailed or faxed confirmation. Yesterday I called 1-800-HHONORS about it and they faxed me confirmations of both reservations, but under "rate" it said 220 GBP rather than saying a free award. I called back and was told that all confirmations show the corporate rate rather than indicating they are award reservations. That seems strange to me-- has anyone else experienced this?

Eugene

When you make a reservation (even for an award), they still usually require a credit card guarantee. In case you will be a no-show, even on an award reservation, you will be charged one night at that rate of 220 GBP. Your confirmation also should show your award code (or description of it) somewhere.

MIKESILV

In October 2000 I used 2 SP5 (3 night) rewards to stay at the London Hilton, the reservation was made over the phone and I had them also mailed to me.
The confirmations showed at rate of 285 pounds as room rate ( which I assume was their rack rate) even though they also showed I required a SP5 certificate.
I have never had make any sort of deposit for award stays.
If you look at your confirmation though the mailed one are sometimes hard to read, you may find this is the case.
Mike

UK Stages

yes, i've always had a "rate" of some kind on the confirmation for award stays at all london properties. it's meaningless, unless - as eugene points out - you're a no-show. (of course, then you might successfully argue that 220 pounds is a rather hefty rate for the metropole... if you were actually paying for it.. and you probably could have/would have booked a cheaper rate.)

your award confirmation should also say "GLON redemption" - or something similar - on it, too.

chix

The rate you see on the confirmation is what the hotel gets paid for by HHonors...

UK Stages

i feel pretty confident in saying that the hotel is not getting 220 pounds from hilton for an award redemption night! if that were the case, it would be much easier for the average hhonors member to book award stays... all hotels would be clamoring for them.

they are probably getting something closer to whatever the operating cost of the room for one night is... at a USA domestic property that can be as little as $25 or $30 a night. but it's part of agreeing to be a hilton property (or marriott or whatever)... you have to set aside X per centage of inventory for award redemption.

(if i recall correctly, this issue of the operating cost of the room came up a year or two ago in a hilton thread relating to taxes on award stays.)

Gaza

Got a confirmation in the post today for a 3 night Honors stay at Hilton Garden Inn Washington and it shows of USD239. There is another line that says "Honours Points Used For Stay".

J0HN

The rate listed is what you would pay just in case your certificate does not materialize. Since people can book a room and say they have a certificate, and then show up without a certificate, they usually charge the rack rate for the room. I received a bill at the Waikaloa for $360 a night until the expedited certificate I ordered arrived on the day I was checking out.

ptpinit

I guess it scares me. I requested a faxed confirmation from HHonors for my ALON stay at the HHV in November. I got it this morning, and there is a nightly rate of $365 USD listed with no mention of needing an award cert, what award is being used, etc. I know for certain when I called HHV, I told them I was making a reservation using ALON. I have also received the award cert in the mail from HHonors. Should I be ok? I don't think there's anything else I can possibly do at this point, yet I still feel uneasy about it.

Also, the room type listed is a King Village Garden View. Do they just put you in the lowest tier room to hold your award res? I would hope my Gold VIP standing would allow me some sort of Tower upgrade upon check-in. Thanks!!

johnndor

<oops - sorry>

[This message has been edited by johnndor (edited 12-17-2001).]

johnndor

I have a GLONP booked for April at the Hilton Times Square. In my reservation it says:

HHONORS CERTIFICATES: HH - 2 Adult Rate - 449.00 USD 13.25%Tax plus a flat rate of 2.00

Thought that was rather high - Expedia shows $333, Travelocity $229 and Hilton.com $229. The agent said that the rate would only be charged if I cancelled before the deadline (1 day prior) or no-showed.

Anyone ever notice this? Also, any restaurant recommendations near-by?

jja34-1

I hope they only charge you if you fail to cancel before the 24 hour deadline!

I am not that familiar with how Hilton does this, but I know other hotel chains do this as an administrative transaction. You are booked into the hotel at rack rate for an award stay. The parent company/franchisor then pays the hotel property a percentage of that rate (in my experience, nothing near the rack rate).

Eugene

That was always the case. Don't worry, you won't be charged unless you will be a no-show without canceling.

Larrude

Actually, this brings up a question.

I'm flying into SFO next autumn. I have booked an award night at a Hilton Garden Inn for the night of arrival, but they do have a three day cancellation policy.

If my flights get screwed up or cancelled at the last minute, am I screwed on the failure to cancel in time? will they let me use the award for the next night instead if I do get delayed (mechanical/weather)?