MoreMilesPlease

A third party booking site is pretty much any site other than an official Hilton site. The Hilton MVP sites gives you points, Hilton.co.uk gives you points, etc. Expedia = no points, etc

WNHHTraveler

It's my understanding that any reservation booked through Expedia, Orbitz, TripAdvisor, AAA, Costco, etc. would not qualify for points or stay credit. You would, however, receive any HHonors perks you are entitled to, such as free internet, breakfast, etc. You need to book through an official Hilton site to get the points and stay credit.

Flying Lawyer

Could somebody kindly guide me to the relevant provision in the T&C. I have problems to find it (and had never problems to get points for bookings through Expedia asa these were not on an Expedia special rate (= Expedia in its capacity as tour operator)

Thank you very much

BearX220

It's Paragraph 3 under "Accrual of Points":

"A "stay" is defined as the total number of consecutive nights spent at the same hotel, whether or not a guest checks out and checks back in again. The term “stay” under these Terms and Conditions does not include any stays of the following nature: wholesale/tour operator packages; contracted airline crew rates; travel industry rates (including but not limited to travel agent discount rates); complimentary or barter rooms; Reward Stays; NET Group rates; Series Group or IT Group rates; contracted Entertainment or Encore rates; third party websites bookings (irrespective of rate paid); and "opaque" channel bookings where the brand is unknown at the time of purchase. HHonors points may not be earned for ineligible stays or during ineligible stays, including without limitation, folio charges incurred during ineligible stays."

If you got points from an Expedia stay you were lucky.

Flying Lawyer

As the the corporate booking engine of one of my main clients uses expedia I am a bit amazed - I get points all the time as long as the rate is not a special expedia rate. And the rate code in the booking (and to be found in my HH profile) is COR17, the same rate code that appears if I book directly via HH.

Keyser

if not booked directly from hilton, then it would completely depend on the property if they want to give you the perks....

janetdoe

Ugh. I had a bad experience when I booked with what I thought was a 'travel agent', but Hilton called it a third-party booking, and I spent a long time on the phone with Hilton trying to sort it out. My confusion happened because I was trying to book a rate that was listed on both the third-party site and the Hilton website as the "Advance payment rate". So no red flags went off when I was expected to pre-pay for the room.

The bottom line is: anything you book on a Hilton Website or through a 'real travel agent' (i.e. the kind who charges fees and make you a reservation, not a site that pre-sells you a room), you will get points and credit for the stays. Anyone else, no. Rule of thumb: Anything where you pay in advance to a booking site will not count. Stays where Hilton charges the rate to your credit card when you check out do count.

When you go to AA.com and book a room under what appears to be a normal, non-opaque rate, what usually happens in the background is that Hilton sold a block of rooms to AA at a discount, and AA sold them to you at the nominal price. This is considered 'third party' by Hilton.

If you get points for a stay booked on a 'corporate booking engine' that happens to use Expedia, I would guess that somehow the corporation is using Expedia in a "real travel agent" capacity. Are these rooms pre-paid directly to Expedia, or is your card charged by Hilton when you check out?

WNHHTraveler

Hmmm....I remember reading somewhere, but now I can't find it in the T&C, something to this effect:

opaque site bookings - no points, no perks
third party site bookings - no points, but you do get the perks

Maybe someone else knows where to find this?

MR_MAMA

When I checked in to my hotel this evening, the woman ahead of me reminding the desk clerk to put in her HH number, and he said I'm sorry this is a third party booking and does not qualify. She said, I didn't know that, isn't there anything you can do, he said it is a very strict policy and I'm sorry I cant help you but If you call Hilton, they are the only ones that can reverse it.

Flying Lawyer

As said, it is a normal Corporate rate and not anyhow an Expedia special rate (= prepaid). I pay at checkout to Hilton.

ORDnHKG

There is nowhere said third party would still get the perks, third party is basically the same as opaque, just not as cheap. If individual hotel give you the perks by booking from third party site, expect it is a one time perk, just don't count on it next time. Years ago when I don't know all about this, I booked hotels on united.com, when I checked in the front desk told me clearly since I booked from a third party, there are no miles would be given. (my earning preference is airline miles instead of points)

The only way you get full benefit is booked thru hilton.com or call Hilton's reservation number.

Zurich Flyer

I would expect HHonors at least to give me points for in-house spending @:-)

Zurich Flyer

This is no longer true. Unfortunately.

roquejo

To get the Hilton Honors gold benefits like possible executive floor upgrade, free breakfast, free wifi, do I have to book directly at Hilton's website? what if I book on other travel sites like Expedia, Priceline, Agoda.. etc, will I still get the elite benefits?

I know that some loyalty programs don't credit the points or nights stay if you book at 3rd party site, so I might not get the points and nights stay credit but not sure if HH cuts the elite benefits as well if you book using other sites.

adsgofast

Others may correct me, but I think Hilton are pretty relaxed on this, I know some hotel groups are strict but from what I've read on the forums HH give you the benefits regardless