nsx

Sounds like Hilton just hired someone from Radisson's Goldpoints management.

TempeFlyer

Since I naively assumed that Hilton would honor its commitments, I sent in my last certificate about three weeks ago without calling first to ask if it was still good. The amount was posted with no problem. My account has the notation "VIP Discount Credit" next to the point amount.

RTWSTARALLIANCE

I have no complaints at this time. I received my award confirmation via e-mail. I suggest as stated above you send in the certificate (via Fedex) asking for the award. Make a copy of everything.

SteveHOU

Well, it looks like I stirred up a well deserved hornets nest.

I've read all the posts and agree that Hilton is definitely pulling a fast one. In response, I called the HHonors line three more times, once to get the physical street address for the redemption center to send my request in via FedEx. Each time I asked about the certificates. All three times I was told that they were no longer being HHonored. Two times I was told that this was effective April 1, 2003.

I am still going to send in my request via FedEx with the certificate attached and see what happens.

Sweet Willie

good for you TempeFlyer, glad it went through.

I've always sent the 10K and 20K certs in via certified mail after of course making a copy for myself. I did have one time that the 20K did not post, but my back up came in handy.

SkiAdcock

For those that were at the Freddies last night & those that followed the thread for the winners, I think Hilton only came up in one category & didn't win. Things like this are probably the reason why. BTW - Starwood swept in almost every category it was up for. Given that I haven't gotten basic benefits that you all have & adding this to the mix & the increase in points required, have to admit I'm thinking of moving to Starwood.

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Sharon

NJUPINTHEAIR

This is one of the stupidest moves that I have seen HHonors make.

Granted, the point redemptions for the properties had not been changed for quite some time, so I don't begrudge Hilton changing them, especially since they gave a "grace" period with notice.

Granted, the reward exchange with United threatened to swamp Hilton with red ink, so I don't begrudge them for this, as well, even though there was no notice despite their claim of providing 6 months notice in the HHonors T & C. Nevertheless, you can't really begrudge them for doing this, as it threatened not only their solvency, but also the ability of longstanding HHonors members from redeeming points for their vacations.

However, how many HHonors members even remember these vouchers, aside from many here on FT, and even here too who are relatively new to HHonors, these vouchers were a holdover from when the program only awarded points on business rates!!

Therefore, what has Hilton done? Well, it has alienated its core audience, the very members who have been with the program for years, not those who are new to the program --- within the last couple of years -- or moments -- from the reward exchange.

Pretty stupid IMHO to alienate your core customer base, especially since there can't be all that many certs out there, which even if used, account for less than 10% of the point cost of your redemptions now, and will account for even less in the future.

They could at least transition the use of these certs to end with the expiration of the old point redemptions on 5/31.

Of course, the Hilton people constantly monitor these boards -- I have been told as much by a CSA supervisor from HHonors, but I would not hold my breath for them or the exalted, but absent, Adam Burke, to make themeselves known on this thread, and explain their shortsightedness.

There is only 1 person I know of who seems to have the ear of HHonors managment, and I call upon him to assist us in this matter.

I am requesting that our own FT EUGENE to see if he can reason with HHonors to show them the error of their ways.

I hope he responds to this request for his assistance!

nsx

This is the ONLY stupid move I've seen them make except for killing the air awards with almost zero notice last December. Nit-pickers may add the CNTU to the list, but I won't.

Seriously, HHonors management appears to be as consistently intelligent as almost any other loyalty program. Adverse changes without notice are seriously out of character. Since notice will almost certainly be provided as a remedy (even Goldpoints gave a one-month grace period), these actions incur the wrath of customers totally unnecessarily.

doglover

Starwood gold has been pretty valueless to me.
Hilton gold has been great to me.

I can't compare Diamond to Platinum. I would like to hear from those who have had experience with both.

star

I do begrudge them this one. I am new to this site, so I guess it was just shame on me for not knowing that the United miles program was going to expire - immediately! I don't fly much, but my husband flies some, drives lots and stays at Hilton hotels as much as possible because we use the points for our annual Disney trips: tickets, car rentals, etc. HHonors had the best airline reward exchange going - it would have been even better if they'd been able to add Northwest and USAirways, but I digress...They are not stupid, but they thought we would be. The notice should have and COULD HAVE very easily been sent out in an email to all members. It seems they are able to do that when it works to their advantage. Losing Delta was tough, losing United so quickly was a crock! All that's left is Podunk Airlines!

star

Markie

My account has these two new lines in today:

VIP Discount Credit 10,000 0
VIP Discount Credit 10,000 0


So it looks like they are still HHonouring the certs. I mailed them, ordinary first class from LA last weekend and the credit came through 7 days later.

Eugene

I have to agree. Unless I'm mistaken (and I'll try to find in my files a statement from HH when they discontinued issuing these certs), HH promised to honor these 10K and 20K certs until exhaustion, as long as they are used by a member to whom they were issued, who must be a VIP of an appropriate level at the time of using them, no more than one cert (20K for Gold and above and 10K for Silver) per award of 100K or more.

Revoking their own promise, and for what? A few certs that are out there represent such a miniscule amount, but, as properly noted in the postings above, used by the most loyal of HH members, who for many years stayed loyal to the program, and at a high level in their elite program. For the record, I've used all of mine some time ago.

Adam, Mary Beth, Stacy, et al. -- we know you are reading this. Do the right thing and reverse this not-so-well-thought change. You'll prove one more time that you are listening to your best customers.

Wow... I appreciate the faith you put in me, but I'm just a regular FT'er and do not work for HH, nor am I associated with them in any other way than being an HHonors member.

Asian_Traveller

Folks

This is the reply I recieved:-

> Thank you for your email.
>
> VIP Discount Certifcates were a previous benefit of VIP Membership and are no longer valid. They were distributed in increments of 10,000 and 20,000 points to be used towards rewards valued at 100,000 points or more. VIP Discount Certificates are no longer valid and we are no longer accepting them. We have not accepted these certificates for at least two years. I apologoize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding regarding our position.
>
> Best regards,
> Elfrieda Joyce


==========================

>

MIKESILV

That speaks volumes about the HHonors program
and their on-going internal confusion since I have redeemed 6 of those 10ks the last 2 in Jan 2003 within the last 2 years.
mike

SkiAdcock

Well, we know they've accepted them w/in the last 2 years since we've all used them. I'm guessing the 4/1/03 date is probably more accurate.

Here's my beef (well, one of them anyway): they make changes yet don't notify their members - do they think that by not doing so no one will notice so less "heat" they have to take?

For example, in the thread on only getting credits if you book their booking engine or expedia, one of their senior managers actually states in that thread that they are NOT going to do a general announcement to their members - on something that impacts all members. In this case, they've not done any announcement as well.

Yet we all get their weekly promotional emails, so obviously communicating with us is easy.

I'd say send them in & hope for the best but have the points in your account if they don't accept them.

And think about all the changes they've been making & decide if it is indeed time to switch to another chain. Perhaps if people do - and write them that they're doing so - and then do so - they'll get the idea. Of course they might not care, or they may decide they do but by that time it might be too late - harder to get clients back than keep them in the first place.

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Sharon