I havent stayed in a hilton in more than a year

I use my erewards to keep the acct alive

I will have 60k by december, then hope to trade it out and zero out the acct

then plan on doing the same with my starwood acct

and will use marriott and priority club as my 2 hotel choice/point collectors

As to the idea that we should sympathize with the mega hotel racketeers because they deal with "crazy" franchisors:
Who told the Hilton to create all the different brands and to build hotels in every swamp and practically in the middle of every interstate in America. Who told them to degrade their product? Who told them to lie to and deceive their most loyal customers? By operating their Honors shell game they can charge those who expense ridiculous rates and then when it comes redemption time, well the rules of the game have changed,
The larger issue here for corporate America is that a lot of this is a thinly disguised form of larceny and theft-too many business models in the country are now premised at their core with confusing, misleading, lying to and abusing the trust of their allegedly loyal customers.
When waiting for travel to bounce back, it's time to contemplate whether it ever will.
I will not list the phone company, the ISP, the cable company and others who lied to me one too many times. Now I don't have a landline, I use work/the library or Kinko's for internet and I have an old fashioned TV antenna. Now I do not participate in ANY hotel honors program.
The economy may recover, but the serial deceitful companies WILL NEVER GET A DIME FROM ME AGAIN. Oh yeah, and American Airlines will not see me again after stealing thousands of miles away-that I would probaby never have used anyway- for "non use."

I don't disagree with you at all. But name me a category of service provider that is seen as honest, responsive and well-liked by customers. Hotel chains? Airlines? Car rental firms? Telecoms? Banks? Auto dealers? Movie exhibitors? Big national retailers? Good luck finding a pearl amid all those swine -- and they ARE swine. They've all made conscious strategic decisions to treat their customers as pushovers or enemies, and every transaction leaves you feeling vaguely (or straight-out) screwed.

This is the service culture we tolerate in America as business as usual, and I don't suppose we should expect Hilton to be any different.

I totally agree with this. The point devaluation was the last straw, but not really the primary factor for making Hilton my second choice from now on. After 60 stays YTD (mostly at Hiltons and Doubletrees), I just booked my first few stays with Hyatt. I am just tired of Executive Lounges closing (such as the one at the Hilton Washington Embassy Row recently), customer service from Hilton that would be more fitting for a fast food chain (yes, I am talking about the Diamond Desk), giving Diamond status to AMEX holders, and general apathy towards Diamonds at domestic Hiltons. I find it especially perturbing that company-owned hotels (like the HHV) keep reducing benefits. So much for blaming franchisees.

I saw the recent response saying that Hilton is optimizing HHonors to make it more rewarding for their most valued customers (or something to that effect). I find this puzzling. My own analysis led me to believe that it is most beneficial for me to book my less expensive stays with Hilton (and get bonus points and miles) and give my other business to a chain like Hyatt that really appreciates the expensive rates I book at their hotels. By the way, I re-qualified for Diamond via stays, nights, and base points within the first half of the year, so it seems to me Hilton would want to keep my business, but apparently not.

another diamond switching to SPG here, effective this week.

Hilton is by far the worst. Don't lump them into the same category as Marriott. My Marriott Rewards never expire. Hilton wiped out over 100,000 points from my account. When I called they told me tough luck. I haven't stayed at a Hilton since and never will. US Air did the same thing. So you might equate Hilton with Useless Air.

On top of it all they don't want you to spend the points when they aren't busy reneging on them. My experience has been it is very difficult to book award nights with Hilton.

Hilton get a thumbs down here.

I too have discovered HI-Express, and with some exceptions, concur that they are generally a notch up from Hamptons (at least the dozen or so that I've stayed at).

Thanks -- I will try them. I am auditioning alternatives to Hilton properties starting now. My problem with HIs is inconsistency -- some are really very nice, some are appalling. I do not think Hilton would market a 100% satisfaction guarantee for HIs only if they did not know this to be a big problem. HGIs are my favorite Hilton brand -- much more consistent, often nicer than full-line Hiltons.

There is definitely no doubt that you have more consistency among Hamptons, but as I've said, with only a few exceptions, I've found HI-Express to be comparable or a bit nicer than Hampton's--especially if they are HI Express & Suites. Plus, it is much easier to earn status in Priority Club, and their top tier Platinum will garner you a room upgrade, which usually lands me in a Suite if the hotel offers them. Like anything though, there are those who probably prefer Hamptons over HIE's.

In terms of concrete moving of business: While I will do the remaining stays needed to make Diamond because it'd be cutting off my nose to spite my face to do otherwise...

1. I transferred the $20 worth of AMEX membership reward points I needed to make Gold on IC/PC, and will check out a couple of HIX/CP properties in locations with no Hyatt properties (such as Janesville WI and Harrisburg PA) to start using if they are cheaper come 1/1/2010.
2. I broke a couple of 2-night stays into mattress runs to get to 28 faster, so I could
3. Give several more 1-night stays to Hyatt this year.
4. Am only using my AMEX Hilton card for groceries, pharmacies and Hilton stays. AMEX Starwood is getting all of it. AMEX themselves could care less.
5. Encouraged a co-worker NOT to stay at the HGI Midtown Manhattan next week. Four nights at $379/night went to a boutique hotel closer to our office instead, with an upgrade to a junior suite.

I think both of you are singing the same tune because by and large HI EX and Hamptons, and HGIs for that matter, are generally newer builds unlike many Holiday Inns and Marriott Courtyards to add anothe brand to the mix.

Most new builds -- like aloft and elements from SPG -- have a new physical plant and furnishings and there is not much that one would dislike about them.

I had 6 reservations (well 7 - but the 7th is using points) booked at Hilton hotels between now and December 18. I've just moved all of them to Hyatt. I'm working on moving the 6th one as well but can't get a decent rate at the only Hyatt in NYC at this time. It's really too bad they did this, I liked the Hilton Garden Inn in NYC and will probably still use it for those times I can't get a decent rate at the Grand Hyatt NYC, but no longer very interested in achieving Diamond with Hilton. Next year a Hyatt Place opens in Garden City - where one of my salespeople lives, I love that area and I'll probably be staying there a lot. Spent about $15K at Hilton this year, we'll see how much next year will be.

I hadn't really thought much about moving my hotel business elsewhere until I started reading this thread. I've been Hilton Diamond or Gold for the past 9 years. I typically do about 20 to 25 stays each year. I think the best alternative program for me is Hyatt. There are Hyatts in all the places I usually travel. However, I will probably end up paying more for each stay. Perhaps this will be offset some by the FFNs.

As I am currently HH Diamond and dropping down to Gold next year, perhaps this would be a good time for a status match and try another chain. It will spice up my travel life.

One valuable piece of advice I have gotten out of this thread is to consider Hyatt. There seems to be a strong opinion that Hyatt is doing some great things for its most loyal customers. Add the fact they have no credit card, which presumably means they are not worried about too many points chasing too many rooms.

In 1999-2000 I practically lived in the Grand Hyatt NYC while on a client assignment. I loved the way I was treated by the hotel staff, the strong customer service from Gold Passport, and recognition I got as a Diamond throughout the system (including at properties abroad). Following that NYC assignment, however, I found the number of Hyatt properties lacking as I fulfilled other client assignments in various other locations.

Today, however, Hyatt has a far greater presence, including Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites. I really liked the Hyatt Summerfield Suites in Waltham, MA where I spent a week with my family of 5 in a two bedroom suite while my son was visting colleges. And Park Hyatts in general are vastly superior to Conrads and Waldorf Astoria properties. Add FFNs, and Hyatt looks like a fantastic alternative to Hilton.....

Dont forget about the 165 dollar per night rate based upon availability at the Grand Hyatt NYC including taxes with a stay certificate.
No points or stay credit however if you combine it with at least one of revenue at any eligible rate you can have stay credit and miles or points

I too will be a regular at Hyatt Place in Garden City Long Island was my former home for decades before moving West
Farewell HH and Hilton Garden Inn for the most part.
It is my hope this Hyatt Place will be a brand new from the ground up property with good sound proofing
They are much nicer then Garden Inns when they aren't the older Amerisuites conversions
I no longer will have to choose between breakfast and an upgrade.
Bonus points at check in a full suite,larger better quality TVs,breakfast and fair enough redemptions between 8000 points a night and 12000
Hilton redermptions will be too costly as of the new year
As for the changes they are taking essentially 200 to 250k out of my account
Its a much bigger loss once they lose the lions share of my future revenue