Not directly on topic, but realted. I received an email this morning that said:


"Let the world know that you're a member of the best frequent traveler program.

Hilton HHonors is proud to announce the Frequent Traveler Awards - but we need your votes to win.

Cast your vote today and make Hilton HHonors the Frequent Travelers favorite program of 2010.

We look forward to the announcement of the winning program at the Frequent Traveler Awards Ceremony on November 4, 2010. "



I very much appreciated the info and the link - which I followed and cast my votes......for Hyatt Gold Passport.

After many years of HH diamond, I finally had my fill early in '09 and said enough is enough and went over to Hyatt. From feb. '09 through Dec. '09 I had a grand total of 1 HHonors stay and 37 high spend stays around the world at Hyatt.

When my HH diamond expired in early 2010, they sent me a stay 7 times and get back to diamond, which I had no interest in. Unfortunately, I ended up having to do a bunch of trips to a non-Hyatt city and for business reasons had to stay in a Hilton there.

So, ironically, I ended back at diamond after 8 stays there, but there were so many infuriating things that happened in those eight stays all it did was convice me that I had no use for HHonors any more.

So at this point in 2010, I have those 8 stays at Hilton, 31 at Hyatt, and probably another 10-15 Hyatt stays to go by the end of the year (all in pricey international cities).

Ironically, I am likley moving to Hong Kong at the start of 2011, so I will be in great shape having Hyatt diamond while I stay in the variety of spectacular Asia properties. So, other than burning my remaining ~200K HHonors points, I'm done.

got the same email....my vote went to spg however....

That's exactly why they charge for it. There's always some sucker who's willing to pay dearly for it. Unfortunately, those people tend to be the ones who are frequent travellers. Normal homebodies will forego Facebook to save $14.95/day but a someone who spends 1/5 of the year on the road just can't go that long without email/company server access. It freakin' sucks but it's really a great money maker.

Until this month I didn't give them the satisfaction (or the money), I'd go to the lounge, lobby, my office, or McDonalds. The unintended benefit of this was I reclaimed my life from constant work. When I "couldn't" check my email at the hotel, I stopped worrying about work after 6PM. I worked out more, spent more time talking to my family, and got some pleasure reading done. So their loss what totally my personal gain!

That's exactly why they charge for it. There's always some sucker who's willing to pay dearly for it. Unfortunately, those people tend to be the ones who are frequent travellers. Normal homebodies will forego Facebook to save $14.95/day but a someone who spends 1/5 of the year on the road just can't go that long without email/company server access. It freakin' sucks but it's really a great money maker.

Until this month I didn't give them the satisfaction (or the money), I'd go to the lounge, lobby, my office, or McDonalds. The unintended benefit of this was I reclaimed my life from constant work. When I "couldn't" check my email at the hotel, I stopped worrying about work after 6PM. I worked out more, spent more time talking to my family, and got some pleasure reading done. So their loss what totally my personal gain!

Haha I will admit to being that 'sucker' from time to time. To be honest, China was just a little more awkward than most places to get on the web. I couldn't get the 3G on my China Mobile Sim to work on my iPhone, and logging on at McDonalds required some Chinese ID Number, no doubt to monitor usage :rolleyes:

As I am a 100% pleasure traveler I was out virtually all of the day sightseeing and exploring. I'd have a few drinks and a snack at the Lounge in the evening and use the internet there as well as breakfast. However talking to people at home, or my lady, required some late night skyping, after the Lounge was closed. Sitting in the lobby is not really a great solution so I bit the bullet and just paid for room access. I have a bit of OCD when it comes to organisation so I spend a long time planning out my days, again something that can't really be done within the confines of the Exec Lounge

My last stay before the rule change was at the Park Lane Hilton on August 31st. In addition to the $30 a day for internet, their call charges were absolutely hilarious. $13 a minute to call the USA, $17 a minute to call Australia, $2 a minute to call mobile numbers in the UK. Some of the worst Hilton gouging I have ever seen

^

I used to be Choice Diamond but the variation in quality, even among the CS, was getting ridiculous. Hampton or HGI is just about everywhere and I get to stay in nice hotels on vacation, not another Comfort Inn.

I abandoned my Hilton membership-- have about 350K worth of Hilton points leftover but starwood is so much significantly better its not even a competition.

^^

and yet, over on the SPG forum, elites are hopping mad about the new, exorbitant resort fees that us Diamonds don't have to fret about. good luck over there.

but atleast over there they weren't hopping mad about a major devaluation of points....

http://www.ftawards.com/index.php?id=91

Just looking at the FT award winners announced this past week--and I cannot find Hilton HHONORS name mentioned anywhere.

I guess the tribe has spoken.

I'm not sure if Hilton ever won a Freddie; I cannot recall them doing so in recent times - really such awards I take with a grain of Salt.

HHonors promos this year have earned me at least an additional 6 night award stays though Q3FN's and extra HHonors points.

The best part of the program for me is gauranteed breakfast.

As I posted here earlier:

Hilton has done well by us as well this year. I have mixed feelings when a program I'm enrolled in wins some award. I don't need that for personal validation. :D

In fact, I'd prefer my programs to be losers that then try hard to improve their standing by offering me even sweeter deals. ;)

both good points....the promos have been good this year & the lounge access/breakfast is another reason why i am still sticking around....

I still find that HHonors offers me things that other chains -- specifically, Starwood & Priority Club -- do not, such as:

Free breakfast as a Gold member (with rare exceptions I don't get that at Starwood; and never at Priority Club, other than at their chains that include breakfast for all guests)

Stay credit even on award stays (a published benefit of the HHonors program for several years now!)


So, I've made NO commitment to take my business elsewhere! :p I just get what I can out of the three main hotel programs that I participate in (and heck, sometimes I even stay at other chains if a good enough deal is offered, or even at a non-chain hotel if it offers what I want/need).

I think spreading one's business around makes sense; boycotting, not so much. But to each his/her own! ;)