For this year while it is still capped at the old cat 5 max of 40K. Next year it would be 60K+ :D

I'm trying to book a trip to London this summer, and is is just me or are the prices now comedically high? And yes, I checked a random date in April too (the 4th through 7th) to make sure it wasn't just high season.

The freaking Doubletree West End is 143,000 per night? That's only 14K less than the Waldorf! And the boutique hotel Trafalger is a mere 93K per night. As for actual prices, the Doubletree is 296 , the Waldorf is 327, and the Trafalger is 246 GBP.

I was looking back in January and the Doubletrees in London were all in the 40-50K range.

Think they will settle back down or am I screwed?

Why oh why didn't you book back in January then? If things had gone lower, you could have cancelled and rebooked. Since they have so badly not, you would have been protected. I never for a minute thought things would get better after these "fabulous new perks". I didn't touch one of my reservations and I'm sooo glad I didn't - not a one has changed for the better.

On all three of the hotels you mention for April there are no standard rooms available to book on cash or points, only premium rooms are available.

A quick look at the same days of the following week shows availability at DT West End at 60k a night for a standard room with cash rates of £259.

Good Friday is 14th April some schools will be off by those dates for the holidays which may also increase demand and increase rates.

There are bargains out there but with points now linked to the cash rate there are less of them at times when demand is higher such as during school holidays and in the run up to/around bank holidays.

First 2 weeks of April, entire month of June, July, August, and last 2 weeks of December are the hardest for me to find standard reward as every family, like mine, travel when their kids are out of school. :p

Yes, I have to admit that being childless does have its advantages.

London is about the last place on earth I would attempt to use my American-chain hotel points. Categories and paid rates are usually through the roof, and London is full of interesting small boutique hotels that can be had for 1/2 the price if not less. I've also done flat rentals in London when we needed room for 4+ people. (Booking.com, or I suppose these days, Airbnb)

London and Paris are two places where I take the Flyertalk-unpopular approach of ignoring the points game entirely.

Hilton just made it worse, but it was never great to begin with. 60k/nt for a basic Doubletree isn't the worst I suppose, but I'd still rather save my points for another day.

Since room nights were 50,000 back in January that should be the maximum for booking this summer if a standard room type is available. Are you finding standard rooms for your dates? If yes and they are not 50,000 points call in and have them book it for you at 50,000 per night or explain why its 143,000 points per night.

The max for DT West End was 60,000 so it can go to that under the new procedure.

On the dates provided the hotels listed have no standard rooms available on at least one night for the dates listed. Only premium rooms are available hence the 143k requirement.

From the example/s provided there is nothing untoward when the new policy is applied.

OK, so I think we can call off the dogs on this one. If I search using the "Flexible Dates" option the rates come in ridiculously high, but if I request specific dates, everything is fine. Totally weird, but hey, I was able to get the DoubleTree Westminster for five nights starting July 7th for 48K per night so I'm happy.

Not sure if there is some weird option that I am inadvertently clicking when doing the Flexible Dates, but changing my basic query is well worth it.

While I'm here - anyone else hit that particular hotel and have an opinion on it?

If you have followed this thread, even just a couple pages ago, you would know there is a glitch in the display of the flexible date calendar which only shows the most expensive premium rooms. Hilton is aware of the glitch but when would it be fixed is nothing anyone should hold his breath for.

I just booked a night at the HGI Chicago North Loop for 50000 points that would have been $ 489 including taxes (all the Chicago hotels had rates approaching or surpassing $ 300 that particular day, the HGI was the cheapest with points).

I've never stayed at that particular HGI, but the HGI a few blocks north of there (Magnificent Mile) has become my favorite HH property in Chicago.

So much easier to deal with than the massive Hiltons and I'll take that Weber restaurant over a crowded lounge any day of the week. ^

I guess we don't know how long "the cap" will last? I booked a Hampton Inn in a town that was having a "special event" for 20,000 points/night. The cheapest room rate was over $500!

It's worth having points just in case you run into a situation like this.

Not as good as yours but booked 2 nights for 20k each instead of $175 ai

IMHO once enough hotels complain how they are losing out due to being capped, it wont be long till we are further enhanced and the caps are removed after all if there arent any Cats any longer then its not right to have caps will go the reasoning. And it will pretty much be a straight .005 per pt