2013 Changes to HH Reward Stays, new cat., more pts needed
Feb 21, 2013, 2:58 pm
#571
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
Hilton New Orleans Airport - category 5
Hampton Inn & Suites Elmwood ( Elmwood is the name of the discount shopping center across the street)) - category 6
Hampton Inn Elmwood, a category 6!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!
Someone at Hilton has a warped sense of humor!!!!! A category 6!!!! LOL!!! Apparently, whoever categorized this Hampton is only used to staying at Days Inn, no offense to the Days Inn chain. Oh, my god!!! No one from Hilton must have viewed this property. Maybe one of the Hilton offshore call center reps reviewed it.
Hampton Inn & Suites Elmwood ( Elmwood is the name of the discount shopping center across the street)) - category 6
Hampton Inn Elmwood, a category 6!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!
Someone at Hilton has a warped sense of humor!!!!! A category 6!!!! LOL!!! Apparently, whoever categorized this Hampton is only used to staying at Days Inn, no offense to the Days Inn chain. Oh, my god!!! No one from Hilton must have viewed this property. Maybe one of the Hilton offshore call center reps reviewed it.
Feb 21, 2013, 3:09 pm
#572
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: New York
Posts: 158
With Hyatt you can just get the Chase Visa and get gold status off the bat. Although I'm not sure how good Hyatt is with giving upgrades to their golds.
Feb 21, 2013, 3:34 pm
#573
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
For some reason I thought you did, I send 20K and get gold just like the Surpass
Feb 21, 2013, 5:32 pm
#574
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
The Hyatt Visa does give you platinum for just having the card but Hilton gold is more valuable. You don't get upgrades or breakfast, however you do get a guaranteed late check out and something simliar to the diamond force on sold out hotels. You also can't get obtain diamond status with Hyatt through credit card use. $40k spend gives you a few nights credit towards diamond but won't give you the status, but Hyatt diamond is worth a lot more than Hilton diamond.
Last edited by jamesteroh; Feb 21, 2013 at 7:34 pm
Feb 21, 2013, 6:56 pm
#575
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
Feb 21, 2013, 7:34 pm
#576
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
Feb 21, 2013, 7:43 pm
#577
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I've looked at the hotels that we regularly use for family vacations and I don't see the sky falling there -- I guess we just don't go to aspirational places.
One place we do go to is Deadwood, SD. Mrs. Amanuensis is from there and she still has family there. Right now, the price is 40,000 points per night at the Hampton Inn. After the change, it will still be 40,000 points per night every month but August, when it will be 70,000 points per night. August is when the Sturgis Rally takes place in the town next door, so I really can't blame the hotel for raising its points then. Anyhow, there are no rooms during the rally still to be had with either points or cash. Already sold out. It is my understanding that when rooms were still available, the cash price for a double queen was $699 per night. So even at the 70,000 per night rate, that is a cent a point. Just be sure to book a year in advance.
A case can be made that 40,000 points per night is too high when the rally is not in town, especially at this time of the year (the off season) when the cash price is only $69 per room ($55.20 MVP). But during July (when we typically go to visit my wife's family), rooms go for $135 weekdays and $169 weekends.
One place we do go to is Deadwood, SD. Mrs. Amanuensis is from there and she still has family there. Right now, the price is 40,000 points per night at the Hampton Inn. After the change, it will still be 40,000 points per night every month but August, when it will be 70,000 points per night. August is when the Sturgis Rally takes place in the town next door, so I really can't blame the hotel for raising its points then. Anyhow, there are no rooms during the rally still to be had with either points or cash. Already sold out. It is my understanding that when rooms were still available, the cash price for a double queen was $699 per night. So even at the 70,000 per night rate, that is a cent a point. Just be sure to book a year in advance.
A case can be made that 40,000 points per night is too high when the rally is not in town, especially at this time of the year (the off season) when the cash price is only $69 per room ($55.20 MVP). But during July (when we typically go to visit my wife's family), rooms go for $135 weekdays and $169 weekends.
Feb 21, 2013, 7:50 pm
#578
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It's always nice, as a long-time Diamond member, to have not received any e-mail notification of this change. I read about it here.
There's a general lack of information about the future of VIP awards (GLONs) and the assumption articulated on the previous pages is that with the new "5th night free" business, that these VIP and AXON awards will probably disappear.
But, if that's the case, why is HHonors calling the new awards "standard awards"? It kind of begs the question that if there are standard awards, maybe there will be some new, non-standard or discount rewards? One could always hope, but I'm not too optimistic.
There's a general lack of information about the future of VIP awards (GLONs) and the assumption articulated on the previous pages is that with the new "5th night free" business, that these VIP and AXON awards will probably disappear.
But, if that's the case, why is HHonors calling the new awards "standard awards"? It kind of begs the question that if there are standard awards, maybe there will be some new, non-standard or discount rewards? One could always hope, but I'm not too optimistic.
Feb 21, 2013, 7:55 pm
#579
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: coastal Croatia
Programs: BAEC Gold, M&M Senator
Posts: 2,181
And as I've pointed out in other threads, Hyatt's category adjustment last month (takes effect this month) was minimal. 17 hotels changed categories; ten went down one category, six went up one category, and one went up two categories. Net effect: down 2. And all of the adjustments were basically equal (i.e. one 5 to 4 and one 4 to 5; one 5 to 6 and one 6 to 5--except for the two 2 to 1 that had no corresponding increase). Obviously there aren't enough Hyatt's compared to Hilton (I think Hilton has something like 8 or 10 times more hotels worldwide). But if Hyatt fits you travel plans, their "behavior" this year has been wonderful, stellar or princely (choose your effusive adjective) compared to the other chains.
Feb 21, 2013, 8:24 pm
#580
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,399
And as I've pointed out in other threads, Hyatt's category adjustment last month (takes effect this month) was minimal. 17 hotels changed categories; ten went down one category, six went up one category, and one went up two categories. Net effect: down 2. And all of the adjustments were basically equal (i.e. one 5 to 4 and one 4 to 5; one 5 to 6 and one 6 to 5--except for the two 2 to 1 that had no corresponding increase). Obviously there aren't enough Hyatt's compared to Hilton (I think Hilton has something like 8 or 10 times more hotels worldwide). But if Hyatt fits you travel plans, their "behavior" this year has been wonderful, stellar or princely (choose your effusive adjective) compared to the other chains.
But I wasn't refering to awards and points, I was refering to benefits for diamonds.Hyatt diamonds get a guaranteed 4 p.m. check out. Hilton you are guaranteed no kind of late check out. Hyatt diamonds get a HOT breakfast if there is no lounge, Hilton sometimes it's a great breakfast and other times it's a yogurt parfet and a couple pastries. Hyatt gives their diamonds GUARANTEED suite upgrades, Hilton doesn't.
I am really thinking of moving a lot of stays to SPG. I can still keep diamond with Hilton on credit card spend and until I can get status at SPG I will still have free wifi and a GUARANTEED 4 p.m. checkout by just having status with Hilton. Once I get status with Starwood I can SPG points on my Delta flights and I have some expensive Delta flights this summer coming up.
Feb 21, 2013, 8:36 pm
#581
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Cullman, Alabama
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 648
2 of my fav's Now Cat 9
I sure hate it but 2 of my favorites are now going to be Category 9 hotels. So much for that: 
Hilton Sandestin
Hilton Pensacola Beach
Hilton Sandestin
Hilton Pensacola Beach
Feb 21, 2013, 9:08 pm
#583
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EP; WN CP;UA SILVER; MARRIOTT TITANIUM; HH DIAMOND; IHG PLAT; RADISSON PLAT; HYATT GLOBAL
Posts: 1,938
1- The people who got royally shafted are the business travelers who actually have to stay at hiltons, they now have to stay twice as many nights to get the same.
I really feel bad for them, business travellers away from thier home/families, this is the true loyal customer, slowly building their accounts, while I churn cards and manufature spend, I am Diamond through credit cards.
Did hilton not see that?
Also the other loyal customers outside the USA got really screwed, they dont have CVS, VR, Mint, etc, and they cant churn.
I really feel bad for them, business travellers away from thier home/families, this is the true loyal customer, slowly building their accounts, while I churn cards and manufature spend, I am Diamond through credit cards.
Did hilton not see that?
Also the other loyal customers outside the USA got really screwed, they dont have CVS, VR, Mint, etc, and they cant churn.
Last edited by ORD-TGU; Feb 21, 2013 at 9:17 pm
Feb 21, 2013, 9:15 pm
#584
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EP; WN CP;UA SILVER; MARRIOTT TITANIUM; HH DIAMOND; IHG PLAT; RADISSON PLAT; HYATT GLOBAL
Posts: 1,938
2-No surprise the major deval, multiple cards and churning, plus manufactured spend.
3-Priceline and third party booking is the way to go, I have been fortunate to get gold benefits most of the time.
4-Hyatt looks better for premium properties, Club Carlson also has most of my business
5-No more spend on AMEX HH, will still keep free version, but all spend now goes to SPG, Club Carlson US bank and Chase UR cards.
Yes, we are fickle, very fickle, also we adapt.
3-Priceline and third party booking is the way to go, I have been fortunate to get gold benefits most of the time.
4-Hyatt looks better for premium properties, Club Carlson also has most of my business
5-No more spend on AMEX HH, will still keep free version, but all spend now goes to SPG, Club Carlson US bank and Chase UR cards.
Yes, we are fickle, very fickle, also we adapt.
Feb 21, 2013, 10:03 pm
#585
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA EP; WN CP;UA SILVER; MARRIOTT TITANIUM; HH DIAMOND; IHG PLAT; RADISSON PLAT; HYATT GLOBAL
Posts: 1,938
I ended up applying for the Priceline Visa Signature (flat 2% cash back, 5% on name your own price bids at PCLN) and got approved with a $19k CL. It's going to be my new primary card.
I also ended up booking my next few hotel nights with Priceline instead, and ended up getting a HGI at about 50% off the MVP rate and another 5% cash back at Fatwallet.
I also ended up booking my next few hotel nights with Priceline instead, and ended up getting a HGI at about 50% off the MVP rate and another 5% cash back at Fatwallet.