ILovetheReds

Last time HH did a devaluation in 09 they gave all diamonds a free night certificate. And that devaluation was nothing like this one. For starters they can do that again.

As others have mentioned, as a diamond benefit, allow the old reward scale to be used.

Another possiblity they could do is increase the bonus points. Instead of giving diamodns 50 percent bonus points, give a 100 percent bonus and if diamonds chose to not double dip with an airline increase the bonus points for diamonds from 50% to 100%. It would be a good gesture to diamonds and would reward people who actually stay in their properties.

They could also increase benefits to match Hyatt's and SPG's with things such as a hot breakfast if there is no lounge, guaranteed suite upgrades, and guaranteed late checkouts.

JT8D-217

The Hilton MBA's can justify this devaluation all they want. I have done my own personal analysis and have decided to burn the remaining 350k points in my bank and move my business to Carlson. I have applied for and received the CC Signature Premier Rewards Visa card (which offer the second award night free) and have parked both my and the Mrs' Hilton AmEx cards in the safe deposit box where they'll stay until the accounts are closed for inactivity. I'm not going to spend a minute stressing over stupid corporate decisions. Moving on, folks.

eponymous_coward

... or the people who spend $40K on the right AMEX card.

ILovetheReds

Well if they increase the bonus points from 50 percent to 100 percent from diamonds, it would still require stays at Hiltons to get the benefits. If someone is only spending a few nights in Hilton with a $40K credit card spend, they won't be accumulating many points. The diamond that spends a lot of money and nights in Hilton will be realizing a lot more bonus points.

I would LOVE to see Hilton add additional levels to diamond like SPG does Platinum to compensate for the devaluation. 50 nights at SPG and you get 10 GUARANTEED suite upgrades a year. 75 nights and you get a 100 percent point bonusand the 24 hour day for check in/check out time.

Even if Hilton would give a 100 percent bonus instead of 50 percent for diamonds who spend 50 or 75 nights a year in their properties that would make up for the devaluation.

luv2ctheworld

As I continue my due diligence on what to do with my future hotel bookings, I found that SPG has at least the decency to show the upgrade/downgrade of their property categories:
https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e1/starwo...goryChange.pdf

Just reinforces the notion that HHonors either has no clue or could care less about how they are perceived.

travelinfoo

The CC Diamond will also be racking up huge # Hilton points without doing the BIB requirements. Not only would he/she get the proposed 100% bonus but also the CC 12 pts/$, including all fees & taxes (Surpass) or 10 pts/$ (Citi Reserve). Add that to the 100% bonus on the stays, that's a whopping amount of points even if they only do 10 stays/yr. It would be much much more than what the BIB Diamond would be getting unless he/she were staying much more than the min status requirements.

As a conservative theoretical estimate, using my last year's tally (I only qualified as BIB Gold but assuming I was CC Diamond), I would have racked up over 200K just from the combo of base points, CC hotel bonus, proposed 100% hotel base bonus, not including any Q bonuses. That's a lot for only 16 stays! That isn't even including points from the spend it took to make Diamond!

The better way is the SPG where the more you stay, the better your benefits.i.e., the better upgrades go to the highest stay/nights Diamond BEFORE anyone else and the rest of the upgrades are given based on #stays/nights. Though I'd also like them to include high base pt Diamonds since I used to make Diamond by 1-2 stays but spent A LOT on my stays (usually was close to or actually made Diamond on base pts in add'n to stays).

eponymous_coward

Yup.

I managed to get 80K points in 2012 milking promos on nine stays as a Gold (VS points ->HH at 1:2, Q bonuses, MyWay bonuses). You're going to be racking up a lot of points under your scenario... at which point, Hilton turns up the speed on the points treadmill and devalues yet again.

Ritz

Or does and is shadily trying to cover-up eaxctly what they've done.

travelinfoo

I realized I forgot to include the points + points bonus. That would bring my annual tally just for the 16 stays under ILovetheReds proposed 100% tier bonus for Diamonds to over 220K points. Just meeting min spend requirements for CC Diamonds, the annual tally would be 400+K points. That's not even including any Q bonuses. That's a HUGE number of points for 16 stays as a CC Diamond. Ohhh, I just realized I would really benefit from getting an AF-Hilton CC (except I don't value Hilton points as much as points for other programs).

Eponymous is correct. If a lot of ppl are racking up a lot of Hilton points very cheaply, i.e., churning, CC spend, & few hotel stays, the points will devalue again quickly.

It's like the economy. If the money (or points) is not worth much, prices will increase.

mnscout

I don't know, I consider this SPG devaluation a bigger blow for two reasons.

1. SPG points are much harder to get than HHonors.
2. While Hilton mostly devalues its high-end properties, it improves redemption options for their "lesser" hotels. The SPG devaluation is all across the board with very few exceptions. Some great, low-point properties that used to be affordable, are not anymore, or less so.

adambadam

Been eyeing the Conrad Koh Samui but it seems the lowly 50K pt rooms are all booked up the week I was hoping to snag.

Must figure out a new vacation plan before the end of the month.

Tolarian Wind

I burned 320,000 points leaving me with 670. I am sure in 12 months they will be "Assimilated"

TW

redslert

Initially I was going to make a 7 night stay in Conrad Tokyo (37500p/n bargain), but decided to do NZ with my partner instead as it is closer to home.

Just burned all my 270K points for holiday in NZ.
Had to buy extra 6k points for $60 but now with an account of 0 balance I am extremely happy.

Also had a booking for Conrad Bali for Easter, made prior to announcement for devaluation, 6 night for 157,500pts.
Very happy I could use up all my 427500pts within this year that I still have Diamond and at old rates.

Moved all my future bookings to Hyatt.

underpressure

and we are happy for you.

ILovetheReds

If they gave 100% bonus's like SPG did, the heavy credit card users would still have to be spending a LOT of nights at Hiltons for the points. SPG gives their Platinums with 75+ nights a year a 100% point bonus instead of 50%. If someone charges $100K a year on their hilton visa or am ex they will still only get 300K points on the CC spend regardless of if they spend 100 or 5 nights a year at a Hilton. If they spend over 75 nights a year, they would then start to get the bonus points but ONLY on hilton activity not credit card use. That is how SPG rewards their TRULY loyal members. You have to have an actual 75 BIB nights to get the bonus.

Hilton should also startoffering lifetime diamond to help ease the pain of this devaluation. Again, you would have to have actual BIB nights to qualify.