cjd

You're not

Happy

The cancellation deadline is different for each property but cancellation penalty pretty much is at least one night revenue rate if one fails to cancel before deadline. Naturally the reservation is guaranteed by a CC. Club Carlson is the only program I know that does not require a CC to make a reward booking. Marriott, IHG, SPG, Hyatt - all require a CC input to make the reward booking.

This is one of my HHonor ressie said:

Rate Rules and Cancellation Policy:
• Your reservation is guaranteed for late arrival.
• Please contact us should you need to cancel your reservation.
• Cancellations are required by 4 PM on XX Apr 2013 local hotel time.
• Cancellation penalties may apply.

I am sure the guarantee is based on the CC submitted at booking.

shoreline

Do you guys have your hhonors account marked to 'not receive' emails?
If so, you will not receive this email or others.

Just curious.

However, this has been up on the website for a while now. So, if you go to the website, you def. have access to the announcement even if you do not get the emails.

EDIflyer

I certainly have it marked to receive emails yet haven't received a notification. Obviously being on FT we're all aware of the changes but putting an announcement on their website isn't doing enough in my view - they either need to properly contact all their members by email (which they clearly haven't done), or write out to them with letters. Sadly just another example of poor IT & poor comms by Hilton!

Happy

Italy is one of the EXCLUDED countries in AMEX coverage.

Italy, Ireland, Israel, Australia and New Zealand are EXCLUDED by AMEX for rental car coverage.

I think they are on the MC exclusion list as well. Visa covers Australia and New Zealand in some very vague language. These 2 countries are no-fault country and insurance purchase with car rental company is almost compulsory - thus negates the CC coverage. If you opt out the coverage offered by the rental car companies, your CC is IMMEDIATELY charged for a very big sum, from $2 to $5K that is refunded if you return your car in perfect condition. Both AVis and Hertz clearly spell out this item on your reservation.

Instead of assuming things, people would serve themselves better by actually spend some time to read the languages on their reservations and the paper they sign at check in, and CC benefit languages. Like the cliche says, Proof is in the Pudding. In this case Proof is in the fine prints.

Happy

Check your spam folder?

I have found gmail spam filter is extremely poor - Both AA and UA emails landed in my gmail spam folder. Marriott eBreaks went there, too! I kid you not - 70% of the "spams" gmail intercepted, are legitimated emails albeit some of them are marketing stuff but they are all from legitimate senders on accounts with them. Heck, they even send Chase and Citi's notifications to Spam folder!

EDIflyer

Yes, I check it every couple of days. I don't find it too bad, mainly as I tend to mark stuff that isn't spam accordingly and it seems to improve the accuracy a bit. I've double-checked my Hilton account and it's definitely set up correctly - I also receive booking confirmation emails OK.

cjd

Thanks to jerry305, mnscout, see thread no 774 on page 52 of this long thread.

brownie20

sorry i'm new to redeeming hotel points and i'm not sure how date changes with redemptions work. once you book a room at XYZ are you locked to specific dates or can they be changed later? i recently reserved award nights using priority club points and the dates can still be changed even though i redeemed at the old rate. is hilton as flexible (i'd love to redeem an AXON award at a hotel i'd likely stay at in the next year but not sure what the dates would be yet)? thanks in advance for any help!

Happy

You would pay the new rate on PC booking if you change your date now (post 3/18 deadline).

For the AXON, go to the AXON thread and read up Ikar's post on his recent conversation with the rep. You should find your answer albeit it is not a clear-cut one.

GJS - yow

I have had the same problem with my e-mail from Hilton for years. I try about once a year to get someone to fix the problem. Each time, they think they've found the problem (each time they discover a different "issue"), but I still don't receive e-mail, except for reservation confirmations. It is definitely not a spam folder issue at my end.

If it wasn't for FT, I would have no idea about the impending "enhancement" to the Hhonors program.

brownie20

thanks happy for the quick reply! since i only recently made my priority club reservations they goodwill'ed the points difference and charged me the new points price. i was told i could change the dates up until arrival day since i was charged the current rate; as long as i don't cancel my reservations the goodwill points should stay in my account. thanks for the head's up on ikar's post - will have a look!

ThriftyTourist

I've changed many redemption dates with HHonors points, but the new/current redemption rates are used at time of change. I have called in directly to HHonors CS and have had old/standard room rates used even if a standard room rate was not available for the new date.

ThriftyTourist

The Grand Wailea Maui - A Waldorf Astoria Resort is actually lowering its redemption values for 7 months out of the year with Hilton's new points chart. All inclusive properties redemption values stay the same & the Rome Cavalieri - another Waldorf property is only increasing by 10k in some months. So even after the devaluation, you can find some GREAT redemption properties. I'm holding onto my points for now.

sharklover

Sure WAs are not moving up much because they already were made really high in 2009. Its all the best value other chains have been killed. Any great use of points is no longer for most places.