2013 Changes to HH Reward Stays, new cat., more pts needed
Jul 3, 2013, 9:36 pm
#1141
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
My last Hampton points stay, about a month ago, was 20K total for two nights. Trust me when I say that was about right for this Hampton. It is still better than the $120/per night they wanted for the Deluxe King Room to which I was upgraded.
Jul 4, 2013, 5:19 pm
#1142
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Programs: DL DM 3 MM AA PLAT HH Lifetime Diamond Marriott Plat AMB lifetime titanium Hertz PC
Posts: 6,187
I agree that is a lot for a Hampton unless it was the only one for 50 miles and next to a Stadium for a game/ event. I have seen that in some Collage towns.
Nov 12, 2013, 5:44 pm
#1143
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: AVL
Programs: Hhonors Diamond, Bonvoy LT Plat, TSA vilifier extraordinaire, Once upon a time... US Silver, AA Gold
Posts: 1,313
This seasonal pricing bit is nutso. I just looked at the La Defense Hilton in Paris and they want 80,000 points a night next May. Holy Mackerel. Maybe some of the folks jumping ship were on to something. Oh....and 204,729 other nights. Jeezus.
Apr 29, 2014, 4:41 am
#1144
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 2
Certificate expired
Just returned from a P&C stay booked before devaluation. I ran into the issue of certificate expiration of which I was not been aware of before arriving at the hotel. I tried to check-in, but my reservation could not be found. The reservation was still in my Hhonors account, so I thought it should be a mistake which can easily be sorted out. I was wrong. It took an hour of waiting before the receptionists told us that the reward certificate expired. Therefore I do not have a valid reservation. He offered me a room for the best available rate which was about $500 per night.
I called the Hhonors hotline. They first told me that the hotel should let me check in, but after talking to the receptionist they changed their mind. They told me it was my fault as it is clearly stated in the T&C that reward certificates are valid one year only. Therefore the points used for the booking were lost, but I could do a new reservation on P&C. I was struck dumb! It took another hour of discussion on the phone before they offered me to refund the points of the expired certificate and difference between the current and the old P&C rate in the next weeks.
Back home I just read the German T&C and could not find anything about expiring hotel certificates at all.
I called the Hhonors hotline. They first told me that the hotel should let me check in, but after talking to the receptionist they changed their mind. They told me it was my fault as it is clearly stated in the T&C that reward certificates are valid one year only. Therefore the points used for the booking were lost, but I could do a new reservation on P&C. I was struck dumb! It took another hour of discussion on the phone before they offered me to refund the points of the expired certificate and difference between the current and the old P&C rate in the next weeks.
Back home I just read the German T&C and could not find anything about expiring hotel certificates at all.
Apr 29, 2014, 1:32 pm
#1145
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTT, HH Diam, UA Silver, USAF million miler ;)
Posts: 1,596
Just returned from a P&C stay booked before devaluation. I ran into the issue of certificate expiration of which I was not been aware of before arriving at the hotel. I tried to check-in, but my reservation could not be found. The reservation was still in my Hhonors account, so I thought it should be a mistake which can easily be sorted out. I was wrong. It took an hour of waiting before the receptionists told us that the reward certificate expired. Therefore I do not have a valid reservation. He offered me a room for the best available rate which was about $500 per night.
I called the Hhonors hotline. They first told me that the hotel should let me check in, but after talking to the receptionist they changed their mind. They told me it was my fault as it is clearly stated in the T&C that reward certificates are valid one year only. Therefore the points used for the booking were lost, but I could do a new reservation on P&C. I was struck dumb! It took another hour of discussion on the phone before they offered me to refund the points of the expired certificate and difference between the current and the old P&C rate in the next weeks.
Back home I just read the German T&C and could not find anything about expiring hotel certificates at all.
I called the Hhonors hotline. They first told me that the hotel should let me check in, but after talking to the receptionist they changed their mind. They told me it was my fault as it is clearly stated in the T&C that reward certificates are valid one year only. Therefore the points used for the booking were lost, but I could do a new reservation on P&C. I was struck dumb! It took another hour of discussion on the phone before they offered me to refund the points of the expired certificate and difference between the current and the old P&C rate in the next weeks.
Back home I just read the German T&C and could not find anything about expiring hotel certificates at all.
What sort of certificate was this? I'm just used to booking the room with points and all the rest is behind the curtain. Did you actually change points to a certificate and then book with the certificate?
Apr 29, 2014, 1:57 pm
#1146
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Short version: there was a lot of chatter last year about being able to make AXON bookings more than a year ahead. Numerous people, including the post 634 author, warned that reservations of this sort were highly risky & could result in what happened above (showing up to find the room no longer booked/held). And yes, I see that the latest inquiry is about P&C, not AXON, but many of the same considerations/risks apply.
Apr 29, 2014, 2:08 pm
#1147
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,215
Just returned from a P&C stay booked before devaluation. I ran into the issue of certificate expiration of which I was not been aware of before arriving at the hotel. I tried to check-in, but my reservation could not be found. The reservation was still in my Hhonors account, so I thought it should be a mistake which can easily be sorted out. I was wrong. It took an hour of waiting before the receptionists told us that the reward certificate expired. Therefore I do not have a valid reservation. He offered me a room for the best available rate which was about $500 per night.
I called the Hhonors hotline. They first told me that the hotel should let me check in, but after talking to the receptionist they changed their mind. They told me it was my fault as it is clearly stated in the T&C that reward certificates are valid one year only. Therefore the points used for the booking were lost, but I could do a new reservation on P&C. I was struck dumb! It took another hour of discussion on the phone before they offered me to refund the points of the expired certificate and difference between the current and the old P&C rate in the next weeks.
Back home I just read the German T&C and could not find anything about expiring hotel certificates at all.
I called the Hhonors hotline. They first told me that the hotel should let me check in, but after talking to the receptionist they changed their mind. They told me it was my fault as it is clearly stated in the T&C that reward certificates are valid one year only. Therefore the points used for the booking were lost, but I could do a new reservation on P&C. I was struck dumb! It took another hour of discussion on the phone before they offered me to refund the points of the expired certificate and difference between the current and the old P&C rate in the next weeks.
Back home I just read the German T&C and could not find anything about expiring hotel certificates at all.
Anyone making a reward booking more than a year in advance needs to be aware that they are taking a big risk. Any of the following may happen:
- You may be denied check-in
- You may be told when checking in that your reward reservation is invalid and invited to agree to pay the rack rate
- Your reservation may be cancelled sometime between booking and checking in
- The above, but you may be given the option to pay the extra points between the old and new rates
- You may be told when checking out that your certificate is invalid and your card billed for the rack rate
- You may have your card billed for the rack rate some time after you check out
This is all scaremongering, and factless personal opinion.
There is no hack. There is no loophole. You are simply phoning reservations and making a booking. There is nothing on the website to say that bookings are only valid within 12months, there is nothing in the HHonors T&Cs to say that bookings are only valid for 12 months, and there is nothing in the booking confirmation to say that either. Those are the FACTS.
Its not rocket science for Hilton reservations system to prevent >12m bookings if they wanted, but the fact is that they're freely available to book, and via human beings on the reservation line, not just online.
Over the years, and all will attest to this, I've had all manner of crazy statements by individual agents, so some will nodoubtdly tell you that there is a 12m limit, but I'm more interested in legalities and facts. I'm not saying that I'm right, i'm just saying that at this point in time there is zero evidence to suggest a time limit.
There is no hack. There is no loophole. You are simply phoning reservations and making a booking. There is nothing on the website to say that bookings are only valid within 12months, there is nothing in the HHonors T&Cs to say that bookings are only valid for 12 months, and there is nothing in the booking confirmation to say that either. Those are the FACTS.
Its not rocket science for Hilton reservations system to prevent >12m bookings if they wanted, but the fact is that they're freely available to book, and via human beings on the reservation line, not just online.
Over the years, and all will attest to this, I've had all manner of crazy statements by individual agents, so some will nodoubtdly tell you that there is a 12m limit, but I'm more interested in legalities and facts. I'm not saying that I'm right, i'm just saying that at this point in time there is zero evidence to suggest a time limit.
Jan 5, 2015, 9:59 am
#1148
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 106
Can I use free weekend nights certificates for a stay past the expiration date of the certificate, as long as I book it before it expires?
TIA
TIA
Jan 5, 2015, 11:32 am
#1149
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: MCO/FLL
Programs: AA-gold(MM); Marriott-Lifetime Titanium Elite; Hilton-Gold;
Posts: 503
An expired certificate will not be valid after the expiration date. I had one booked, but after reading this thread I called the Rome Hilton to ask and was told, NO, the certificate must be valid at the time of the stay.
Jan 5, 2015, 11:41 am
#1150
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 106
What a shame I could not use two nights cert due to personal circumstances.
Oh well.....life goes on.
Jan 5, 2015, 1:32 pm
#1151
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
Programs: BA S, VS S, SQ G, HH D, IHG D/A, Marriott G, Radisson G, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,945
If there's a strong reason (eg bereavement) then Hilton may be able to make some sort of ex-gratia arrangement - no harm in asking in this sort of situation.
Jan 5, 2015, 3:45 pm
#1152
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 106
Yes, there were.
I PMed the official HHonors Representative without success.
Is there anyone else I should be contacting?.......maybe @ corporate?
Jan 5, 2015, 4:08 pm
#1153
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
Programs: BA S, VS S, SQ G, HH D, IHG D/A, Marriott G, Radisson G, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,945
If you have status then Diamond Desk - if not then try main HHonors CS or Corporate. You could also try them on Twitter/FB.
Jan 5, 2015, 5:49 pm
#1155
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,042
I was able to get an extension of about 3 months, which was to the end of the calendar year, by calling Customer Service. We had to cancel our reservation to use the award near to its expiration date because of a hospitalization. I can't remember if I had to send any verification.