dilbertsdaddy

Back before the first devaluation, I racked up around 250K points and it took several years. I tried to use them after the devaluation and finally used them for 4 nights in Italy. Gone.

Fast forward several years and I now have another 250K....Hilton has been my last choice yet the points rack up after a while. I have 35 nights this year but of course am only Silver. At least devalued Marriott has rollover...but I digress, back to my rant about why I hate Hilton.

I've tried several times to use them yet it always seems like such a bad deal I always end up cashing in points from other programs. Pretty sweet deal for Hilton as you don't ever use the points. And many places only have 1-2 Hilton properties so your choices are limited.

So today I check to see if I can use them in Maui and one property is 86K per night and the other is 238K a night! I am quite sure they are nice but of course SPG has rooms for 12K a night with the 5th night free. I know the points structure is different but come on! So I will stay at SPG and my 250K Hilton points are still there.

Rant over.

edr1971

I am a Hilton Diamond based upon spend (not nights or stays barely make gold) but I can understand your frustration. However when looking at the # of points per night you have to think how the points are earned especially for Gold and Diamond members.

Example being, I just spent $232 for 2 nights at a Hilton Garden Inn and earned almost 9,000 points. I would not expect to earn a high percentage of points that would equal one night in Maui. Another example is I just stayed at the Waldorf Orlando in a 1 bedroom suite for 61,000 points per night. To earn 9,000 points toward a night in a suite for only 232 works for me.

With all that said, the reason I earned 9,000 points is the my way bonus of 750 points, 50% diamond bonus, and triple point weekend stay.

The key is until you hit gold the first time the bonus multipliers don't help you get to the point where you can use these points.

Have you researched MVP Gold Fast Track as once that is achieved your multipliers improve.

helosc

My motto is to earn points in expensive hotels and spend points in inexpensive
( pointwise ) hotels. I know that there are not lots of low category hotels out there but there are some. I have found a category 2 doubletree hotel in Bratislava. 10.000 points per night - 40.000 for 5 nights. That gives excellent point value.

dilbertsdaddy

Thanks for the suggestion; I just signed up for it. Unfortunately I don't think it is going to work as I only have a 5 night stay in the next 90 days. If they go back 90 I already have it.

gravy

This is not picking on the OP, but if it takes several years to accumulate 250K points, it may not be worth it to count on points to fund vacation hotel stays. I generally think that hoarding any hotel or airline points is bad policy because the currency value deflates so fast.

I would suggest that going with the hotel that gives you the best value, and saving the cash difference for your vacations might make more sense.

sdsearch

Well, then, look into whether this option would work for you:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...milepoint.html (gives HH Gold status)


Since you're based in the US, you can rack up points fairly quickly without even any paid HHonors stays, since this credit card:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...nors-visa.html

is churnable at least a few times a year.

azepine00

that was the original meaning of loyalty programs and unfortunately they are still marketed as such.. of course for better or worse in the present day 250K points is 3-4 cc signups - no loyalty required so just accept the reality and try to milk it while you can..

mnredfox

OP, with 35 nights you might want to try mattress hopping for status...

travelexpert

Are you saying one can apply and get approved for the credit card AND cancel 2-3 x every year?

As for this year's MEGA-SUPER-UBER-devaluation--it has had a major impact on my burn--and hence earn.

Example. Prior to 2013 I could have had four nights in the VA Beach Hilton using an AXON for 145K. Just booked a four night stay using AXON for 2014--220K. Literally a 50% hike in points required--and this is not even one of the truly aspirational resorts I covet (and HH loves to promote in HH materials).

There will come a point in every airline and hotel program where it's just not worth playing any longer. HH is dangerously close--one more devaluation and I am completely out. As it is, they have gotten just three paid nights since the MEGA-SUPER-UBER-devaluation occurred this past February. And I have in the past been 120+ nights per year, every year....

Cymro

Also if the OP is already at 35 nights and has 5 nights booked in the next 90 days then unless those 5 nights are all in January, that will get gold for 2014 (only scrape it, but gold is gold!)

Even the gold multiplier is not great - my shorter stays are great for earning miles (1,750 for a weekend stay on Iberia) but 1,250 points is nothing to write home about on a $100 weekend overnighter. Longer stays are where it's at this quarter - 40k points for a six night stay in LA means that I might get $400 of points value for $1k of spend, if I use them wisely.

eltex

Well, you chose one very small island in the middle of an ocean. You are looking at one of the ultra-premium US based hotels in the Hilton chain. It is hard to complain about their selection on Maui if you frame the search to such small parameters. Just remember, on Oahu or the Big Island, you would have much more options, and rooms would be much less in points.

That being said, Hilton has put themselves on the outside of the flyertalk/points community. The value in their points isn't worth chasing anymore, if you want inspirational type vacations. They won't be the last points program to devalue and make this same choice. They were just the one of the first. For our family, we decided to use ALL of our HH points on one last stay in Hawaii, and not collect them in them anymore if possible. We chose the highest point suite on the Big Island, and booked it until we ran out of points. Great value? who knows, but I expect it will be a fun week for us and the kids.

skywalkerLAX

I think you are comparing apples with oranges. While I agree that Hilton has taken a large chunk off the cake it's not as bad as you say.

I find that especially points and money awards very are worthwhile to use at many destinations.

These Hilton Rooms you mention that are advertised for 238k are Premium Rooms and make zero sense to redeem for. This award is completely ridiculous and I wouldn't bet a dime on it these rooms being nice.

Keep in mind as well how much spend is required to reach 12,000 SPG Points. And those are standard rooms.

dilbertsdaddy

Silly me, I though Gold was 50, so you are right, I will make it.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback and advice, very helpful, you are a much nicer crowd than over on the DL board.

As I started with, this was a rant. Because every time I try to use the points I can't. I totally understand Maui is a special destination; however, SPG can accommodate. I went to Australia....Hilton had few hotels and again, high rates. Yet SPG and IHG were more than happy to easily accommodate at reasonable rates, upgrades to suites, etc. etc. Europe, same thing. I could not even get a reasonable room near the DEN airport to crash for 8 hours.

I consider HH to be the most devalued program out there....trust me I am trying to burn these points but have not been successful. Maybe one day.

Thanks again all

AddictedTraveller

There are a number of sweet spots around, especially the category 1 and 2 hotels. I live in Singapore and I regularly go to KL for a weekend every now and then at the Double Tree at 10K per night its a very good deal. I also used them recently using a points and money reward in London to take the pain away - Rather than paying the GBP250 I paid 53 and 20000 instead.

dilbertsdaddy

Good to know; KL is on my list of places to check out for foreign retirement so I need to drag the Mrs. out there to check it out. Thanks