How many Hilton Honors points do you have and how you plan to use them?
Jul 8, 2014, 3:09 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: USA FL
Programs: Hilton Honors LT Diamond, Marriott Gold Delta Gold, Avis Preferred Plus,
Posts: 190
I earn about 600K points a year and spend them pretty quickly. I just used about 500k for a two week trip in Europe for my 25th wedding anniversary. Going from France to Germany to Italy all paid for with points.
Jul 8, 2014, 4:58 pm
#18
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Jul 8, 2014, 7:26 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: ATL - DL DM/3MM - HH Lifetime Diamond - Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 3,117
Right now I have 1.4 million - can't seem to get myself to use them at the higher redemption levels as I'm used to the lower ones. I've been using Starwood and Marriott lately.
.
Jul 8, 2014, 8:22 pm
#23
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: Hilton Diamond for life, Bonvoy Titanium for Life, Delta Million Miler, Delta Platinum
Posts: 168
2,100,000 more or less. Never use them for work. Have had superb redemptions this past year at The Boulders and Waldorf Chicago. Gonna start burning them down at the really nice spots for leisure
Jul 8, 2014, 8:22 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,635
Between Mrs. xooz and myself we now have about 750K, down from 1M. Normally I accrue about 500-600K per year, and use about the same amount, including giving hotel nights as Christmas gifts.
I haven't cashed in much this year due to the devaluation jacking up points for short stays in big cities. Have moved some point collection to Carlson and Starwood, and have had several stays at Carlson properties due to the extra free night they give you if you have the credit card. Would like to spend a few nights on Prague later this year, since that is still a good deal (IMHO).
I haven't cashed in much this year due to the devaluation jacking up points for short stays in big cities. Have moved some point collection to Carlson and Starwood, and have had several stays at Carlson properties due to the extra free night they give you if you have the credit card. Would like to spend a few nights on Prague later this year, since that is still a good deal (IMHO).
Jul 9, 2014, 8:56 am
#26
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 586
About 330k and I honestly don't know where to use them. Every time I look at using them for a destination, I'm like ehhh, probably somewhere better to use them then use Hyatt or Carlson points instead. I'm right on the edge of getting a 5th night free redemption at the higher category properties so I'm really saving for an aspirational redemption for 5 nights.
Jul 9, 2014, 9:13 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
Just booked 5 nights at Hilton Molino Stucky for next June for 280K points + 30K points for the HGI near the airport in Venice which leaves me with 67K points. Still able to get decent redemption values with the fifth night free.
Jul 9, 2014, 1:52 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,718
About 300k after a nice redemption at the Carlton Dublin this spring. I don't find too many attractive redemption opportunities and I'm not earning like I used to, either. Using Priceline / Hotels.com / etc. more. I find the points' best utility is for immediate, day-of redemptions in modest backwater markets; I found my son a nice HGI for 20k on the outskirts of Denver when he got stuck there unexpectedly last month. But the aspirational stuff is overpriced.
Jul 9, 2014, 5:42 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,738
5 nights at Venice can be an overkill.
This May we spent 5 nights in the Veneto region where we chose to say in a college town (Padova, Sheraton has a property there) some 35 min train trip into Venice and just did 2 day trips there. We were very glad we chose to stay outside Venice versus at Venice. From Padova we did 2 easy day trips to Venice and felt that was more than enough. We also did a day trip to Verona. Potentially one could also go to Lake Garda - one of the less visited Italian Alpine lake in the lake district as versus Lake Como and Lake Maggiore.
Venice has become extremely crowded in recent years even in the shoulder season. The congestion on the Vaporetto boats was incredible. A far cry from our last visit only 5 years ago.
On our ferry ride back from Burano, it was standing room only from the 2nd stop - that was a very long ride back on the express boat to the Venice main island. I felt for those who had to stand all the way for the very bumpy ride for 45+ minutes.
The pass price also has gone up gigantically. I remember it only costed us about $72 for a 3 days pass + airport bus to town 5 years ago. Now a 36 hours ferry pass is 25 euro. However it is the very crowded condition on virtually every line every boat that really surprised us (and totally put us off on any future visits to this city.)
All the little quiet squares we found on our last visit, are no more quiet. Now they are all filled with tacky shops and restaurants. No charm any more.
If it is your first visit, you will still find it exciting. But if this is your return visit, especially if your previous visit is a few years back, be prepared for the unpleasant surprises.
