Are Hilton Sales really "Sales"?
Mar 15, 2017, 3:54 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 147
Are Hilton Sales really "Sales"?
Yesterday before the APAC sales end
Today after end of APAC sales
C'mon Hilton, do you bring up the prices during a "Sales" and offer a flash sales discount? The regular rates on the page seems to suggest so!
Today after end of APAC sales
C'mon Hilton, do you bring up the prices during a "Sales" and offer a flash sales discount? The regular rates on the page seems to suggest so!
Mar 15, 2017, 6:54 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. As recently as a couple months ago I've cancelled existing reservations and rebooked for significantly less during flash or seasonal sales. And sometimes they look like exactly what you show above. As always, the best advice is to discard the hype, go to the numbers, and always be diligent about rechecking reservations (when refundable) for better price opportunities.
Mar 15, 2017, 7:00 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 147
Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. As recently as a couple months ago I've cancelled existing reservations and rebooked for significantly less during flash or seasonal sales. And sometimes they look like exactly what you show above. As always, the best advice is to discard the hype, go to the numbers, and always be diligent about rechecking reservations (when refundable) for better price opportunities.
Mar 15, 2017, 9:26 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: London, United Kingdom
Programs: British Airways Gold
Posts: 2,636
Isn't this true for the whole travel industry though? When something has a price which fluctuates over time, is differenet depending on the vendor, and most people pay a different price for the same thing the concept of a sale becomes nonsensical
Mar 16, 2017, 5:13 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Mar 16, 2017, 10:15 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: SFO, MNL, SIN, HAM
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Gold, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat
Posts: 488
Agreed - Hilton, SPG, Marriott, Carlson are all guilty of these "fake" sales that promise huge discounts that end up not being discounts at all. Don't book a "sale" blindly!
I agree with others - if I know the typical price for a hotel/season and the sale is a "historical low", I book it. Otherwise, I'll avoid the pre-paid, non-refundable rates far ahead to avoid the situation the OP describes.
Accor's private sales are often "real sales": I usually book a few places well in advance for destinations I know well - in some cases, I got a discount of 50% or more compared to booking closer to the date of travel!
I agree with others - if I know the typical price for a hotel/season and the sale is a "historical low", I book it. Otherwise, I'll avoid the pre-paid, non-refundable rates far ahead to avoid the situation the OP describes.
Accor's private sales are often "real sales": I usually book a few places well in advance for destinations I know well - in some cases, I got a discount of 50% or more compared to booking closer to the date of travel!
Mar 17, 2017, 6:29 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 921
But just to get a refund because you decided you didn't want to stay there anymore? That rarely happens...and usually become the subject of a 1 star review because the person reserving the room didn't care to understand that No Refunds meant no refunds.
Mar 17, 2017, 10:20 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Newcastle, UK
Posts: 2,379
It depends on the circumstances, the hotel, how often you stay at the hotel, etc. Some have reported that they've been offered credit, or if they had to move their trip to another week, the hotel permitted it. Maybe in the case of an issue with weather, they'll allow it.
But just to get a refund because you decided you didn't want to stay there anymore? That rarely happens...and usually become the subject of a 1 star review because the person reserving the room didn't care to understand that No Refunds meant no refunds.
But just to get a refund because you decided you didn't want to stay there anymore? That rarely happens...and usually become the subject of a 1 star review because the person reserving the room didn't care to understand that No Refunds meant no refunds.
Mar 21, 2017, 8:36 am
#14
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
I don't agree, that the sales are faked.
The way I see it, the rates which are shown on the overview websites are totally wrong. Not only for that APAC sale, also for all offers and periods.
I. e. your screenshot "before APAC sales end", which shows THB 4.426 for the Millenium, THB 5.367 for the Conrad, THB 4.708 for Hilton Sukhumvit as the lowest prices ("from").
For all these hotels I've seen lower and much lower rates during the APAC sale. I. e. Hilton Sukhumvit had also APAC sale rates for around THB 3.000,-.
The way I see it, the rates which are shown on the overview websites are totally wrong. Not only for that APAC sale, also for all offers and periods.
I. e. your screenshot "before APAC sales end", which shows THB 4.426 for the Millenium, THB 5.367 for the Conrad, THB 4.708 for Hilton Sukhumvit as the lowest prices ("from").
For all these hotels I've seen lower and much lower rates during the APAC sale. I. e. Hilton Sukhumvit had also APAC sale rates for around THB 3.000,-.