pauleeepaul

I am cautiously (perhaps naively) hopeful that the increased qualification requirements will distill down the Diamond population, and the benefits will improve.

wizla

yep- i fully agree.

jamesteroh

And seeing that gold is so easy to get now, I am hoping Hilton does more in added benefits to differentiate diamonds from gold more.

Knowing Blackstone though, instead he will just cut gold benefits instead of increase diamond benefits.

gemac

What I really don't understand is the assumption (by the person making the request and a lot of posters here) that the answer to that specific question is the only information contained in that thread that would have any value at all to the person making that request. As an example, if I am going to be staying at a particular hotel and I wonder if I will get a full breakfast or a continental breakfast, I have two choices:

1. I can open the master thread on that hotel and read it. This will probably take 15-20 minutes.
2. I can fire up a new thread to ask.

If I open the master thread and read it, I find out the answer to my question, and a lot of other information that I find helpful, such as nearby restaurants that others recommend, best way to get from the airport to the hotel, rooms to request or avoid, etc. The 15 or 20 minutes spent reading that thread is time well spent.

In the present case, the OP is asking for opinions and value judgements by other members (whether there is a substantial difference between Gold and Diamond). He is extremely unlikely to get a unanimous response. Some may feel there isn't much difference. Others (like me) may feel that there is a substantial difference. It all depends on our usage patterns. So a thread like this basically won't tell the OP anything. If he reads the master thread, with actual examples, he could have a pretty good idea of whether it would make a major difference for him. If he really wants to know, that is the only way he can find out, IMO.

Some may feel that encouraging someone to perpetuate a lack of detailed information is doing them a favor. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on that point.

orr333

It was brutal - it took me an extra 2 weeks to trigger on 2 categories for Diamond. I am still lobbying for a Super Diamond level where you get it if you hit Dmd on all three - stays, nights and points.

jamesteroh

What about people like me that hit it four or possibly five ways?

Last year I qualified on nights, stays, surpass and citi reserve spend and possible on points as well

jeffers

Thanks for the information from those that provided it. Very useful.

oenophilist

Generally, I think there are three factors at play:

1. The property where you are staying. Some properties definitely treat Diamonds very well, above that of Gold. Some really just don't care that much. That is the challenge of independently-owned establishments.
2. The experience of the staff. Some staff don't care. Others go out of their way. I've gone to the same property and at times been treated like a king, others like a peon.
3. The length of stay. Generally, the shorter the stay, the better upgrades and amenities you get. Hotels like to keep high-end rooms free, so they will deny upgrades if you have a longer-term stay. I had a four night stay at Hilton Metropole, and I ended up with a really crappy room as a Diamond, and couldn't even get an hour late checkout. And I had stayed there a month before for one night, and was upgraded to a suite with a late checkout. So it really depends.

IcHot

As a diamond for several years, I would say it was marginal before and a definite no now as far as making an extraordinary effort to obtain. As others have stated, the extra points are no incentive and the upgrades and breakfasts are something you might be better off buying outright when and where it matters.

Points Surfer

Absolutely agree...my business travels used to finance personal travels with points etc but with all the deflating loyalty programs its gone back to mostly "buy what you really want" for personal or important stays and enjoy the incidental status perks along the way. Behavior modifying loyalty programs are not as fun as they used to be in just about any brand it seems

JDiver

It is easier to ignore the contributions already made by members, isn't it?

But some of us have already contributed to that thread, so we may not feel like repeating ourselves.

jeffers

Hey listen, I read that thread. This is what really pisses me off about forums sometimes; there would barely be any new threads if people just read old ones.

I am not willing to sift through a 40+ page thread. I have gleamed more information from the replies on this thread than I did in the 30 minutes sifting through that (and I must add, 10 year old) thread.

If you don't have anything useful to add, just move on.

retdetgf

I just re-qualified this week for another year of Diamond through 2014, and based upon my lack of success of getting upgrades, I wouldn't go out of my way if you're already Gold to go for Diamond if it's going to cost you. Being Gold will get you most of the benefits Diamond's get. On my last stay, as usual, I asked if I could get an upgrade. I was told there were no upgrades available, but they advised me that they did put me on the 13th floor.

WOW...what a benefit!

1 suite upgrade in the last 19 stays!

benzemalyonnais

After my last stay in Barcelona as a G - no lounge, horrible conti breakfast in lobby bar - I'm almost willing to MR for D

tusphotog

I just requalified for Diamond in 2014. I really only have it for the 48-hour availability. That's saved me a few times. Used to be nice when you could book either cash or award stays using the guaranteed availability, but the point option went away a few years ago.

I've never really seen many upgrades over the years, but I did have a decent one at the Grand Wailea (plus they waive the resort fee) a couple weeks ago.

If you're close, I'd shoot for it. Extra points are never a bad thing...