shadowsjc

bump - I have been Gold for over a year now. I signed up for a Diamond challenge that expires in 2 months thinking that I would easily achieve the 21 nights needed. I'm about halfway there right now, but my work travel schedule has changed a little, so I figure to be about 9 nights short.

Is it worth a mattress run to get Diamond through March 2015? It would be pretty pricey any way I slice it.

Firewind

No, I don't think so. A bump in earning rates, but I think you'd be spending too much for it up front. And if it were me, high priority in getting good rooms vs. Golds staying the same night is too difficult to quantify. Otherwise, breakfast and free wifi are yours at Gold. Now, that said, the prospect that they'll soft land you from Diamond to Gold for the following year is out there, but it's iffy, plus you'd have to judge the value to your own anticipated travel plans -- again, an expensive (your characterization already) bet on the come.

stifle

You're missing the big difference that is executive lounge access. Guaranteed to diamond guests; golds only get it if they're upgraded to a room conferring access.

Cymro

It depends ... probably not.

Do you/would you use executive facilities - eat/drink in the lounge? As a gold you still get the free breakfast and internet.

I think you're at least $600 away from Diamond and probably more unless you can qualify on fewer stays.

Assuming 40 nights/year you have to get $15 of personal, non-expensed value of being diamond rather than gold each night.

I think that's difficult to achieve unless you stay in Hilton/DT properties and routinely book expensive room types (or would do so for an extra $15), would always use the lounge facilities or the diamond guarantee. Assuming an average spend of $100/night the points bonus is probably $5 as a maximum, more likely around $3. Internet and breakfast are already taken care of through gold.

shadowsjc

sorry, i miscalculated. the mattress run would be for approximately 6 nights, not 9. (and even less if I can squeeze in a couple of days' vacation in late Nov).

the lounge access is appealing as most of my work travel is international. i was denied access to the lounge at the Hilton Sao Paulo recently as Gold. not a huge loss I guess.

Firewind

I've always gotten lounge access if it's existed and was open at the FS hotels. Yes, really. But then, I do stay much more at Garden Inns and Hamptons. Interestingly, at Hamptons where Gold, let alone Diamond, isn't exceptional, I get suites, often with a jacuzzi as a Gold. And at Embassy Suites, elite isn't a big deal at all (sweet or salty?) because it's all good. I have been Diamond when business carried me to it, but would never mattress run to it. OK, maybe one stay. But nine stays is an ext(p)ensive mattress run by almost any lights.

[Shadowsjc, I was overwriting you.]

jamesteroh

If most of your work travel is international at properties with lounges, then I would say it would be worth doing six cheap nights. The lounges at international properties are usually pretty nice and overseas a lot of properties are strict about giving lounge access to only diamonds and people on the exec floor.

If your stays are primarily at properties without lounges then it probably isn't worth it. IMO the lounge access is worth it in a lot of overseas properties.

I would also look at how many Hilton stays you will have next year. If you will have a lot of stays the 50% point is nice.

With the exception of getting the occassional suite upgrades, the only US properties I found an advantage in being a diamond at are the Washington Hilton, the Bentley in Miami, the DT Times square and the Hilton Atlanta.

The DT use to allow you to use the diamond force on award stays, even at new years but not sure if that is still the case. The Hilton Bentley as recently as 2 months ago was still doing diamond force award stays which is a GREAT benefit when rates are over $1k a night. Washington DC only gives lounge access to diamonds and those on the exec floor and will give you the presidential suite if it's avialable. Hilton Atlanta only gives lounge access to diamonds and people on the exec level, golds get a grab bag from the store otherwise, and even if you are on the exec floor as a diamond you still get two full buffets for breakfast each day.

Some properties like the SF Hilton will give diamonds a better breakfast and starbuck vouchers.

scubaccr

Or better you can use money saved not doing mattress runs to book deluxe rooms where hotel has a nice lounge, so a Gold 1-level upgrade from King Dlx -> King Exec gives you Lounge Access.
I check FT reviews and book basic 'King Guest' rooms where hotels policy is to also upgrade HH Golds to Exec, and 'King Deluxe' where FTers report policy is 1-level only.

This works well for me, especially in UK (London), where all (but Paddington and Metropol) try to 2-level upgrade Golds to Exec+Lounge, and I am 100% as a Gold !
Obviously if like DT Victoria there is no lounge I book base room, and am happy with Dlx, but get Exec there too.

Will be at Hilton Den Haag this weekend on the same basis, King Guest to Studio + Lounge.

Upgrades as Gold may depend on where your stays are. In USA too many CreditCard golds exist, in Europe, even large Capital Cities Hiltons (eg London) have no problem bumping Golds 2-levels to Exec+Lounge, including flagship Hilton Park Lane (on PRxxxx 40% off) as H-P/Lanes stated policy is to give Golds an Exec Upgrade.

azepine00

This is probably of value only ex-us. Lounges in North America are on average quite depressing and not worth spending extra.

jamesteroh

One other benefit I find with being diamond over gold is if you have to cancel at the last minute. Fortunately I only have to do this once or maybe twice a year but it has saved me a lot of money when I had to.

When my flight has an irops and cancels and I can't get out that night, I have had no problems getting the property to waive the cancel penalty even though it is past the deadline. Sometimes they will ask for the flight number just to verify, but I have never had any problems. Last year I was travelling for business with a gold at the same property and the property still charged him for that night when he called. I think it's an unwritten diamond benefit.

EsherFlyer

I've also benefitted from this. Instant $200 or so saving. I'm sure I've seen something written down about this benefit,vbut maybe it was on here!

wizla

I'm in the same boat here...... i need another 6 stays to make diamond this year and dunno if i should do a mattress run to get it?........ Im uk resident but semi -retired so most of my trips are leasure nowadays, however that said, next year i plan to visit a lot of cities ( mainly uk but some in europe) and guaranteed lounge access would be a huge bonus........my upgrade rate to exec has been very good so far this year so dunno?????

InvestorTiger

I am really unsure what the real benefits are. There used to be real benefits like a diamond desk which offers real committed service and the ability to force a reward stay which are good benefits.


Most properties in Asia and Europe do upgrade Gold members to the executive floor so thats not a real diamond benefit. Or maybe a suite upgrade for Diamond members only?


Please advise me what are the benefits of getting Diamond status for Hilton other than the warm smile that is common when u meet the front desk clerk

3Cforme

There has been ten years of discussion in this thread, found with a search on 'diamond, worth, restricted to titles.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...lly-worth.html

I expect that some participants were quite aware of the benefits differential and focused on the really real real real increment.

InvestorTiger

Some of the information is not relevant anymore.. As I said, HH diamond members had the right to force an award stay which is no longer the case.


Is the ability to get the property to waive the cancellation penalty considered a Diamond benefit?


Anymore?