fcrit

I would definitely go for Diamond. The biggest benefit I've personally seen is good treatment at European Hiltons - while Gold's get pretty good treatment here in the US, in Europe I've found that you just about have to be Diamond to get any upgrades or other perks. And the Diamond desk is one of the best customer service units I've run into.

I wouldn't burn the points, though. I'm pretty sure the award stays count as stays only, not nights. Get on the web and find the cheapest Hampton Inn you can find, go check in, and then leave (even a couple of times). I'd rather spend $50 here and use the points overseas to maximize bang for the buck.

[This message has been edited by fcrit (edited Dec 14, 2003).]

Rut Dog

Especially with the $50 rate guarantee. Lot's of rooms under $25 once you receive your $50 gift cheque.

Canarsie

As a Diamond Hilton HHonors member, it has been years since I was Gold, and I was treated very well as a Gold member — but, since you asked:

Point Bonuses: Earn a 50% bonus on all HHonors Base points credited while you are a Diamond VIP.

Guaranteed Reservations availability: Reservations availability is guaranteed to Diamond VIPs when reservations are made before midnight hotel local time, 48 hours prior to intended arrival. Guarantee applies to only one room occupied by the Diamond VIP member and to reservations made with a valid credit card.

Enjoy HHonors Hotel Rewards without Blackout Dates: Diamond VIP members may redeem points for HHonors hotel rewards nearly any time, with the only exception being during specified Extraordinary Demand Dates at certain hotels.

Click on this link for more details.

The Diamond Desk has almost always come through for me in fulfilling my requests to my satisfaction.

The three Diamond benefits I have listed here are definitely worth the effort to achieve Diamond Hilton HHonors status.

planeluvr

You should go for Diamond, I am staying at a Hampton Inn right now and got upgraded to a suite on a very cheap rate. I have had great upgrades in Europe. So it is worth the $ to get to Diamond and not use points on inexpensive properties.

born sleepy

well, I'm a comped Gold, but looking at the Diamond perks and considering the class of hotels I have available to me in the cities I typically travel to, going for Diamond wouldn't get me much. The cities I go to for work do not have the higher-end properties; I think HGI is the top-end for a typical city. but at least there's plenty of Hilton properties in these towns, unlike Starwood where it's pretty hard for me to hang on to even Gold status because there just aren't that many Starwood properties in smaller cities.

I'm in State College PA now at the HGI. I was offered a suite upgrade but turned it down because there's no smoking suites

b no idea why I was comped Gold but I'll take it s.

fredmartens

I like being a diamond, have been upgraded many times and treated very well since getting to that point. If you're only a couple of stays short, what the heck, go for a couple of those cheap local-one-night-on-the-weekend-when-it's-REALLY-cheap mattress runs (especially if you can toss it in the ol' expense report wink wink).

Rut Dog

Thank you! Not all smokers are so ethical.

DC Wolf

Just for an update-

I didn't have to burn any points!! I had a last minute business trip last week and that took me to 59 nights. Then I realized that they had not posted a one-night award stay that I did on the way back from Hawaii. One phone call to the HHonors desk and voila- I'm Diamond! It showed up online this morning.

Canarsie

Congratulations, DC Wolf!

Enjoy your Hilton HHonors Diamond membership.

GUWonder

I have been Gold with Hilton for years. This year I was Diamond and have 20 stays year to date but am choosing not to go after Diamond with Hilton since I have not discerned a bit of difference (and actually worse treatment) as a Diamond than as a Gold (excepting the ability to actually use my HHonors points). By the time, my Diamond membership expires in April, I will have used up 600,000 HHonors points out of my 700,000 (in the course of 9 months) and have realized that with no promotions like Hyatt´s or Starwoods (where you can usually use your points), I am going to stick with being a Hyatt Diamond, slide down to Starwood Gold (since I seem to almost never get discernible room upgrades as a Plat there and just care about the 4 p.m. checkout) and let Hilton slip down to Gold (since Diamond has actually corresponded with benefit slippage in terms of the rooms themselves). Devaluation of HHonors points is cause enough to minimize patronage.

Eugene

Congratulations! And your experience is a definite answer to the question whether award stays now count as stays only (as per official HH Terms and Conditions), or stays and nights (as proved in this particular case). As I suspected, HH didn't program their computers to discriminate against award nights to be counted towards the status. Granted, the total number of nights shown in your account online always included those from award stays, but it was unclear if those nights were to be actually counted towards the status qualification. Now we know the answer (at least for now)!

ElmhurstNick

Great news!

And by the way, the answer was: Yes, definitely.

I don't get a lot of upgrades because I stay in a lot of places that either have suites already (Doubletree Guest Suites, Homewood Suites), or in Hampton Inns where it doesn't matter. But I have gotten some very nice upgrades in Europe as a Diamond, and have had to refuse other even nice ones because I was travelling with relatives and we needed two beds.

But to me, the absolute main reason is the lack of blackout dates. That makes the points really usable currency. For example, I decided yesterday that I want to go to Spring Training in Phoenix for a few days, and as a Diamond I can stay at my first choice of property instead of hunting for something that has award rooms available.

jabez

Going to Italy in May. Rooms in Rome (Cavalieri)are not only expensive then, but they are almost sold out already on the dates I wanted. They show no rooms available for awards. The Diamond folks went to bat for me and got it booked.
This alone ,not to mention the use of their lounge there when I travel, would make Diamond very valuable.

satori

Try getting an award room for New Year's Eve at a popular hotel if you are not Diamond.

I have only had two instances out of 20 or so award stays referred to the diamond desk because of unavailable rooms through reservations where the diamond desk could not get me into the hotel I wanted and both times there were conferences being held at the hotel.

gutt22

If I had the chance, I'd do it ... after all, it'd be worth it just to be able to have easier access to reward stays.