johnep1

The diamond status should show up in your account soon after your qualifying stay. If not, call Hilton. Then, make sure to have them update your record with the HWV to ensure that the hotel knows you're a diamond.

Four one-night stays should run about $250 if you have any Hamptons near you. $250 for diamond status through 2/07 is a very good deal. The only problem is that you might get addicted to it and spend a lot more in the future to maintain that status.

MIKEM

Do not count on the status showing up in every location. There are plenty of threads where people have posted that it took a matter of weeks to get their status rung out. Yeah, you can do all the calling as stated above and maybe pull it off. But, when the rooms are assigned by the Front Desk Manager the day before and he looks in the computer and sees your Gold... Then you come in and you are where all the other Golds are... Since you have no Diamond card you have them call and confirm, meanwhile, all the Diamond rooms have been assigned... You end up in your original room in the Gold area with access to the Diamond lounge located in another building.

My point is, do not go for Diamond just because of this upcoming stay. Yeah, you may get your status in by then. But, there is a good chance you will not. Your expectations for upgrades should be set low for the HWV. I want you to have a good stay there. Don’t get caught up in all the status stuff expecting to be treated like a Diamond. If you do great, if not have a good time anyway. A fair number of Diamonds are not treated all that well there anyway.

SEA_Tigger

On the flip side, even if HWV turns into a bust, the OP will still have Diamond status for the stays they set over the next year (or more). So I'd still do it, but that's just me.

Podcat

Another possible benefit is status match. It may be possible to obtain Starwood Platinum or other top tier for a year. With good timing, this could result in an extra year or more of top status.

hedoman

PaulasPain.....good report. Looking forward to visiting this place in December.

I would go out of my way for the four stays to get diamond. All comments have been sound advice.

Have been diamond since '92 and was prepared to sink to zero status this year. With the new format, I'll probably do twelve stays by 4/30 to maintain diamond. Primary reason: Over a million points in the account and you really should be diamond to burn 'em.

I don't think diamond is being devalued. They've only inserted a floating deadline to hook a few straying fish.....like me. The combination of Priceline and promo stays at Hyatt and Starwood had me giving up on Hilton.

UA 100K

Guys,

Need your help. I got an offer from HHonors: Just complete seven qualifying stays or 15 qualifying nights between May 1, 2005 and July 31, 2005 to gain
Diamond VIP status through April 2006.

I already booked my travel for the next few month and unfortunately I will stay only 2 nights in a Hilton. Should I just stay at a local Hotel to get the remaining nights. The reson why I want to do this is because I planning to stay at the Conrad HK (maybe 2-3 times) and Bali (at least 5 nights) end of this year. Would I get a better upgrade as a Diamond then a gold. I am trying to figure it out if it worth to spend maybe $300-400 to get Diamond Status. If not then I guess I will stay at the Sheraton in HK and Laguna in Bali.

Thanks for your help

UA 100K

wilp888

I would go for the upgrade to Diamond. The Asian Conrads treat Diamonds better than Gold as far as upgrades and Executive Lounge access are concerned. Although there are many posts here about Gold members being upgraded, you stand a far better chance if you are Diamond. BTW, there is no comparison between the Sheraton Hong Kong and the Conrad Hong Kong, not even in the same league.

gof

I've been looking at my usage past and present. And I got to wondering. What would Diamond status be worth? I currently qualify for Gold, typically on stays and points at about the same time (most stays in Hiltons so points are reasonably good). But, I only stay in the (rolling) level of 16-18 per cycle.

So I started thinking. Since I'm in a metro area there are lots of HH properties around, Some with OP01 (7,500 points per night) availability. Since people get stay credit for these, I was thinking, what if I burned 75,000 points and got the extra 10 "stays"? It would be less cost than a matress run, I could even get a chunk of the points back via the additional 25% bonus awarded by Diamond over Gold on my regular stays. I'd then have Diamond benefits at properties and the "Diamond Force".

So, what do other people think? Would you "pay" 75,000 points to move from Gold to Diamond???

Flying Lawyer

I would never spend 10 nights of my life to get another plastic card

Cheers
T.

hlr207

It may depend on where you want to use your status. I stay mostly in the Chicago Metro area for work and have noticed no difference between Gold and Diamond. Always get executive level or at least access and free breakfast. As for the Diamond Force, I thought Golds now had no blackout dates.

pcbelize

Try doing a search..there are lots of treads that address this subject. The general concensus seems to be that for in hotel perks it makes a bigger difference outside the us.

Diamonds of course get the 50% vs 25% bonus and have the ability to get reservations at sold out properties.

If you interested in doing it, I would wait until you get a fast track offer. I seem to get them pretty regularly. They don't usually mail you about it, it just appears when you check your VIP teir using the rolling VIP teir wizard.

gof

But fast track is only the the remainder of a year, I was speaking more on the issue of the cost/reward benefit on an on-going basis, not just "once". And most of the discussions I've seen have been around wheather or not Diamond is worth more than Gold, and should one pay $$ for a few more nights. I'm thinking of a more low budget opportunity

To address some of the other questions/comments.

1. I wouldn't actually stay in the room. I'd probably check in "on-line" and even see if I could speak with the hotel directly to avoid even showing up. It seems like the common consensus is that I'd need to charge something to the room. Since the OP01's are all at Hampton's, I'm not sure what the "smallest" thing I could charge to the room. Do they sell postage stamps?


2. No Blackout dates isn't the same as Diamond force, but I agree that the no blackout dates for Gold does minimize the value of Diamond. The biggest benefits would be:

• Additional 25% points
• Better treatment overseas
• Potentially better upgrades domenstically
• Access to the Diamond desk

trm2

I was thinking along the same lines today, but I was going to pay for my stays. I thought, 10 nights at about $100 a pop would get me 20K HH points (including using HHAmex), and also two free nights with the 5/10/15 program.

Using the two free nights at the Cavalieri this fall when I go (currently $490/night quick search for cheapest room), I would break even, but be Diamond for a year.

infinityplusone

All of my OP1 stays have always been fully credited, points as well as stay credit. Had you heard that OP1s did not get full credit?

And I personally wouldn't spend 75,000 points (as well as check-in time, even if minimized) to get DIA.

MIKESILV

Not sure where you are getting some of this info posted;
1) I think its unwise ( to put it mildly) to suggest or attempt to get stay credit without checking in person, not all hotels have on-line checkin anyway and certainly not for an award stay where a certificate might be required to be handed over. What happens after you talk to the manager he gives his ascent and the stay doesnt post?
How are you going to prove you stayed at the hotel without a folio?

HH rules were modified in the recent past obviously to elliminate stayers picking cheap rates and/to get qualifying stays without actually staying.

2) Completly untrue that you have to make a room charge to get reward stay credit for OP1 or any other property. The room charge is an attempt to get " addintional points" on a reward stay .. points you are actually not entitled
to.

mike