dannieboiz

I've been gold since forever. This year is the first year I made diamond. Is it that much better beside the extra bonus points? I've always gotten lounge access etc...

However, I don't always get upgraded rooms. I'd say 80% of the time but never anything extravagant. I focus more on keeping status with airlines and I make gold without even trying., Wonder if it's worth trying to maintain diamond for the years to come.

:D!

If you live in the US, you can maintain diamond by taking out the credit card. There's also not much to get excited about in the US, but you will be treated well at most properties in Asia and some in Europe.

Why don't you check out the individual threads of hotels you are interested in staying at and see whether they offer much difference between gold and diamond treatment,

timfountain

Honestly, no. Diamond can be obtained with a credit card that offers more benefits than it costs. Now everyone is a Diamond therefore no one is a diamond.... I get upgraded extremely rarely in the US. Perhaps one in 50 stays. Didn't even get a thank you for being Diamond when checking in today. I really think I am going to Bonvoy next year... On a trip a couple of weeks back, I even got the spiel about how they had upgraded me, even though it was the room I booked. With the rumored closed of Executive lounges (unsubstantiated but in writing to me at least), I'd say no, it certainly isn't anything to get excited about....

smithrh

Points can accumulate quickly, and Diamond status overseas is a good thing, especially in Asia.

So, maybe not excited, but happy, content...

dannieboiz

that's kind of what I figured... I only go out of the country once a year or so, europe, never but asia often enough but in those countries I usually don't stay at a hilton, they are either not at prime location or not available at places that I go. Heck, I won't get too excited then and just maintain my metal state for the next year. LOL

shuigao

Even for me in (South East) Asia, suite upgrades are far from guaranteed. I get suite upgrades only around 1-in-3 stays. Free breakfast is good (but you had that with gold already anyway), lounge access is nice. Some hotels are really good with welcome amenities (like Conrad Singapore), others don't give two hoots (Hilton Singapore).

NoY

Whats a typical welcome amenity at Conrad Singapore? Thx.

evergrn

Got a box of 5-6 chocolates.
Hilton SIN Orchard gave me two lions dressed in T-shirts with hotel logos.

shuigao

Strangely in my 3 stays in Hilton SG I didn't get a single welcome amenity. Not even a card.

FFlash

1-in3??? Wow! I have been Diamond for few years and so far got only once a suite which was a dump. Otherwise just exec or deluxe rooms. Always booking lowest category.
based in europe, Diamond is handy for those okayish benefits: upgrades, lounge, breakfast. I try to keep Dia. Also the points earning is minimum required to make sense of HOnors at all. Lower point earnings would not justify staying at Hilton at all IMO.

Gig103

Congratulations on your new Aspire card! Oh, you did it with beds? That's so 2015 ;-)

(This is me thinking it's stupid for top level of anything to be purchasable. Imagine if Amex sold DL Diamond Medallion with the Reserve card!)

dannieboiz

I have a CSR, and the perks are neck to neck, only reason why I don't have an aspire.. don't need two priority passes unless they let you in during times of PP denial if I had 2 PP? Lol

However, if I find I benefit from diamond this year I may do it. Split my travel spending between the two.

arlflyer

100 nights at Marriott properties and 90 at Hilton this year and my $0.02 is that Diamond is better than what MR is pushing. Where the rubber hits the road is on redemption value, and I'm hitting a much higher return on spend ($ value of redeemed nights / $ spent to obtain points needed for said nights) with Hilton, where I'm currently earning ~2.5X as many points per dollar against redemption rates that are 1.5-2x as high in the middle and converging to parity (~90-100k/night) at the top end.

Proactive suite upgrades are rare across the board, but I've done better at Hilton when asking. MR wants you to hold out and burn SNAs. At the high end, you get more at WA than at Ritz, and at the low end you get more at HGI than at Courtyard (only $10 voucher at the latter). Head-to-head I feel like Hilton is running a better program right now.

The best treatment I get at any property is when I end up in contact with the GM.

Eddie98

I can say that Diamond is recognized much better overseas. I travel to Asia often and the treatment is way better. In the USA, it's really not much different from Gold.

RDU-Man

I am a long-term US Diamond- qualify by stays or nights, but usually just barely. I find it worthwhile for the following:

• I earn more points for my stays
• I get breakfast and lounge access (where they have one)
• In the US, the upgrades and lounges are not as good as overseas, but I consistently get recognized and seem to get better service when I ask for things (upgrades, different rooms, etc.)
• When I do go to Europe and Asia, the points I have earned at Hampton Inns in East Nowwhere, Ohio get me stays at great properties in great locations with good service and lounges

So, I wouldnt spend unusual amounts of money or effort to qualify for Diamond, but I find it a reasonable return