Hilton Honors Gold versus Hilton Honors Diamond: What Are the Differences?
Jul 15, 2006, 1:32 pm
#151
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: BiCoastal USA
Programs: AA 2.88 MM-EXPlat, HHDiamond, SPG & Marriott Silver
Posts: 316
Diamond status
Does Hilton acknowledge achieving Diamond status in any way, other than to give you a new card?
(Like, an free night award?)
btw, as Gold, I stayed at the Trafalgar in London. No problem with availability, upgraded to large king room with huge gorgeous bathroom with separate glass shower and jacuzzi tub, evian water, plate of little yummy tidbits, lip balm, tranquility balm, jumbo shampoo, body gel, etc.
No mention of a lounge, so I don't know if they had it and I didn't get access, or they don't have one there.
I'd definitely stay there again, next time I'm in London on free stays.
(Like, an free night award?)
btw, as Gold, I stayed at the Trafalgar in London. No problem with availability, upgraded to large king room with huge gorgeous bathroom with separate glass shower and jacuzzi tub, evian water, plate of little yummy tidbits, lip balm, tranquility balm, jumbo shampoo, body gel, etc.
No mention of a lounge, so I don't know if they had it and I didn't get access, or they don't have one there.
I'd definitely stay there again, next time I'm in London on free stays.
Jul 15, 2006, 1:49 pm
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,258
Originally Posted by socoast
Does Hilton acknowledge achieving Diamond status in any way, other than to give you a new card?
(Like, an free night award?)
(Like, an free night award?)
Jul 15, 2006, 10:42 pm
#154
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
Originally Posted by tenmoc
The biggest difference is that you can take the HH Diamond to SPG and the gold you can not.
Jul 15, 2006, 11:03 pm
#155
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Tucson - Seattle
Programs: UA 1K;
Posts: 2,474
Originally Posted by tenmoc
The biggest difference is that you can take the HH Diamond to SPG and the gold you can not.
I am not sure what this means? (Unless you are talking about status match)
Last edited by grayland; Jul 15, 2006 at 11:28 pm
Jul 16, 2006, 6:37 am
#156
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: IAD...and loving it?!
Programs: UA Platinum (1MM Gold), HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 858
and don't forget the personalized, follow-up email
First thing I noticed on making Diamond 2 weeks ago (fast track that was perfectly timed for a period of intense travel for me!) was that I started getting follow-up emails telling me that Hilton valued my business/opeinion and was I happy with my just-completed stay?Clearly a Diamond advantage worth striving for...
Seriously, one other recent event that may illustrate a difference was in booking a Scandic award in Copenhagen. The Hilton.com site didn't list Scandic as one of the choices to search. Indeed, there was a hyperlink to a page that said Scandic can't be booked on-line and provided the phone numbers to Europe for direct booking. I called the customer service line on the back of my Gold card and asked for the number for the Diamond desk based on my new, exalted status. The CA gave me the number and connected me. The Diamond CA arranged the stay without a problem and thereby saved me a long-dtsance call to Europe (love to be on hold at $$$/min!).
Before everybody tells me you can book Scandic awards on-line (as a friend in the UK did), there may be paths to different pages where you can book a Scandic award on-line, but everytime I waded through the site it got to a page that allowed checking one of the usual Hilton family members or "All Hilton", but no Scandic and the specific link message I mentioned above.
Jul 20, 2006, 8:42 am
#157
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: HHonors
Posts: 2
I am an employee at a Hampton Inn in TN and want to say that in reality the only difference with Gold and Diamond member status is that as a Diamond member you get a reservation at any Hilton property if they are sold out as long as you use the 48 hour advance notice. Remember though these reservations have to be made through the Diamond desk not the hotel itself. I get several calls every day from some Diamond member demanding they have to have a room that night and that since they're a Diamond member I've got to do it. BUT the call must be made 48 hours in advance and there are certain black-out dates that this does not apply. For example here in March and August we have black-out weekends for the Nascar race. Which means even if you're a Diamond member you are NOT getting a room.
There are no additional snacks, no free movies, different breakfast, etc. Diamond members also don't necessarly have first priority over upgrades either. I personally tend to upgrade Gold members as often as I do Diamonds. Gold members need some love too.
There are no additional snacks, no free movies, different breakfast, etc. Diamond members also don't necessarly have first priority over upgrades either. I personally tend to upgrade Gold members as often as I do Diamonds. Gold members need some love too.
Jul 20, 2006, 7:36 pm
#158
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Plat Delta
Posts: 76
Originally Posted by HamptonInnGirl
Diamond members also don't necessarly have first priority over upgrades either. I personally tend to upgrade Gold members as often as I do Diamonds. Gold members need some love too.
Golds do deserve love, absolutely, but at the expense of Diamonds? I'm afraid I don't understand that.
Jul 21, 2006, 5:39 am
#159
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: JFK
Programs: UA Gold (Million Miler), FI Gold, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,075
Originally Posted by socoast
Does Hilton acknowledge achieving Diamond status in any way, other than to give you a new card?
(Like, an free night award?)
(Like, an free night award?)
Dec 10, 2006, 9:02 pm
#160
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,252
SPG gold here who recently got Gold comped unsolicited through Air Canada Aeroplan, where I am an Elite (2nd highest out of 3, *A gold, 35 000 Q miles per year). Big question is, how often would I get upgraded from deluxe up one level to executive floor? SPG upgrades me (again SPG gold) once every fifteen stays from deluxe to executive.
Do business travellers who are diamonds even like NASCAR? (yes I'm stereotyping)
I can understand it; it keeps the golds loyal. Give golds one upgrade every once in a while, and they'll be happy. Give diamonds upgrades all but once, they'll be just as happy, unless they are FTers who try to find reasons for getting denied, like seeing someone they feel doesn't look like a diamond getting an upgrade to exec (happens on the AC forum all the time).
(yes I'm stereotyping)I can understand it; it keeps the golds loyal. Give golds one upgrade every once in a while, and they'll be happy. Give diamonds upgrades all but once, they'll be just as happy, unless they are FTers who try to find reasons for getting denied, like seeing someone they feel doesn't look like a diamond getting an upgrade to exec (happens on the AC forum all the time).
Last edited by cur; Dec 10, 2006 at 9:08 pm
Dec 10, 2006, 11:06 pm
#161
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Southern California
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Alaska Gold 75K, American Plat Pro
Posts: 146
HH Diamond will get you a nice bottle of wine when you stay in Hilton Singapore. They will check you in at the executive lounge instead of the lobby counter. They will prepare all the keys and pre-check-in drink for you.
They will definitely upgrade your room to the Executive Floor. Nice welcoming. I have stayed at Hilton Singapore everytime I transit.
They will definitely upgrade your room to the Executive Floor. Nice welcoming. I have stayed at Hilton Singapore everytime I transit.
Dec 11, 2006, 2:39 am
#162
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: AA - Executive Platinum HHonors - Diamond
Posts: 250
If this is true, what a colossally bad move.
I mean, I'm Diamond through 4/08 and spend a lot of time in Hiltons. But lately I've been thinking about trying to comp over and checking out another chain. If the general trend is that Gold = Diamond, then I might as well burn some cash earning somewhere else for a while...
Dec 29, 2006, 2:48 am
#164
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,170
As I diamond I should the upgrades you do not get as a gold. If there are only a certain number of rooms for upgraded accomodation available, guess who will get these?!
Dec 29, 2006, 5:48 am
#165
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Silver Spring, and Eastern Shore Md. USA
Programs: AA EXP, UA MM/Premier Gold, Hyatt Globalist,Hilton Honors Gold, IHG platinum, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,059
Most of the benefits are at top of line hotels
Hi. I have been a diamond for a year and a gold two years before that. The biggest difference for me is that at mainline/top of line hiltons eg Hilton, Conrad, you will probably be upgraded to a much nicer room or the executive level with access to the executive lounge. I have most enjoyed great upgrades at hotels outside the U.S.
Don't expect much different treatment as a diamond at lower range Hiltons such as Hampton Inn, HGI, Doubletree, Homewood, Embassy.
Don't expect much different treatment as a diamond at lower range Hiltons such as Hampton Inn, HGI, Doubletree, Homewood, Embassy.