Explore

Let me probe....what did the Diamond desk do that was awesome? The website says it offers a complete travel service or some such, but that usually means the service will be happy to book you on something expensive, rather than having a penny-pinching frame of mind. How are these folks different?

SkiAdcock

Explore, I've spent way too much time on this forum since I discovered it (well, actually FT in general ), but the one consistent thing is that yes, Diamonds get a lot more than Golds (and sigh, I'm a gold who probably won't make it to diamond because for a variety of reasons i have to split my stays btwn marriott & hilton), but if your only decision is btwn gold & diamond - no brainer - go for the diamond (don't even think in your wildest dreams you're going to get exec level at 95% of hiltons as a gold). 'Nuf said, but I'm sure the diamonds will have more input.

[This message has been edited by SkiAdcock (edited 03-22-2003).]

jabez

I've decided to go for diamond this year. With the change in GLON,GLONP,etc., I'm going to redeem lots of points and want to help guarantee that I get upgrades at the places I'll stay at.

venk

Someone here made an astute comment a while ago - Diamond attempts to deliver what Gold only promises.

Therein lies the big difference.

satori

The main advantage is being able to get award stays. The Diamond desk has made special arrangements for me on at least half my stays this past year when I was told there was no availability by reservations. Many of my stays were over major holidays (e.g. New Year's) and at times when a hotel is sold out for a conference. As a gold it was OK if I made reservations several months in advance, but now I feel confident I will get an award stay if I call 2-3 weeks in advance.
Diamond is a status I don't want to lose. It makes a huge difference in my travel.

Canarsie

First, let me state that as a former Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond, Hyatt's staff has gone out of their way for me to provide me with excellent service. I would have continued to attain Gold Passport Diamond status if I could, but Hyatt does not nearly have the number of properties that Hilton has and therefore is of little use to me. Most of the places where I do business do not have a Hyatt property.

As a Marriott Elite member (which I still am), I have never been able to take full advantage of the benefits of the Marriott Rewards program (such as get an upgrade), either because the property was sold out or the Concierge Level was full. I was always told "Sorry, but that property (or Concierge Level) is unavailable" every time I made a reservation. It was rather frustrating.

While I concur with satori's post as I have had similar experiences, that is only one of the reasons the Diamond Desk is awesome (a word I rarely use, by the way). Because they will do virtually anything within their power to provide complete customer satisfaction, the attitude, service and professionalism of the people at the Diamond Desk are unparalleled, especially in today's general business environment which seems to be devoid of true customer service.

SkiAdcock

Ironically enough, I've had the opposite experience w/ Marriott & Hilton. Always get the properties I want when I want w/ Marriott; Hilton - at least in UK - is much harder to get. One year I had so many Hilton points that I'd not been able to use I bought a Sony Wega TV w/ them! And one of the reasons I really haven't done much w/ Hyatt in the last few years is for the reason you mentioned - not that many of them, especially overseas. Getting back to the original thread though - diamond is much better than gold & I live vicariously reading through all the other Hilton folk's posting re: their diamond experiences (sigh).

Eastbay1K

I have been a Diamond for a short time, after being Gold on and off for several years.

My first two calls to the Diamond desk on Thursday were an absolute pleasure. "I'd like hotel X tomorrow, award, blah de blah"(hotel already fairly full). Award and res made quickly. Changed my mind 15 minutes later and wanted to make a weekend out of it. New award issued, old one cancelled, everything done quickly, and when I apologized for their inconvenience, the response was basically that its their job and its a pleasure to help me.

(PS, I'm writing this from my suite on my free stay

Asian_Traveller

I have been Silver, Gold and Diamond before, and am currently Gold. I find that Silver is practically useless in terms of benefits (upgrades etc). Gold and Diamond is practically the same EXCEPT during redemption, prpoerties that one can't get as GOLD, somehow the CSR will say, because of Diamond, they can provide a room. In terms of upgrades at chechin, I feel I get the same treatment.

Other than that, really I have not enjoyed any substantial difference between Gold and Diamond!

What you all think?

cblaisd

The ability to get any dates I wanted for a Hawaii award stay was a substantial difference indeed.

I have also found, overall, the upgrades slightly better and the attitudes of the check-in folks much better ovrall.

KathyWdrf

Don't forget the bigger point bonus for Diamonds vs. Golds (50% of base points vs. 25%).

In my experience, I get better award availability and more upgrades as a Diamond than as a Gold.

GUWonder

Except for award redemption, I actually got better treatment as a Gold than as a Diamond -- even at properties that I visit routinely.

Westcoaster

Some properties give suite upgrades to me as a Diamond that didn't give them to me when I was Gold. And I've spoken with several managers who mentioned that they try to upgrade Diamonds first among guests arriving that day. At other properties I don't see a difference.

The ability to get award rooms is the most reliable difference, I'd say. When I've wanted an award stay in a sold out property, the Diamond line hasn't hesitated to arrange for me to get the room I wanted.

Craig6z

Unfortunately there still are some non-compliant properties that withhold lounge access to Golds, but allow Diamonds in. Plenty of FT threads on this issue.

Athena53

Definitely the reward redemption. I'm Gold and wanted to go to Budapest and Prague in September- it got moved to October because that's when the Reward Stays were available. Had the same problem for the trip my husband and I wanted to make last month- when booking in December, we couldn't get a Hilton room in Paris after early April and then it was La Defense. Fortunately, we can travel in the off-season (one son, in college) and we avoid the hordes that way, but it's still annoying.