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[ARCHIVE to 2019] Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort {US-HI}

[ARCHIVE to 2019] Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort {US-HI}

Old Dec 17, 2018, 10:22 am
  #2491  
 
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Originally Posted by Cledaybuck
It looks good, but I am having a hard time considering $65 (before tax and tip) to be a good value.
If you don't drink it's probably not a good "value", but we liked it very much and will do it again.

Have you seen the prices of some of the Sunday brunch buffets in Vegas? Sterling at Bally's is $105 pp, Wynn and Bellagio and Bacchanal are not quite that much but they are well into the $50s, and not all include mimosas, etc.
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 11:30 am
  #2492  
 
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
If you don't drink it's probably not a good "value", but we liked it very much and will do it again.

Have you seen the prices of some of the Sunday brunch buffets in Vegas? Sterling at Bally's is $105 pp, Wynn and Bellagio and Bacchanal are not quite that much but they are well into the $50s, and not all include mimosas, etc.
No. I have been to Vegas once and found it to be horrifically expensive and overrated. That said, I understand Maui is an expensive place and the resorts are even worse. When I was there, I got the overpriced breakfast buffet, overpriced drinks by the pool, and overpriced concessions on the beach and enjoyed all of it. I just wouldn't consider it value in any way. YMMV (although, it sounds like it doesn't that much).
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 12:34 pm
  #2493  
 
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Originally Posted by smmrfld

Characterizing those who don’t buy into your (misguided, IME) definition of proper travel behavior as “cheapskates” dramatically reduces your credibility.
I'm not telling you what proper travel is. I'm telling you what improper travel is. Trust me, I've stayed in my share of 2 and 3 star shoeboxes throughout Europe and Japan, while eating quick/cheap meals. There's a time and a place to pinch pennies.

Staying at a high-end resort in Hawaii on points, and only consuming whatever food credit they give you, is tacky and potentially ruins it for the rest of us. I'm not telling you to spend money at the resort because I'm a snob, I'm telling you because the resort surely operates at a loss whenever the freeloaders show up, and they'll tighten the rules on everyone as a result.

EDIT: Here's an estimate on what Hilton reimburses properties on award stays (about $50/nt in this case) REVEALED: How Much Hilton Reimburses Hotels When You Book Awards

Last edited by patmcpsu; Dec 17, 2018 at 12:45 pm Reason: added link
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 12:54 pm
  #2494  
 
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Originally Posted by patmcpsu
I'm telling you because the resort surely operates at a loss whenever the freeloaders show up, and they'll tighten the rules on everyone as a result.
Now we've gone from "cheapskates" to "freeloaders". This just gets richer. Franchise owners and Blackstone itself flag their properties with clear knowledge regarding how loyalty programs affect profitability; they undoubtedly have significantly more data than you on which to base their decisions.
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 1:06 pm
  #2495  
 
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Originally Posted by smmrfld
Now we've gone from "cheapskates" to "freeloaders". This just gets richer. Franchise owners and Blackstone itself flag their properties with clear knowledge regarding how loyalty programs affect profitability; they undoubtedly have significantly more data than you on which to base their decisions.
I apologize if you consider yourself to be one of those terms but not the other. I consider them interchangeable.

We both recognize that the people who show up on points, and obtain maximum consumption with zero spending, present a burden onto the hotel. And, as you said, those people are considered by the hotel when shaping the policy into what it is. We agree on all this; we disagree on if we should do our part to preserve the currently-generous policy.

EDIT: For what it's worth, the Waldorf Astoria breakfast policy changed this year. This hotel didn't sign up for it. I can see the corporate policy changing if enough hotels complain about the new policy.

Last edited by patmcpsu; Dec 17, 2018 at 1:12 pm Reason: added edit
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 1:12 pm
  #2496  
 
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Well, you can't blame me...on most of our 5 night all points stays we spend well over $1,000 on whatever. Easy to do.
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 1:34 pm
  #2497  
 
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Originally Posted by Eujeanie
Well, you can't blame me...on most of our 5 night all points stays we spend well over $1,000 on whatever. Easy to do.
Yup, I just checked my receipt and I spent $870 (after $150 credit applied) on my 5 night stay, which is roughly $1,000 of true consumption. The resort had to "eat" $150 of it, which is a 15% hit, and exactly why I'm so concerned about the benefit's sustainability. It becomes an ∞% hit (and a definite loss) if the guest only consumes what the credit covers.

Couple that with the fact that the hotel was tight-fisted about award night availability, and I get sensitive about what I'm seeing here. I'll stop repeating myself and let everyone be their own judge.

Sorry, one last edit: I'm sure the hotel turns an overall profit. But if award stays are seen as attracting the worst customers, "our kind" will be seen as a cost-center that they will want to minimize (no matter how profitable their "good" customers make them).

Last edited by patmcpsu; Dec 17, 2018 at 1:42 pm Reason: added edit
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 2:02 pm
  #2498  
 
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Originally Posted by patmcpsu
Yup, I just checked my receipt and I spent $870 (after $150 credit applied) on my 5 night stay, which is roughly $1,000 of true consumption. The resort had to "eat" $150 of it, which is a 15% hit, and exactly why I'm so concerned about the benefit's sustainability. It becomes an ∞% hit (and a definite loss) if the guest only consumes what the credit covers.

Couple that with the fact that the hotel was tight-fisted about award night availability, and I get sensitive about what I'm seeing here. I'll stop repeating myself and let everyone be their own judge.

Sorry, one last edit: I'm sure the hotel turns an overall profit. But if award stays are seen as attracting the worst customers, "our kind" will be seen as a cost-center that they will want to minimize (no matter how profitable their "good" customers make them).
I doubt there are that many people who go off site for all their meals and spend nothing. What's the point? You might as well have gotten a condo with a kitchen somewhere. I'm not going to sit by the pool and not have a drink, not get a spa treatment, not eat some dinners in, not to go to the bars for happy hour. And in terms of them offering specials and deals, well, they are offering it, why should I not take advantage?
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 11:41 pm
  #2499  
 
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Deleted

Last edited by patmcpsu; Dec 17, 2018 at 11:52 pm Reason: Deleted
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 4:41 pm
  #2500  
 
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Originally Posted by patmcpsu
Couple that with the fact that the hotel was tight-fisted about award night availability, and I get sensitive about what I'm seeing here.
I just wanted to note that the hotel is compensated for award stays by Hilton Honors. I believe the amount of compensation depends on how full the hotel is each night of an award stay: when the occupancy rate is low, the hotel is minimally compensated (since the rooms would otherwise be vacant), and when the occupancy rate is above a threshold, the hotel receives reimbursement based on average room charges for the night, if I recall correctly.
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 7:48 pm
  #2501  
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Originally Posted by Softwizard
However: since they add on a 7$ delivery charge and a 20% service charge, that means you get roughly $ 19 net food credit per day.

Not to defend this change, but your math is off. If you are given $15x2 each day, the $7 delivery charge leaves $23. I would hope that you would have tipped 20% even on the free breakfast
they expect a tip on top of a $7 delivery fee and a 20% service charge? No thanks, in that case, the only tip Ill write on the receipt is Come back to Planet Earth
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 7:53 pm
  #2502  
 
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Originally Posted by matrixwalker2012


they expect a tip on top of a $7 delivery fee and a 20% service charge?
Not a chance. That 20% is the tip.
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 7:58 pm
  #2503  
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Originally Posted by smmrfld
Now we've gone from "cheapskates" to "freeloaders". This just gets richer. Franchise owners and Blackstone itself flag their properties with clear knowledge regarding how loyalty programs affect profitability; they undoubtedly have significantly more data than you on which to base their decisions.
Well, Ill for sure be freeloading. GW is free to charge whatever they want to charge and Im free to buy or not buy as I see fit. Also, my points arent free, they are earned from other stays and whatever points Amex wants to give me in exchange for my spending. So me cashing in 380,000 points is me spending a form of currency. As far as how it affects GW on the backend, dont give a rip. It looks like Ill spend just enough to knock off my daily credit and go eat elsewhere as I please 😜
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 8:00 pm
  #2504  
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Originally Posted by smmrfld
Not a chance. That 20% is the tip.
Well, if they are going to be that forward and just take 20% without asking me, then thats all theyre gonna get. I couldve given 25% but they seem happy with 20%.
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Old Dec 19, 2018, 5:32 am
  #2505  
 
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Originally Posted by anabolism
I just wanted to note that the hotel is compensated for award stays by Hilton Honors. I believe the amount of compensation depends on how full the hotel is each night of an award stay: when the occupancy rate is low, the hotel is minimally compensated (since the rooms would otherwise be vacant), and when the occupancy rate is above a threshold, the hotel receives reimbursement based on average room charges for the night, if I recall correctly.
Just to correct misinformation, the hotel is only reimbursed a nominal amount (~$50/nt) based on which brand it is. It is unrelated to occupancy.

Here is the same link I posted on this thread a couple days ago: REVEALED: How Much Hilton Reimburses Hotels When You Book Awards

Originally Posted by matrixwalker2012

Well, Ill for sure be freeloading. GW is free to charge whatever they want to charge and Im free to buy or not buy as I see fit. Also, my points arent free, they are earned from other stays and whatever points Amex wants to give me in exchange for my spending. So me cashing in 380,000 points is me spending a form of currency. As far as how it affects GW on the backend, dont give a rip. It looks like Ill spend just enough to knock off my daily credit and go eat elsewhere as I please 😜
My point is not that you're screwing the hotel/Hilton over, you're ultimate screwing your fellow points-schemers. But based on the tone of your thread, you don't care as long as you get to freeload. We can leave it at that.
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