Richelieu

We've seen not a few persons doing end-of-year stays to keep status with Hilton. A very sensible thing to do if you were only short of a few stay/nights.

In term of dollars, however, how much have you valued the different level. I guess nobody would do anything special to get Gold, but Diamond? How much in extra charges you did for status' sake. For example, if you did a 4-night stay in some place you wanted to go, a part of the price was spent to actually use the hotel, so even if the stay was done with the idea of requalification in mind, the money wasn't paid only for that, contrary to just checking-in to the local Hilton.

How much have you valued Diamond status, if you did an end of year qualification effort. Would have you done less that in the past year?

For myself, I didn't need to do that, but I'd have certainly spent 300 USD to keep diamond status, because the upgrade rate I got was enough to justify that, if I had been short of a stay.

den1k

I'm not sure how much I'd pay to keep Diamond status, but I know that it has given me many benefits in my travels. It appears to help more outside the US than in.

stu52

Well, I certainly enjoy having it. I remember when, at the beginning of the year, I had absolutely no status and saw that the Gold members were getting breakfast vouchers. Now, since getting Diamond, I have gotten many room upgrades and it's always nice to get the "freebies" like bottles of water and those vouchers.

I'm also looking forward to my reward stay at the Rome Cavalieri in November as a Diamond since this will really make a difference in our stay experience.

I expect that if I do even half as much travel over 2009, I will re-qualify for Diamond with no problems. ^

omegadeal

I don't see much of a difference between Diamond and Gold anymore. While I did squeak by and make Diamond this year, I wasn't really trying. I gave SPG a lot more of my business this year and my thought in 2009 is to keep Gold at both SPG/HH rather than be Diamond in HH.

Coincidentally I have split stays at SPG and HH this coming week

trm2

I was 6 stays short. I spent <$300 and 30k points (3 10k nights) to maintain. I felt it was well worth that.

geilux

Indeed, very good question.

As a Diamond, the "monetary aspect" is important (free breakfast, more base points, upgrades,...).

However, I believe the most important to me is "worldwide recognition" when you check-in as Diamond somewhere, even at places you have never been before. They should consider you as a VIP client for the Hilton brand.

Even if not all locations consider Diamond members as VIP's :
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...treatment.html

MinnFlyBoy

I was 3 nights short, did local MR in Minneapolis at rates of 69,79 and 69 in a Hampton Inn Eden Prairie, Bloomington Hilton and a Hilton Garden Inn. It was an educational experience to see how they fared in my local area. The Hampton Inn was well worn, tired, the Hilton is brand new, and the Garden in Eden Prairie was shop worn as well. The breakfast at the Garden Inn was awful. Hampton Inn breakfast was limited, which I knew before. I value my Diamond for International Travel and the lounges. I kept wondering as the year end was approcaching if my stays would evaporate before I could finish at 28. When I looked for my 28th stay on Dec 31 at 2:30 PM the counters had all been re-set at zero. I immediately called Hilton and made sure that my 28th stay was recored in 2008. It was and I'm good until March 31, 2010.

ByrdluvsAWACO

While I qualified back in September, I have spent up to $1k in the past on mattress runs to keep Diamond. As someone who does 50+ stays per year, I really like the extra attention and room upgrades.

Back in my early HHonors years, I actually did my first mattress runs to get gold.

kmandrew

I have been Diamond around 10 years and really enjoy it. Before Hilton I was a Hyatt Diamond for 10 years and enjoyed that also. In my case I get many stays at Hampton's in smaller towns and use the points/status in very nice properties. I have to admit I only try to get special treatment when traveling with my family but it usually has worked out.

mach92

Zero

I never get upgrades. Is this a Hilton policy?

I do not get treated any better or worse vs a guy off the street with no status.

Been Diamond since 2000.

It's not EXP on AA where I see everyday they value my business. I have never felt Hilton does.

gbryan84

+1, HH Diamond =

PapiTheWriter

In the US I really dont see any benefit of being Diamond versus Gold; however on INTL stays it helps with access to Exec Lounge. My upgrades are about 50% but I would not go out of my way to stay Diamond.

holtju2

+1 as well.

Why bother with elite status at all if there are no tangible benefits? Just copy the benefits of SPG PLT or IC RA or even Hyatt GP DIA for that matter.

CNWO4LIFE

I am thinking of keeping my spg platinum and going down to hhonors gold.

chanp

Thats where I am and I think it works out pretty well for me.