Non-Refundable Advance Reservations and Room Rates: The Definitive Thread
 

Does anyone know how HHonors handles advance deposits. I have noticed a few places that will give you a cheaper rate if you book 21+ days in advance with a one night deposit.

I was wondering, will you earn the points for that pre-paid night?

Yes - in my experience, even when these 21 day advance rates are booked as a single night stay, it will count for stay/night credit, and receive points.

Mike

What is the two letter code for "Advance Purchase Superior"?
 

Anyone know what the rate code is for Advance Purchase Superior? Am looking for a hotel in NY. I know Bounceback is BB, etc... Do these vary from hotel to hotel?

No one can help me here??? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Non-Refundable Rates
 

I have always been able to use my rooms when booking a cheaper non-refundable rate. However, I read the terms to say that UNLIKE airlines, that will give credit for a future trip you lose everything if you do not use the pre-paid rooms. Is my interpretation correct? has anyone negotiated another result?

Net Direct rate are clearly labeled as non-refundable. I have never read anything on the Hilton webistes that would lead me to believe that a property would credit you if you didn't show. I wouldn't book one unless I was absolutely sure of my plans.

I've only been unable to use a "non-refundable room" once and a call to the property allowed me to substitute a different day (the next night). I doubt that is the typical outcome however, as they are very specific about the forfeiture of the rate in the T's and C's. Good luck!

NetDirect nonrefundable rates are, how shall we say, nonrefundable.

"Nonrefundable" and "nonchangeable" are two different concepts. A rate can be nonrefundable--i.e., the rules say you can't have your money back no matter what"--and still allow changes with or without a penalty.

That said, I don't think I've ever seen a nonrefundable hotel rate that routinely allows any changes. I've gotten nights changed a couple of times, but only with very good reasons like canceled flights.

Last summer I needed to move a prepaid room reservation back by one night.

I am a Diamond member and that didn't get me any assistance.

What finally enabled me to move my reservation, was that it then fell fully over the weekend, instead of tying up a room at a sold out business property on a Thursday night. The hotel manager had to sign off on it. She admitted that she only did it because it helped her.

I think I was very, very, very lucky to be able to move my reservation. They made it clear that was a major exception to their policy.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the responses. I expected the answers. I am still wondering how popular these rates can be. With airlines, you can at least get something back. The problem must be that with hotels each property is a separate profit center, maybe even owned by a non-Hilton owner, so credits don't easily transfer between properties.

These rates are very popular with me, but it doesn't mean I always reserve one. I usually book the lowest regular rate when a decision has been made about a trip and airfare has been locked in. Then about 2-3 days before the actual stay, if the prepaid rate is still available and nothing has changed in my plans,I grab it and release the regular rate. Sometimes the pre-paid rate is no longer available that late into the game or it's the same and maybe more than my regular rate, then of course I just stay with the regular rate. Also, the difference of the rates also determines if I go for it or not. If the regular rate is $200 and the pre-paid is $190, I will stick with the regular. Too much to loose and not enough of a savings at the end, but if it's at least $20 or more, I'll usually grab it.
Never lost one yet, although I did get a hotel once to change my date and it worked out great. The night clerk made a mistake and he not only changed the date but made it a regular fully refundable type of rate. :D Somebody must have been looking over me, because I actually had to cancel that stay all together and I got all my money refunded. Once in a lifetime experience and I would never count on something like this happening again.

The airline T&C read different from the hotel T&C. Also the airline Conditions of Carriage enter into the mix. The airline fare fules are published and are complex. The hotel rules are firm and concise.

I book NR hotel and airline when it is advantageous. Ditto for refundable rates. Read the rules FIRST.

Having said that, occasionally I screw with on a wrong date or wrong city on a NR hotel rate. If I do, I call the DD or HH reservations and explain the situation. They have always called the hotel and the hotel has always allowed my request for a slightly different date change etc. Be nice and hope a lot.

MisterNice

Advance Purchase and HHonors Points
 

Yes, I did search, but couldn't find this specific question answered:

If you buy an Advanced Purchase stay (on the Hilton site) do you still get all the point bonuses (i.e., Diamond, Points & Points option, etc.)? The answer seems intuitively "yes," but I'd hate to be burned by some fine print.

On a finer level of detail, do you end up with a bill at checkout that itemizes room stay plus incidentals (like restaurant, etc.) and then indicates that you'd paid most of it in advance? In other words, does the bill reflect the total cost of your stay includeing the advanced purchase. Seems important it should to cover my first question.

Thanks in advance.

P.S. I wish you could edit thread titles! "Adbance," indeed!