Srisarin

That's why is important to keep Sharon updated so she can update her sticky with this type of info (I note that the Majestic info posted herein is not reflected in her sticky).

Properties like the JW Bangkok, Marriott 57 and Renaissance continue to flip flop so often on this ability that it's nearly impossible to get a solid daily answer.

sdix

I have had the fortune/misfortune to stay at quite a few Hamptons. To be the breakfast has become a non starter. Horrible eggs. Leather tasting bacon and some kind of potato maybe.

I put ZERO value on BFast. Ditto for Res Inns.

Is Diamond HH better than Marriott Plat? I think it is really property dependent.

noubliepas

Most of my stays are in Europe/Asia, but I get far better upgrades from Hilton than Marriott. In the US it's the reverse.

hockeyinsider

So, Hilton's new American Express card comes with top-level elite status. That's very, very interesting.

I have never stayed at a Hilton property. What's the average Hilton like? Is it comparable to the average Marriott or is more like a Sheraton? Does Hilton have any premium options between Hilton and Waldorf-Astoria like Marriott has the J.W. Marriott brand?

bcosinteno

Hilton essentially has Waldorf-Astoria and Conrad as their luxury brand hotels (five star), followed by Hilton, Curio Collection and Canopy Collection in the four star range.

Hilton's CEO is working on launching four new brands including a Hilton Plus (likely five star Hilton Hotels - above the regular Hilton brand) and a five star soft collection, similar to the Curio Collection brand but in the five star category.

hockeyinsider

Is Conrad more like J.W.?

Is anyone switching? The consensus among many seems to be that if you value lounge access and/or breakfast -- especially at resorts or when on your own expense -- that Hilton top-tier status is more beneficial. On the other hand, the points seem to be devalued like Venezuelan currency, judging by the excessive number of points that the new credit card is awarding on stays at Hilton properties.

VA1379

Marriott has better club lounges at full service properties than Hilton, and Hilton has more full service properties without a club lounge. Hilton’s resort properties in Hawaii only offer a partial credit towards the cost of breakfast for elite members, which is better than nothing by Marriott’s resort properties, but it isn’t a completely free breakfast. Hilton is better than Marriott at limited service properties. Hilton Garden Inn has a better breakfast than Courtyard, and it is free for gold and diamond members.

Marriott provides a better free internet option for elite members than Hilton, which only gives premium internet for free to diamond members and limits you to 3 devices for free. Marriott’s enhanced internet allows up to six devices to connect for free if you are gold or platinum.

Hilton’s award program can work, but you have to burn points fast since they devalue more. The new Hilton credit card that offers diamond status is probably going to get a lot of people to sign up or upgrade their current Hilton credit card. The non-US based Hilton members are going to get more competition for upgrades and experience more devaluation without being able to earn more points.

DJ_Iceman

IMO, Hilton is generally a notch below Marriott. FS Hiltons are like lackluster FS Marriotts (or Sheratons). Good ones are like average Marriotts or Westins. The W=A properties I've stayed at were much more like JW Marriotts than Ritz-Carltons (which they try to compare themselves to). I've not stayed at a Conrad, but reviews here at FT rate them all over the map as well.

In short, Hilton is a poor-man's Marriott, at least in my experience.

JHake10

With the new AMEX Aspire card you get Diamond status, Hiltion resort credit, and an airline incidental credit. If you can maximize this (among other benefits) you're getting paid to be Diamond. I wonder if this will dilute Hilton Diamond.

hhoope01

I know in the Hilton forum there is a thread on this discussion, but personally, I just don't see it having any appreciable effect. How many people, really, will go get a $450/yr CC, even if the planets align perfectly allowing them to get some or most of that back through the benefits? I just don't see millions of folks beating the door down for that CC and all of them suddenly having large number of nights at Hilton properties taking the existing Diamond's upgrades away.

I seem to remember Starwood Lurker once mentioning that with all the promos, status matching, CC changes, etc., nothing Starwood had ever done had any major change on the total number of SPG plats. I really think that will still be the case with Hilton as well.

shoelessj

I was a Hilton guy (Diamond) and had Hilton Diamond and Marriott Plat for a few years. Hilton got nutty with their point redemption values and I have focused on Marriott . My letter to Hilton explaining my concerns and reasons for leaving went unanswered so I am satisfied they don't need my patronage. I have Hilton Gold and I don't think I am missing anything they few times I use Hilton. I wish I had stayed at Marriott earlier in my career as i am not sure I will reach Plat lifetime before I retire. Marriott just offers a better value prop in my opinion with their rewards and acknowledging status. As I travel to Europe more frequently I am particularly pleased with the options Marriott offers. JMHO.

Kacee

Ever been in the SFO Centurion lounge?

The answer is that lots of people read the blogs and are willing to pay high annual fees when the benefits pencil out.

I will upgrade my AMEX Surpass to Aspire, and am reasonably confident many others will as well.

Marriott Plat is IMO much better than Hilton Diamond, but this card is a no brainer if you travel frequently and stay at high end Hiltons a handful of times per year.

escapefromphl

The difference here is that lounges are easier to use than brand specific resort credits. Unless you already stay with Hilton multiple times every year, you are locking yourself in and paying $450 to do it. Even though I end up at a Hilton a once or twice a year I generally avoid them because I feel the points are not worth collecting, so getting this card is not in my plans. Hilton Diamond has no real benefit over Hilton Gold other than a few extra points either, there is no upgrade benefit to speak of.

Kacee

My point is that an awful lot of people are paying $550 a year for AMEX Plat. People will absolutely pay a high annual fee if the benefits pencil out. For this card, they do.

No, you're not "locking in" to anything at all. The whole point is you can get Hilton Diamond while spending most of your nights with Marriott (or Hyatt or whatever). Then get Diamond benefits for a handful of stays per year at literally zero cost.

You're not the target market. For people who already hold AMEX Surpass, and would contemplate 40K in spend on that card for Diamond, Aspire is a no brainer.

You're not a Hilton Diamond, so you're obviously just reciting what you've read elsewhere. As a longtime Hilton Gold for many years who status matched to Diamond this year, I can tell you the suite upgrades and guaranteed lounge access are definitely a meaningful upgrade from Gold. My suite upgrades this past year at Hilton Mexico City Reforma and Hilton Frankfurt Airport alone would have justified the marginal cost of Aspire.

And note that the marginal cost of this card will literally be zero for me. I always spend at least two nights per year at HHV, that's $500 value right there with the free night plus $250 resort credit. And I have no problem burning airline credits with change fees. So there's an additional $250, for total value of $750, not even counting Diamond benefits.

escapefromphl

I have actually been Hilton Diamond since 2012, I have spent 50-60 nights at Hilton properties in that period. I qualify by putting 40K spend on the Surpass card every other year. My experience has been (apart from extra points, occasional arrival gift, and the front desk recognizing status etc) that I literally can't tell the difference between Gold which I had before that. No upgrade that made me go wow. And once I had to go back and complain about them giving me literally one of the worst rooms on the property. I accept that my experience may not be typical but I'm not basing it off of others. If I thought Hilton Diamond was actually worth something then maybe this card would entice me more, but my own experience is thats it's largely a marketing tool with very little on the ground incremental benefit. My Diamond status expires in March next year and I don't plan on putting $40K spend on the Surpass again.

My point about "locking in" is to do with the $250 resort credit. Without triggering that you don't really come out ahead on this card. So you're effectively committing to 1 night a year at a Hilton resort to come out ahead.