Is it easier to accumulate large amounts of HH or SPG points?
May 18, 2011 | 11:35 am
#16
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 46
Well, it's far from scientific, but here is my logic (which can easily be disputed by someone with more ACTUAL first hand knowledge):
1. I just quoted a round-trip from Papeete to Bora Bora for random dates and it was right at $950
2. My understanding is that it costs more money to upgrade to the Panoramic Overwater Bungalow at Bora Bora than I paid at Moorea (Lets pretend it is $30 extra per night for 7 nights) = $210
3. My understanding is that everything on a daily basis costs more money (Lets pretend it $50 a day for 7 days) = $350
All that adds up to about $1,500 and all of it (except for the flight) is partially made up
1. I just quoted a round-trip from Papeete to Bora Bora for random dates and it was right at $950
2. My understanding is that it costs more money to upgrade to the Panoramic Overwater Bungalow at Bora Bora than I paid at Moorea (Lets pretend it is $30 extra per night for 7 nights) = $210
3. My understanding is that everything on a daily basis costs more money (Lets pretend it $50 a day for 7 days) = $350
All that adds up to about $1,500 and all of it (except for the flight) is partially made up
May 18, 2011 | 12:14 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PBI
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 388
Thanks Cubswin! I see where your coming from now...i just did a quick search and it does seem like there is only one way to fly from Papeete to Bora Bora and the 45 min flight is insanely expensive. Looks like when I plan I may choose to go the Maldives route to try to get all the way there on miles. Good luck with your travels!
I fully realize that this is a once in a lifetime trip and I know even with free airfare and close to free overwater bungalow I am still going to spend a small fortune. That is what happens when you try to visit some of the most remote places on each.
Last edited by TTBHG; May 18, 2011 at 1:05 pm
May 18, 2011 | 12:19 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Disney World
Programs: Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 321
Bora Bora might be more expensive but considering that this would be the trip of a lifetime for most people is it really possible to justify flying all the way to French Polynesia and not visiting Bora Bora?
If you have already visited Bora Bora or will do so on a future visit then sure, but best to drop a few extra $$$ than to regret it later.
If you have already visited Bora Bora or will do so on a future visit then sure, but best to drop a few extra $$$ than to regret it later.
May 18, 2011 | 12:31 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: HNL
Posts: 781
You can look into the Virgin Atlantic card in UA Fan's thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...er-thread.html or in the Virgin Atlantic forum if you are trying to get hhonors points quickly. VS miles transfer to HH at 1:1 and you should be able to get 50k miles/points on this pretty quickly.
May 18, 2011 | 3:47 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: MRY
Posts: 436
I wouldn't do that transfer either, but the OP is looking for ways to get large chunks of hotel points - that would be one way to do it. Your suggestion to use the HA cards is another good way for the OP to quickly rack up HH points.
May 18, 2011 | 4:01 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 46
I find this very helpful and generally only book HH vacations when I can point stretch:
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/rewards/psdates.do
Lets you use less points for certain times of the year. If you play around with it you can generally find something that works for you. Unfortunately I do not see Bora Bora in there (Maldives I do though) so this post may be moot.
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/rewards/psdates.do
Lets you use less points for certain times of the year. If you play around with it you can generally find something that works for you. Unfortunately I do not see Bora Bora in there (Maldives I do though) so this post may be moot.
May 18, 2011 | 5:12 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PBI
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 388
May 19, 2011 | 12:16 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PLAT,PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Gld,Hyatt Disc,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 11,029
Lots of good advice in these posts, especially in Cubswin's and RedRiver's initial analyses of getting and using HH points. While there are all sorts of arguments about whether HH or SPG programs are better overall, I agree that HH serves the OP's needs better.
A few additional thoughts, based partly on my and my wife's having been to both of the Hilton French Polynesia properties and one of the Maldives ones (Waldorf-Astoria's Beach House Maldives) on points (though upgrading with $$ to the OWBs at the two FP hotels) in recent years.
1. All three are variations on paradise, especially if you stay in an OWB there. In fact, the OWB is such a special kind of experience that it is a big part of what makes these destinations special.
2. I don't know if complimentary breakfasts are possible for SPG elites at the St. Regis BB. In contrast, HH Golds and Diamonds have access to great spreads in both FP properties. (Only Diamonds have this at the W-A BHM.)
3. While it's true that the BB Hilton is even nicer than the Moorea one and that the BB scenery even more dramatic than Moorea's, there are advantages to Moorea in terms of more to do, Moorea not being as dominated by tourism, the Moorea Hilton having a fun little drinks/crepe bar perched over the ocean, and it being cheaper (at least in our experience) to upgrade to the OWB there than at BB. Plus, as Cubswin pointed out, if money is a factor you tack on almost $500 RT per person to fly to BB as opposed to the cheap ferry ride to Moorea. Finally, while both hotels and islands are expensive, the prices at BB are even more so.
4. Of the three HH hotels I mentioned, our favorite has been the W-A BHM because the room, deck and service are the best, even if the scenery is nowhere near as dramatic as FP. What's also great about it is that the OWB at the BHM is the standard room--you don't pay extra to upgrade to it--and its deck has a small (7' x 4'?) infinity plunge pool on it. OTOH, the Maldives is tougher and a much longer trip to get to (from the USA) than FP is, and the BHM costs even more points than the FP properties during its high season.
5. As someone pointed out upthread, getting to the Hilton properties even after you fly into Male, the Maldive's capital, is expensive. I've forgotten the exact prices, but the BHM costs about $450 RT per person for a combination of speedboat and plane, and about $650 if you just go by plane. The other, very popular HH property there, the Conrad Maldives, is closer to Male, but even it costs about $450 per person to fly there from Male.
6. Having said all this, I return to an earlier point: All three HH properties are variations on paradise.
A few additional thoughts, based partly on my and my wife's having been to both of the Hilton French Polynesia properties and one of the Maldives ones (Waldorf-Astoria's Beach House Maldives) on points (though upgrading with $$ to the OWBs at the two FP hotels) in recent years.
1. All three are variations on paradise, especially if you stay in an OWB there. In fact, the OWB is such a special kind of experience that it is a big part of what makes these destinations special.
2. I don't know if complimentary breakfasts are possible for SPG elites at the St. Regis BB. In contrast, HH Golds and Diamonds have access to great spreads in both FP properties. (Only Diamonds have this at the W-A BHM.)
3. While it's true that the BB Hilton is even nicer than the Moorea one and that the BB scenery even more dramatic than Moorea's, there are advantages to Moorea in terms of more to do, Moorea not being as dominated by tourism, the Moorea Hilton having a fun little drinks/crepe bar perched over the ocean, and it being cheaper (at least in our experience) to upgrade to the OWB there than at BB. Plus, as Cubswin pointed out, if money is a factor you tack on almost $500 RT per person to fly to BB as opposed to the cheap ferry ride to Moorea. Finally, while both hotels and islands are expensive, the prices at BB are even more so.
4. Of the three HH hotels I mentioned, our favorite has been the W-A BHM because the room, deck and service are the best, even if the scenery is nowhere near as dramatic as FP. What's also great about it is that the OWB at the BHM is the standard room--you don't pay extra to upgrade to it--and its deck has a small (7' x 4'?) infinity plunge pool on it. OTOH, the Maldives is tougher and a much longer trip to get to (from the USA) than FP is, and the BHM costs even more points than the FP properties during its high season.
5. As someone pointed out upthread, getting to the Hilton properties even after you fly into Male, the Maldive's capital, is expensive. I've forgotten the exact prices, but the BHM costs about $450 RT per person for a combination of speedboat and plane, and about $650 if you just go by plane. The other, very popular HH property there, the Conrad Maldives, is closer to Male, but even it costs about $450 per person to fly there from Male.
6. Having said all this, I return to an earlier point: All three HH properties are variations on paradise.
Last edited by Thunderroad; May 19, 2011 at 10:56 am
May 19, 2011 | 7:18 am
#26
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 46
Lots of good advice in these posts, especially in Cubswin's and RedRiver's initial analyses of getting and using HH points. While there are all sorts of arguments about whether HH or SPG programs are better overall, I agree that HH serves the OP's needs better.
A few additional thoughts, based partly on my and my wife's having been to both of the Hilton French Polynesia properties and one of the Maldives ones (Waldorf-Astoria's Beach House Maldives) in recent years.
1. All three are variations on paradise, especially if you stay in an OWB there. In fact, the OWB is such a special kind of experience that it is a big part of what makes these destinations special.
2. I don't know if complimentary breakfasts are possible for SPG elites at the St. Regis BB. In contrast, HH Golds and Diamonds have access to great spreads in both FP properties. (Only Diamonds have this at the W-A BHM.)
3. While it's true that the BB Hilton is even nicer than the Moorea one and that the BB scenery even more dramatic than Moorea's, there are advantages to Moorea in terms of more to do, Moorea not being as dominated by tourism and the Moorea Hilton having a fun little drinks/crepe bar perched over the ocean. Plus, as Cubswin pointed out, if money is a factor you tack on almost $500 RT per person to fly to BB as opposed to the cheap ferry ride to Moorea. Finally, while both hotels and islands are expensive, the prices at BB are even more so.
4. Of the three HH hotels I mentioned, our favorite has been the W-A BHM because the room, deck and service are the best, even if the scenery is nowhere near as dramatic as FP. What's also great about it is that the OWB at the BHM is the standard room--you don't pay extra to upgrade to it--and its deck has a small (7' x 4'?) infinity plunge pool on it. OTOH, the Maldives is tougher and a much longer trip to get to (from the USA) than FP is, and the BHM costs even more points than the FP properties during its high season.
5. As someone pointed out upthread, getting to the Hilton properties even after you fly into Male, the Maldive's capital, is expensive. I've forgotten the exact prices, but the BHM costs about $450 RT per person for a combination of speedboat and plane, and about $650 if you just go by plane. The other, very popular HH property there, the Conrad Maldives, is closer to Male, but even it costs about $450 per person.
6. Having said all this, I return to an earlier point: All three HH properties are variations on paradise.
A few additional thoughts, based partly on my and my wife's having been to both of the Hilton French Polynesia properties and one of the Maldives ones (Waldorf-Astoria's Beach House Maldives) in recent years.
1. All three are variations on paradise, especially if you stay in an OWB there. In fact, the OWB is such a special kind of experience that it is a big part of what makes these destinations special.
2. I don't know if complimentary breakfasts are possible for SPG elites at the St. Regis BB. In contrast, HH Golds and Diamonds have access to great spreads in both FP properties. (Only Diamonds have this at the W-A BHM.)
3. While it's true that the BB Hilton is even nicer than the Moorea one and that the BB scenery even more dramatic than Moorea's, there are advantages to Moorea in terms of more to do, Moorea not being as dominated by tourism and the Moorea Hilton having a fun little drinks/crepe bar perched over the ocean. Plus, as Cubswin pointed out, if money is a factor you tack on almost $500 RT per person to fly to BB as opposed to the cheap ferry ride to Moorea. Finally, while both hotels and islands are expensive, the prices at BB are even more so.
4. Of the three HH hotels I mentioned, our favorite has been the W-A BHM because the room, deck and service are the best, even if the scenery is nowhere near as dramatic as FP. What's also great about it is that the OWB at the BHM is the standard room--you don't pay extra to upgrade to it--and its deck has a small (7' x 4'?) infinity plunge pool on it. OTOH, the Maldives is tougher and a much longer trip to get to (from the USA) than FP is, and the BHM costs even more points than the FP properties during its high season.
5. As someone pointed out upthread, getting to the Hilton properties even after you fly into Male, the Maldive's capital, is expensive. I've forgotten the exact prices, but the BHM costs about $450 RT per person for a combination of speedboat and plane, and about $650 if you just go by plane. The other, very popular HH property there, the Conrad Maldives, is closer to Male, but even it costs about $450 per person.
6. Having said all this, I return to an earlier point: All three HH properties are variations on paradise.
May 19, 2011 | 10:58 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PLAT,PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Gld,Hyatt Disc,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat
Posts: 11,029
Thank you for all your personal input into these properties! Any of these vacations are too rich for my blood to spend in hard cash so it is nice to have websites like FT that allow me to find ways to stay at dream locations like these for a small fraction of what it would normally cost. I will definitely have to look more into the WABHM as it was not even one of my options before but sounds amazing.