Thanks to comments in my 10 favorite Hilton low category redemptions, I uncovered (so far) 2 devaluations that took place between the time I initially composed the post (last year) to when I published it (a few days ago). I actually have 20-30 unfinished posts in the queue right now – I have lots of ideas and lack time to finish them. Anyway, the 2 no-announcement devaluations are:
- Hampton Inn Mexico City – Centro Historico. Was 10k, now 20k per night.
- Hampton Inn Krakow. Was 5k, now 10k.
I’ll add one more that I know for a fact had the same no-announcement devaluation:
- Hilton Garden Inn Singapore Serangoon. Was 10k initially, now 20k.
I’m sure there are others. This doesn’t surprise me one bit. I knew this was going to happen the day they nixed the award chart. I was sick to my stomach when some of the big commercial blogs went along with Hilton’s Kool Aid – that this change was “for the best.” No matter what Hilton’s intentions may have been (and I doubt they were totally sincere), lack of award chart encourages lack of transparency, and that can only be a bad thing. It gave them the ability to change redemption rate without answering to customers, and they have done just that – the above are 3 examples.
Hilton is now firmly the Delta of hotel programs. They cannot be trusted. So far Hilton hasn’t made sweeping “category” (RIP) changes – as far as I can tell, but they now have the foundation for doing so at their choosing – unlike other programs that still have award charts and announce the changes. I’m disappointed with bloggers who cheered/dismissed the award chart annihilation and continue to neglect the devaluations and further implications.
Are you aware of other Hilton sweet spots that received The Treatment?
I think they might have killed the 5K redemption. The Hampton in Minsk is now 10K, it had been 5K for a very long time.
DoubleTree Melaka and DoubleTree Sighisoara are still 5k. Should probably book those soon.