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I was looking at Hiltons for a trip to USA – Georgia coming up, and I’m starting to regret focusing on Hilton Diamond instead of IHG Diamond. Hilton prices are mental, and plus loads of taxes. And their reward nights are at least double the points you need for a similar IHG reward night, even with dynamic.
Oooops bad mistake 🙁
Marriott are the same if not worse. Cash and points. But it’s only an observable phenomenon for us in Europe cos respectively our wages are so much lower and our credit card generation of reward points so much lower.
A big part of pricing is what your dates are and are there any big events during those dates.
Canadians are boycotting the US. Europeans are starting to follow. Even some Brits are thinking twice about supporting the economy of a country that is no longer our friend.
Hotel prices will fall as tourism drops off.
The dollar has already fallen 6% against sterling since the Inauguration, and will fall further as the new regime trashes the economy, making hotels more affordable for foreign tourists.
The US has gone crazy.
Hilton points prices for their mid-range brands in all countries have been crazy for several years. Both IHG and Hilton sell points for 0.5 US cents when the regular promo price is in effect, and you can easily find even HIXs where you can break even whereas it’s almost impossible with Hilton.
Unfortunately, crazy prices have spread to some Canadian cities.
In mid-August, a standard Holiday Inn in Vancouver is over £300 per night.Salaries, although always higher in the USA, have left us for dead in the last few years. Even a state police officer in upstate New York with one years experience earns 100k. Prices in the USA have gone crazy, if you aren’t earning US wages. Yes, there is much poverty but they aren’t the people you are competing with for the hotels hfp readers are booking.
Browsing various late Oct. midweek dates in NYC and
the Hamptons/HGIs are all around $450.@1958 Hotels downtown Vancouver I think have been affected by how busy a cruise port it has become. There are some good deals on points if you book early.
Marriott are the same if not worse.
+1 to this. I flagged that Marriott had raised their US basic hotel rates to a level above Hilton/IHG 2 years ago and it’s got worse since.
Salaries, although always higher in the USA, have left us for dead in the last few years. Even a state police officer in upstate New York with one years experience earns 100k. Prices in the USA have gone crazy, if you aren’t earning US wages. Yes, there is much poverty but they aren’t the people you are competing with for the hotels hfp readers are booking.
The moment I knew US salaries had left us for dead as you say was when in a plant store in Manhattan and my friend remarked that $900 for a potted tall plant was a good sale price.
I believe the supply hasn’t kept pace with demand, especially in the luxury sector.
In contrast, Maldives prices have remained stable in real terms thanks to increasing supply of resorts.
Except F&B cost at chain resorts like Conrad Rangali. It’s funny reading Flyertalk threads – they are full of Americans using the status and nights from credit cards and whinging about F&B prices. They talk about making full use of happy hours while eating pot noodles for lunch and dinner.
Thank god many Asian tourist places are far from America.What’s wrong with pot noodle?
I take one or 2 with me on my trips but not for every day just as a quick snack and more often than not I’m bring one back home!
On the face of is US salaries in some sectors look high to us their whole taxation system is different to ours not least when it comes to healthcare costs. And in places like NYC rents are high.
Not long ago I saw some figures comparing a German and US worker and their salary and their monthly costs. Despite having a bald salary much lower than the US person the German was much better off at the end of the month.
It’d the same as those “look how little our pensions are” pieces when compared to other countries. Yes the bald figure is much lower but in other countries pensioners still have to pay towards their healthcare and no old dears bus passes for them either!
Pensioners here still have to pay income tax so they do in fact contribute to their healthcare!
We’ve just spent 5 nights in Florida; I rebooked all these in the recent IHG points sale so it felt like decent value. The HIs and HIEX’s there are way above the U.K. ones, especially if you’re travelling can get a suite as a standard reward night.
Eating out still feels like good value, even with the outrageous tipping and there are bargains to be had on things like clothes and toys in the outlets. Grocery prices are high, although we only bought a few bits from Walmart. We did find Aldi much cheaper than, say, Publix when we were there 2 years ago.
Some pensioners in the UK pay income tax, but even those that do probably take more from the state than they currently contribute. And of course State Pensions are not funded, and are being paid for largely by people who work.
You pay if your income is above a certain level, like anyone else. Also pensioners have been paying into the system their entire working lives. Some of us are paying income tax on a pension and a salary from a second career, this can easily take you into the higher tax bracket!
I was looking at Hiltons for a trip to USA – Georgia coming up, and I’m starting to regret focusing on Hilton Diamond instead of IHG Diamond. Hilton prices are mental, and plus loads of taxes. And their reward nights are at least double the points you need for a similar IHG reward night, even with dynamic.
Oooops bad mistake 🙁
I wouldnt bother staying at Hiltons in the US unless you need it for the status nights credit. You get nothing for being diamond other than terrible value food credit (which they’ll still expect a tip on), usually no meaningful upgrades and frequently at best 1 hour of late checkout.
In contrast, Maldives prices have remained stable in real terms thanks to increasing supply of resorts.
You’re kidding right? They’re at least double pre-pandemic prices. I remember being able to get an 5* AI water villa for 300 quid a night. A colleague I was talking to last week in China said the same thing.
What’s wrong with pot noodle?
They are terrible quality instant noodles. There are loads of decent instant noodle pots you can get from Asian supermarkets that are really tasty.
In contrast, Maldives prices have remained stable in real terms thanks to increasing supply of resorts.
You’re kidding right? They’re at least double pre-pandemic prices. I remember being able to get an 5* AI water villa for 300 quid a night. A colleague I was talking to last week in China said the same thing.
What’s wrong with pot noodle?
They are terrible quality instant noodles. There are loads of decent instant noodle pots you can get from Asian supermarkets that are really tasty.
True, but do they accept Amex?
True, but do they accept Amex?
Likely not, but maybe there is a PayPoint hack that allows you to buy a pot of noodles over the course of several visits.
I was looking at Hiltons for a trip to USA – Georgia coming up, and I’m starting to regret focusing on Hilton Diamond instead of IHG Diamond. Hilton prices are mental, and plus loads of taxes. And their reward nights are at least double the points you need for a similar IHG reward night, even with dynamic.
Oooops bad mistake 🙁
I wouldnt bother staying at Hiltons in the US unless you need it for the status nights credit. You get nothing for being diamond other than terrible value food credit (which they’ll still expect a tip on), usually no meaningful upgrades and frequently at best 1 hour of late checkout.
Unfortunately I was hoping to get more than a few stay credits in a 12 day trip, but might have to restrict that and buy some IHG points, Hilton are crazy – 45-50k points for a bog standard Hampton 🙁
When we were in the Florida Keys over Xmas ’22, Hamptons were 70k points per night! But they were also $500+ pn so with 5 for 4 it didn’t feel as bad as it could have.
I find Homewood Suites the best value – you can still find some properties for 40k pn and you get a huge suite, basic breakfast and free coffee all day as well.
In contrast, Maldives prices have remained stable in real terms thanks to increasing supply of resorts.
You’re kidding right? They’re at least double pre-pandemic prices. I remember being able to get an 5* AI water villa for 300 quid a night. A colleague I was talking to last week in China said the same thing.
After adjusting for inflation and gbp depreciation? Even then, plenty of affordable options now.
I find Homewood Suites the best value – you can still find some properties for 40k pn and you get a huge suite, basic breakfast and free coffee all day as well.
Someone will be here to say that breakfast is not suitable for humans!
When we were in the Florida Keys over Xmas ’22, Hamptons were 70k points per night! But they were also $500+ pn so with 5 for 4 it didn’t feel as bad as it could have.
I find Homewood Suites the best value – you can still find some properties for 40k pn and you get a huge suite, basic breakfast and free coffee all day as well.
Yes but IHG equivalent Staybridge for under 20k points and it doesn’t look so good!
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