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Without going into detail (though you might be able to guess!), I’m looking at making a booking in a city with a major upcoming event that I would like to attend. Hotel room prices are at 4x – 5x their normal level during the event. A Hilton Honors hotel has rooms available at what seems to be the ‘capped’ rate. At the prices for which the rooms are being retailed, the capped rate provides a value of approximately 1.5p per point.
My question is: if I book this room, how likely is the hotel to cancel? I appreciate that for the hotel to cancel would probably be in breach of its contract with Hilton, but does this sort of thing happen in practice? And if so, is there any comeback?
Grateful to hear of others’ experiences.
I booked into the Hampton by Hilton Birmingham Broad Street last year during the Commonwealth Games and the 20k per room rate for 3 rooms was honoured, though cash prices were over £200 a night (usually £60-80).
If you have the points in your account already then it is worth booking it now before it is snapped up.
I’m Diamond with Hilton. When I asked around about the almost-last-minute “room guarantee” of Diamond for even soldout hotels, that is what I was told. Hilton may sell some of the rooms with a higher rate to a Diamond momber at the expense of cancelling (and compensating) some rooms.
How do they choose those rooms, I do not know.This is the sort of thing Airbnb hosts do and you’d hope this is what sets hotels apart! But given the, for instance, Arora behaviours during Covid in London you can never be certain.
I’m Diamond with Hilton. When I asked around about the almost-last-minute “room guarantee” of Diamond for even soldout hotels, that is what I was told. Hilton may sell some of the rooms with a higher rate to a Diamond momber at the expense of cancelling (and compensating) some rooms.
How do they choose those rooms, I do not know.They can “walk” you but they need to provide something else and compensation
The last room guarantee is a useless benefit as the price is ridiculous to take into account having to walk someone else.
Sure. You’d practically be paying for the room + compensation.
It may be useful, I think,
If you had to travel to a country where you need a familiar accommodation, or
If someone else is paying for your room.They can “walk” you but they need to provide something else and compensation
Arora didn’t walk anyone, it simply told people to get stuffed and IHG did little for them.
Eurovision?
The hotel shouldn’t cancel, because they will be reimbursed an exorbitant amount by Hilton anyway, as they will be 100% full
Eurovision?….
Tickets go on sale Tuesday 7th March on ticketmaster . co . uk
They can “walk” you but they need to provide something else and compensation
Arora didn’t walk anyone, it simply told people to get stuffed and IHG did little for them.
Wasn’t this when they were actually closed for business during Covid? was very different as they said were closed here’s a refund has nothing to do with open accepting guests but don’t have the room you booked.
Anyway I really can’t see any issues with this one unless the hotel is hosting and 100% for contestants etc only.
I booked a low-points required redemption room at a HIX for my daughter +2 about five minutes after the dates for Creamfields North were announced. An hour later rooms were x5 normal prices, and my daughter reported a zoo at checkin while the hotel attempted to deny entry to various people on spurious grounds. My booking was honoured. She got a guest list for the event too, so super cheap weekend for her! Don’t sweat it.
I think the OP refusing to name the event/city is somewhat north of mild paranoia.
Indeed. But let’s all agree hypothetically that it’s Liverpool for Eurovision and it’s the Hampton City Centre albeit it is getting > 2p per point.
In which case it’s highly unlikely that the rate would not be honoured as the hotel will be full so Hilton will reimburse the hotel proper money.
It’s also worth highlighting that unlike most redemptions this one is non-refundable which clearly shows the hotel is aware of what is going on which makes it much less likely they will oversell.
Thanks for all your replies!
The hotel shouldn’t cancel, because they will be reimbursed an exorbitant amount by Hilton anyway, as they will be 100% full
…it’s highly unlikely that the rate would not be honoured as the hotel will be full so Hilton will reimburse the hotel proper money.
These responses are reassuring. I seem to have misunderstood how the scheme works – my assumption was that under its franchise agreement, the hotel operator would just have to suck up a certain number of low points redemptions at a fixed rate, even when the opportunity to price gouge at cash rates existed, and that they would therefore have an incentive to find excuses for not honouring my redemption.
Many thanks again!
Indeed. But let’s all agree hypothetically that it’s Liverpool for Eurovision and it’s the Hampton City Centre albeit it is getting > 2p per point.
£500 a night instead of £50 and I bet they will still be serving nothing edible for breakfast except white bread and charging a further £15 (or maybe more) for parking. Normally you can park on the street for free 2 minutes away but perhaps not during Eurovision
Hopefully you will be fine, but the fact that Hilton will pay the full rack rate to the owner is a guarantee of nothing around major events. The top reimbursement rate will be fixed even for major conventions or events but hotels will sell rooms at much higher than rack rate if someone comes along and asks even when they are full. You definitely don’t want to be checking in late.
Hotel owners and managers will tell you that people on free nights or points are often cheapskates who spend very little at any hotel facility so someone with no status will be prioritised if the hotel can see they will overall be the more valuable guest – eg you have pre-booked some service, restaurant etc. or are part of a group that has.
Wasn’t this when they were actually closed for business during Covid? was very different as they said were closed here’s a refund has nothing to do with open accepting guests but don’t have the room you booked.
Anyway I really can’t see any issues with this one unless the hotel is hosting and 100% for contestants etc only.
Nope, this is when they decided to be quarantine hotels to make more money – so exactly what the OP fears. But one would hope this sort of behaviour is not standard and others have indeed highlighted why it will hopefully not happen here.
Hopefully you will be fine, but the fact that Hilton will pay the full rack rate to the owner is a guarantee of nothing around major events. The top reimbursement rate will be fixed even for major conventions or events but hotels will sell rooms at much higher than rack rate if someone comes along and asks even when they are full. You definitely don’t want to be checking in late.
Hotel owners and managers will tell you that people on free nights or points are often cheapskates who spend very little at any hotel facility so someone with no status will be prioritised if the hotel can see they will overall be the more valuable guest – eg you have pre-booked some service, restaurant etc. or are part of a group that has.
Thanks for the warning! I’ll aim to check in early.
Again, I don’t know the ins and outs of how the scheme works, but there is some contradictory information in this thread. Some saying the hotel will be handsomely compensated, and your response saying they’ll only get full rack rate. The cash rates this hotel is charging are really through the roof (some of the guesswork in this thread has been quite accurate!) so it does feel implausible that the hotel will not bear some of the brunt of my “cheap” redemption.
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