The HfP chat thread – Friday 21st May

Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. A list of partners is here.

We are running this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions. With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind. At this tricky time, and given that many of you are at home, we want the HfP community to have a place to chat.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article. This has long-term benefits as it keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

Old chat threads are hidden from the HfP home page. If you want to look for something in an old thread, click here. This brings up all the articles in our ‘General’ category which includes the chat threads.

Category

General

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

trader363 says:

21 May21 May 02:31

Interesting – hope it doesn’t spread to the Maldives! Booked WA for Jan22!
- Andrew says:
  
  21 May21 May 05:56
  
  Best start saving up! This will be worldwide by then.
  - meta says:
    
    21 May21 May 07:52
    
    I also read a different interpretation of Hilton announcement that you will be able to chose between breakfast or daily credit. Since full T&C haven’t been published yet, it remains to be seen.
    - BJ says:
      
      21 May21 May 08:10
      
      It will be along usual lines: Gold will choose points or F&B, Diamond will get both but probably no longer lounge. I am guessing/hoping LD will get points, F&B, breakfast and lounge. My guess is that this is a wider roll out of a trial they ran about two years ago, they need to test the water in a bigger pond. If they get away with this in USA this year then I expect it is going global sometime year.
      - Lady London says:
        
        21 May21 May 09:48
        
        Will you stay loyal to Hilton if it does go global, @BJ?
      - BJ says:
        
        21 May21 May 12:47
        
        @Lady I’ll be LD next year so probably. It is more a case of first choice than loyalty though. With hotels I am driven most by overall value which include elite benefits, and location. On a stay by stay basis. Current have Hilton, IHG, Accor, Marriott and Travelodge all booked.
    - marcw says:
      
      21 May21 May 08:26
      
      Based on Hilton info sent to LoyaltyLobby, it’s a replacement.
      - meta says:
        
        21 May21 May 10:33
        
        Yes, just saw this.
Chris Heyes says:

21 May21 May 04:10

Full Page 8 of yesterdays Chat,
Liam must have been in BoBos ?
- Liam says:
  
  21 May21 May 05:08
  
  Fair enough! I don’t always have time to go back through a full day’s chat thread.
  - Paul Pogba says:
    
    21 May21 May 08:36
    
    Probably easier said than done but a forum with threads for each theme (similar to Flyer Talk) would make it a lot easier to track down what’s been posted on any particular topic.
Blair says:

21 May21 May 04:43

It’s a dreadful move. When breakfast = breakfast it provides certainty and allows for meaningful comparisons between hotels. Now with this daily credit of an amount plucked from the sky, I have no idea if breakfast = breakfast or if breakfast = a bottle of juice and that’s it. Or anything in between. You have to wonder why on earth breakfast benefits are being targeted; it was already strictly continental onky in the US. How expensive can it be to provide some mini cereal boxes and bagels to keep people like us happy and avoid the negative reaction and press this will get.
- bafan says:
  
  21 May21 May 05:00
  
  The ONLY possible reason I can think of is that there is a lot of waste or something? I worked at M&S when I was a teenager and the amount of stuff thrown out was unbelievable. MAYBE they’re trying to lower that cost? But I agree. Stupid stupid stupid. Looks nice for the bottom line in the short term, crap for profitable customers and customer loyalty in the long term. But this cohort of management will be working somewhere else no doubt by the time that chicken comes home to roost :).
bafan says:

21 May21 May 04:44

This was covered yesterday. I think someone said the max credit was $15. Loyalty apparently doesn’t pay off lol.
- Andrew says:
  
  21 May21 May 06:00
  
  Hilton Union Square in SF has done this for years, apparently due to the scale of the hotel. They offer $10 per person per night which can be spent cumulatively or daily or on whoever you want. Buffet breakfast at the hotel was $40 per person so we went to a local diner and then just spent the credit on an ice cream and a Coke from the pantry shop each evening. Certainly not what we expected when we booked a Hilton factoring in the free breakfast to our value calculation.
  - Harrier25 says:
    
    21 May21 May 06:28
    
    Wouldn’t it be funny if IHG use this to their advantage and suddenly decided to introduce free breakfast for all Spire Elite members!
    - Andrew says:
      
      21 May21 May 06:33
      
      Well them just matching this daily credit would be a step in the right direction for IHG.
    - Lady London says:
      
      21 May21 May 09:46
      
      I just saw a pig fly past the window.
      
      Amusing thought about IHG. Just for a split second though.
    - Phil W says:
      
      21 May21 May 10:05
      
      Oh look at those lovely pigs flying by my window 😂
- Rob says:
  
  21 May21 May 07:42
  
  Not true.
  - BP says:
    
    21 May21 May 07:55
    
    Why not? Surely it better than nothing offered to Spire members?
    - James Pleasant says:
      
      21 May21 May 08:51
      
      Because it’s $20
    - Rob says:
      
      21 May21 May 08:53
      
      I meant it isn’t $15. Amount will vary by brand and has not been publihsed.
    - marcw says:
      
      21 May21 May 09:16
      
      Aren’t there already Hilton and WA in the US that give $10-15 in lieu of “free breaky” Rob?
    - Anna says:
      
      21 May21 May 09:25
      
      Can’t remember if it was in the official announcement but other sites are reporting that it’s “up to ” $15! There was a comment from someone saying this is already being applied in some hotels, and gave the example of $9 per room 😥
- BuildBackBetter says:
  
  21 May21 May 11:03
  
  I’d bet half the golds and diamonds in US are through credit card status benefits. Thats not loyalty!
Chris Heyes says:

21 May21 May 04:52

Anna Reply from yesterday, normally stop at Dunkenhaugh or similar, Partner “not” traveling down with me this time Gr
So using this (as well of kids/grandkids) to tidy up some loose ends regards Blackburn House, Niece living there wants to buy it off me
So it’s a HH Points grab 3 days plus 1 day for the 5.500 Heathrow points offer few weeks back was Avios or Heathrow for new booking.
So 28th Down 1st June back
- Anna says:
  
  21 May21 May 05:03
  
  Well I imagine it won’t be too busy and hopefully you’ll get a decent (free) breakfast!
  
  Will we all be using Hampton Inn etc now instead of the upmarket alternatives?!!
- Jane says:
  
  21 May21 May 09:34
  
  Dunkenhalgh is a place I haven’t heard of for a long long time, I had my first bar job in that hotel almost 30 years ago 🙂
  - Chris Heyes says:
    
    21 May21 May 14:07
    
    Jane you may have served me then lol
Anna says:

21 May21 May 05:08

I’m surprised there’s not a separate article on the HH breakfast scandal, it’s going to get a lot of comments.
So – Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites going forward, or Emyr-only bookings?
It says “continental” breakfast in the benefits but I’ve always had a cooked offering or very comprehensive buffet spread in the US.
I would think this will generate a huge amount of complaints from HH members – is Hilton that desperate to save a few $?
- Chris Heyes says:
  
  21 May21 May 05:21
  
  Anna I think it’s only meant to be until end this year, We’ll see ?
  I’ve always had a cooked breakfast wherever I’ve stopped, decent to excellent so no complaints regards Hilton from me !
  Although this will be my first Hampton Inn !
- Andrew says:
  
  21 May21 May 05:55
  
  Today’s chat page will become the Hilton breakfast scandal page!! I would bet my house on this being something that in a few months time Hilton doing an Alex Cruz and saying they have “listened to customer feedback and they love the choice this gives them“ and they are rolling out worldwide and permanently! It will save Hilton a lot of money and drive spend towards people paying for breakfast – it’s a clear covid-recovery strategy.
  - Anna says:
    
    21 May21 May 06:12
    
    Agreed – in all likelihood this is only going to become more widespread. Possibly being “tested” in the US to confirm whether they can get away with it – if it really does impact on bookings and backfire on Hilton there may be a change of heart but I think the chances of that are slim to none!
    - Anna says:
      
      21 May21 May 06:13
      
      Ha – Andrew, I commented last night that maybe Cruz has got a new job with Hilton!
      - Andrew says:
        
        21 May21 May 06:19
        
        Ha! Great minds!
    - Flyoff says:
      
      21 May21 May 06:18
      
      It looks like a market test. But some US hotels have been doing this for years. California And Arizona hotels I have stayed at have offered this nominal credit. It equates to a muffin and a Starbucks coffee to take away.
      - Flyoff says:
        
        21 May21 May 06:22
        
        With the status extensions, and the halving of the targets, has probably resulted in a huge number of Gold/Diamonds free breakfasts in the US as hotel occupancy returns to normal.
      - BJ says:
        
        21 May21 May 08:24
        
        It is, it has been going on for at least two years already, this is just them stepping it up.
    - Mark says:
      
      21 May21 May 06:29
      
      I think it would impact the euro-asia markets far more.
      Free breakfast is a booking changer for me.
      Id move to another similar priced hotel if it meant the free breakfast..Hilton aren’t the only hotel chain the world.
      - Lady London says:
        
        21 May21 May 09:57
        
        Annoyingly, just like when British Airways makes things like seat reservation fees payable, you can be pretty sure Hilton’s corporate rates and Emyr-type rates will, still, include the free breakfast.
        
        If I stayed in high-end Hiltons these days (I wish!) I wouldn’t wait for this to hit globally : I’d be booking away from Hilton now.
        
        As in @Anna’s ‘suddenly feeling less loyal to Hilton’, U couldn’t have put it better.
        
        Weirdly I actually don’t usually breakfast in hotels even when it’s included. The issue is what Hilton is communicating here.
      - MW says:
        
        21 May21 May 12:19
        
        This is the issue – I like knowing breakfast is there if I feel like having it. It pretty much depends on my mood but being able to even grab something quickly vs paying for it makes a big difference.
- Mouse says:
  
  21 May21 May 06:46
  
  Does it save Hilton any money at all? I would have assumed it is part of their contract with hotel operators that the hotel operator needs to provide the free breakfast to golds/diamonds at their own cost.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    21 May21 May 09:22
    
    Free continental breakfast with no guide on standard.
    
    Frankly the hotel is still free to do what it wants just like they were to give full breakfast before.
mark says:

21 May21 May 06:16

The thing that annoys me is how they have had people chasing elite status with all these shorter earning routes.
Most people would of done it for the breakfast benefit and basically they’ve been scammed.
Hilton have acted like a bucket shop at the worst possible time.
- BJ says:
  
  21 May21 May 08:21
  
  +1, far too many Diamonds now. They need to tighten up on those or make LD really worth our loyalty. Big question is whether disparate elite benefits for the USA and other markets is ďesirable or sustainable, and how long it will take Hilton to conclude on this.
- DT says:
  
  21 May21 May 08:32
  
  Is it really any surprise that loyalty is devalued when it’s so easily attained? Last year it required just 15 nights to hit Diamond and 8 to hit Gold and many lamented that this would cause loyalty perks to devalue, well here’s the start of it. The US already hands out Gold and Diamond like candy, with the reduced earning last year they’ve probably got hotels full of them. When everyone is special, nobody is special.
  - BuildBackBetter says:
    
    21 May21 May 11:08
    
    Should have introduced a spend requirement that guarantees breakfast benefit.
Neil says:

21 May21 May 06:30

NOT A HILTON BREAKFAST QUERY!!! (Though I did hit diamond status for the first time ever last night!!!)

AMEX REFER A FRIEND QUERY – Following the recent increased Refer a Friend offer, I was referred and opened a Platinum card. I called Amex yesterday who confirmed I was approved on the 11th May ahead of the 12th May deadline. However, when I look at the app and it talks about the welcome bonus, it only shows the standard 30,000 points and not the 50,000 as part of the offer.

Is this the case with everyone who applied during the offer?

Cheers
- Andrew says:
  
  21 May21 May 06:52
  
  I think any non-Hilton breakfast related post needs to be prefaced with an O/T today! 😉
- Chris Heyes says:
  
  21 May21 May 06:52
  
  Neil rest will come couple of days/weeks after you hit target
- Andy says:
  
  21 May21 May 07:21
  
  @Neil. my wife has the same, checked with Amex chat and they said the extra 20000 points would post when she hit the spend which was correct. The tracker always just showed 30000
- James says:
  
  21 May21 May 09:14
  
  Have you read the comments on the tracker? It says tracker does not show any additional points above standard bonus relevant to the card, but these will be paid.
- Kazim says:
  
  21 May21 May 16:13
  
  Similar issue hit the spend target but no points posted. Called Amex and they queried about how many points I was owed- stated 50K- assured a manger would look into it and I would get a call back within the hour- 2 days later and I am still waiting for the call back and/or the points to be posted online!