I have searched the board and could not find a thread with posts of the best redemption values achieved with HHonors points. If one exists, sincere apologies and moderator, please delete this.
After the devaluation in March 2013, one of the oft repeated gripes seems to be that aspirational properties no longer represent the same fantastic redemption value - with some going up to 95,000 points per night. Another theme is that Points and Money is now looking more attractive. I know it is largely hypothetical as few leisure travellers would actually spend $1k per night on a hotel room, but I think it would be interesting to hear the best point to $ values achieved by members. The HHonors redemption records so to speak.
This could be for both post-devaluation and - if people can bear reminiscing - for pre-devaluation redemptions. For starters, my top values are:
Pre-devaluation Standard points booking of 37,500 points per night for a room with a cash price of $1,080 at Hilton Northolme on Mahe in the Seychelles. This works out at $0.0288 per point or 37.42 points per $.
Post-devaluation Points and Money booking of 24,000 points + $100 per night for a room with a cash price of $824 at the yet-to-open Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. As the 24,000 points saves $724, this works out at $0.0302 per point or 33.15 points per $.
Admittedly both of these "savings" are hypothetical as I would not have paid cash for any of these rooms, but someone somewhere is and it is what the rooms were retailing for at point of redemption booking. It is also worth pointing out that as a Diamond - and after including quarterly promos - I earn 30 points per $ on average. In other words, the above bookings were more or less earned $ for $. Who says there is no value to be found in the HHonors programme? :D
After the devaluation in March 2013, one of the oft repeated gripes seems to be that aspirational properties no longer represent the same fantastic redemption value - with some going up to 95,000 points per night. Another theme is that Points and Money is now looking more attractive. I know it is largely hypothetical as few leisure travellers would actually spend $1k per night on a hotel room, but I think it would be interesting to hear the best point to $ values achieved by members. The HHonors redemption records so to speak.
This could be for both post-devaluation and - if people can bear reminiscing - for pre-devaluation redemptions. For starters, my top values are:
Pre-devaluation Standard points booking of 37,500 points per night for a room with a cash price of $1,080 at Hilton Northolme on Mahe in the Seychelles. This works out at $0.0288 per point or 37.42 points per $.
Post-devaluation Points and Money booking of 24,000 points + $100 per night for a room with a cash price of $824 at the yet-to-open Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE. As the 24,000 points saves $724, this works out at $0.0302 per point or 33.15 points per $.
Admittedly both of these "savings" are hypothetical as I would not have paid cash for any of these rooms, but someone somewhere is and it is what the rooms were retailing for at point of redemption booking. It is also worth pointing out that as a Diamond - and after including quarterly promos - I earn 30 points per $ on average. In other words, the above bookings were more or less earned $ for $. Who says there is no value to be found in the HHonors programme? :D