HHonors Reward Analysis New York 2013

New York City saw a blistering rise in the points price for HHonors Standard Rewards with the March 28, 2013 changes. Many hotels that were 50,000 points per night are now 80,000 to 95,000 per night.

New York City was the first U.S. city to make a striking comeback in room rates following the 2008-2010 hotel recession. At one point nearly all the hospitality industry gains in the U.S. were coming from New York and a couple other cities. New York room rates are back up in the $400 range for an upper upscale hotel and even Hampton Inn is fetching that rate after taxes in Manhattan.

DoubleTree Suites New York Times Square is a hotel rising from 50,000 to 95,000 points per night as a new HHonors category 10 hotel reward. Hilton Times Square goes from 50,000 points as a Category 7 to 80,000 points peak season in may as a category 9 hotel in the new rewards system.

The Waldorf-Astoria is 80,000 points per reward night for the historic flagship property of Hilton’s luxury brand while the hotel charges a $459 room rate.

And the Hampton Inn Times Square North is also 80,000 points per Standard Reward night at Hilton’s upper midscale brand with a $359 rate.

New York lights up the topsy-turvy world of the new Hilton HHonors rewards.

New York is the fifth city in my five U.S. cities survey of Hilton HHonors rewards following the March 28, 2013 changes to the loyalty program.

The table below surveys 24 New York Manhattan Hilton brand hotels. Standard Reward rates, Premium Room Reward rates, VIP 5th Night Free and Points & Money Reward rates are shown along with different room types available.

New York Hilton Brand Hotels Reward Category Assignment

• Category 10 = 1 hotel DoubleTree Suites Times Square
• Category 9 = 8 hotels.
• Category 8 = 15 hotels.

New York Hilton Brand Hotels Rates and Rewards Survey

HHonors Award observations for New York.

• In Manhattan a room with two beds is considered a Premium Room Reward at some Hilton brand hotels. Hilton Manhattan East has King rooms and Queen rooms at 70,000 points per night. Two Doubles room is a Premium Room Reward costing 114,519 points per night.  The published room rate $409 is the same for a King room or Two Doubles. Hilton New York Fashion Districtalso charges Premium Room Reward for Two Doubles at 122,040 points when the $339 room rate is the same as the King Standard Reward at 70,000 points per night.
• 22 of 24 hotels located in New York City offer a Standard Room Reward.
• 95,000 points for Standard Room Reward at DoubleTree Suites Times Square on a $430 room rate gives a mediocre redemption value of $4.53 per 1,000 points.
• Category 9 Standard Rewards at 80,000 points per night are available at 7 of 8 hotels.One Category 9 hotel has only Premium Room Rewards.
• Category 8 Standard Rewards at 70,000 points per night are available at 11 of 15 hotels.Standard Rewards at 3 of 15 Category 8 hotels are listed at 60,000 points. One Category 8 hotel has only Premium Room Rewards.
• $379.05 average BAR room rate for New York Hilton brand hotelswith HHonors Standard Rewards.
• 72,955 points is average cost for a Standard Reward nightat 22 New York Hilton brand hotels.
• $5.23 per 1,000 HHonors points = Standard Hotel Reward redemption value.
• $6.51 per 1,000 HHonors points = VIP 5th Night free reward redemption value. 
• Standard Hotel Reward redemption value range: Low Value = $4.13 per 1,000 points for a Standard Reward night at Hampton Inn Manahattan Seaport/Financial Districtat 70,000 points for a $289 room rate.
• Standard Hotel Reward redemption value range: High Value = $6.70 per 1,000 points for a Standard Reward night at Hampton Inn Manahattan Sohoat 70,000 points for a $469 room rate.
• Points & Money Reward redemption value $6.53 per 1,000 points only at one hotel. Millenium Hilton is a category 9 hotel at 80,000 points per Standard Reward night on a $359 room rate for $4.49 per 1,000 points redemption value. Points & Money Reward is 32,000 points + $150 per night. 32,000 points saves $209 + tax for $6.53+ per 1,000 points redemption value.

Five City Survey Results

• Boston
• San Francisco
• Minneapolis
• Charlotte
• New York

This series of posts examined five U.S. cities to determine the changes to HHonors Rewards with the March 28, 2013 changes to a 10-category hotel award system.

Seeking a redemption value for HHonors points in the $800 to $1,000 range for 100,000 HHonors points is a challenge for US Hilton brand hotels under the new system. The Five Cities survey looked at over 100 hotels across the USA for dates in April, May and June, weekdays and weekends, and found fewer than 10% offering Points & Money Rewards.

HHonors Standard Reward redemption value tends to fall in the $5 to $6 range which is higher than the $4 per 1,000 points Lucky estimated in his hotel points value post last month.

HHonors VIP 5th Night Free Rewards give 20% better value than Standard Rewards on five night stays.

HHonors Premium Room Rewards are seldom a good redemption value, although the option to book a confirmed suite is a Reward option that has great value at times. Typically Premium Room Rewards are fixed value options at either a rate of 100,000 points per $278 in BAR published room rate or 100,000 points per $357 in BAR published room rate. Occasionally hotels offer Premium Room Rewards at 100,000 for  $500 in BAR published room rate. Another anomaly is some hotels offer Premium Room Rewards at a lower cost than Standard Room Rewards.

HHonors Points & Money Rewards have the potential to improve HHonors points redemption value to $8-$10 per 1,000 points, however, these rewards are not commonly offered at most hotels in the US checked in this survey.

The next step in my HHonors Reward Value Survey is to look at international Hilton brand hotels. My questions are whether Points & Money Rewards are more prevalent outside the USA and if redemption value trends higher than $5 to $6 per 1,000 points?