Thursday, April 12, 2012

Cheap Hilton points can make for a cheaper Hilton stay

    It's been almost a year since I posted about the good deals offered on the Daily Getaways site. There are lots of good deals, but a year ago I thought one of the best deals was the Hilton points. I still think so.
    I will allow you to visit the website and decide for yourself what constitutes a good deal. They have some great discounts on MGM Skysuites, for example, but I have no burning desire to stay in a Skysuite. (Okay, I do, but I'm not even willing to pay the heavily discounted price).
    I still think one of the best deals being offered is the chance to buy HHonors points. And this year they are being offered on two days, April 25 and May 2, and they are being offered in great enough quantities that they shouldn't sell out in 10 seconds. That said, they will sell out in ten minutes to two hours, so you need to be online when they hit the market.
    250,000 points costs $1,375, with a 10 percent discount for paying with the American Express. So 250,000 points will cost $1,237.50. For a Hilton Silver, Gold or Diamond, these points are good for six nights at virtually any Hilton.
    Suppose you want to spend a week in Sandestin, perhaps for the Mississippi Bar Convention, July 8-14. Six nights will cost an elite 225,000 points, versus more than $2,300 if paying cash.
    Suppose you want to go to Paris. To book a room at the Arc de Triomphe Hilton for the above dates would cost you roughly $3,240. Or you can buy the points for $1,237.50 and live like a king for what in Paris is a very low price.
    Of course, the same is true for places like Amsterdam, New York, and London. Ah, London, where you can stay six nights in the Waldorf Hilton for $4,583. Or buy the points for $1,237.50 and have points left over. You choose.
    One more thing. Point stays aren't always available, but all three examples above used the July 8-14 dates of the Mississippi Bar Convention, and rooms were available. So if you have a trip planned, buy the points and save.

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