9

Dec

Hilton is running a ‘friends and family’ sale with up to 50% off stays between December 14 and January 7.

They call it a friends and family rate but there’s no need to actually know or be related to a Hilton employee, it’s just a way of signaling that the rates are really good (which they happen to be in some cases). No form or other sort of verification requirements.

Searches I’ve done pull up a cancellable rate, though the terms and conditions of the offer suggest that cancellation policies may vary. It looks as though it does seem to take 50% off best available rates in some cases, although at other hotels the discount is much less. This rates does earn points and stay credit.

The rates aren’t available for New Years eve, and are only 30% off at Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton, Homewood Suites, and Home2 Suites properties.

But here’s the lowest rate I think I’ve ever seen for a full service property in New York through a non-opaque booking site (back in the day I used to get the Grand Hyatt New York for $77, but that was two renovations and two recessions ago).

Business travel is done for the year and won’t heat up until January is well underway. Hotels except in a handful of leisure destinations will tend to empty out.

In my own home town it’s the absolute dead of low season, I’ve seeing rates at my local Fairmont for under $150. Come April it’ll be three times that…

(HT: Jeff R.)

38 Comments

  1. jpgisbd said,

    Thanks, Gary. Just booked a room in downtown Portland for $59/night at a time we would have been up there anyways. With two free breakfasts from gold status, that is a great deal.

  2. Howard said,

    Conrad Tokyo for 21k yen…what a steal

  3. 100CountryGoal said,

    Thanks! Just got a great rate at the Hilton in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

  4. Explore said,

    Thanks for the post!

    Getting stay and night credit is the icing on the cake (unlike Priority Club’s F&F rate).

  5. purplnurpl said,

    Business travel is not done for the year, I’m traveling every week until Christmas. This is a nice end to the year. Thanks!

  6. smitty06 said,

    Just booked 2 rooms for less than $100. Perfect timing for my planned holiday travel.

  7. Mike S. said,

    I see Salt Lake City airport for $39 – anyone find a cheaper Hilton ?

  8. Kevin said,

    I unfortunately made a number of advance payment reservations at the end of November with the Hilton group. Any chance they will honor this new and substantially lower price (almost half of what I paid!)?

  9. bill said,

    New York W=A is $109/night most nights, which is pretty impressive!

  10. riverchica said,

    Fantastic rates! Booked $59/night at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador for a planned stay. Thanks, Gary!

  11. MJ said,

    Thanks for the heads-up! Just booked queen room at doubletree in Baltimore for $44 on 12/14. That’s the cheapest price ever quoted for this hotel.

  12. SK said,

    Thanks for this post! Was planning a short trip to baltimore and missed out on a great sale on hotels.com but this deal is really close and looks like a better hotel!

  13. mr27 said,

    Hilton SF Financial District is $79 on some nights.

  14. Jenny said,

    Wow.. glad I held off on a San Diego booking this morning, $140/night just became $70.. thanks for posting this!!

  15. remy said,

    Thanks so much for this post! I just booked the Washington DC Hilton for $49 a night over the holidays.

  16. Tim J said,

    Thanks for sharing. Got a room at your beloved Hilton JFK for half off!

  17. Kalboz said,

    Shows great rates for Bangkok right around Christmas (high season in SE Asia) with the Millennium Hilton Bangkok going for THB 2,700++ (under $105 all in), and the Conrad Bangkok for THB 2,900++ (around $110 all in).

  18. Hilton’s amazing “Friends & Family” sale for stays between December 14, 2012 and January 7, 2013 - One Mile at a Time said,

    [...] (Tip of the hat to Gary) [...]

  19. Rahul said,

    Thanks great deal. Found the Hilton union square for $64 on December 23 half off the normal rate.

  20. Jamison said,

    AMAZING DEAL! just booked the WALDORF ASTORIA NEW YORK for $109!!!

  21. Tom // Sit in first said,

    @bill… There’s no price at which you would want to stay at the Waldorf.

  22. Brazilflyer said,

    thanks for the tip, just booked the Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi for $103 before tax, for Saturday before X-mas

  23. Gary said,

    @Kevin I wouldn’t think so

  24. jfhscott said,

    Just wondering, in the context of pricing tracking complex yield management algorithms, what “price” is the actual 50% discounted from? Is the start point the full rack rate? Or is the start price some “internet rate” which already fluctuates with the direction of the wind? Somehow this seems to invite FTC inquiry.

  25. Gravy said,

    Thanks Gary! Just booked at the Chicago Hilton for $59. $70 including tax. I cancelled a reservation on points, this was just too good a value.

  26. Robdub said,

    Bugger, I have Conrad BKK for 3 nights December 20-23 which I booked ages ago and also Hilton DXB Dubai Creek from 5-7. Both non-refundable but nearly double the rates I can get now. I guess it’s time to kick and scream and yell at them, if I do it loud enough, they might allow change, Diamond must come with a privilege or 2!

  27. Jason said,

    Thanks for saving me $100!

  28. Great 50% off Hilton Sale! - Deals We Like said,

    [...] to View from the Wing I just learned about a great sale with Hilton where they are offering 50% off best available rate [...]

  29. David said,

    Folks on FlyerTalk have asked Hilton about this rate, and several have received replies indicating the rate is not eligible for stay or night credits.

    http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19823499-post1.html

  30. Gary said,

    @David and people are also responding on that thread that customer service is tellinng them they don’t earn points on the rate EVEN THOUGH THE PROMO SPECIFICALLY SAYS IT IS POINTS-EARNING.

    One customer service rep has said no stay/night credit as far as I can tell, and that doesn’t seem to make a ton of sense, I would certainly make a huge stink if that turned out to be the case and if I needed the stays/nights

  31. David said,

    @Gary, it is a Hilton promotion so of course confusion is mandatory. :)

    I just wanted to point this out to your readers. We should know in about a week when stays start posting to folks’ accounts.

    The deals are tremendous in any case. $55 and $54 at the two LAX Embassy Suites properties just as one example.

  32. Gary said,

    Hilton Crystal City is in the high $30s

  33. A Few Words About a Bunch of Deals and Offers - Mommy Points said,

    [...] so check your travel plans and see if any of the rates/properties are helpful for you.  Thanks to View From the Wing for a head’s up on this [...]

  34. ORDnHKG said,

    @ Gary – It is actually the agent from HHONORS read the memo about this promo about no nights/stays credit but points, so it seems to be legit. He did also mention in general F&F rate do not earn anything except you can get your gold and diamond benefits.

    Have others used F&F rate before and earn any stays/nights credit though ?

  35. ORDnHKG said,

    Also, for those that agents tell you that you can’t earn any points, those agents didn’t read the right memo, as the one that I talked to I actually have to told him about the valid dates, then he read me about the “thank you 50% off”, which is the right one, as he also saw that one can earn points, but just no stays/nights credit.

    Btw, other than me calling, there is another person on FT who actaully email HHONORS about this, and the response was also posted in the thread.

  36. Travel Summary – 12/11/12 | Travel Summary said,

    [...] at View from the Wing discusses Hilton’s amazing [...]

  37. Andrea said,

    A good deal to be had at Hilton Rose Hall in Jamaica. We’re not usually fans of all-inclusives but this will be a nice warm, weather getaway for a few days — and at the right price.

  38. Tenmoc said,

    I see where i clearly says it earns points. Any idea where i can get in writing a good answer on stay credit? Quite honestly the stay credits matter more than the points to me on this.

    39. Add A Comment

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