Several years ago Hilton hid its award charts, but since 2013 they’ve varied the price of award rooms with the paid cost of those rooms since their award chart introduced ‘price ranges’ before posted prices disappeared from the Honors program.
One of the ways that Hilton Honors award prices can vary is based on the number of guests in a room. Extra person charges for paid rooms are common in Europe but not in the U.S.
At Marriott, award nights include the cost of extra person charges (except for a handful of all-inclusive properties, since extra guests would be eating, etc.). Not so with Hilton.
The Hampton Inn in Bradenton, Florida has higher paid rates for additional adult guests, but not children. And it charges higher points prices when searching for more than two adults as well. (HT: Alex H.)
Prices for 2 queen bed room:
- 1 or 2 adults: $170 or 38,000 points
- 3 adults: $179 or 41,000 points
- 4 adults: $189 or 43,000 points
- 2 adults and 2 children: $170 or 38,000 points (no additional charge)
A third adult in the room costs $9 or 3000 points, giving you just $0.003 per point in value. That should tell you something about the value of your Honors points. A fourth guest gets you outsized redemption value, an additional 2000 points or $10 ($0.005 per point).
A Hilton spokesperson tells me,
The number of Points required for a Reward Stay may vary depending on the hotel, time of year, and price of a room. As stated in our Terms and Conditions, Reward Stays are provided on a double occupancy basis, with each additional guest (excluding children under 18 years) subject to an extra charge. Because the Points cost of redemption corresponds to the applicable hotel’s room rate, the Points necessary for a Reward Stay will increase accordingly.
Hampton Inn & Suites Bradenton Downtown, Credit: Hilton
I’ve seen Hilton charge more points for additional guests in a room before but this was to cover additional tax. Charging more points pay be better than not offering members the option of additional guests in a room, or charging cash (depending on how many extra points are charged in lieu of cash).
In practice, however, a hotel in the U.S. is rarely going to insist on more money for additional guests. Booking to people here on cash or points and having a third guest in the room probably doesn’t incur an additional charge the way it would in Europe.
Current Hilton management is intent on destroying the company by upsetting the clients at every juncture.
Case in point: eliminating housekeeping. Worst decision ever!
The Otis Hotel Autograph Collection in Austin actually charges an additional $50 fee for a child if they are between the ages of 12 and 18 – even in a room that already has two queen beds. Under 12 is still free, but I’m curious why they think a 13 year costs more to sleep than a 12-year old does.
I have also noticed lately that they are now charging more on a paid stay for more than one bed in a room, even if only one person. I didn’t remember that happening much before, but it seems pretty common now.
This only makes sense if breakfast is included in the rate, which is more common in Europe