Hilton HHonors has the best mid-tier hotel status, in my opinion, a mix of easy to get (they give it away for the price of a credit card signup) and rich benefits (it includes breakfast).
It turns out they also give it away to some corporate customers.
Via MilesQuest, here’s an offer for free Hilton Gold status through August 31 with signup. Hilton is offering bonus points and an accelerated path towards keeping the status as well.
It’s intended for Accenture employees, although it doesn’t appear they’re working especially hard to validate employer. There are likely other similar offers to major corporate customers as well.
Bottom- and mid-tier hotel status is more or less a giveaway. Starwood Gold comes with the American Express Platinum card, but the benefits are mostly the same (other than bonus points-earning for in-hotel spend) as what co-brand credit card holders receive. Marriott Gold is given away to United Gold elite members and higher. IHG Rewards Club Platinum, now only mid-tier, comes with its credit card.
For years airlines and hotels have aggressively gone after corporate business. Employees of large corporations can often get status matches through their travel managers or travel portals.
Last year I had Hilton Diamond comped as an American Airlines Executive Platinum. It didn’t win them much business from me. I have no idea how well they did with the campaign overall, but it was a logical strategy to try for sure.
Customers who give a chain room nights for their status don’t usually love it that others can come along and get the same benefits by virtue of who they work for, or what other status they hold. So loyalty programs historically haven’t advertised broadly these offers. But very little that’s targeted says quiet long anymore.
Terms and conditions:
*Offer valid for current employees of Accenture for stays booked and completed between May 2, 2016, and August 31, 2016, at participating hotels within the Hilton Portfolio of hotels and resorts. Eligible stays must be booked under the Accenture corporate rate and booked via approved business travel booking channels. Employees completing eligible stays must be members of the Hilton HHonors™ reward program and register for this promotion to earn Bonus Points and immediate Gold Elite status for current Blue and Silver Elite HHonors members. Current Gold Elite and Diamond Elite HHonors members will remain at their current Elite tier status and will be eligible to earn Bonus Points. HHonors members must complete four stays at Hilton Portfolio hotels during the Promotional Period for HHonors members to maintain Gold Elite status through March 31, 2018. For each completed night within the Promotional Period, HHonors members will receive 1,000 HHonors Bonus Points, regardless of a check-in date before the Promotional Period begins or a check-out date after the Promotional Period ends. Bonus Points do not count toward HHonors Elite tier qualification. Please allow four to six weeks from completion of your stay for bonus points to appear in your Hilton HHonors account. This offer may not be combined with other select promotions, offer or discounts and is not valid for existing reservations or groups. Hilton HHonors™ membership, earning of Points & Miles when booking direct and redemption of points are subject to HHonors Terms and Conditions. ©2016 Hilton Worldwide.
When you get a very solid mid-tier status for basically free – I still fail to see any compelling reason why one would go above and beyond that for Diamond, especially when there are few *guaranteed* loyalty benefits, and not much in the way of innovative partnerships (a la Marriott/United tie-up, or bonus Uber points w/SPG).
(note: I don’t consider “they have a lot of budget-level properties in Small Town, USA” to be a compelling reason, but YMMV)
It’s really remarkable that you encourage fraud on your website. But I guess that’s ok because “it doesn’t appear they’re working especially hard to validate employer”.
I guess in your world it’s ok to steal something at the grocery store too, if they’re not working hard to stop you from stealing it.
Oracle & siemens as well
https://www.hiltonhhonors.com/ProcessLanding/ProcessLanding/?lp=oracleoffer
https://www.hiltonhhonors.com/ProcessLanding/ProcessLanding/?lp=siemensoffer
I appreciate you sharing the info, but think it is unethical to tacitly encourage people who are not Accenture employees to sign up. Just a thought.
Gary notes that this exists and why it exists and that Hilton doesn’t seem to care enough about the backend to do verifications. That’s interesting. I’m surprised he doesn’t have a screaming click bait headline like “Get Your Free Hilton Gold status here” which is what you **KNOW** he would be doing if he was encouraging people to try to game this. What people reading this blog do with the information is up to them, I don’t read this as Gary telling anyone to do anything, just explaining a phenomenon.
Where does Gary tell anyone to do anything? I don’t get it. Hilton has this on a public website and it’s being talked about on blogs. Gary points that out, offers an explanation for why. It’s unethical to link to public websites now? WTF?
There can be no assurance that Hilton will not respond to curtail inappropriate sign ups if there is a spike in activity more than expected from the targeted audience.
If I do the status upgrade, Do I have to use an Accenture Corp code each time I book a Hilton room? Found the Accenture code here http://therewardboss.com/hilton-hotel-discount-coupon-promo-codes/
Indeed, folks, use this if you’re eligible (or an appropriate link for the company you do work for such as offered by Udi above). If you use it and you are not eligible Hilton may take away the status unexpectedly or close your account or whatever else.
This is only very short term status so not hugely valuable for most in any case.
If you Google search for Hilton Processlanding, you’ll find other companies with the same offer (even Carlson Wagonlit.. haha). And some other targeted offers. Not all companies come up in the search tho, so you can try typing in one in the URL where the company name is (such as Google) to see if it works. Spread the love, maybe lessen the chance of killing the “deal”.
Do you think that I would get anywhere by just calling HH and informing them that I use their hotels every week and that I would like the same “Accenture” benefit? (When I called some time ago to complain about something they gave me 10,000 Honors points.)
If people are getting a lower room rate using this then don’t be surprised if Hilton asks for a work id at check-in and if you don’t have it then charges the full rack rate.
@Bill having used a corporate rate for six years and hundreds of stays, I think I’ve been asked exactly once for it, and once for my AAA card
Most properties either don’t know or don’t care.
@UA-NYC I was asked for my AAA card at a Marriott two days ago and they usually don’t ask either so that isn’t really a fool proof method.
My company has the same thing from Hilton. It actually is a bit better in that only 2 stays are required. It has been on our corp. travel page for easily 5 years. If I recall our Gold offer is always good for at least a year. Since I have HH Gold, I have never used it. But, I have been told that verification emails come from Hilton that specifically say that you must reply with your corp. email id. Like I said, I didn’t get my status this way. So, I have never received that verification. But coworkers have received them in the past. I think if seems like someone is gaming the system, then Hilton checks.
Thanks for your comment! I have only been with my company since January 18 of this year, but have already hit Diamond Status for number of stays/nights. I am hoping that Hilton may consider allowing me whatever they allow for “Accenture”. (We are not wed to any one hotel company to stay at.) Any ideas or comments welcome. Thanks again for reading.
@Joe Elder
Since you earned your status with Hilton, it should be good until at least the end of 2017. If I were you, I would explore earning status with another chain. That way, if you have to stay in a city that doesn’t have a Hilton property that meets your needs, you can stay at another chain’s property and receive some kind of benefit for doing that.
Great idea. Thank you Mr. B.
Cool now onto a status match spree with my free instant HHonors Gold status. Haha! 😉