Questions and Answers

[B][COLOR=#0000b3]Firstly, many thanks for taking the time to read this — I do appreciate it.[/COLOR][/B]

I wonder if anyone could advise me about the following — [B][COLOR=#ff0000]cash + points redemptions availability [/COLOR]at Hilton hotels (specifically [COLOR=#ff0000]Conrad Tokyo[/COLOR]).[/B]

Long story short: as a gesture, I recently suggested to my partner and to her mother that I would “take care of” the accommodation for a proposed trip to [B]Japan[/B] earmarked for [B]Sept/Oct 2017 [/B]– I really want to spoil the other half and her mother, and rather stupidly now I have talked myself into assuring them that I could probably book the [B]Conrad Tokyo[/B] for us all.
For me, this would really need to be via a “[B][U]cash + points[/U][/B]” redemption, availability permitting — [B]I have sufficient HH points for the 5 nights x 2 rooms[/B] that I’d ideally need for those redemptions.

The reason I have posted this is that I’m already aware, with my albeit fairly limited HHonors knowledge, that availability for “cash + points”-type bookings can be hard to find at the best of times for many Hilton/Conrad hotels.

As such, I just wanted to ask others AL forum-goers with superior knowledge to me for their advice on [B]how to maximise one’s chances of finding that availability[/B], or [B]is it really just a matter of continually checking, especially as you get closer to the dates that you intend to arrive on?[/B] ([B]And does calling HHonors affect your odds at all of coming by the availability you seek?[/B])

Again, many thanks for reading this. Any advice at all will be gratefully received!

[USER=2235]@Scoob72[/USER], have you checked out hotelhustle? I think it allows for many types of alerts to be set. I would try that and keep checking myself. Unless you have very high elite status I wouldn’t hold out hope of Hilton opening space for you by calling. You could also try to get additional Hilton points between now and then. I believe both Citi and AmEx are currently offering their periodic increased sign up bonuses on their Hilton cards.

Many thanks for the advice, Gaurav.

I am currently Diamond status with H/H, but this will expire by the time I arrive in Japan next year (although I will be Gold still by then, I supect). Sadly, I write this from London, UK, so I don’t have access to the Citi card and the Amex cards over here work slightly differently, but as you say, perhaps points accumulation will be the better bet compared to the (perhaps forlorn) hope of cash + points availability opening up.

Thanks again, Gauruv — I’ll certainly check out hotelhustle. Thanks for the heads-up and great tip. 😉

All the best,

Simon