Hilton Honors offers a strong balance between elite benefits and the ease of achieving elite status. Although Hilton hotels might not offer the best elite benefits (published at least), Hilton Honors is known for its generosity with elite status extensions and status challenges / fast tracks. US residents can also pick up Hilton Diamond status by signing up for the American Express Aspire card…
For those members who don’t automatically receive Diamond status from their credit card, Hilton Honors also offers the strongest mid-tier elite status in the business. Gold status is relatively easier to attain, and it still comes with many of the best perks. Although currently Hilton’s “free breakfast” option has been replaced by a $10 or more food and beverage credit, Gold members also receive this benefit.
When travelling outside of North America, I have found that Gold status is nearly indistinguishable from Diamond status. A hotel that is generous to Diamond members is also generous to Gold members. (I have received suite upgrades as a Gold member enough times to know that Diamond isn’t crucial for that pleasant upgrade…)
However, there are two excellent “rules of thumb” for determining the difference between Gold and Diamond.
- Lounge access for Gold members depends on being upgraded to the executive floor – for Diamond members, lounge access is guaranteed
- Gold members must choose between welcome amenity points and breakfast – Diamond members receive both
My Way Benefits
As a Gold member, you become accustomed to regularly visiting the My Way benefits page on the Hilton website or App. This allows you to quickly and easily change your preference between points and breakfast. For some stays, you might want the free breakfast (or food credit); on other stays you might just want the points.
Now that I have managed to reach Diamond status for 2022, I don’t really need to spend much time with My Way Benefits. After all, for most brands all I would see is this…
But as old habits die hard, I took a quick peek in advance of an upcoming stay at a Hilton Garden Inn.
Yes… at Hilton Garden Inn hotels a Diamond member must still choose between points and breakfast / credit.
Bottom line
I generally like hotel breakfasts, so I would certainly choose the breakfast amenity over 750 Hilton points worth $3-4.
But it was nonetheless a surprise to find out that Hilton Diamond members staying at a Hilton Garden Inn hotel must still choose between breakfast and points. Did you know? Share your views in the comments section…
