Hilton
Well, that didn’t take long. About a month after we told you that it’s possible to take discount golf vacations using Marriott Rewards points, Hilton Hotels & Resorts announced that members of its rewards program, HHonors, would be able redeem points for golf, too.
You may recall that, based on our calculations, points in Marriott’s program seem to go farther when used for vacation rewards other than golf; such as for hotel stays. So, is Hilton’s program any better for taking discount golf vacations? Let’s take a look.
In terms of earning points, we have to give the edge to Hilton’s program. Whereas Marriott Rewards members earn 10 points per dollar, Hilton’s HHonors members can earn 15 points per dollar if they set their account up this way (the other option is to earn 10 points plus frequent flier miles).
HHonors points can be redeemed for rounds of golf, golf instruction, and stay-and-play packages at any of Hilton’s participating properties. Currently, only seven of the chain’s 21 total golf properties participate, but there is some fine golf represented, including:
- Lookout Mountain Golf Club (Phoenix, Ariz.)
- El Conquistador Country Club (Tucson, Ariz.)
- La Quinta Resort & Club and PGA West (Palm Springs, Calif.)
- Towa Golf Resort (Santa Fe, N.M.)
- Cancun Golf Club (Cancun, Mexico)
For rounds of golf only, it “costs” 35,000 points to play these courses during peak season (50,000 for Cancun Golf Club). With rack rate green fees ranging from $129-$199, that makes the value of an individual point worth half a cent or less. While that’s ever so slightly better than Marriott’s point value (its top courses cost 40,000 points in peak season), it’s still not enough, in our opinion, to warrant using the points for golf.
As we wrote before: “Even the points earned in frequent flier programs, which are notoriously slanted in the airlines’ favor, are worth between one and two cents.”
Similar to the conclusion we drew with respect to the Marriott Rewards program, HHonors members considering their points for discount golf vacations might be best served redeeming them for the hotel portion of their trip. Not only do the points go farther there, Hilton guests can often play a property’s golf course for a reduced rate, too.
Want more tips like this? You’ll find our best insider secrets and priceless advice in Golf Odyssey, our monthly, flagship publication.
Click here for a free trial of Golf Odyssey AND instant, back-issue access.
See for yourself by taking a free trial. You’ll get the current issue AND instant access to the entire, online archive of unbiased reviews that we’ve published since 2000! It is the ultimate tool for researching golf vacations and getting all your questions answered in seconds. There is never any risk or obligation to subscribe.
Did you know? Golf Vacation Insider and Golf Odyssey are the world’s only golf publications that do not accept any advertising from golf courses, resorts, or restaurants and regularly travel anonymously in order to provide you with expert, unbiased, and trusted advice.
Not already a subscriber to Golf Vacation Insider? Use this link to stay in the loop with our free tips and expert advice on which golf courses, golf resorts, discount golf vacations, and golf vacation packages are truly worth your time and money. As a bonus, we will send you a free copy of Planning the Ultimate Golf Vacation, a 40-page book filled with some of the best golf travel secrets from the editors of Golf Odyssey.
