When Hilton eliminated award charts, they promised loyalty members that the maximum a hotel would cost would be 95,000 points. In February of 2019 Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi became openable to bookings and priced out at 120,000 points. Hilton has just made the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos (formerly Resort at Pedregal) bookable and this is pricing at 120,000 points per night. Ithaafushi cash rates were pricing out at $2,000+ in peak season, whereas the Los Cabos property prices out normally at $1,000 during peak season.
Over time I think we will see more and more properties added at this 120,000 point price and both the quality and cash rates will decrease. Then we will get existing properties moving up to this tier. I don’t really have an issue with Hilton adding more top tier properties and charging more for them, but I think this is an important reminder that what a loyalty brand says they will do and what they end up actually doing are usually the reverse.
