Worth $1500?! 💎 BEST Ways to Use Hilton + Amex Points for LA | Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, Oceana
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- Опубликовано: 29 июн 2024
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The best hotels in LA to spend Hilton free night certificates from select American Express cards.
Timeline
0:00 Start Here
0:27 Conrad at The Grand LA
7:42 Oceana Santa Monica LXR
14:05 Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
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Amex Marriott Bonvoy update video coming soon :)
Ritz cardholders are the real winners! 🙌
Maybe a comparison between the Hilton Aspire and the new Amex Bonvoy updates due to the increased status.
@@jaremy511 Aspire wiped and still wipes the floor with Brilliant.
Really looking forward to this.
@@padhatam Bonvoy really shit the bed
WA Beverly Hills is fantastic 👌 Really enjoyed my stay there, esp. the rooftop pool / bar / lounge.
Agree! Service was amazing. House car on the weekdays is an Escalade.
I’d love to see more of these city guide type videos for hotels 🙌🏻
🎨 Been watching you for years Sebby. Love these specific use case videos. Would love more every so often! Thanks so much!
Glad you like them! :)
Dude, there is so much information in this video. Next time I go to LA I need to watch this video first. These are 3 really solid options, and thanks for sharing them in so much detail Sebby!
Glad it was helpful! :)
🎨 Thanks again for the detailed analysis Sebby!
Awesome video! You are Really making me want to add the Aspire card.
Thank you for the amazing content Sebby! You give great tips & show us the best ways to travel! I appreciate your work & it inspired me to start my own channel as well. Keep up the awesome content man! 🙌🏻
Thanks for watching Edras! :)
Great video. I have been enjoying your content. I would love a video on "keeper" cards organized by how much value over AF you get and/or how much work it is to get that value.
Love these videos
Thanks for showing the fitness center of the Conrad. Staying there next week and was trying to see what equipment they had all people post were views and food from the hotel.
Like these travel guide videos! Keep them coming!🎨
I might move them to Sebby Fung ( ruclips.net/user/SebbyFung ) in the future. Seems like a lot of people aren't interested in the travel / redemption side.
I’ll gladly move over there too, thanks
The Signia Hilton in Orlando is a wonderful resort. There is Waldorf Astoria attached to the resort. And yes, it’s a Disney property. 🎨
For family of four, grand wailea Waldorf Astoria is always my first pick for points and night certificate 😊
I used my certificate at Oceana last week and got a room upgrade(~$1600 value). Probably the best place/value to use the Hilton certificate in the US. :)
I'm doing the same next month. Smart move sir
I appreciate the video! I want to stay in the area this year and those are pretty good options. I think I’d rather stay close to the beach than downtown unless I’m going to a lakers game!
Glad it was helpful!
🎨 dont have a question just love your content and using it to plan for the future. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching Matt! :)
Yesssss great content, thank you!
🎨 lol
Thanks for watching! :)
🎨 can't wait for the video about the updates to the Marriott bonvoy brilliant
Awesome videos!!!
Glad you liked it Ricky :)
🎨Awesome video good sir. As we climb higher on our credit card journey, a trip out to LA is in the works. Thanks for the reviews.
Enjoy the (future) trip :)
Totally agree, just did Oceana over Labor Day weekend on points/free night certificate. Got upgraded a week out to Oceanfront Suite.
Nice!!
Ha ha ha - it gave me a Motel 6 or Super 8 vibe. 😂😂😂 The perfect promo for LXR. Conrads & Waldorfs are always solid. Thanks for the info + video!
Super 8 elite status may help lessen the roughness of your stay. Not sure what that would look like as far as room upgrades go.
🎨 Hey Sebby. Recently stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Beverley Hills as my 2nd hotel I’ve ever booked and drove there in my janky 2014 Rav4. Highkey didn’t feel I was supposed to be at the hotel.
Ive used a free night certificate + points for a 2 night stay at waldorf beverly hills. I only did it because i was in town for a family event and cash prices everywhere were insane that weekend. It was an incredible experience, but i couldnt help but feel like i was "wasting" the certificate on a city stay rather than using it somewhere more exotic and aspirational
Yep! Our experience matches. Also kinda crazy how LA -- even with how big it is -- can just have some weeks with insane prices.
I really need to get the Aspire card... Gotta finish my current SUB first
🎨 great post
Thanks for watching Chris 🎨🎨🎨
just stayed at the Oceana recently on 2 FNC, was upgraded to a Signature Ocean Front Suite and got 2.47CPP redemption. would definitely stay there again. even if the beach is a little bit of a walk.
I used a free night cert at the Conrad in August...it was fantastic!
🎨🎨 Cheapest of the bunch but there's something that makes me want to go back :)
🎨 Awesome video, Seb, and thanks for the amazing suggestions! I'm hoping to go back to Cali within the next couple of years, so this is really helpful.
May I request a similar video but for Marriott properties? Marriott launched 2 new cards and revamped the Brilliant, so that might be a good review video on the cards and hotels in LA.
Yep! On the list :)
Ive only had Jean George's in Vegas but it was amazing.
🎨awesome video
Thanks for watching Susan :)
living in la /oc i already get the vibe. you spend all that money and everyone is snobby and fake. Makes traveling to other places that much better
🎨 Thanks, this is really helpful! I booked two nights at the Conrad with 1 FNC + points about a month ago since I plan to see GSW @ LAC. I considered the Waldorf, but figured it wasn't worth the extra 30k for the second night.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for making this video. We travel to LA a couple times a year and typically stay at a Hilton property as I was gifted Diamond status before COVID. I was able to book 3 nights at the LXR Oceana for next month's trip for only 98k MR points + 28k Hilton points. The room would have been $4,578.00 cash price.
Awesome booking :) Enjoy the trip!
Last Friday night we stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago. Used a free night cert for the Superior King with fireplace. We were upgraded for Diamond to the 1 bdrm terrace suite valued that night at $1425! Plus $50 credit for drinks in the bar and told the concierge it was our anniversary, so we had a champagne bottle on ice waiting for us. Great experience ❤
Awesome! WA in Chicago is on our list to check out.
@@AskSebby WA Arizona Biltmore is our favorite WA so far 😍
Although it seems like you get a great CPP when using points or free night certificate, there are 2 issues:
1. Prices at either Conrad or Warldolf are already too high that almost no average joe would even pay for, it's like they purposely make the prices so high that it makes you think you get a fabulous deal via points/free night certificate.
2. So I get 1 night using either points or free night certificate at great CPP, but then next question is: I wouldn't spend a dime on the restaurant there or any services on site due to crazy expensive price tags, which is totally expected, then it just boils down to getting great CPP or free night pretty much just to have nice room at a nice property because everything else is so damn expensive you would never wanna pay for.
1. Prices at Four Seasons, Fairmont, etc. can often be at a similar level though and there aren't transfer partner options for those. AFAIK, most hotels are operated as independent franchise and actually HATE points people (Hilton corporate basically pays an internal rate = way lower than what they could even charge).
2. YMMV obviously; worst case just use the credit and minimize cash outflow beyond credit :)
Just back from LA, too late😊 stayed at Waterfront Hilton Huntington Beach and Kimpton Inn LA.
With the refresh of the Amex Marriott card, I am more than happy with the Amex Aspire card!
Heh, might be foreshadowing the future annual fee of the Aspire card 😬
Looks like the status level increased, now I am a Platinum Elite, that plus a 85K annual certificate is now given. Decided to keep the Marriott card for another year.
Thanks for this, Sebby. Using a cert to stay at Oceana in December for staycation. BUT, you gotta learn how to pronounce lanai--a covered veranda, patio or balcony. It's lah-nigh.
Great segway into your sponsor sir.
🎨 Another great review… please keep up the good work… I like the city guide videos… please do Fort Lauderdale… 🏆🥇👍
🎨 That's funny, I just used my Asipre Free Night Cert at the Oceano Santa Monica just this past March of '22. Loved the property and the hospitality! High-end boutique feel. I agree that while the view is amazing, getting to the actual beach is not a short walk!
I would happily stay there again or recommend to anyone!
Glad you enjoyed it Chris :)
You don't really wanna go to the SM beach anyway. Full of bacteria and ickies. Just the natural way the water doesn't drain itself.
Just applied/approved last night for the card and my status has already been updated this morning 🙌
🎨🎨🎨 visited the WA Beverly Hills in August for honeymoon, sent an email to the hotel a few days prior and got upgraded from king room to deluxe king junior suite with diamond status. Pretty amazing experience and unexpected as I understand the policy there is no room->suite upgrades for diamond members.
Congrats on the upgrade! :) Sounds like a memorable trip.
Finally 🎉
Thanks for watching Jimmy :)
We feel the tub in Oceana is out of place. Toilet also seems lonely on the other end. LOL. Beautiful hotel though! We were also upgraded to One BR Lanai Suite
🎨 like the videos
Thanks for watching Mario! :)
I'm playing 2 player credit card game with my wife and I. I'm either thinking of a) two Amex Hilton Aspire (one would be upgrade from Surpass), or b) combination of one Amex Hilton Aspire and one Amex Hilton Business card. I have a business that definitely can spend $15,000 on Amex Hilton Business. I'm thinking of either setup for both my wife and I. Which you think it is better and why? Or what is the logic of making this decision? 🤔
Fabulous
Thanks for watching Dwight :)
With Japan reopening, can you do a review of the best redemptions in SE Asia?
Thanks! Will put it on the list.
be careful with those SE Asia redemptions. A lot of SE Asia is extremely cheap and you’d probably be better off paying cash than points. Like Bangkok and Bali are extremely cheap even at high end Waldorf Astoria’s and Conrad’s. Depends on your booking and destination though.
loved the WA wife and I stayed for New Years
Cool channel 😊I just got the aspire card, how long before I use the points I am accruing? Do I wait for the year when I get the night certificate? Will my points expire? Do you buy points when they match 100%? Do you have more than one Aapire card?🎨
Do you get free night certificates when you get Aspire card or after anniversary? TIA
🎨🎨I’ve had people tell me that I can’t value Hilton points as highly as I do more times than I can count. This is a common problem, even among RUclipsrs that just seem to quote TPG w/o doing research for themselves. Not that hard to find good value if you look and I won’t shy away from transferring MR to Hilton if there’s a good deal! My most recent transfer got me 2.1CPP
🎨
Question: When you stayed at the Conrad did you receive both the diamond credit and the 30 dollar food credit that’s covered under the resort fees?
No resort fees were applied to the free night redemption, so didn't get the credit.
Question Amex Hilton entry do you have to pay balance in full each month.I am thinking about getting the card for 100000 points for $1000.00 spend in first three months and $100.00 statement credit.I do not want a yearly fee card.
Not sure if surpass card is better but cancel before yearly roll over.
never been this early
🥇
I travel US domestically maybe once or twice a year. Is the AMEX Gold Card worth it for this?
How were the lounges in these hotels? Thx!
Hey Sebby! Just booked the Conrad LA with my AmEx Plat to reap the benefits, I read on TripAdvisor that Conrad charges a destination fee but it includes a daily $30 f&b credit. Does this stack with the $100 credit with Amex Plat? Love your content! Thank you.
Yes it does. Unfortunately they don't honor your Hilton status when booking through FHR
Sebby what did you do in Boston? I recognized that building at MIT. When were you there? We may have walked baths before!
Will talk about it more in a future video :)
Bruh I've been eyeballing all these options now that I upgraded to Aspire, and Amy Shark is playing LA in November!
Glad this helped :D
@@AskSebby increased the competition 😂 jkjk
Glad to hear both of your experience at the properties!
Fairmont is cap1 transfer partner - Accor
Expanded on it in a different comment but value prop isn't really there at the scale of other hotel programs:
Accor Live Limitless (ALL) doesn't have an award chart (so no arbitrage / sweet spots). Instead, they're worth a flat 2.2 CPP ($0.022).
CO transfers at a 2:1 rate (so let's say 100k CO to 50k ALL).
a) 100k CO is worth at least $1,000 towards travel via their portal.
b) 50k ALL is worth $1,100
Put another way, you're turning 1 CPP to 1.1 CPP.
With Amex, it might be 1 CPP (towards travel) to >2 CPP.
Have you stayed or heard any thing about the Waldorf Astoria in SOCAL?
Monarch Beach is on the list for us :) Let us know how it is if you go!
As always great post!
Question - I booked award nights via points for 5 nights in a row . I patch it up whenever I see availability. If I release it back to inventory to try to book it again to take advantage of the 5th night free, will it work?
Usually, yes. You might want to call in and have the rep do it to minimize risk.
@@AskSebby thank you 😊
Great video! My player 2 just got the aspire card earlier this week! Is it still possible to get a 2nd aspire card through targeted offers or is there any other way?
Best way is usually upgrading Surpass / no-AF Hilton after they hit the 1 year mark, especially when upgrade bonuses come around.
Upgrade bonuses have different rules than intro bonuses.
@@AskSebby Awesome, thanks for the info!!
How do you keep track of all of the good points conversions? Is there a website for it?
Elevated ones = usually news or just checking the site.
Worthwhile ones = generally experience or checking ("oh I want to stay here, I wonder how many points vs. price")
Great video! Santa Monica local here - Oceana is always busy and heard similar reviews as yours. WA is always a solid pick. It’s beautiful. I’m excited to check out the Conrad, maybe in the Spring. Oh, and the Broad - it’s pronounced like “road” not “rod”. (Or like “brode”). Anyway loved the video and content as always! 🎉
Thanks for the tip BRO-de tip ;)
LOL, I was literally at Oceana last week. Got a Ocean view on the west facing side. Room 205
It was great. I wouldnt say it's worth $1900 a night, but what do I know... I'd never pay above $300 cash for a hotel night.
Nice! How'd you like it?
Great vid ! Do the night certificates from Hilton expire ?
Yes they do
@@AskSebby O wow good to know! how long are they good for ?
100 Conrad Hotel property credit is a hassle to apply for beforehand
How long does it take to receive the free room certificate from Hilton after opening the Aspire card?
1 year anniversary from having the card
100 Conrad Hotel property credit is a hassle to apply for before hand
When is the optimal time to upgrade no annual fee hilton to aspire? I called to product change and the rep informed me that I wouldn’t get a certificate til the following year.
I'd wait for the upgrade bonuses (if any). Otherwise time it based on credit usage. i.e., airline incidental is calendar year. I wouldn't upgrade right now if you don't want to deal with the credit in 2022.
@@AskSebby thanks for your response. Unfortunately there is no upgrade offer. My main thing is to try to get the certificate, but I want to know that if I upgrade and pay the af, I get the cert that year.
Quick question, how long does it usually take to get the FNC from the Aspire when you get approved. Still hasn't shown up for me and its been around a month
Usually 4-8 weeks. Email should be:
"MANNY, Your Free Night Reward has arrived!"
@@AskSebby Thanks!
Hope you were able to stack the LXR Spend $500 or more, get $100 back Platinum offer for added benefit.
Didn't spend anywhere near $500 out of pocket at Oceana 🙃
Isn't there a Crockfords in Resorts World Genting ?
Hotel vs. casino program:
Cosmo = Identity | Bonvoy
Crockfords = Genting | Hilton (LXR)
Palazzo = Venetian | IHG
Park MGM = MGM | Hyatt
Pallet
🎨
Selby, I have to tell you, no offense
But there is no nice way to tell you.
I was at the Waldorf Astoria a few weeks ago. That can easily be the best luxury hotel experience in the USA, you were right to give it a 10 out of 10. But to say you would go back to Conrad before. W/A.... you obvious have no class, no taste and are allergic to luxury, people treating you like you just came off a Leer jet and every inch of this property is well maintained, the good is phenomenal as well as everyone get a scenic view from their balcony staring at the luscious Beverly Hills. I agree with you, the breakfast is WORLD CLASS.
Correct my if I'm wrong, but doesn't Amex only allow one Hilton honors card per account?
Not from my experience? Only issue is system lock (auto-reject due to apps too close together -- but you can still push that through via a rep)
i.e., in the past, Platinum (vanilla) and Schwab Plat were read as the same card on the backend. You'd have to call in and find a competent rep to just push the app through to get both cards + both bonuses.
(Broad is pronounced like road, broh-d)
Thanks for the heads up! :)
Where did you use your $250 credit from Aspire?
Lots of places code as resorts: www.hilton.com/en/resorts/
We usually go to Vegas with enough frequency :)
I keep telling people you can get good value on hilton points if you actually look. People just assume it's always 0.005
*any hotel that takes points*
Sebby: Why would I do that when I could spend it at the Maldives?
Where is the Bonvoy Brilliant Amex update video?
Coming soon! This one was scheduled ahead of time.
One question.. when you and your partner have 6 Aspire cards in total, are you able to use all the $1,500 airline incidental credits and $1,500 resort credits? If yes, how? Thanks.
Definitely not a setup for everyone.
a) Lots of places code as resorts: www.hilton.com/en/resorts/
For example, we usually go to Vegas with enough frequency :)
b) Lots of ways to bank / use the TIC: www.asksebby.com/guides/amex-airline-credit
@@AskSebby Thanks a lot! Your videos are incredibly insightful :)
Isn’t Fairmont linked with Accor? You can transfer venture miles into your Accor account!
Technically, yes but upside (at the scale that we're talking about) isn't really there. Probably could have phrased it better.
Accor Live Limitless (ALL) doesn't have an award chart (so no arbitrage / sweet spots). Instead, they're worth a flat 2.2 CPP ($0.022).
CO transfers at a 2:1 rate (so let's say 100k CO to 50k ALL).
a) 100k CO is worth at least $1,000 towards travel via their portal.
b) 50k ALL is worth $1,100
Put another way, you're turning 1 CPP to 1.1 CPP.
With Amex, it might be 1 CPP (towards travel) to >2 CPP.
@@AskSebby ah. So using chase UR for reserve people to eat it as a cash redemption via portal makes more (but not a lot) of sense?
I'd lean towards 1.5 UR.
🎨 🎨🎨
Thanks for watching MRIA :) 🎨
Would rather stay at s cheaper place, but don’t mind using a certificate here if I have one. 🎨
Nice mini vacation for more special trips :)
Sebby, love the videos but a couple of nits; "anyways" is not a word it's "anyway" and "open up" (e.g., "this window opens up") is also not grammatical. The word "open" contains the idea of up and thus it is a pretty obvious tautology; (i.e., atm machine) an illogical and unnecessary repetition of an idea. Ask yourself what idea "up" conveys in the phrase "open up"; a better way to phrase it may be to say "opens onto", as in the door in the living room opens onto the balcony--but not open "up" to the balcony, etc...
Keep the great videos coming! I continue to find them very informative.
Thanks for the heads up! Will try to fix those but really tough to re-program my brain for speaking (compared to something like writing).
i.e., I probably start a lot of verbal sentences with "so" = "So, the view here is amazing." Something I wouldn't do if typing.
Did you say that drink was a grand??
No, it was ~$22
First 5 comments!! 🔥 🔥
🎉
For the oceana hotel. Parking sucks. Had to utilize their valet parking or else I will not have a place to park my car. 😩
Thanks for the tip Charles! :)
Sure some of these have nice overall properties and amenities and expensive in hotel restaurants, but the rooms are still looking like any other low end hotel room. I guess it is relative to the location but you could get a pretty amazing Airbnb somewhere in the country for $1000 a night and have an entire house or condo. Granted can't use points for it though. Appreciate all of the work on this video though. Thanks for sharing
I would say location + soft product (service). I agree that it's a "city vs. aspirational" hotel problem though. I think I'd still rather use it somewhere more interesting if I was traveling more (Hawaii at least).
Who cares if you stayed at Motel 6 motels when you were a kid. My parents would always stay on motel row on US101 in San Francisco. The fact that they took you somewhere is awesome. I remember all the experiences that we did in San Francisco, not the cheesy motel we stayed at. Great video on the hotels in Los Angeles. Maybe do another of one in San Francisco or Napa?
I really don't understand. Who gets 6 aspire card. How do you manage to use the 250 airlines credits on all of them.
How would you even use 250 resort credit on all? Will you have 6 different stays in a year at resorts or book 1 stay somehow using 6 cards? Will you go out of your way to find a hotel that coded as resort just to use the credit?
With free night stays, for economy travelers I don't think it has that much value. People usually booking 4 to 5 days for vacation. I don't think someone would just stay one night at expensive hotel to get hight cpp and move the rest of the nights to a cheaper option. Most people might just use it for the cheaper option. I would value it at 150 to 200 max . As most of my stays are Hamptons which are avaliable most places and easy to find during road trips.
I would really like if @asksebby can do a video explaining 6 card aspire setup
I'll do a future video and it's definitely not for everyone. I think travel velocity is the key.
1) $250 * 6 = $1,500: Lots of ways to "bank" or trigger these towards normal flights: www.asksebby.com/guides/amex-airline-credit
2) Resort $1,500 is tougher but still not as bad as some people think: www.hilton.com/en/resorts/
Obviously easy for aspirational travelers but could work for economy as well. A few examples for Orlando crowd:
a) Hilton Orlando = $196/night
b) DoubleTree at Seaworld = $98/night
c) DoubleTree by Disney Springs = $104/night
So book ~2 nights per card and you're good to go; separate bookings as you would FHR stays if you're doing a longer trip.
3) Yep, FNCs are a miss for economy. Maybe a "parents" get away for a weekend? 6 of those = 3 weekend trips = ~1 per quarter which doesn't seem impossible.
Wow, i did not expect to get a response . I just was going through the hotel videos again and did not realize you had responded to my comments. Thank you so much for your response. I am thinking of getting the aspire card for me and my wife. Only thing holding me back is 250 resort credit which youtubers say can be used towards room rates but while chatting with representative with hilton they said it cannot be used for room rate. It's only property credit at the resort. Is this true?
What is YMMV mean?
Your Mileage May Vary. Basically your experience / thoughts may differ.
"I think medium rare is the best way to have steak but YMMV"
@@AskSebby ahhh Okok cheers mate
@@AskSebby I have a question. So I am a Canadian and I just got my two first credit cards in the US. Hilton Honours and the Surpass. What would you recommend me getting next? I am a traveller, I don’t mind annual fees.
If you have US credit / ITIN = Chase.
If still doing global transfer, probably Aspire. Just did an Aspire redemption video today: ruclips.net/video/Zc9jPChRpbk/видео.html&ab_channel=AskSebby