Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is happening now! Follow us as Greg, Nick, and Stephen compete to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines before November 23rd. Who will complete the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
The Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card has a very good signup bonus: 2 Free Weekend Nights after $2,500 spend. Each year, you can get another free weekend night by spending $10,000 on your card. Those weekend nights can be used at almost any Hilton property worldwide (a list of exclusions can be found here). The great thing about certificates like these is that it is possible to redeem them for hotels that usually charge exorbitant rates. The bad thing about these certificates, besides being limited to weekend nights (Friday, Saturday, Sunday), is that they expire in a year. So, while it’s possible to redeem the certificates for a hotel that would normally charge more than $1,000 per night, the reality is that you might not have a chance to visit such a hotel before your certificate expires. As a result, I suspect that many people use their certificates closer to home.
Hilton Free Night Certs in Connecticut
If you’ve ever tried to use hotel points or certificates in the New England area, you’ve probably found that outside of Boston there are few good options. Over the summer, though, I stumbled across one that is worth a look. The Madison Beach Hotel, which was recently completely renovated, is now a member of Hilton’s Curio Collection. Summer rates for the hotel run about $379 and up. If you want to redeem points, they’ll take 80,000 points per night during the high season. That seems steep to me, and that’s why I think that free night certificates are a great option.
The hotel is located in Madison Connecticut on the Long Island Sound.
I didn’t actually stay at the hotel, but the concierge gave me a tour…
Lobby:
All rooms have balconies with water views:
Bedroom:
This was the only bedroom available for our tour at the time. We did get a chance to peek into a king bedroom while it was being cleaned, but I didn’t take any pictures. The king room was a bit more luxurious: it included a fireplace and larger bathroom. I would definitely request an upgrade to the king room, if available.
Beach:
Dining
(this photo was borrowed from the hotel website – I didn’t take pictures of the dining area, but it is very nice):
Activities
The hotel’s website mentions the following activities:
- Yoga on the beach (they also have an indoor yoga room)
- Fitness Center
- Spa
- Family friendly film festival: Every Tuesday night on the beach July-Aug
- Music and Art: Every Thursday night July-Aug
- Golf at the Madison Country Club
- Bike rentals
- Kayak and Paddle Board rentals
I happened to grab a price sheet on my way out for the kayak and paddle board rentals (since that’s what I would want to do). The listed prices are:
- One hour rental: $25 single person; $30 tandem
- Four hour rental: $40 single person; $50 tandem
Yoga room:
Elite Benefits
If you have the Hilton HHonors Reserve card then you have, at minimum, Hilton Gold status. I asked the concierge what benefits were given to Gold and Diamond members. I learned that they do not differentiate between the two. The benefits for Gold and Diamond members are:
- Free breakfast for two, daily
- Water in room upon arrival
- Room upgrade if available (the hotel has two deluxe rooms, but no suites)
Lobster
If you stay at this hotel, or just visit the area, and you like lobster, I highly recommend visiting the nearby Lobster Landing in Clinton. Get a lobster roll. Seriously. Get one. They’re crazy delicious.
 |
 |
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Is this an advertisement for Hilton? Or for Citi?
This is a useful bit of advice for those of us within the region who are always on the lookout for the next nearest far away place…
I think you have to stop and think a little harder about what you want this blog to be.
I think he knows exactly what his blog is about–you just seem to think you should have a say in it too.
Since Ann has a brother in Dennis and Hartford this is a great stopover! Thanks……
I moved from the area about a year ago.
Lobster Landing is a must. The Place in Guilford is fun. RJ Julia’s independent book store for your beach reads. Check the schedule for author readings and signings.
There is a lot to do in New Haven (home of Yale) along with great restaurants.
This may be a good value for the 2 free certs, but the annual free night has an opportunity cost since you could use a 2% card for that $10k in annual spending, plus the AF. So you’re giving up $295 provided you have $0 fees to spend that $10k during the year. Better than letting the cert expire though.
You’re forgetting that you earn Hilton points when putting spend on the card. Assuming you earn 3X points, and points are worth about .45 cents each, then the opportunity cost against a 2% card drops to .65 cents per dollar. On $10K spend, that comes to $65. Well worth it I think.
After I hit POST I remembered the 3x for all spend, and potentially more if you spend in any of the bonus categories and you’re chasing HHonors points. I agree with your .45 valuation. Normally we use the bulk of our points in Hong Kong and the Conrad there isn’t cheap.
Greg, I definitely feel you about the lack of hotels around Boston. Do you live near here?
No, but I love the area and have family in Madison, Connecticut.
I live in the area… can confirm that Lobster Landing is one of the best things ever.