This sounds snobby, however I’ve grow to be a little bit of a Waldorf Astoria connoisseur of late. I’ve managed to hit six of them up to now few years — not as a result of I’m a part of the 1%, in fact, however as a result of I maintain the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card.
The Hilton Aspire is certainly one of my favourite journey bank cards as a result of it comes with a slew of useful perks, providing complimentary top-tier resort elite standing and saving me a number of hundred {dollars} a yr with annual assertion credit. Plus, as a cardholder, I obtain an annual free night time award certificates, which can be utilized at most Hilton properties worldwide.
That being mentioned, throughout a latest keep on the Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace, this card saved me massive. Right here’s how I maximized the Hilton Aspire to recover from $930 in worth for a one-night keep.
Hilton room improve: I saved $250
The Hilton Aspire robotically comes with complimentary Diamond elite standing — Hilton’s top-tier standing (till 2026). One advantage of being a Diamond member is the space-available room improve (as much as a one-bedroom suite).
Though I didn’t obtain a collection improve throughout my keep at Versailles, I did obtain a noteworthy improve at check-in.
The Waldorf Astoria Versailles is exclusive in that it includes two buildings: a four-star resort, Pavillon du Trianon, and a five-star resort, the Trianon Palace. I reserved a room at Pavillon du Trianon for round $400. Hilton upgraded me to the Trianon Palace, which included a bigger room that offered for round $650 per night time.
After all, there’s no solution to inform for positive if I’d have been upgraded with out Diamond standing — however I doubt it. I’m confidently attributing the room improve to my Aspire card.
Hilton resort credit score: I saved virtually $200
The Hilton Aspire comes with as much as a $400 annual Hilton resort assertion credit score, doled out in as much as $200 biannual increments. Tons of of Hilton properties worldwide are eligible for this credit score — and the Waldorf Astoria Versailles is certainly one of them.
This credit score can be utilized for something on the resort, together with room charges, meals and spa providers, and there’s no minimal spending requirement. If you end up at a Hilton resort sooner or later throughout the yr, it’s successfully free cash.
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By utilizing my Aspire card for my aforementioned $400 room charge, I paid simply $200 for the room.
Amex’s focused Hilton supply: I saved $200
Amex Gives are focused digital coupons that you simply use to save cash on journey, eating, purchasing and extra. You may enroll your card in these focused provides out of your on-line account with a easy click on, and when the supply phrases have been met, you’ll robotically be rewarded (sometimes with bonus factors or assertion credit).
A latest Amex Supply on my account allowed me to earn a $200 assertion credit score after spending $1,000 at luxurious Hilton manufacturers (like Waldorf Astoria). Due to the Aspire’s biannual as much as $200 resort credit score, I’d should spend simply $800 out-of-pocket to set off the $200 Amex Supply.
When mixed with the $200 already knocked off my invoice by the resort credit score, the Amex Supply may primarily get me $1,000 in worth for simply $600 of my very own cash. The room charge already price me $400, so I made a decision to go for it.
I booked a therapeutic massage, and my household ordered costly meals on the restaurant that we in any other case by no means would have paid to attempt.
Free breakfast as a Hilton Diamond member: I saved $90
Hilton Diamond elite standing comes with meals and beverage privileges at Hilton properties (varies by model and area). For home inns, this implies a forgettable $10-$25 credit score, however at worldwide inns, you’ll obtain a complimentary continental breakfast. Fancier properties like Waldorf Astoria usually offer you a full breakfast and/or allow you to order from the a la carte menu.
Breakfast on the Waldorf Astoria Versailles prices 39 euros per individual (about $45 on the time of writing). For my husband and me, this amounted to about $90 in worth.
Bonus Hilton Honors factors: I saved $190
For the $1,100 I spent on the Waldorf Astoria Versailles, I earned over 38,000 factors with the Aspire card. Right here’s how:
- Stays at most Hilton inns earn 10 factors per greenback spent
- Holding Diamond elite standing earns me a 100% bonus on base factors (subsequently, one other 10 factors per greenback spent)
- The Aspire card earns 14 factors per greenback spent on Hilton purchases
That’s a whopping 34 factors per greenback spent for paid Hilton stays. Per our December 2025 valuations, TPG pegs Hilton factors at 0.5 cents every, which means 38,000 factors are price $190.
And if you understand how to maximise Hilton Honors redemptions, you could possibly doubtlessly get much more worth out of your factors.
Different useful perks of the Hilton Aspire
It’s price noting that the Aspire additionally comes with many different useful journey perks that may assist offset the $550 annual charge (see charges and charges). It’s one of the well-rounded resort bank cards due to:
- Annual Free Night time Rewards: Obtain a free night time certificates upon account opening and after every cardmember anniversary. You may redeem this free night time for the standard room at almost any Hilton resort on this planet (even those who cost 250,000 factors per night time).
- As much as $200 in annual flight assertion credit: Rise up to $50 in credit every quarter towards flights booked instantly with the airline or via AmexTravel.com.
- As much as a $209 annual assertion credit score towards a Clear Plus membership: Clear is a program that lets you skip the TSA line in lots of airports, and even some stadiums (enrollment required; topic to auto-renewal).
Learn our Hilton Aspire assessment to see what different advantages the cardboard has to supply.
Backside line
Throughout my brief keep on the Waldorf Astoria Versailles, I spent $700 out of pocket, however I obtained over $900 in worth from holding the Aspire card, saving:
- $250 on my upgraded room improve
- (as much as) $200 Hilton resort credit score
- $200 Amex Supply
- about $90 for a complimentary breakfast for 2
- Incomes $190 price of Hilton factors
In different phrases, my keep was greater than half off. I nonetheless splurged significantly ($700 is some huge cash — particularly for one night time), however maximizing all of the perks of the Hilton Aspire gave my household a quick “stay just like the 1%” expertise that solely journey rewards bank cards can ship.
For charges and charges of the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire Card, click on right here.
