This sounds snobby, but I’ve become a bit of a Waldorf Astoria connoisseur of late. I’ve managed to hit six of them in the past few years — not because I’m part of the 1%, of course, but because I hold the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
The Hilton Aspire is one of my favorite travel credit cards because it comes with a slew of valuable perks, offering complimentary top-tier hotel elite status and saving me several hundred dollars a year with annual statement credits. Plus, as a cardholder, I receive an annual free night award certificate, which can be used at most Hilton properties worldwide.
That being said, during a recent stay at the Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace, this card saved me big. Here’s how I maximized the Hilton Aspire to get over $930 in value for a one-night stay.
Hilton room upgrade: I saved $250
The Hilton Aspire automatically comes with complimentary Diamond elite status — Hilton’s top-tier status (until 2026). One benefit of being a Diamond member is the space-available room upgrade (up to a one-bedroom suite).
Although I didn’t receive a suite upgrade during my stay at Versailles, I did receive a noteworthy upgrade at check-in.
The Waldorf Astoria Versailles is unique in that it comprises two buildings: a four-star hotel, Pavillon du Trianon, and a five-star hotel, the Trianon Palace. I reserved a room at Pavillon du Trianon for around $400. Hilton upgraded me to the Trianon Palace, which included a larger room that sold for around $650 per night.
The King Deluxe Suite. HILTON
Of course, there’s no way to tell for sure if I’d have been upgraded without Diamond status — but I doubt it. I’m confidently attributing the room upgrade to my Aspire card.
Hilton resort credit: I saved almost $200
The Hilton Aspire comes with up to a $400 annual Hilton resort statement credit, doled out in up to $200 biannual increments. Hundreds of Hilton properties worldwide are eligible for this credit — and the Waldorf Astoria Versailles is one of them.
This credit can be used for anything at the resort, including room rates, food and spa services, and there is no minimum spending requirement. If you find yourself at a Hilton resort at some point during the year, it’s effectively free money.
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By using my Aspire card for my aforementioned $400 room rate, I paid just $200 for the room.
SARAH HOSTETLER/THE POINTS GUY
Amex’s targeted Hilton offer: I saved $200
Amex Offers are targeted digital coupons that you use to save money on travel, dining, shopping and more. You can enroll your card in these targeted offers from your online account with a simple click, and when the offer terms have been met, you’ll automatically be rewarded (typically with bonus points or statement credits).
A recent Amex Offer on my account allowed me to earn a $200 statement credit after spending $1,000 at luxury Hilton brands (like Waldorf Astoria). Because of the Aspire’s biannual up to $200 resort credit, I’d have to spend just $800 out-of-pocket to trigger the $200 Amex Offer.
Hilton Amex Offer fulfilled. SARAH HOSTETLER/THE POINTS GUY
When combined with the $200 already knocked off my bill by the resort credit, the Amex Offer could essentially get me $1,000 in value for just $600 of my own money. The room rate already cost me $400, so I decided to go for it.
I booked a massage, and my family ordered expensive food at the restaurant that we otherwise never would have paid to try.
Free breakfast as a Hilton Diamond member: I saved $90
Hilton Diamond elite status comes with food and beverage privileges at Hilton properties (varies by brand and region). For domestic hotels, this means a forgettable $10-$25 credit, but at international hotels, you’ll receive a complimentary continental breakfast. Fancier properties like Waldorf Astoria generally give you a full breakfast and/or let you order from the a la carte menu.
Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria Versailles costs 39 euros per person (about $45 at the time of writing). For my husband and me, this amounted to about $90 in value.
Bonus Hilton Honors points: I saved $190
For the $1,100 I spent at the Waldorf Astoria Versailles, I earned over 38,000 points with the Aspire card. Here’s how:
- Stays at most Hilton hotels earn 10 points per dollar spent
- Holding Diamond elite status earns me a 100% bonus on base points (therefore, another 10 points per dollar spent)
- The Aspire card earns 14 points per dollar spent on Hilton purchases
That’s a whopping 34 points per dollar spent for paid Hilton stays. Per our December 2025 valuations, TPG pegs Hilton points at 0.5 cents each, meaning 38,000 points are worth $190.
And if you know how to maximize Hilton Honors redemptions, you could potentially get even more value from your points.
SARAH HOSTETLER/THE POINTS GUY
Other valuable perks of the Hilton Aspire
It’s worth noting that the Aspire also comes with many other valuable travel perks that can help offset the $550 annual fee (see rates and fees). It’s one of the most well-rounded hotel credit cards thanks to:
- Annual Free Night Rewards: Receive a free night certificate upon account opening and after each cardmember anniversary. You can redeem this free night for a standard room at nearly any Hilton hotel in the world (even those that charge 250,000 points per night).
- Up to $200 in annual flight statement credits: Get up to $50 in credits each quarter toward flights booked directly with the airline or through AmexTravel.com.
- Up to a $209 annual statement credit toward a Clear Plus membership: Clear is a program that helps you to skip the TSA line in many airports, and even some stadiums (enrollment required; subject to auto-renewal).
Read our Hilton Aspire review to see what other benefits the card has to offer.
Bottom line
During my short stay at the Waldorf Astoria Versailles, I spent $700 out of pocket, but I received over $900 in value from holding the Aspire card, saving:
- $250 on my upgraded room upgrade
- (up to) $200 Hilton resort credit
- $200 Amex Offer
- about $90 for a complimentary breakfast for two
- Earning $190 worth of Hilton points
In other words, my stay was more than half off. I still splurged considerably ($700 is a lot of money — especially for one night), but maximizing all the perks of the Hilton Aspire gave my family a brief “live like the 1%” experience that only travel rewards credit cards can deliver.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, click here.
