How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[QF WP]

Just thought I'd create a thread for this - looking back over the last year, I thought I'd done a thread here as well as on Priority Club.

I'm a Gold member.

Friday, 22 May to Sunday, 31 May (yes, 9 nights)
Property: Hilton Cairns
Room booked: King Room
Rate: Travelzoo $135 package rate (included bottle of red wine)
Received: Upgrade to King Suite, card from GM and the wine, obligatory 2 free water bottles per day

Wednesday, 8 July
Property: Hilton Parmelia Perth
Room booked: King Room
Rate: Award room
Received: Upgrade to King Suite, card from GM and the obligatory 2 free water bottles

Thursday, 9 July
Property: Hilton Adelaide
Room booked: King Room
Rate: Award room
Received: Upgrade to Exec Floor, card from GM and the obligatory 2 free water bottles

Saturday, 11 July
Property: Hilton Brisbane
Room booked: King Room
Rate: Met Package (birthday present for Mrs LW, included 2 buffet breakfasts at Atrium Cafe & 2 tickets to Qld Art Gallery for Impressionists Showing from Metropolitan Museum New York - to get some culture)
Received: Upgrade to Exec Floor, card from GM and the obligatory 2 free water bottles

Got some more travel to do to Melbourne this Friday, so hoping to fly down Thursday night to sample the new Hilton.

 

[markis10]

Hanoi was good and their service recovery was really good but the Conrad in Singapore is a whole different ball game :!:

Surely that would be expected for the rate difference, I am guessing here but imagine SIN is 4x Hanoi?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Having been diamond and slipped back to Silver, I was thinking back over my Hilton experiences over the past 2 years. While their HHonors program and benefits are superior to most hotel groups and I consistently received upgrades and benefits, I realised that none of their properties actually stand out particularly. They are all just cookie-cutter American style hotels.
When I look back, the fondest experiences I have were at SLH, LHW or Accor properties, where each hotel has its own style, the service impeccable, and the dining was magnificent.
While the Accor loyalty program is fairly pathetic, having to request for most benefits as a platinum, I can certainly say their properties are far superior to any Hilton property I have stayed.
Having stayed at Hilton Park Lane, and Hilton Prague Old Town in the last 2 weeks, they were average and forgettable. Compare that to Sofitel Rome, Vienna, and M-Gallery Baltimore in Paris, which are simply superb properties I visited in the same timeframe. There have been countless others over the years and my feeling the same.
I won't lament my loss of HH platinum so much anymore.

 

[oz_mark]

Surely that would be expected for the rate difference, I am guessing here but imagine SIN is 4x Hanoi?

Conrads are generally a cut above the Hiltons. When you see a Hilton and Conrad in the same city, the Conrad is generally the better of the two.

 

[Flashback]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport
Rate: 89 EUR
Date: 21st April
Booked: King bed Evolution room
Received: King bed Evolution room on top floor, 2 bottles of water, 2 breakfast (Gold MyWay option).

What a nice hotel, very modern and well built. Does the job perfectly for an overnight stopover. I like the fact that in the room it had 2 EUR powerpoints, 1 UK powerpoint and 1 universal powerpoint.

 

[Moopere]

I realised that none of their properties actually stand out particularly. They are all just cookie-cutter American style hotels.

Its horses for courses I think. I understand what you are saying, but personally I prefer consistency. I know that in choosing this I will definitely miss out on some boutique hotel thats hidden away in 3-4 stars (or even 5+), but the number of times I've been let down and driven mad by inconsistent hotels, be they chain or independent finally drove me to the likes of Hilton.

By and large, their loyalty scheme seems to work and they take it seriously - this seems reasonably consistent too, so, for someone like me, consistency guy, this is a huge positive tick in their box. Given changes in status requirements this year I'll stop chasing once gold is secured and in a way this will benefit me to some degree as I'll take more seriously the hunt for those special few hotels, like the ones you've mentioned, without impacting my strong preference for Hilton properties.

 

[Fifa]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Sydney
Rate: $199 (Best Available)
Date: 25th April
Booked: King bed Guest Room Plus
Received: King bed Relaxation Suite, 2 bottles of water, 2 breakfasts in Glass.

Great stay and I love the relaxation suite. The spa bath, however, would be very difficult to get in and out of due to its position in the bathroom.
1pm check-out given without hesitation.
Baileys is no longer available in the exec lounge.

During evening drinks, around 8 of us (all strangers) were watching the news which included the Anzac activities when a guest waltzed in and asked us if he could change the channel to watch the football :shock::shock::shock:. Everyone was silent until I piped up and told him we were watching the news. At 6.30 he promptly switched channels then spent the next hour reading the paper and talking on his phone! What???

 

[robbie1984]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Abu Dhabi
Rate: $211 (AED800) (Best Available)
Date: 23rd April
Booked: King Guest Room
Received: Emirates Suite, 2 bottles of water, Pre arrival and post departure email from Executive Floor Manager.

Excellent stay. I had booked the airport transfer. My inbound flight was delayed due to having to avoid some thunderstorms meaning i arrived almost an hour late, I thought there would be problems with the car but I was surprised to find the driver waiting for me. Was welcomed back as a Diamond member and upgraded to their 'Emirates' Suite. There is only one in the hotel so it was not just an upgrade, but the best kind. The suite was huge with a view out over the water. My bags were in my room before I even got there when checking in. Definitely one of the Hilton's I look forward to staying at. Before my arrival I received an email discussing my stay and who to contact should I need anything prior or during my stay and when I landed back in Australia I had an email from the same person asking about my stay and if there were any issues or concerns.

I have more stays booked so hopefully this isnt just a one off!

 

[straitman]

Conrads are generally a cut above the Hiltons. When you see a Hilton and Conrad in the same city, the Conrad is generally the better of the two.

Agreed, normally.

Both times I have priced Singapore this year the Conrad has been cheaper than the Hilton.

 

[Flashback]

Agreed, normally.

Both times I have priced Singapore this year the Conrad has been cheaper than the Hilton.

What kind of rates were you paying? I'm looking for September and there's $4SGD between them (314/318) a night.

 

[drross]

Agreed, normally.

Both times I have priced Singapore this year the Conrad has been cheaper than the Hilton.

agree but it ever really applied in Brisbane , when the Conrad was part of the chain.

 

[markis10]

Branding never trumps yield, if the dearer brand is having trouble filling rooms it's often cheaper, happens in BKK often.

 

[Tryin Bingham]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Melbourne Southwharf
Rate: $220 (Best Available)
Date: 21-23 April
Booked: King Guest Room
Received: 16th Floor, 2 bottles of water - first day only, free shoe shine - which I asked for, complimentary Executive Lounge access, internet credit in room for each day, free Financial Review daily.

I was disappointed to find the Executive lounge not offering spirits this year. And the wine has slumped to DeBortoli; which was just plain horrible. The breakfast (in the Exec Lounge) is adequate - the juicer gets big props from me - in the am and the staff service has always been very attentive and courteous.
The gym equipment at this property is very much in need of an upgrade. All the treadmills release a horrible squeal and a general lack of equipment leaves you feeling un-pumped. Note: make sure you wear your sunglasses to the gym for an am workout. Overall, I feel the quality of what was once one of my favourite establishments in the area slipping, as I look to the Langham - which has an edge on service nd gives me a free bottle of wine at check in.... but again, it is an even worse DeBortoli!

 

[Virgin Bart]

Wait. I've never been at a Hilton Exec lounge, but am very much looking forward to my first stay in a few weeks. Some lounges don't have spirits??

 

[Flashback]

Wait. I've never been at a Hilton Exec lounge, but am very much looking forward to my first stay in a few weeks. Some lounges don't have spirits??

Those that have had the Ghostbusters stay tend not to have spirits.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Who am I gonna call?!

 

[Tryin Bingham]

Wait. I've never been at a Hilton Exec lounge, but am very much looking forward to my first stay in a few weeks. Some lounges don't have spirits??

Afraid so...not all Exec lounges are created equal. If juicing is your thing... come 0600 it will more than make up for it. You'll be sticking to the Heinie's and bubbles at night time though... and the selection of canapes ain't too good either.

 

[Virgin Bart]

Afraid so...not all Exec lounges are created equal. If juicing is your thing... come 0600 it will more than make up for it. You'll be sticking to the Heinie's and bubbles at night time though... and the selection of canapes ain't too good either.

Hrmm.. Not much good to say then?

Is it just me or is offering only beer and wine a little cheap?

So, HSW has no spirits.. Any news on the others?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

So, HSW has no spirits.. Any news on the others?

CNS, BNE, HSP, SYD all do. HSW use to. CNS doesn't have Baileys or Kahlua but I think the rest do (oh, I think Fifa mentioned SYD doesn't have Baileys either).

I hope the HSW foray is very localised......I'd hate to see that becoming the norm.

 

[beardoc]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Narita Airport

Quite a busy hotel, saw crews for Korean, Emirates, Air Canada, United (I think) and possibly one other too. That was all in the space of about 30 minutes, too! Shuttle bus to/from Narita is handy if wanting to get out of the hotel. The room is massive, which is nice. Not really much more to say about this property. Bog standard really, nothing bad but nothing stood out either.

My experience of that hotel was that there was simply just nothing to do. And the lack of wifi in the rooms was a killer.

 

[straitman]

I was disappointed to find the Executive lounge not offering spirits this year.

HSW Exec lounge does offer spirits. You just need to ask :!: