Elite Continental Breakfast?

[Moopere]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Brisbane
Rate: $214 NRMA rate
Dates 23-25 May
Booked: King Hilton Guestroom
Received: Executive King


First stay in Brisbane as a Diamond. We checked in late, and had been upgraded to Exec King. We received a welcome letter explaining benefits of the Exec floors, which mentioned breakfast downstairs had a $10 additional fee.

We thought we'd try it out even with the $10 fee, but as Diamond, full buffet breakfast was complementary for two. Bonus!

Mmmm. I find it an interesting argument for the extra fee for 'downstairs' breakfasts that one sometimes get told about - I don't think, logically, that it makes sense for status holders, at least not so long as you stick to the continental idea anyway. My logic goes like this: I"m gold, so if I book and receive a base room I won't get lounge access, but I'm still entitled to a free breaky, which _has_ to be in the main restaurant because I can't use the lounge. If on the other hand I book (or am comped) an exec room, then it seems nonsensical to me that I am, by way of my good fortune, then restricted to breaky in the lounge.

I make no argument in relation to the T&C and 'continental' versus 'hot', but surely continental breakfast in the main restaurant is always a 'free' option for gold/diamond???? Or should one be thinking a bit more carefully before accepting a comp upgrade to the exec floor upon checkin?

 

[markis10]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

I make no argument in relation to the T&C and 'continental' versus 'hot', but surely continental breakfast in the main restaurant is always a 'free' option for gold/diamond???? Or should one be thinking a bit more carefully before accepting a comp upgrade to the exec floor upon checkin?

I dont believe the restaurant offers a continental version, its all or nothing.

 

[Flashback]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

I dont believe the restaurant offers a continental version, its all or nothing.

Often if hotels actually enforce continental only - they just tell you to stick to that and not have the hot stuff.

 

[boomy]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

Often if hotels actually enforce continental only - they just tell you to stick to that and not have the hot stuff.

HSP tried this trick on me once, unsuccessfully

 

[Moopere]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

I dont believe the restaurant offers a continental version, its all or nothing.

Oh sure - fair enough - but how is this managed when I'm a gold and don't have an exec room? I've never had an issue I must admit, I'm just let in and let rip, which is fine by me, but I have had a calm conversation before with the front desk at check-in when told I had to use the lounge for breakfast. I pointed out my argument above and if it came down to it I'd prefer to forgo the room upgrade for the free breakfast in the restaurant ... at which point I was told to not worry about it as I'm gold ... this leads me to think that status holders are being incorrectly informed about the supposed 'lounge only' breakfast.

I can see the argument for a non status holder who has an exec room ... part of the room price is (usually) 'free' breakfast in the lounge, and as there is no status there is really no other entitlement.

 

[markis10]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

Oh sure - fair enough - but how is this managed when I'm a gold and don't have an exec room?.

I have done 8 stays there as a Gold and always upgraded to exec. I suspect the $10 fee is never charged, would be happy to pay it regardless as I have always found their breakfasts brilliant.

 

[Moopere]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

Perhaps being informed correctly but not being fully appraised of any further "blind eye" activities is a more correct statement. The restaurant breakfast is one treat that I will not complain in hotel about as it's not our entitlement.

Indeed, but I'm not talking about the often received hot versus continental breakfast here - just that its at least theoretically possible to have a 'continental' breaky in both the lounge and the restaurant. It must be, because a gold staying in a non exec room still gets breaky and by way of not having lounge access that breaky _must_ be in the restaurant.

Its a sideways complaint really on how bad a lot of hilton lounge food offerings have become. Even 'continental' style breakfasts are often far better (choice wise) in a hotels restaurant these days, at least in Australia (Asia completely different).

Given that lounge and restaurant continentals are not equal, I usually prefer to take mine in the restaurant. That might translate into a hot, it usually does, but this is not my argument as I fully understand its above and beyond the T&C.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

Given that lounge and restaurant continentals are not equal, I usually prefer to take mine in the restaurant.

Ah, I understand your argument and it is an interesting point. If a hotel has both lounge and restaurant continental breakfast offerings and a Gold (who has breakfast as a benefit) was not upgraded to an executive room and hence not entitled to the lounge, must then dine in the restaurant, so if the same Gold was upgraded to an exec room, should that Gold still be entitled to breakie in the restaurant?? I have no idea, but I do agree with restaurant over lounge. I've looked in the lounge a few times and thought, no thanks.

Has anyone actually been in this situation....ie, getting a room upgrade but then having the breakfast downgrade enforced?

 

[DeKa]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

Ah, I understand your argument and it is an interesting point. If a hotel has both lounge and restaurant continental breakfast offerings and a Gold (who has breakfast as a benefit) was not upgraded to an executive room and hence not entitled to the lounge, must then dine in the restaurant, so if the same Gold was upgraded to an exec room, should that Gold still be entitled to breakie in the restaurant?? I have no idea, but I do agree with restaurant over lounge. I've looked in the lounge a few times and thought, no thanks.

Has anyone actually been in this situation....ie, getting a room upgrade but then having the breakfast downgrade enforced?

As a Gold, yes, at HSW and HSP.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

As a Gold, yes, at HSW and HSP.

Interesting. Have you stayed at those hotels and not been upgraded and hence dined in the restaurant instead?

 

[DeKa]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

Interesting. Have you stayed at those hotels and not been upgraded and hence dined in the restaurant instead?

Yes I have!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

I asked this specific question in the HH Elite thread some time back with mixed responses.

We stayed in Waldorf in London last June - I was HH Dia courtesy Cent - we booked Junior Suite and not given upgrade as hotel full.

First 3 or 4 days ate brekkie in Exec Lounge where they had a more than reasonable offering. One morning Exec Lounge full so staff directed us downstairs to main restaurant. On arrival explained to staff there that we had been sent down from exec lounge - we were shown to table and staff quickly and directly informed us we were eligible for 'continental breakfast' only - NO hot foods to be consumed. To which I replied - 'you are kidding aren't you?' - what about all the scrambled eggs / sausages etc on offer in exec lounge but you say we now cannot have here only because your exec lounge is full? Sorry Sir these are the rules.

I am still flabberghasted!