Hilton e-Standby Upgrade now available.

[IainF]

I just booked the Sydney Hilton (Cheaper than the Marriott for a change) and when i got my email confirmation, there was a section to apply for a room upgrade (for a cost) but is quite reasonable.

See below for the website view.
For an extra $109 per night for a king relaxation suite (which comes out of my pocket, but not worried about it..) The usual cost of a suite is somewhere between $550 and $650 per night on average. This is a saving of about $300 on average.

Dear Iain F,
We have received your Hilton Sydney eStandby Upgrade® request.
What's next?

• You will find out if you are upgraded when you arrive at the hotel.
• If you are upgraded you will be charged the additional nightly fee shown below for your new room type.
• If you are not upgraded you will keep your currently reserved room, and pay nothing extra. (See confirmed room details below).

Iain F, you have requested to be upgraded to ONE of the following premium rooms if offered at check-in:
Requested eStandby Upgrade(s)® Extra per night Duration of stay KING RELAXATION ROOM 59 AUD 2 Night(s) Or KING RELAXATION SUITE 109 AUD 2 Night(s)

 

[straitman]

I wonder how this fits in with the HHonors status upgrades:?:

 

[IainF]

The website for the upgrades showed my gold vip status and said I would get an upgrade to exec level becasue of my preferences. Hence my going for relaxtion suite..
as an aside, I booked the Southgate Hilton, and this is not available there...

 

[oz_mark]

I wonder how this fits in with the HHonors status upgrades:?:

I imagine that those willing to pay for upgrades (even at the discounted rate) will outrank those going for a pure status upgrade.

(FWIW E-Standby upgrade is a product of Nor1 - www.nor1.com)

 

[IainF]

I imagine that those willing to pay for upgrades (even at the discounted rate) will outrank those going for a pure status upgrade.

(FWIW E-Standby upgrade is a product of Nor1 - www.nor1.com)

I wonder why the other Australian Hiltons are not offering it ?
Maybe just a trial at Sydney ?

 

[Mal]

Brisbane has offered it for a while - they were offering it back in June when I stayed.

 

[meloz]

BKK Hilton is doing similar however the first upgrade choice is at $0:00.

Meloz

 

[IainF]

Brisbane has offered it for a while - they were offering it back in June when I stayed.

Aaaah, as a BNE resident, I have no need/desire to stay there... I have done 9 stays at the new Southgate melb though and nothing there yet...

I know some are against it, but I normally get exec lounge as my upgrade, but I really like a suite to work from, and this gives me a way to get a big room "cheaply".

 

[serfty]

Note that upgrade to "Suites" are not a defined HHonor elite status benefit (although some may recieve such).

Nor-1 is also offered in all three Melbourne properties.

If you are HHonors Gold or Diamond, then you may end up paying for a benefit you may have received for free.:evil:

If you have no HHonors status it may be good value.

See these FT threads on Nor-1 erosion of benefits for HHonors elites:

• Hilton San Francisco- New Upgrade policy? (Nor 1) - FlyerTalk Forums
• Nor1 Hotels Thread - FlyerTalk Forums
• Hilton Sydney new 'paid upgrades'' Cash is king again - not status - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[IainF]

Nor-1 is also offered in all three Melbourne properties.

I

Hi Serfty,
I just made two seperate bookings for Southgate Hilton in MEL and neither offered NOR1...
What do you reckon is the criteria ?

 

[serfty]

Hi Serfty,
I just made two seperate bookings for Southgate Hilton in MEL and neither offered NOR1...
What do you reckon is the criteria ?

I do not know - perhaps relates to how sales are going.

More than that, it was sometimes offered one week and not the next when looking at the same booking.

Needless to say I would have nothing to do with it.

 

[drron]

This was another factor in my concentrating on SPG.I know if I want to stay at a Hilton(I will remain Gold)I am likely to get an upgrade offer any way.
One of the first hotels to offer this was the NY Hilton.Now it is unusual for a diamond to get an exec floor upgrade there.Once this is well known eg on Trip advisor the chance of an elite HH upgrade will be much less at any property who offers this IMHO.