Hilton Honors discussion

[DC3]

Yes. I always select “My dates are flexible” to check the night-by-night rates.

 

[twiningb]

I have a basic king room booking at the Hilton Sydney for two nights, arriving this Friday.

I booked through Amex Fine Hotels, and have Honors Gold status (through Amex). Each of these should entitle me to a room upgrade if available. My last time booking at a Hilton property through FHR, it was the Conrad Tokyo and I got upgraded from the base city-view room to an exec bay-view room with lounge access, which was at least two or three room classes' worth of upgrades.

I have stayed at Hilton Sydney once previously, just over a year ago, when I managed to do a room search at the time when they had the same room rate across every room in the house, so I booked a huge suite at around $400 (which to their credit they honoured).

I'll be flying in from MEL on Friday evening, so expecting a hotel arrival around 21:00. What's the best strategy to maximise my upgrade chances?

1. Check-in through app, or in person?
2. Better to check-in early in day (or even previous day), or leave it until I'm en route?
3. Are they likely to proactively offer the upgrade, or will I need to ask for it?

 

[earlyriser]

I have a basic king room booking at the Hilton Sydney for two nights, arriving this Friday.

I booked through Amex Fine Hotels, and have Honors Gold status (through Amex). Each of these should entitle me to a room upgrade if available. My last time booking at a Hilton property through FHR, it was the Conrad Tokyo and I got upgraded from the base city-view room to an exec bay-view room with lounge access, which was at least two or three room classes' worth of upgrades.

I have stayed at Hilton Sydney once previously, just over a year ago, when I managed to do a room search at the time when they had the same room rate across every room in the house, so I booked a huge suite at around $400 (which to their credit they honoured).

I'll be flying in from MEL on Friday evening, so expecting a hotel arrival around 21:00. What's the best strategy to maximise my upgrade chances?

1. Check-in through app, or in person?
2. Better to check-in early in day (or even previous day), or leave it until I'm en route?
3. Are they likely to proactively offer the upgrade, or will I need to ask for it?

As a Gold member, I wouldn't be too worried about it and just keep your fingers crossed when you check-in. I'm Diamond and don't expect much when I stay here (9-10 stays per year). I go for the breakfast, lounge and gym.

 

[DC3]

I have a basic king room booking at the Hilton Sydney for two nights, arriving this Friday ...

... I have stayed at Hilton Sydney once previously, just over a year ago, when I managed to do a room search ...

...What's the best strategy to maximise my upgrade chances?

1. Check-in through app, or in person?
2. Better to check-in early in day (or even previous day), or leave it until I'm en route?
3. Are they likely to proactively offer the upgrade, or will I need to ask for it?

Expect the app to not offer you anything much. The app for Hilton Sydney rooms is woeful anyway. Hard to make much sense out of it. In any case, many rooms are no different to others, just on a higher floor and a different view. Your late night arrival will not really benefit from either of those.

The EL has temporarily relocated to level 4 (above Glass Brasserie) for your Gold breakfast, due to room refurbishments on level 36. Hopefully you get an ”Executive“ room upgrade and therefore get the Glass breakfast. Proper coffee = $5.

As far as check-in goes, I never use the app as it seems to leave me in the room type that was booked. Although others have reported differently. The only issue is that if arriving late, the ”best“ rooms may have already been given away. Difficult choice.

Expect to be told that they have already upgraded you, although these are usually unimpressive upgrades (a few floors higher, maybe), but you never know your luck.

Edit: When I last stayed, in December, the room had been given a nice refresh.

 

[mel-world]

Question: Trying to book some London Hotels for late May '23 that happen to be in the middle of the Chelsea Flower Show and not long before the Coronation (June 3?). Looking for a Full Rate or a Semi-Flex Rate (free cancellation until 5 days before arrival) a bit out of town as most inner London Hotels sold out already.

When I come to confirm the booking as a Gold member, I get re-directed to my bank to verify that all the costs will be charged today. Have never seen this before. Seems to negate the benefit of being able to cancel as I would be paying in advance and taking an exchange rate risk if I do cancel.

Has anyone encountered this before? Is it due to the peak season?

 

[Pele]

Redirected your bank? Never seen that before. Sure you arent on a fake hilton website or have some kind of malware on your computer?

 

[mel-world]

No; official Hilton website I always use. I just made the bookings without an issue on the phone so all set. The only reason the agent could give was because it was peak season, the property wanted to verify the CC details but the bank verification pop-up said the funds would be withdrawn today. I'll try again later for another property in Europe and see if I get the same result.

 

[Anna]

the Coronation (June 3?

6 May apparently

 

[mel-world]

6 May apparently

Thanks, saw that this morning. Might relieve the pressure a little.

 

[FishFood]

You may be required to provide additional validation that you are the card's user. This is sometimes called 3-D Secure

 

[oz_mark]

You may be required to provide additional validation that you are the card's user. This is sometimes called 3-D Secure

Indeed. It just sounds like part of the flow for validating a card. Sometimes they just put a token amount through to validate the card.

 

[mel-world]

Indeed. It just sounds like part of the flow for validating a card. Sometimes they just put a token amount through to validate the card.

That's what I originally thought but the validation box from Mastercard (I use a Latitude 28D card for overseas purchases) said they wanted to take the full amount immediately.

I subsequently booked over the phone and no validation required.

 

[oz_mark]

That's what I originally thought but the validation box from Mastercard (I use a Latitude 28D card for overseas purchases) said they wanted to take the full amount immediately.

I subsequently booked over the phone and no validation required.

Sometimes when they do this validation, the full amount is only a dollar or.maybe a euro.

 

[twiningb]

I didn't have any responses to this at FlyerTalk, but maybe the good people here will have some thoughts:


Is it possible to book the base room with points, then pay the cash increment to a better room?

For instance, at the DoubleTree Jersey City for 60k Honors points I can get a basic room (King Junior Suite) for which the flexible member rate is USD273 (USD318 after tax). This would be a decent but not exceptional value for points.

Then I can get the same room with NYC View for USD282 (134k points) or Corner/NYC View for USD291 (139k points).

Now, if I'm going to stay in Jersey City then the NYC view is highly desirable. But the points value plummets given the small cash increment.

Is there a way I can book the base points rate then pay the cash increment? Or, since I'm Honors Gold, do I have a decent chance of the room upgrade on a points reservation? This would be midweek in March.

 

[Cynicor]

It’s not normal but you can definitely email them to ask cash upgrade rates. It’s common in the Maldives and Bora Bora etc.

 

[twiningb]

It’s not normal but you can definitely email them to ask cash upgrade rates. It’s common in the Maldives and Bora Bora etc.

Thanks. I've reached out to them.

 

[SYD]

Thanks. I've reached out to them.

You should get an invite email with the usual “eStandby” upgrade requests. I usually ignore those and hope that Gold status comes through for free but if there’s a specific combo you’re after and it’s reasonable value then maybe try it?

 

[Cynicor]

Are other people getting those? I don’t think I’ve gotten a NOR1 email in ages

 

[boomy]

Are other people getting those? I don’t think I’ve gotten a NOR1 email in ages

Same here, didn’t get NOR1 for years.
They usually offer upgrades after finalising a booking.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Same here, didn’t get NOR1 for years.
They usually offer upgrades after finalising a booking.

Are other people getting those? I don’t think I’ve gotten a NOR1 email in ages

You don’t get emails any more but the NOR1 upgrades are definitely visible after a booking in the HH App