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.

 

[Daver6]

Breakfast in the lounge vs downstairs are two different things.

So if you are Gold but in a non-executive room...you get to dine downstairs and continental? If that's the case, its a little poor. My experience is the downstairs continental offerings are always better than the executive lounge offerings.

 

[markis10]

So if you are Gold but in a non-executive room...you get to dine downstairs and continental? If that's the case, its a little poor. My experience is the downstairs continental offerings are always better than the executive lounge offerings.

Not sure, have not stayed there for a while, if you get exec in Sydney as a Gold there is no free option at the restaurant.

 

[Daver6]

My experience was otherwise. Late last year, booked regular, got upgraded to exec and received full breakfast free in Glass.

Not sure, have not stayed there for a while, if you get exec in Sydney as a Gold there is no free option at the restaurant.

 

[Moopere]

My experience was otherwise. Late last year, booked regular, got upgraded to exec and received full breakfast free in Glass.

I've always done this at SYD. I always get the exec upgrade and just wander downstairs for breaky. Never been charged or questioned.

Mind you, its anyones guess how you can actually tell if your room is really an exec ... they all appear to be the same to me.

In any event, if this pops up in the future at any specific hotel I'll just ask them to downgrade me again to my booked room and presumably I'll still end up with continental in the main restaurant.

Honestly, I'm probably happier with the ambience of most lounges for breakfast, but the eating options have been slowly degrading for ages, to the point where I'll hardly even bother looking in any more - some asian hiltons are an exception to this though, KUL and KCH come to mind as does BKK (definitely BKK!).

 

[Major]

I am currently at the BKK Millenium and I can vouch for the breakfast lounge options. Smoked salmon, cured meats and a range of fruit and salads. Eggs any way you want with bacon, grilled tomato, baked beans, hash browns, etc. Several Asian options and different breads,pastries etc. You could not fault the breakfast choices

 

[oz_mark]

So if you are Gold but in a non-executive room...you get to dine downstairs and continental? If that's the case, its a little poor. My experience is the downstairs continental offerings are always better than the executive lounge offerings.

If you are gold you make a choice between 1000 points or the continental breakfasr. You may think it poor, but it's more than equivalent levels at other chains.

Having said that, no one has ever stopped me having the hot option

 

[Deleted member 29185]

My experience was otherwise. Late last year, booked regular, got upgraded to exec and received full breakfast free in Glass.

Daver6, my experience to date has always (100% of stays) been for full buffet breakfast for every staying guest. However we really must remember that those little (big?) niceties are an ungazetted extra benefit, complements of the individual hotel. At Hilton Brisbane, I actually offered to pay for additional guests as I was embarrassed by the number of free-loaders in my party (diamond and spouse + 4 others) and the lovely reception lady said to me "as a diamond member, we're more than happy to offer you all complementary breakfast. You spend enough with us as it is". Who am I to argue logic?

But I don't for one minute forget the benefit is "complementary continental breakfast for diamond/gold member and spouse". For an upcoming stay at Lake Taupo, reports suggest that is all we'll get and we accept that. Being brash about non-entitled but expected benefits may lose that benefit for all of us. Being thankful for both base benefits as well as bonus benefits will assist far more in extending the life of those nice extras IMHO.

 

[Daver6]

Re-reading what I wrote I really didn't do a very good job at conveying my point. It comes across as the free continental breakfast is a poor freebie. That's not what I meant at all. Ooops

What I meant was if you are entitled to a continental breakfast downstairs, but are in an executive room and denied that, hence being only entitled to the executive lounge, then I think that is a bit poor. One should have the option to select in that scenario.

So if you are Gold but in a non-executive room...you get to dine downstairs and continental? If that's the case, its a little poor. My experience is the downstairs continental offerings are always better than the executive lounge offerings.

 

[Mollycram]

I am currently at the BKK Millenium and I can vouch for the breakfast lounge options. Smoked salmon, cured meats and a range of fruit and salads. Eggs any way you want with bacon, grilled tomato, baked beans, hash browns, etc. Several Asian options and different breads,pastries etc. You could not fault the breakfast choices

Agree.....but the breakfast downstairs is even better!

 

[jetlagger]

I am currently at the BKK Millenium and I can vouch for the breakfast lounge options. Smoked salmon, cured meats and a range of fruit and salads. Eggs any way you want with bacon, grilled tomato, baked beans, hash browns, etc. Several Asian options and different breads,pastries etc. You could not fault the breakfast choices

Observing the time stamp of the post, suggests it is an unusual for an afternoon tea, but that option would make it even more appealing..& an impressive spread.. :mrgreen:
How was the ambience, view & drink offerings?
Surely expect you are enjoying..

 

[Major]

Observing the time stamp of the post, suggests it is an unusual for an afternoon tea, but that option would make it even more appealing..& an impressive spread.. :mrgreen:
How was the ambience, view & drink offerings?
Surely expect you are enjoying..

A little late tonight,but we are about to go up for drinks now and the view is just awsome

 

[Moopere]

A little late tonight,but we are about to go up for drinks now and the view is just awsome

Its one of my favourite hotels worldwide that one. I'm going to try out the new Doubletree in Sukhumvit in a couple of weeks though, and shortly thereafter the new Hilton also in Sukhumvit. Will still do some time at the Millennium though, its just such a great hotel/location.

 

[Fifa]

Status: Diamond
Property: Conrad Bali
Date: 13-15 May 2013
Booked: Deluxe Garden King
Received: Deluxe Lagoon King (triple upgrade)

Great upgrade and loved the room - we stepped out of our room, onto our patio and straight into the pool.
Staff are fantastic - always happy and extremely helpful with nothing being too much trouble.
Our friends who are Gold received the same upgrade (I notified the hotel in advance that we were travelling together) however it was only us who received exec lounge access. The staff kindly allowed us to take our afternoon tea and evening drinks and canapes in the East Lobby Lounge (instead of the exec lounge) so we could be together.

We'll be going back in a few days and are looking forward to it.

 

[hgwells01]

I love the Bali Conrad, a couple of years ago I had four nights in one of their two private pool suites, steps straight into the pool from my bedroom, was a special birthday, I think about a dozen staff wished me happy birthday on the way to the room, I have no idea how they all knew within ten mins of arrival who I was but it impressed the hell out of me. The exec lounge makes a mean Bloody Mary too, ahhh need to go back again soon, enjoy Fifa.

 

[Fifa]

I love the Bali Conrad, a couple of years ago I had four nights in one of their two private pool suites, steps straight into the pool from my bedroom, was a special birthday, I think about a dozen staff wished me happy birthday on the way to the room, I have no idea how they all knew within ten mins of arrival who I was but it impressed the hell out of me. The exec lounge makes a mean Bloody Mary too, ahhh need to go back again soon, enjoy Fifa.

Yes, I cannot believe how everyone knew our name too! It was 'Mr & Mrs Fifa' this and 'Mr & Mrs Fifa' that from so many different staff.
The hotel exceeded my expectations - the grounds are magnificent, heaps of choices for breakfast (you can even have a roast!), fresh fruit replenished in the room daily, great poolside service, huge beach towels... the list goes on.

Our next stay is for four days and I can't wait.

 

[vitagen]

Good stuff, maybe staying there next year for friends wedding, how much should I be paying ?

 

[Daver6]

Are you able to compare this with either of the Four Season properties in Bali?

Status: Diamond
Property: Conrad Bali
Date: 13-15 May 2013
Booked: Deluxe Garden King
Received: Deluxe Lagoon King (triple upgrade)

Great upgrade and loved the room - we stepped out of our room, onto our patio and straight into the pool.
Staff are fantastic - always happy and extremely helpful with nothing being too much trouble.
Our friends who are Gold received the same upgrade (I notified the hotel in advance that we were travelling together) however it was only us who received exec lounge access. The staff kindly allowed us to take our afternoon tea and evening drinks and canapes in the East Lobby Lounge (instead of the exec lounge) so we could be together.

We'll be going back in a few days and are looking forward to it.

 

[DeKa]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Adelaide
Room booked: King Room
Rate: $180
Received: Upgrade to King Exec Room (have checked in but not been to the room yet so unsure of other inclusions).

 

[Fifa]

Good stuff, maybe staying there next year for friends wedding, how much should I be paying ?

We paid around US$200 per night including 21% tax and service charge on a Promotion/Offer code available on FT.

Are you able to compare this with either of the Four Season properties in Bali?

No, I haven't stayed at any other properties.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Status: Diamond
Property: HSW
Booked: King Hilton Guest Room
Received: Relaxation Suite

Feeling the HSW love once more. Been a couple of months since I've stayed here and the lounge food is a tad better, more attentive table service and White Rabbit is now the beer du jour. Liking it.