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.

 

[Ewing]

Systems are changing, at the HSW on the weekend the internet came up as complimentary for gold/diamond upon connection without further ado.

BNE just now:

You're now connected to the Internet

You're an HHonors Diamond or Gold member so your Wi-Fi access is complimentary.

 

[hummel]

At hilton syd tonight...went up to exec lounge with the wife. Got accepted in then while I was getting a drink she was asked to leave due to rubber soled footwear. she was wearing a full length dress essentially covering her feet Obviously essential rules apply but 1) you ask the person discreetly or when they come in 2) you enforce it consistently. .I could see 10+ people with rubber footwear on including kids running around unsupervised. 3) I now have a highly embarrassed wife who can't wait to get out of here.

 

[anat0l]

At hilton syd tonight...went up to exec lounge with the wife. Got accepted in then while I was getting a drink she was asked to leave due to rubber soled footwear. she was wearing a full length dress essentially covering her feet Obviously essential rules apply but 1) you ask the person discreetly or when they come in 2) you enforce it consistently. .I could see 10+ people with rubber footwear on including kids running around unsupervised. 3) I now have a highly embarrassed wife who can't wait to get out of here.

:shock:

This is a joke, right?

(I'm rather unaware of what is the problem with rubber soled footwear; I'm trying to remember what such footwear is)

 

[Flashback]

:shock:

This is a joke, right?

(I'm rather unaware of what is the problem with rubber soled footwear; I'm trying to remember what such footwear is)

Thongs come to mind... (in the Australian sense, not the British ).

 

[hummel]

Thongs come to mind... (in the Australian sense, not the British ).

Yep you got it. If your going to enforce it for one... enforce it for all

 

[jetlagger]

At hilton syd tonight...went up to exec lounge with the wife. Got accepted in then while I was getting a drink she was asked to leave due to rubber soled footwear. she was wearing a full length dress essentially covering her feet Obviously essential rules apply but 1) you ask the person discreetly or when they come in 2) you enforce it consistently. .I could see 10+ people with rubber footwear on including kids running around unsupervised. 3) I now have a highly embarrassed wife who can't wait to get out of here.

Did you speak with the lounge manager regarding the inconsistencies?
Is there any dress code at the entrance/reception of the lounge? I have recognised this in various lounges.
Owing to your observations of the other lounge guests footwear attire, I would be rather perturbed..

 

[hummel]

Did you speak with the lounge manager regarding the inconsistencies?
Is there any dress code at the entrance/reception of the lounge? I have recognised this in various lounges.
Owing to your observations of the other lounge guests footwear attire, I would be rather perturbed..

I let them know I wasn't happy for sure. Didn't see dress code at entrance just asked for room number and shown table. Lounge manager called me and apologized but really shouldn't happen.

Won't be back in a hurry!

 

[anat0l]

Thongs come to mind... (in the Australian sense, not the British ).

Fair enough. I was thinking shoes were worn of which the soles were made of rubber.

Come to think of it, so many shoe soles are made of rubber, aren't they? (I mean, it's pretty strong stuff, but it's still rubber?)

Yep you got it. If your going to enforce it for one... enforce it for all

Did you speak with the lounge manager regarding the inconsistencies?
Is there any dress code at the entrance/reception of the lounge? I have recognised this in various lounges.
Owing to your observations of the other lounge guests footwear attire, I would be rather perturbed..

I guess the small problem is that if it's on the feet of kiddies, that's a bit of a "mitigating factor" (no one is going to dare tell the parents that they can stay but the kids must leave! Let alone tell the folks that the kids are incorrectly attired).

If it were any other adult, so be it. Although consistency may be a problem, if it were enforced anyway, it's not very strong case either way.

I always thought the dress code to Executive Lounges (as given usually in the welcome letter that is on-and-off given to those applicable at Hilton check-in) was smart casual. I do know that any such mention never came to mind specifics on the attire, except I suppose if such attire is patently offensive and footwear must always be worn.

I let them know I wasn't happy for sure. Didn't see dress code at entrance just asked for room number and shown table. Lounge manager called me and apologized but really shouldn't happen.

Won't be back in a hurry!

I would be re-communicating your grievance to the property manager, even only for posterity (not resolution).

 

[jetlagger]

I let them know I wasn't happy for sure. Didn't see dress code at entrance just asked for room number and shown table. Lounge manager called me and apologized but really shouldn't happen.

Won't be back in a hurry!

Not a very nice way to enjoy the evening.
Hope you send some appropriate feedback to the relevant personnel.
A similar situation happened to myself +1 at CNS Hilton once (not footwear related - just a real lounge dragon affair) which I have officially added to my no patronage list.
Well wishes for a more pleasant stay.

 

[hummel]

Thanks for your thoughts guys. I'll be emailing the manager just so they know.

Will definitely be having breakfast in Glass in the morning. Moving to HI old sydney tomorrow so hopefully a better experience.

 

[Flashback]

When I stayed at the Conrad Singapore, I had just arrived at the hotel and went up to the EL to check-in. After check-in I decided a quick drink was needed, but noticed the sign out front saying "No thongs, shorts etc etc" so turned around. One of the staff members asked what was wrong, and I mentioned I had shorts & thongs on and she said no problem, don't worry about it! YMMV and I think it also largely depends on the time of day.

 

[DC3]

How embarrassing. I will check my welcome letter from the GM from this week to see what it says about the dress code. I think there was mention of smart casual but I'm not sure. However, that means different things to different people, I guess.

 

[jetlagger]

When I stayed at the Conrad Singapore, I had just arrived at the hotel and went up to the EL to check-in. After check-in I decided a quick drink was needed, but noticed the sign out front saying "No thongs, shorts etc etc" so turned around. One of the staff members asked what was wrong, and I mentioned I had shorts & thongs on and she said no problem, don't worry about it! YMMV and I think it also largely depends on the time of day.

During my younger days when my physique was more impressive, I was once in the IC in MNL, ventured downstairs to the restaurant for breakfast in a sleeveless shirt.
The charming host mentioned, though she was enlightened, she politely exclaimed -
'Out of due respect to the other guests, we require you to wear a dress shirt whilst dining in our restaurant"
Really thought the comment was fair & just which I always consider & mindful of when visiting lounges/restaurants/hotel lobbies etc.

 

[Danger]

When I stayed at the Conrad Singapore, I had just arrived at the hotel and went up to the EL to check-in. After check-in I decided a quick drink was needed, but noticed the sign out front saying "No thongs, shorts etc etc" so turned around. One of the staff members asked what was wrong, and I mentioned I had shorts & thongs on and she said no problem, don't worry about it! YMMV and I think it also largely depends on the time of day.

One of the (few) things that angers me about the Conrad Singapore. The little letter they give you outlines the dress code but then they don't enforce it. Pathetic.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I will check my welcome letter from the GM from this week to see what it says about the dress code.

Just checked and it says nothing about a dress code.

Although I personally do not believe the Aussie attitude of "thongs are apples for all occasions" should ever be considered as appropriate dress standard (and IMHO any exec style lounge, restaurant, church, nightclub or aircraft amongst ohers, are in most circumstances NOT a place suited to bloody thongs), I also believe consistancy must be upheld. If it's Ok under normal circumstances for one person, than it must be OK for all. My ideal would have been for your wife (and others with their feet clad in thongs) to have been politely asked for appropriate footware before entry, but as your wife was wearing a long dress, the said thongs may not have been immediately noticed.

Without wanting to cause grief (which I do not), I have said it before, if people wish to be treated in a particular style, then an appropriate dress code is warranted in return. If it's a beachside shopping centre foodcourt, then thongs may be right and moreso appropriate, but for an executive lounge thongs rarely suffice. Nor does vulgarity which despite the fact I can swear like a trooper....and regularly do on work sites, I find it particularly distastful in a lounge style environment, as I do for loud big noting. It's a code which is learned. Sometimes by parents sometimes by friends, sometimes by the school of hard knocks. An embarrassing lesson which should have been handled far better, but perhaps one which will place both you and your wife in good stead into future. Dressing appropriately for dinner is right up there with using cutlery for eating instead of fingers, it's like savouring a quality wine over quaffing a cleanskin........all are perfectly acceptable in their place, but very out of place in the wrong context.

Please don't take this post as an attack. It is not written with that intent. I only offer this as an alternative viewpoint over pure indignation and I trust all your future stays are comfortable and rewarding for you both.

 

[turtlemichael]

At hilton syd tonight...went up to exec lounge with the wife. Got accepted in then while I was getting a drink she was asked to leave due to rubber soled footwear. she was wearing a full length dress essentially covering her feet Obviously essential rules apply but 1) you ask the person discreetly or when they come in 2) you enforce it consistently. .I could see 10+ people with rubber footwear on including kids running around unsupervised. 3) I now have a highly embarrassed wife who can't wait to get out of here.

On the assumption that there is no more to this story than you have stated and other adults were wearing rubber footwear (if these are thongs why the euphemism?) without any issue I would be demanding to see the manager and kicking up a fuss. This is totally unacceptable selective management. An apology would not be sufficient.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

HSP specifically mentions in the welcome letter no thongs during evening canapé service

 

[Ewing]

One of the (few) things that angers me about the Conrad Singapore. The little letter they give you outlines the dress code but then they don't enforce it. Pathetic.

Hilton Singapore do.

I totally forgot I was wearing shorts (I almost invariably wear long pants but wasn't due to the weather) and was very very politely asked if I wouldn't mind changing into long pants. Once I realised I quickly apologised and went back to my room.

I think the EL attendant was genuinely surprised to get no resistance at all and from that point forward we got fabulous service and were even invited back for drinks and canapes after check-out if we were still around

 

[coolumbla]

Sign at the Dargo hotel

No shirt ( singlets ok)
No shoes ( thongs ok)
No Service!

 

[mushypeas]

HSP specifically mentions in the welcome letter no thongs during evening canapé service

Cairns had the same - i saw it enforced too