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.

 

[boomy]

Property: Hilton Guam
Date: Sep 15
Status: Diamond
Booked: Twin Partial Ocean View Room
Received: Premier Suite
Cost: $160 per night

Asked politely if there were any diamond upgrades available given an enormous room with an amazing ocean view. The biggest bathroom i have ever been in. Very happy. Exec Lounge is very basic but pool here is lovely.

Nice one! Same type of room I got last year (saw the photos you put on FB)
Exec lounge basic indeed but at least alcohol is unlimited, not something to take for granted in USA. The seafood restaurant is not bad, in case it rains or just feel like dining in.

 

[Timtammi]

Hi Jessicatam
I'm at the Hilton in new town in Prague. I should add that we converted this booking to points at the last minute. Hasn't seemed to make any difference to the service received which has been excellent all around.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Property: Hilton Cairns
Date: Sep 16
Status: Diamond
Booked: King Guest
Received: Relaxation Suite
Cost: $149 Gov't rate

Granted early check in. Changed from e-checkin corner relaxation room to relaxation suite, but it was possibly because the e-checkin room was not yet available. Staff as usual, very friendly, courteous and polite. I find all staff here tend to go the extra mile to make a stay enjoyable and are a credit to themselves, the hotel and management.

 

[DC3]

Just in case they try to tell you the tax is charged in all Australian hiltons (I've heard that excuse before at HSYD) make sure to point out that ATM the only other constant offender is HBNE and all the rest don't charge or waive the tax for diamonds ....

Yes, the common denominator with HBNE and HSW is the GM, Ronald van Weezel, so he will know all about the coffee charge:

 

[JessicaTam]

Hi Jessicatam
I'm at the Hilton in new town in Prague. I should add that we converted this booking to points at the last minute. Hasn't seemed to make any difference to the service received which has been excellent all around.

I stayed in both last year and found them both very good. The Old Town HH upgraded me to a suite whereas the other only to an exec room.

I would probably stay at the Old Town HH next time as I felt their service was just that little bit more personable. YMMV.

 

[Cynicor]

I stayed in both last year and found them both very good. The Old Town HH upgraded me to a suite whereas the other only to an exec room.

I would probably stay at the Old Town HH next time as I felt their service was just that little bit more personable. YMMV.

Better location too, if a tourist.

 

[Timtammi]

I can't remember now why I booked the new town one I do know I looked at both. Probably a combination of more favourable rates and reviews. Anyway we were very happy withe stay so no complaints here.

 

[JessicaTam]

I can't remember now why I booked the new town one I do know I looked at both. Probably a combination of more favourable rates and reviews. Anyway we were very happy withe stay so no complaints here.

I think it was slightly cheaper when I stayed there. From memory I had 3 nights vs 2.

 

[shane2603]

Hi Smit,

I stayed there also and was given a fantastic upgrade to suite as a Diamond member, great location and excellent service.

 

[jackthomas]

Property: HSW (South Wharf)
Room Booked: King Guestroom (Points+Pay)
Room received: 2 Bedroom City View Suite ( but then request King Yarra suite and got that)
Status: Gold

Checked in online where I saw I had a 2 BR suite upgrade, and then requested a King Yarra suite at check in when my upgraded room wasn't ready (I actually prefer the yarra suite especially for just one)
Pretty impressed with this upgrade as I was expecting to have to fight for executive access considering it was a points+plus on the lowest room.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Property: DT-MEL
Room Booked: Twin Guest inside
Room received: King Guest window
Status: Diamond

Posting on behalf of my diamond wife. Her comments:
Cons-
- small room
- had to prompt for DT signature cookies
- coffee tax applied, no correspondence entered into
- $6 upgrade to full breakie which was ordinary
- charged for trundle bed (often as diamond, we find that fee is waived)

Pros -
- much more convenient than HSW

Verdict-
- don't expect much and you won't be disappointed
- would return due to the location, not the hotel

 

[jackthomas]

Property: DT-MEL
Room Booked: Twin Guest inside
Room received: King Guest window
Status: Diamond

Posting on behalf of my diamond wife. Her comments:
Cons-
- small room
- had to prompt for DT signature cookies
- coffee tax applied, no correspondence entered into
- $6 upgrade to full breakie which was ordinary
- charged for trundle bed (often as diamond, we find that fee is waived)

Pros -
- much more convenient than HSW

Verdict-
- don't expect much and you won't be disappointed
- would return due to the location, not the hotel

DT when it opened was below average, service wise (and I had a really bad experience that needed some investigating) but then went through a period of being pretty good.. Sounds like its back to being pretty average now.

 

[Aeolus]

Property: HSW (South Wharf)
Checked in online where I saw I had a 2 BR suite upgrade, and then requested a King Yarra suite at check in when my upgraded room wasn't ready (I actually prefer the yarra suite especially for just one)
Pretty impressed with this upgrade as I was expecting to have to fight for executive access considering it was a points+plus on the lowest room.

Upgrade fairy very generous today, just checked mine online and will be having the relaxation suite-yippee. Are you staying there tonight, if so my ETA at EL is around 7:30pm.

 

[jackthomas]

Upgrade fairy very generous today, just checked mine online and will be having the relaxation suite-yippee. Are you staying there tonight, if so my ETA at EL is around 7:30pm.

Yep, here tonight.
I'll be in the EL around 6pm before an event tonight, then back there in the morning to do some work, after breakfast in the restaurant most likely.

 

[Aeolus]

Since DT renamed and reclassified their rooms to be fancier (still the same rooms goodness sake!), they've become very stingy in their upgrades as well. I have been having a good run in terms of rates and upgrades with HSW therefore no reason to go back to DT

 

[coolumbla]

I'm not really feeling the love atm

A summary of stays

H Syd
paid the basic room rate last 2 times .Standard upgrade to same room higher floor
No issues with breakfast in Glass with coffee tax applied however

But !!!
why use an online checkin system if the room doesn't stay the same as the one you booked?
Hit and miss with the newspaper and the water
Admittedly the lounge angel when i fed this back arranged water by the time id got back

Melbourne
was having a good run with suites i thought then I remembered id actually booked and paid for them! ( Coolumbla rule of" book the room you're prepared to stay in" )
Last few times ive booked standard rooms have been put on a higher floor

Brisbane points and cash stay
Standard room upgrade to higher floor

Cairns
Standard room , as ive never been there before i have no idea if i was upgraded!
Cant say about breakfast as i just wanted to get on the road but the check in staff were the most pleasant and chatty of any of them while they were trying to remember where they had parked my car

I wont keep diamond next year as it would have been on spend this year not stays like last year and with the $A in the toilet I'm nowhere near it
Doesn't matter as I'm getting over it
Used to be the free internet and brekky was a big deal and saved money but internet is free everywhere now
Breakfast is hit or miss
Lounge access is great but I'm not travelling as much and do i really want to pay 400 dollars is for a standard shoebox in sydney for a few free drinks?

will probably spend more time at IHG's as the variety and price where i travel is better

( i suspect i sound disillusioned!)

C

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Cairns Standard room , as ive never been there before i have no idea if i was upgraded!

All Cairns rooms are standard size except the suites however due to the building shape, there are smaller rooms and bigger rooms which does make the on-line check-in a benefit as you can pick the marginally bigger room or better still, a corner room with the additional window. An upgrade most commonly is to the 9th floor (executive floor) which as diamond is not really an upgrade except it makes lounge access easier. A few times of late, I've noticed my upgrade has been an 8th floor relaxation room, which although a lower grade than an exec. room upgrade, for a diamond, it actually is a better deal as the room is a bit nicer with a spa bath and separate shower rather than a shub and glass looking out to the room rather than a wall, (just makes it seem bigger). Rarely is an upgrade to a suite given (although I have had them). My assessment of H-CNS is fairly simple. One doesn't go there to be blown away by the stunning hotel (it's not awful, just average....but a better average than any other CNS hotel I've stayed in), but the staff do look after me very well, they are very accommodating and I feel comfortable staying there.

 

[boomy]

I'm not really feeling the love atm

A summary of stays

H Syd
paid the basic room rate last 2 times .Standard upgrade to same room higher floor
No issues with breakfast in Glass with coffee tax applied however

But !!!
why use an online checkin system if the room doesn't stay the same as the one you booked?
Hit and miss with the newspaper and the water
Admittedly the lounge angel when i fed this back arranged water by the time id got back

Melbourne
was having a good run with suites i thought then I remembered id actually booked and paid for them! ( Coolumbla rule of" book the room you're prepared to stay in" )
Last few times ive booked standard rooms have been put on a higher floor

Brisbane points and cash stay
Standard room upgrade to higher floor

Interesting experience. When you said you didn't get the same room in HSYD as chosen online, did you receive a better or worse room? From my experience with OCLI it's either exactly same room as chosen or an upgrade to better category.

I had some issues with bottled water myself, although in HSW, not HSYD. When called magic to ask once was told "the tap water in Melbourne is safe to drink". Hmmm, I'm sure it is but I'm not sure this is the right answer to guests, especially when they sell bottled water in the mini bar!

Regarding HBNE, which floor were you put on? I'll be surprised if you didn't get an exec room upgrade (unless the hotel was really full). This is the standard upgrade for diamonds there. They do have 5 suites but it's very rare to get them as free upgrade.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

When called magic to ask once was told "the tap water in Melbourne is safe to drink".

Wow...now there's a staffer who needs to be trained, but I really doubt HSW would be lax in training, so probably one that needs to be shown the door.

That's ignorance, arrogance and rudeness to the max in my book.

Firstly as the bottled water is a defined status benefit earned by all status members that is not given at the discretion of staff.

Secondly it's not the MEL water that's the issue. Most of know MEL water is excellent, but for me, it's more about the previous guest in the room. I dislike having a glass of water at night from a bathroom tap which may have been used by the previous guest to briefly rinse their hands following a Bali Bug ridden toilet session! Even in the jug, I'd prefer bottled water as I'm told that in order to kill bugs, the water should be boiled for 3 minutes...which jugs do not.

Thirdly, even if the staffer thought that comment, what on earth would give them the idea that it is acceptable to basically tell a high status guest to "go away and stop bothering me"?

 

[Buzzard]

.....and whilst on the bottled water topic, +1 and I like to take our bottled water with us when we go off exploring.