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.

 

[maaz]

Hilton Sydney
HH Gold
14 Dec for one night
Originally booked at $319. Emailed about best price guarantee after price dropped and ended up with $208
booked King Room Deluxe (spouse stays free too)

Received upgrade to 37th floor corner room. Exec lounge access

I was a bit worried about an upgrade because I did an online checkin (which I have done before) but it only showed the King Room Deluxe options. Previously when I have done this I have seen that I was upgraded to Exec in the 24hr period before checkin. I was worried that I would not get an upgrade because I had done the best price guarantee.

There were no worries - I encountered the friendliest staff ever at the Sydney Hilton. Every member of staff encountered in any part of the hotel were friendly and helpful. The food in the lounge was not as good as last time we stayed (no prawns!!) but we were very happy with everything else. Late checkout to 2pm too.

 

[mel-world]

HSW
HH Diamond (for probably the last time - Gold next year)
14 Dec - one night
King Senior Rate - $214
Executive King - 15th floor - city view - checked in at front desk

Had to ask about a paper at the front desk but got water (Large Sparkling bottle) and 4 chocolates delivered sometime after check in. Spouse and I ate the chocolates but left the water unopened.

Lounge not too busy before dinner - happy with the selection. Breakfast downstairs not lounge all okay with very pleasant server who wished us a great day as we left and even remembered my name although I rarely visit the HSW given I live in Melbourne.

 

[nonpop]

Hilton Brisbane
HH Gold (1st stay as a status match) ... this is a night Hilton BNE wouldn't have got
Room: Base level king
Room: Upgraded 1 level
Lounge: No lounge access as I was told that due to booking a base level room I don't qualify as I had to book 1 level higher for the upgrade to take me to exec level

Well that was a bust. 1st world problem but I had mistakenly thought I would get lounge. Oh well no more Hilton Brisbane stays for this little black duck.

 

[boomy]

Hilton Brisbane
HH Gold (1st stay as a status match) ... this is a night Hilton BNE wouldn't have got
Room: Base level king
Room: Upgraded 1 level
Lounge: No lounge access as I was told that due to booking a base level room I don't qualify as I had to book 1 level higher for the upgrade to take me to exec level

Well that was a bust. 1st world problem but I had mistakenly thought I would get lounge. Oh well no more Hilton Brisbane stays for this little black duck.

HBNE has many issues with overcapacity in the lounge. It's just too small and refurbishment is long overdue.
Unfortunately management talks about it for a while but nothing happens so the solution they got is to deny entry for gold members.
It was easy to brake a wall and make larger room for Putin, seems much more difficult to create more space for the most loyal guests.

 

[jackthomas]

I was a bit worried about an upgrade because I did an online checkin (which I have done before) but it only showed the King Room Deluxe options. Previously when I have done this I have seen that I was upgraded to Exec in the 24hr period before checkin. I was worried that I would not get an upgrade because I had done the best price guarantee.

Don't worry about upgrades don't clearing for online check in at Sydney, its the only hotel in Aus in my experience that doesn't process their upgrades in the system before check in.. Always had my upgrades allocated at actual check in not online or changed in the booking. I also agree with your comment about the friendly staff, I find the staff at SYD the absolute best.

 

[Aeolus]

The fairy dust still working at HSYD for me. Consecutive upgrades to King Suite on OLCI for past 2 stays. They sure know how to make it hard to consider other hotels, not that I'm complaining at all!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Hilton Brisbane
HH Gold (1st stay as a status match) ... this is a night Hilton BNE wouldn't have got
Room: Base level king
Room: Upgraded 1 level
Lounge: No lounge access as I was told that due to booking a base level room I don't qualify as I had to book 1 level higher for the upgrade to take me to exec level

Well that was a bust. 1st world problem but I had mistakenly thought I would get lounge. Oh well no more Hilton Brisbane stays for this little black duck.

To guarantee it book one level below as suggested, its often not much more, a deluxe plus I think it's called

 

[nonpop]

To guarantee it book one level below as suggested, its often not much more, a deluxe plus I think it's called

Our corporate system picks the lowest rate at various hotels (we have a list of about half dozen in BNE to pick from). So no-go on picking the next level up.

Data point: Breakfast upgrade from continental to full was AUD10

 

[Aeolus]

Had the pleasure of HSYD's P1 equivalent service this morning. There was a long queue at Glass, the GM spotted me and escorted me in, bypassing the queue and without the need for room number, etc. As a result, no coffee tax either! Now, that's taking service to a whole new different level - something I could really get use to!

 

[turtlemichael]

Conrad Pezula (Kynsna, South Africa)
HH Diamond
December 6-12
Booked King Deluxe Junior Suite (the base room) and upgraded to King Superior Junior Suite on arrival
Summer Sale Rate (nabbed 6 months ago) 2555 Rand (Circa AUD230) plus 160 Rand resort fee. About half the regular rate.

This hotel hasn't been reviewed much here, if at all, so thought it may be of interest. It is simply the best Hilton family property we've stayed at. It is part of a gated community spectacularly located with golf course and Indian Ocean views on the Garden Route about 6 km outside Knysna. Rooms are large well furnished and well serviced. Only drawback was the lack of power outlets without unplugging lams etc. As well the huge shower leaked water to the bathroom but a towel stopped that. Although I didn't see the deluxe room I think the upgraded was merely to upstairs with a better view and much the same layout. Rooms are mostly in 4 roomed "cottages" spread over the property. You can walk or they'll transport you in golf type buggies. There are 2 swimming pools (one in the spa complex and overheated for lap swimming) and the other outside. There is a small gym.

There is no executive lounge but there are a couple of bars and two restaurants. The casual restaurant, Cafe Z, served the best buffet/cooked breakfast I've had in a Hilton property. It included oysters and "champagne" and the best pastries, breads etc I've had anywhere. We also ate there two nights and had extremely good dinners. The upmarket restaurant had limited opening nights and we didn't eat there. There are a number of very good restaurants around the area so there is no lack of choice. The hotel runs a free shuttle into town in the evenings.

Service was generally very good right across the property. We took the shuttle to the beach one day and that was pleasant. They have a couple of houses there at astronomical rates. I earned 75k HH points, taking advantage of the current bonuses, and they won't go astray either.

All up, a great stay and we did not want to leave.

 

[foggy]

Property: Conrad centennial singapore
Room booked: King Classic room (base room)
Rate: $1279.99 sgd for 4 nights
Received: King executive lvl 30 (EL level 31 which is the top floor)

Still here till the 19th. Breakfast at the EL was buffet instead of the continental kind. Hope I am not getting charged for it. Received welcoming fruits / choc. Also 6 bottles of water so far. Kid sized slippers for my 2 kids without asking. Very friendly staff. So far so good. Decor in room is dated though, the W hotel was much nicer.

Very nice view.

Off to waldorf astoria shanghai on the 19th for 1 night stay then over to sanya haitang bay for a 5 night stay.

 

[kermatu]

Property: Conrad centennial singapore
Room booked: King Classic room (base room)
Rate: $1279.99 sgd for 4 nights
Received: King executive lvl 30 (EL level 31 which is the top floor)

Still here till the 19th. Breakfast at the EL was buffet instead of the continental kind. Hope I am not getting charged for it. Received welcoming fruits / choc. Also 6 bottles of water so far. Kid sized slippers for my 2 kids without asking. Very friendly staff. So far so good. Decor in room is dated though, the W hotel was much nicer.

Very nice view.

Off to waldorf astoria shanghai on the 19th for 1 night stay then over to sanya haitang bay for a 5 night stay.

Foggy you should ask if you can have breakfast free in the restaurant downstairs (Oscars). I always have and it is significantly better than the lounge - though minus champagne and the view. But you can always pop up after breakfast to sample both.

 

[Cynicor]

You can have breakfast at any of the 3 restaurants if Diamond. I can't see your status on the app but with the upgrade you are more than welcome to Oscars.

You are not being charged for the Exec buffet, that's just an Asian lounge rather than the poor cousins in other continents.

Enjoy! If you think the Conrad is good, check out the Fullerton and Pan Pac Marina lounges.

 

[foggy]

Foggy you should ask if you can have breakfast free in the restaurant downstairs (Oscars). I always have and it is significantly better than the lounge - though minus champagne and the view. But you can always pop up after breakfast to sample both.

thanks for the tip, still here for 2 more breakfasts so will check it out tomorrow morning

You can have breakfast at any of the 3 restaurants if Diamond. I can't see your status on the app but with the upgrade you are more than welcome to Oscars.

You are not being charged for the Exec buffet, that's just an Asian lounge rather than the poor cousins in other continents.

Enjoy! If you think the Conrad is good, check out the Fullerton and Pan Pac Marina lounges.

noted, will definitely go down tomorrow to try it there

 

[Buzzard]

Had the pleasure of HSYD's P1 equivalent service this morning. There was a long queue at Glass, the GM spotted me and escorted me in, bypassing the queue and without the need for room number, etc. As a result, no coffee tax either! Now, that's taking service to a whole new different level - something I could really get use to!

During my last stay at HSYD, I booked a table for each morning thus avoiding any queue.
Kudos to the GM for spotting a loyal customer.

 

[Aeolus]

Back at HSW, had a minor issue with the room which was fixed within 20mins. Magic sent these up as service recovery.

 

[k_sheep]

HH Gold via Macquarie CC ($99 for first year)

28th Nov Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow airport
- Booked Queen room (cheapest) 45.50 GBP pn
- Received Queen room, high floor. Stupidly accepted breakfast as my reward, not thinking that we were leaving before service would start. Oh well!

29th Nov Hilton Sofia, Bulgaria
- Booked King with a festive rate - included voucher for the christmas market 76.97 EUR pn
- Received executive king, top floor corner room with great view of Mt Vitosha
- Booked a further 2 nights after that as we cancelled some other plans (115.12 EUR pn, cheapest available), kept the same room.

6th - 9th Dec Hilton Garden Inn Krakow, Poland
- Booked Queen evolution room (cheapest) 241.16 PLN pn
- Received top floor queen (only 6 floors high mind you, with no executive lounge) with a choice offered - castle and Danube view at front, or quiet at rear. Chose the front and got a view predominantly of a large billboard across the road :s

12th - 15th Dec Hilton Budapest City, Hungary
- Booked King (cheapest) 96.38 EUR pn
- Checked in online, chose corner room
- Received top floor executive room, a plate of cakes and 2x 187ml bottles of red wine

Good hit rate of executive lounge benefits provided! Card has easily paid for itself.

 

[kermatu]

Property: HSW
Date: 3 nights (Sat-Tue) December 2015
Status: Diamond
Booked: King room - city view
Received: King Executive room 1st night; Yarra Suite next two

Another very good stay at HSW. Usuals of water, turn down service, newspaper, full breakfast and no coffee tax (upon confirmation of Diamond status), full lounge access. Rush, Christian and team all great. Breakfast crew awesome as well. And the front desk team now recognise me and are far better than my early encounters.

Failed to do online check-in until morning of stay. Were plenty of suites available 2 days out. By that morning I was upgraded to Exec room and suites were disappearing. On arrival, was told all suites taken (looked right to me). Asked for a Yarra Suite the next two days and was assured that would happen. Had to follow up twice but was eventually arranged, bags transferred and new keys delivered to me in the lounge. Dropped from Floor 17 to 13 but this trip the extra room was worth it - though I did miss the wet bar and the washing machine which I thought was standard Yarra suite but maybe only floor 19??

No GM note, but sometime between 1 and 3 hours after check-in, in my original room, a full bottle of decent Shiraz was delivered. Better than the lounge offering. Really surprised no note was delivered.

Finally, the queue at check-in (4pm, Saturday) was ridiculous. No offer to go to Exec lounge, nor any HHonors special line. But, they came around offering free glasses of sparkling wine to ease the wait. I declined but nice touch. I guess the HHonors line would have been ignored anyway and slowed everyone down.

 

[Duffa]

Slightly OT but I got a full refund for the Grand prix weekend in March 2016, at DoubleTree. As you may know, Bernie changed the bloody weekend after I had booked a very cheap, non-refundable stay earlier in the year.
I rang them and they offered me a change of date - at the new exorbitant price or a full refund. Took a little bit of haggling but they came through.
So, credit to HH.
I'm Citi Prestige Gold

 

[Fifa]

Property: HSW
Date: 18 & 19 December
Status: Diamond
Booked: King Guestroom
Received: King City View Guestroom

Early checkin.
No turndown received last night.
A card was slipped under the door congratulating me on my "10th milestone stay". Odd.
Breakfast in the restaurant this morning with no charge for cappuccino.