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.

 

[hummel]

Wow still very high! I booked DT for this Sunday for $139 (booking made in Jan).

Yep a lot of money for what it is by HSW going $500+, Sofitel $750.. no idea what is on this weekend.

 

[boomy]

Yep a lot of money for what it is by HSW going $500+, Sofitel $750.. no idea what is on this weekend.

P+P is an option to minimise the damage.
20,000 points plus $92 at DT this weekend.

 

[hummel]

P+P is an option to minimise the damage.
20,000 points plus $92 at DT this weekend.

Yep looked at that but burnt my points at Conrad Bali in January.

Not to worry too much.

 

[NT2010]

Hilton Adelaide

I would agree - I stayed there about 7 times between September and October last year as Diamond - never got much upgrade with only one or twice to standard executive rooms. One time they even gave me a 2nd floor room opposite the lifts and with window open to the tennis court. (my profile is higher floor and away from lifts if possible). Breakfast was consistently bad (maybe not fair assessment on my part because they were renovation the main dinning area), but the food were substandard with poor services and $5 coffee....

Property: H-ADL
Status: Diamond
Booked: King Guestroom
Received: King Exec

With the exception of the helpful and friendly EL staff, the service overall was by far inferior to the other Hiltons in Oz. At check-in, I asked about the occupancy, was informed in was just a bit over 60% so I thought I'll try to ask if there's any chance for a better room upgrade. No problems, that would be $$ extra, so I stuck to the room given. Breakfast service - table was dirty, no coffee/tea was offered, had to ask after 20 mins and I noticed the staff simply wiped the table and swept the crumbs, etc that were on the table straight onto the carpet! After breakfast, I tried to ask for extended checkout to 2pm. No problems, that would be $30/extra per hour after 12noon. Hell, by then I had enough and I mentioned that this is very unlike treatments of Diamonds in any Hiltons I have ever stayed at, even in Oz. Front desk then said she will get back to me and rang back to advise it was ok. Unfortunately, the impression has been set by then, what a money grabbing hotel, service left a lot to be desired.

 

[hydrabyss]

Property: Sydney
Date: 21st Feb 1 night
Status: Diamond
Booked: King Guestroom Plus
Rate: AAA $246
Received: King Relaxation Room

Stayed for my partners birthday so received the usual balloon,chocalates and card.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Property: Hilton Sydney
Status: Diamond
Date: 24th Feb
Booked: King Exec Govt Rate
Received: King Exec

Now keep in mind I only usually post the exceptional stuff on here good and bad. This is in the latter category.
No upgrade of any kind offered or mentioned at any point during the process. Online check-in showing room type booked, eventually pre-allocated room type booked. At the front desk I enquire about a Diamond Upgrade and was offered a King Suite at $200 supplement. At the time of check-in both Relaxation Suites and King Suites available to book on website.
A bit poor really, have sent an email to the Guest Relations manager and GM.
I'm a relatively frequent guest here, BIB Diamond and I need somewhere to put my giraffe !!

Reply received from HSYD
"However, as you may be able to appreciate the hotel does have a limited number of upgrades to Executive Rooms, Relaxation Rooms and Junior Suites, and I sincerely regret that complimentary suite upgrades for your recent stay was unavailable. In line with the Hilton HHonors Terms & Conditions Relaxation Suites, King Suites and Master Suites are not included in the Hilton HHonors complementary upgrade benefits"

Except I have been upgraded to all of the above room types as a comp upgrade benefit.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

That's a poor response from Sydney.

 

[dfcatch]

BS response - and all AFFers should call out this poor service with very vocal letters/emails so that management get the message very clearly that such BS is unacceptable.

 

[moa999]

What is unacceptable about following the T&Cs..
To book a King Exec and expect a suite upgrade every time, is like the US FFs who expect a First upgrade every time.

If you book a King Plus on the other hand I suspect you have a better chance of a 1-cat upgrade (like hydrabyss above)

 

[DC3]

... In line with the Hilton HHonors Terms & Conditions Relaxation Suites ...

A very mediocre response, referring to the T&C, especially when the guest is a regular at the hotel (and would well understand such things).

Maybe sent by someone well down in the food chain with little understanding of how to deal with guest hospitality matters.

 

[jackthomas]

Reply received from HSYD
"However, as you may be able to appreciate the hotel does have a limited number of upgrades to Executive Rooms, Relaxation Rooms and Junior Suites, and I sincerely regret that complimentary suite upgrades for your recent stay was unavailable. In line with the Hilton HHonors Terms & Conditions Relaxation Suites, King Suites and Master Suites are not included in the Hilton HHonors complementary upgrade benefits"

Except I have been upgraded to all of the above room types as a comp upgrade benefit.

Prays this is not the latest H SYD "enhancement"
and that their staff aren't reading the thread to see members defending not granting suite upgrades...

 

[chg89]

Agree, that's poor response to this matter. This will make me think twice of staying with hsyd in the future.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Prays this is not the latest H SYD "enhancement"
and that their staff aren't reading the thread to see members defending not granting suite upgrades...

There is a difference between pointing out the difference between "Alice in Wonderland" stuff and fact, versus defending the current Hilton policy. The policy is theirs to decide.....the choice of acceptance is yours to ponder.

 

[Princess Fiona]

There is a difference between pointing out the difference between "Alice in Wonderland" stuff and fact, versus defending the current Hilton policy. The policy is theirs to decide.....the choice of acceptance is yours to ponder.

What part is "Alice in Wonderland" stuff?

I fully understand the T&C's, I don't need them quoted to me by an underling at Hilton. What I don't understand is that I emailed them after a disappointing check-in experience as a repeat Diamond guest. I have booked and paid for a full range of room categories at Hilton Sydney right up to King Suites. I have paid for NOR1 upgrades on some previous stays. I compared the experience yesterday to previous stays at the hotel, including another stay where due to capacity I wasn't able to be upgraded but this was proactively managed very well at check-in.

None of this was addressed in a cut and paste of the T&C's.
Not satisfactory at all IMO

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Was the reply from the the GM or someone else? I thought you said that you emailed the GM?

 

[Princess Fiona]

Was the reply from the the GM or someone else? I thought you said that you emailed the GM?

No it wasn't the GM

 

[dfcatch]

What is unacceptable about following the T&Cs..
To book a King Exec and expect a suite upgrade every time, is like the US FFs who expect a First upgrade every time.

If you book a King Plus on the other hand I suspect you have a better chance of a 1-cat upgrade (like hydrabyss above)

What planet are you on??

The T&C's are very clear - space available upgrades - period. An upgrade wasn't offered.

A secondary issue is that of the hotel "taking the piss" with regard to self-excluding all its suites from the upgrade pool on an ad-hoc basis - that's simply bad management/loyalty decisions by the property. But an upgrade is required to be given, if available, according to the T&Cs.

You asked what is "unacceptable"? Good question - LOYALTY 101 - that's what's unacceptable.

Why bother having a loyalty program if you're not going to honor the benefits.

You know what's worse than having a minimalistic set of program benefits that fail to arouse folks to join??

That's right - having program benefits which you fail to deliver, either according to the 'letter' or the 'spirit' of he program.

All you create is disgruntled customers who get pissed off with the program, the brand, and actively take their business elsewhere.

Why is that such a problem? No doubt you'll suggest that these customers are "over-entitled", or aren't as "valuable as they think they are".

That's possibly true - but guess what? The best way for a program to recruit new members is from existing customers spreading positive word-of-mouth referrals.

And without that - there is no repeat business;
there are no credit card sign-ups
there are no points purchases
there are no incentives for folks to book direct rather than via OTA's (and thus costing the property much more in OTA commissions)...

the list goes on.

The summary is pretty simple - the property and the hotel group have much more to lose from pissing off valuable customers, than they do by granting upgrades to distressed unsold inventory at 1830.


Full T&Cs here - "Upgrades for Diamond HHonors guests may include the next-best available room from the room type booked. Upgrades may also be rooms with desirable views, corner rooms, rooms on high floors, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors, or suites, as identified by each property. Upgrades exclude executive suites, villas and specialty accommodations (which may include, but not limited to, "Vista" and "Villa" accommodation types), subject to the discretion of the hotel. Group reservations and certain rates are not eligible for suite accommodations and may not be eligible for complimentary upgrades. All upgrades are granted on a space-available basis for the entire stay, as determined at the time of check-in. Preferred rooms are identified by each individual property and may vary within each brand. Upgrades will be given only for one room for the member, regardless of additional rooms the member may have purchased at or after the time of booking."

 

[dfcatch]

There is a difference between pointing out the difference between "Alice in Wonderland" stuff and fact, versus defending the current Hilton policy. The policy is theirs to decide.....the choice of acceptance is yours to ponder.

Why on earth so many AFF members defend poor policies and anti-customer decisions astounds me.

Especially those whom I know in person to have IQs higher than 10.

The only reason programs get away with such piss-poor performance is because so many roll over and accept it.

 

[Punky]

The T&C's are very clear - space available upgrades - period.

Nice sound bite, but vastly different in maning to

ull T&Cs here - "Upgrades for Diamond HHonors guests may include the next-best available room from the room type booked. Upgrades may also be rooms with desirable views, corner rooms, rooms on high floors, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors, or suites, as identified by each property. Upgrades exclude executive suites, villas and specialty accommodations (which may include, but not limited to, "Vista" and "Villa" accommodation types), subject to the discretion of the hotel. Group reservations and certain rates are not eligible for suite accommodations and may not be eligible for complimentary upgrades. All upgrades are granted on a space-available basis for the entire stay, as determined at the time of check-in. Preferred rooms are identified by each individual property and may vary within each brand. Upgrades will be given only for one room for the member, regardless of additional rooms the member may have purchased at or after the time of booking."

 

[Deleted member 29185]

What part is "Alice in Wonderland" stuff?
Not satisfactory at all IMO

You're misunderstanding what I wrote. I've said I don't disagree with your feelings, I would be a little annoyed as well, but I also wrote that what was offered is better than a blanket NO to a decent upgrade request, which is an option open to them (H-SYD). The "Alice in Wonderland" stuff I referred to is a claim that H-SYD wrote the HH Ts&Cs...which they didn't and that H-SYD is "obliged to give a suite as an upgrade.....which they are not. Those two points are not speculation, they are fact. Both of us have reminded other members that they should book the minimum level room they'd be happy with, as we do realise that an expected/hoped for upgrade may not eventuate. To suggest (as jackthomas did) that making these comments are tantamount to defending H-SYDs policy is incorrect. FWIW, I've found H-SYD to be so flaky with their status benefit offerings that I just don't stay there anymore. That option is open to everyone, which is why I wrote ... "The policy is theirs to decide.....the choice of acceptance is yours to ponder". That wasn't directed at you PF, it was an overarching statement for everyone to consider.

Why on earth so many AFF members defend poor policies and anti-customer decisions astounds me.

Especially those whom I know in person to have IQs higher than 10.

The only reason programs get away with such piss-poor performance is because so many roll over and accept it.

Stating facts is not tantamount to defending a policy. It's simply correcting misinformation....or do you perhaps believe that H-SYD has an obligation to give a suite as an upgrade if they're available? If you do, then we're simply reading the same Ts&Cs in a different light and I'm always up to a debate about them.