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]

Then I think you're staying at the wrong chain.



But "preferred room", under Honors T&Cs, can be something as simple as a room on a higher floor, or a room with a slightly better view, or a room with a fluffy bathrobe.



I stand to be corrected but I don't recall anything in the T&Cs of late saying "one category" upgrade.

My mistake. I mean't I wasn't expecting a suite upgrade (unless that's the next level up).

Even under the "preferred room" bit, my room did not have a better view and was on a lower floor. My booked room came with a fluffy bathrobe etc already.

My disappointment is not so much the lack of an upgrade. It's the lies that accompanied the questions as to why I didn't get it and the not honouring their own terms and conditions.

 

[mingzie]

No. You have, and I quote "Executive Floor Lounge Access".

also

What?

What you quoted just supports my point.

Diamonds already have access to the Executive Floor regardless if they don't receive an upgrade.

Therefore, an upgrade to the Executive Floor that is on a lower floor, as well as reduced in amenities, is a downgrade.

At the very least, the hotel should keep the guest in the same room, because they already have lounge access.

Downgrading them in to an inferior lounge access room when they are already guaranteed lounge access even in the dumpster next to the hotel is a downgrade.

Then I think you're staying at the wrong chain.



But "preferred room", under Honors T&Cs, can be something as simple as a room on a higher floor, or a room with a slightly better view, or a room with a fluffy bathrobe.



I stand to be corrected but I don't recall anything in the T&Cs of late saying "one category" upgrade.

T&C has ALWAYS been next category upgrade. The only recent change is on March 1 where they removed the 'next category upgrade' clause.

Honestly the guest in this case is 100% correct in that the hotel screwed him over with a downgrade.

He got moved down floors, the 2pm late checkout was removed, the wine was removed - All in the name of giving him lounge access (which is already GUARANTEED as a diamond). If you book a room that guarantees you the top four floors, and they move you down a floor and removed 2 benefits, whereas if you stayed in your original room it'd be identical but you'd have 3 more benefits, that's a downgrade.

 

[oz_mark]

Diamonds already have access to the Executive Floor regardless if they don't receive an upgrade.

Therefore, an upgrade to the Executive Floor that is on a lower floor, as well as reduced in amenities, is a downgrade.

At the very least, the hotel should keep the guest in the same room, because they already have lounge access.

Downgrading them in to an inferior lounge access room when they are already guaranteed lounge access even in the dumpster next to the hotel is a downgrade.

There are two different benefits

1) An upgrade - Getting a a room on the executive lounge floor when you have booked a normal room is an upgrade. Any roo m that is a higher category that the booked room is an upgrade. It's what the hotel decides is an upgrade.

2) Lounge Access - You get lounge access wherever you get upgraded to. But this does not mean the starting point for working out an upgrade is a basic room on the executive floor

 

[mingzie]

There are two different benefits

1) An upgrade - Getting a a room on the executive lounge floor when you have booked a normal room is an upgrade. Any room that is a higher category that the booked room is an upgrade. It's what the hotel decides is an upgrade.

2) Lounge Access - You get lounge access wherever you get upgraded to. But this does not mean the starting point for working out an upgrade is a basic room on the executive floor

Point 2 is irrelevant and not what we said whatsoever. The starting point for working out an upgrade is obviously not a basic room on the executive floor, nor did I or anyone imply this.

What we are arguing, is that an upgrade should not be executed for a Diamond if the room is identical, but the amenities are less, and the floor is lower (especially if the guest had High Floor in their preferences). In this case, their original room type is for all intents and purposes, is better than the 'upgrade' they received. You are incorrectly attacking a strawman in which you think we said that the base level should be exec room as starting point, and then calculated above. This is not what any of us said. Be careful when constructing arguments that do not match.

In regards to Point 1, you would be correct if this was any other hotel in the world. An executive room is a higher floor, with more amenities, or even if less amenities, is at the very least a higher floor or 2sqm bigger or has a nespresso machine or its next to the lounge, or a bathrobe. At the Hilton Sydney, no matter which way you put it, a higher category room upgrade for a Diamond from a Dlx Plus -> Exec Room (non corner) is a downgrade.

You are correct - its what the hotel decided is an upgrade. But it is actually a downgrade. The room is identical, everything in the rooms are identical, the room looks the same, the rooms both give the same benefit, but the exec room loses 3 benefits (lower floor, no wine, no 2pm late checkout). The fact that Diamonds already have lounge access DOES matter and is not a separate point. It means that hotels should not downgrade a Diamond to an inferior room that only difference is that it has lounge access. You can keep defending hotel dodgy practices if you want, though. If you've ever been to Hilton Sydney you would know that this guest was rorted. If it was any other hotel in the entire world I'd side with you.

 

[mingzie]

Let's use an analogy. We're going to the cinema!

Say they have a type of ticket combo where they give you a limited edition toy and a bonus movie scene. You booked this limited edition toy, and are looking forward to receiving the toy and seeing the bonus scene. You also get prime seating in the center 8th row and this is listed in your preferences and also the ticket type you selected (best seats in the house!). The cinema also guarantees that you will receive as a Black Card holder a free popcorn/drink for every movie you see, no matter where you are sitting or which movie you are seeing.

You book this promotion / type of ticket at the cinema as a Black Card holder.

When you arrive at the Cinema, they tell you 'good news! as a black card holder, we've been able to upgrade you by moving you to the side/back of the cinema, we know this is a worse position but as a bonus those who sit on the side get a free popcorn/drink! lucky you'

Your ticket is moved to the side/back of the cinema. You were already entitled to a free popcorn/drink, but they moved you to a worse seat. On top of that, you don't get your toy and don't get to see the bonus movie scene.

This is somehow all completely okay though, because they moved you to the side section with the free popcorn/drink. They tell you 'but even though you were guaranteed a popcorn and drink no matter where you were sitting and the seats were worse and you don't get to watch the bonus scene at the end, we still upgraded you to the section where even normal members get a popcorn and drink, that's what we determine is an upgrade! we can't use the fact that you were already going to get a popcorn/drink because thats a completely different benefit'.

This analogy is not the same you say?

limited edition toy = bottle of wine
bonus scene = late checkout
lower floor = worse seats

But if you think this is okay for a hotel or cinema to do, then I don't know what to say.

 

[moa999]

If you're concerned about a 375ml bottle of average wine, I'm concerned about your drinking habits.

Yes I agree for a Plat member a Deluxe - EL could be seen as a downgrade, so fix it on the spot, rather than complaining post event

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Moa999... That comment about the wine is ridiculous. You know very well it's the principal not that the poster is some kind of alcoholic.

 

[mingzie]

If you're concerned about a 375ml bottle of average wine, I'm concerned about your drinking habits.

Yes I agree for a Plat member a Deluxe - EL could be seen as a downgrade, so fix it on the spot, rather than complaining post event

It's not the wine, its the principal. He's booking a $1600+ stay that should have also given him 2:00 pm checkout no problem. It could have been a single origami paper crane amenity missing in the Exec Room on half a floor lower, and it'd still be a downgrade. This is unacceptable for Diamond members, as worthless as the status might be.

He did complain on the spot, and although was given compensation in the form of a full bottle of wine, he still got moved to lower floor (its like getting slightly worse seats at a cinema), and still has to taste the bitter experience of the wine missing - asking for something that he should have been entitled to or should have been offered. He was also lied to about a suite upgrade that was obviously available. The choice of Dlx Plus was also not preallocated to him as the Exec Room was preallocated, so by the time he was given a decision to move back into a Dlx Plus, the rooms were already occupied except the worst location. H-Syd is a hotel that allocates you a room based off your preferences, so it is almost a given they would have assigned him a better room on the morning of allocation.

Fixing him up with a bottle of cheap wine doesn't change the fact that his room was permanently downgraded for the stay, and that the stay cost $1600 with a promise that he would have the top four floors (or if not, an upgrade in another direction like a bigger room, fluffier bath robe, spa bath etc.). If your hotel is going to have identical rooms, then downgrading a Diamond members amenities and pretending its an upgrade is disgraceful.

The only avenue he really has is to complain post event and get corporate involved, as they did not want to help him on the day. If H-Syd does this to any other Diamonds, you shouldn't put up with it. This is why they are still doing it and getting away with it.. because people think 'oh well' or defend them as if the guest is the one with the problem. I really love this hotel and still can admit this is dodgy.

 

[Cynicor]

What?

What you quoted just supports my point.

Diamonds already have access to the Executive Floor regardless if they don't receive an upgrade.

Therefore, an upgrade to the Executive Floor that is on a lower floor, as well as reduced in amenities, is a downgrade.

At the very least, the hotel should keep the guest in the same room, because they already have lounge access.

Downgrading them in to an inferior lounge access room when they are already guaranteed lounge access even in the dumpster next to the hotel is a downgrade.



T&C has ALWAYS been next category upgrade. The only recent change is on March 1 where they removed the 'next category upgrade' clause.

Honestly the guest in this case is 100% correct in that the hotel screwed him over with a downgrade.

He got moved down floors, the 2pm late checkout was removed, the wine was removed - All in the name of giving him lounge access (which is already GUARANTEED as a diamond). If you book a room that guarantees you the top four floors, and they move you down a floor and removed 2 benefits, whereas if you stayed in your original room it'd be identical but you'd have 3 more benefits, that's a downgrade.

Saying T+Cs have always been 1 cat upgrade is completely incorrect. They've not changed in several years from "preferred room".

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
The discussion about Daver6's recent experience is becoming circular.

Time to accept that there are different views of what is an upgrade and what isn't, and move on.
[/mod hat]

 

[hydrabyss]

Like flyertalk maybe its time to have a " how do hilton not treat you as an elite" thread.

 

[Daver6]

If you're concerned about a 375ml bottle of average wine, I'm concerned about your drinking habits.

Yes I agree for a Plat member a Deluxe - EL could be seen as a downgrade, so fix it on the spot, rather than complaining post event

I did complain on the spot. Both when initially checking in and again once I walked into the room, I went back down to reception. All in all, 30 minutes wasted. I didn't have the time to take it further while there.

Honestly, I (and anyone else) shouldn't have to waste their time with this sort of rubbish. About half a bottle of average wine is not the point. If you promise something, do it. It really is that simple. Take a look at the length the for thread on priority boarding on Qantas. If a company states a benefit, just do it.

Edit: Just saw the mod post after already posting this. Ooops. Sorry mods

 

[mingzie]

Saying T+Cs have always been 1 cat upgrade is completely incorrect. They've not changed in several years from "preferred room".

nope, its never been preferred room. its been 'next best available room from the room type booked'. this was interpreted by both hilton corporate and a lot of properties as, if the next best room type was not available, no upgrade would be required.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Well, I'm grateful that the last few pages of this thread has pretty confirmed that my preferred room in SYD is not in a Hilton!

 

[sinophile888]

I have just been trying to book 5 nights at DT Melbourne on points or points and money. I spoke to someone on the chat line this morning and was told that to get the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] night free, I could not use points and money, only all points or all money. He said that the points deduction would take place at the end of the booking.
So I priced the points needed for each of the 5 nights individually and as a 5 night block. This was the result.
Individual night 5-night block
1: 25000 41000
2: 25000 41000
3: 21000 34000
4: 33000 43000
5: 36000 43000
Total : 140000 202000

I rang this afternoon to check why there was a difference between the 2 amounts.
Operator said that I cannot book 5 individual consecutive nights on points only; the booking would be automatically cancelled. I could book 2 nights in my name, a night in my daughter’s name and 2 nights in my name. My daughter has no points. Also there was no 5[SUP]th[/SUP] night free for a 5-night all points booking, only for a 5-night all money booking.

Is this a case of HUACA or have I got it all wrong? Should I just give it a try and see what happens?

PS Sorry about the formatting. I couldn't get it to look any better.

 

[mingzie]

complete BS you can't book 5 nights individually and that they'll be cancelled, yes hang up and call again. you might have to move rooms but usually the hotel can organise something for you to keep you in same room.

you can do whatever you want, you just are not supposed to get multiple stay/point promo creds.

 

[hydrabyss]

I have just been trying to book 5 nights at DT Melbourne on points or points and money. I spoke to someone on the chat line this morning and was told that to get the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] night free, I could not use points and money, only all points or all money. He said that the points deduction would take place at the end of the booking.
So I priced the points needed for each of the 5 nights individually and as a 5 night block. This was the result.
Individual night 5-night block
1: 25000 41000
2: 25000 41000
3: 21000 34000
4: 33000 43000
5: 36000 43000
Total : 140000 202000

I rang this afternoon to check why there was a difference between the 2 amounts.
Operator said that I cannot book 5 individual consecutive nights on points only; the booking would be automatically cancelled. I could book 2 nights in my name, a night in my daughter’s name and 2 nights in my name. My daughter has no points. Also there was no 5[SUP]th[/SUP] night free for a 5-night all points booking, only for a 5-night all money booking.

Is this a case of HUACA or have I got it all wrong? Should I just give it a try and see what happens?

PS Sorry about the formatting. I couldn't get it to look any better.

This may be a silly question but were you signed into your Honours account to get the 5th night free to show.

 

[sinophile888]

This may be a silly question but were you signed into your Honours account to get the 5th night free to show.

Yes, definitely.
I don't think points bookings come up if you're not signed in.

 

[straitman]

This may be a silly question but were you signed into your Honours account to get the 5th night free to show.

A good and relevant question.

The 5th night free should show up on the booking. i.e. If it is 25000 points per night then the booking total should show as 100000 points required. Saying it will be deducted later is just BS.

 

[sinophile888]

I think I'll give it a try.
If it doesn't work, I also like the look of the Radisson.