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.

 

[justinbrett]

Havent tried Hiltons in the US yet but if I go there (assuming things are the same for 2023), does the F&B credit automatically get applied after the order? Or do you need to chase it up with the server/bartender?

You don't need to say a word to the server or bartender other than you wish to charge it to the room. It gets applied to the room bill. As long as you make a F&B charge that day (usually the "market" purchases count as well), it will be removed up to the value of the credit. You can make multiple smaller transactions if you like.

a - Keep in mind it's a daily thing - technically for a multi night stay you can't stack and use them all in one night (however you can try, it might or might not work depending on how the hotel operates)
b - always check your bill before checkout - if it hasn't been applied send them a message to apply it. I would say about 1/8 times I had to ask. (Bonus if if they do, then it doesn't matter when you occurred the charge, as per point a. It's more the proactive hotels that will enforce the daily limit).

Oh, and in case anybody's wondering, tips count as well.

 

[Berlin]

Oh, and in case anybody's wondering, tips count as well.

Yea- we found that one really odd tbh. Why wouldn’t you up your charge to the daily amount if that means the friendly waitstaff gets a good tip?

I just wonder if it goes to the staff at all if it’s “waved” as part of your benefit?

 

[serfty]

I disagree with the credit. I also believe @justinbrett is in the minority.

I am a breakfast person.

So these days in the US I try to book Hampton Inns.

 

[justinbrett]

I disagree with the credit. I also believe @justinbrett is in the minority.

I am a breakfast person.

So these days in the US I try to book Hampton Inns.

People who prefer booze or cheeseburgers to stale bagels?

Yep, I'm a rare bread

 

[Berlin]

People who prefer booze or cheeseburgers to stale bagels?

Yep, I'm a rare bread

I’m definitely also in camp booze and cheeseburgers

But for me, it’s mostly about sleeping in: When on holidays, I always prefer a few hours extra in bed over some hotel breakfast (unless it’s really REALLY magnificent).

And when travelling for work, then I couldn’t care less as I can just charge the breakfast to my employer. Actually, even more then I love just getting a “credit” as booze is often more tricky to charge back. IF I can get one of “my chains” approved under policy anyway, that is.

 

[turtlemichael]

Anyone stayed at Cairns Hilton recently? I'm there at the moment on an extended stay and the experience has been varied, to say the least. I don't want to single out anyone for criticism but some of the F and B service right through the hotel (Mondo's, Signature, and the EL) has been very poor. At a very busy time (school holidays) the hotel, and the town, has been very full but understaffed for the usual reason. so I have to make allowances. I'll put this stay down as an exception and look forward to a better one next time.

 

[Blackadder]

Anyone stayed at Cairns Hilton recently? I'm there at the moment on an extended stay and the experience has been varied, to say the least. I don't want to single out anyone for criticism but some of the F and B service right through the hotel (Mondo's, Signature, and the EL) has been very poor. At a very busy time (school holidays) the hotel, and the town, has been very full but understaffed for the usual reason. so I have to make allowances. I'll put this stay down as an exception and look forward to a better one next time.

Earlier in the year , similar experience at the Cairns Hilton.
As you mentioned it all comes down to what is happening with Covid, and until that stabilises would expect things to remain the same there.

 

[Berlin]

As you mentioned it all comes down to what is happening with Covid, and until that stabilises would expect things to remain the same there.

Well- I think we all give businesses way too much slack when it comes to this. It was clear from the start that if we use this pandemic to “easily” get rid of our long serving employees, this would hit back at some point. And now all those greedy businesses want our “understanding” for this totally surprising situation.

Also- strangely less service never EVER results in discounted rates or airfares, rather the opposite. And: There is always the option to just pay a dollar or two extra an hour and voila, suddenly we have enough staff. But oh dear, that could temporarily put a dent into profits so let’s rather ask our oh so “valued” customers for their understanding that service is currently sub par.

 

[eric2011]

Just made a booking at Waikiki and this comes up:

Your Hilton Honors MyWay benefit​

Enjoy a daily $18 credit for food and drinks and 1,000 Bonus Points during your stay.

Is that per room or per person ?

 

[levelnine]

Just made a booking at Waikiki and this comes up:

Your Hilton Honors MyWay benefit​

Enjoy a daily $18 credit for food and drinks and 1,000 Bonus Points during your stay.

Is that per room or per person ?

Per person on the booking, in lieu of breakfast, which is no longer offered to elites in the US.

 

[eric2011]

Per person on the booking, in lieu of breakfast, which is no longer offered to elites in the US.

Ok thanks, I thought it was per person but nowhere does it say so in the booking

 

[levelnine]

Ok thanks, I thought it was per person but nowhere does it say so in the booking

An addendum. Only up to a maximum of two people: Hilton Finally “Officially” Releases Daily F&B Credit Amounts For The US Until December 31, 2021

 

[eric2011]

Per person on the booking, in lieu of breakfast, which is no longer offered to elites in the US.

One final question, does the credit need to be used up each day or does it accumulate ( stay 2 nights have $72 to spend at the bar )

 

[levelnine]

One final question, does the credit need to be used up each day or does it accumulate ( stay 2 nights have $72 to spend at the bar )

Has to be used each day. And you'll need to carefully check your folio upon check out. Many hotels are notorious for failing to credit it. If you have a specific property in mind, there are threads on FlyerTalk for most hotels and they'll detail experiences with the credit.

 

[Princess Fiona]

One final question, does the credit need to be used up each day or does it accumulate ( stay 2 nights have $72 to spend at the bar )

It depends on the property. Most are you must use it per day but some do allow rollovers.

 

[dairyfloss]

A good reason to make your room reservation for 2 guests, even where travelling solo... I did the same recently at W Melbourne as a Bonvoy Plat, and got a much more comfortable credit amount each day for the fancy breakfast restaurant

 

[SponsorSFC]

Had my first automatic upgrade apply 72 hours out for our stay at the new Singapore Hilton Orchard starting this weekend.

Pre-upgraded to an Executive Room this morning from the base room (well 'Premium' room as they have not selling base rooms likely to avoid having any points availability, seems the Conrad have been doing similar in periods with points rooms coming and going from week to week).

Fingers crossed for a suite upgrade closer to check in as there is plenty of availability online but won't hold my breath.

 

[austgap]

Property: Doubletree Queenstown
Room booked: King Room
Rate: $274/night - flexi rate
Received: King Deluxe Lake View + 2x bottled water
No proactive upgrade offered when doing online check-in. Upon check-in the front desk agent acknowledged the status and did upgrade the room, she also subsequently comped the one night of parking due to status which was pleasing.

 

[Berlin]

Property: Doubletree Queenstown
Room booked: King Room
Rate: $274/night - flexi rate
Received: King Deluxe Lake View + 2x bottled water
No proactive upgrade offered when doing online check-in. Upon check-in the front desk agent acknowledged the status and did upgrade the room, she also subsequently comped the one night of parking due to status which was pleasing.

Both the Doubletree and the Hilton next door in Queenstown are amongst the worst Hilton properties here in the region from my experience and I've stayed especially at the Hilton quite frequently while being Covid looked in domestically two years ago: Super stingy management, overall slack staff and the Hilton has rooms so rundown that it's beyond comprehension that they haven't sold it off to Accor or similar yet. It was actually much better a few years back but I believe there has been a change in management and/or license holders and it really has gone down since then.

This is particularly striking as there are very nice Hiltons (Auckland) and Doubletrees (I'm thinking Christchurch and Wellington- the latter is a superb property and highly recommended) in NZ otherwise. Might be Queenstown itself though, it has always been a bit of a tourist trap given the natural beauty which is so stunning that many seem to just put up with it.

 

[JessicaTam]

Both the Doubletree and the Hilton next door in Queenstown are amongst the worst Hilton properties here in the region from my experience and I've stayed especially at the Hilton quite frequently while being Covid looked in domestically two years ago: Super stingy management, overall slack staff and the Hilton has rooms so rundown that it's beyond comprehension that they haven't sold it off to Accor or similar yet. It was actually much better a few years back but I believe there has been a change in management and/or license holders and it really has gone down since then.

This is particularly striking as there are very nice Hiltons (Auckland) and Doubletrees (I'm thinking Christchurch and Wellington- the latter is a superb property and highly recommended) in NZ otherwise. Might be Queenstown itself though, it has always been a bit of a tourist trap given the natural beauty which is so stunning that many seem to just put up with it.

Agree. I have stayed at the HH ZQN once. Once.