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.

 

[borsa]

Stayed there as a GOLD in May and was upgraded to Executive with no trouble. It's a great hotel.

Hi Folks - any recent HH Diamond experiences with the Hilton Kuala Lumpur? I can see a HH Gold experience back in May on the board, but looking for something more recent. The FT guys - or one in particular - are suggesting that things are not as good as they once were for elites, after a new GM has joined the property. I can also stay at the Shangri-La KL, which is excellent, and I would get access to the lounge there, as well. I do like the thought of being closer to the KLIA express, is all. Not stayed at the Hilton KL before.

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Hi Folks - any recent HH Diamond experiences with the Hilton Kuala Lumpur? I can see a HH Gold experience back in May on the board, but looking for something more recent. The FT guys - or one in particular - are suggesting that things are not as good as they once were for elites, after a new GM has joined the property. I can also stay at the Shangri-La KL, which is excellent, and I would get access to the lounge there, as well. I do like the thought of being closer to the KLIA express, is all. Not stayed at the Hilton KL before.

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Matt.

Stayed there 11 months ago, just before the new GM started. I've read those same reports on FT and it sounded concerning. I don't know what it is like now but as a Diamond we got treated very well. The Exec Lounge is the best I've visited at any Hilton property but bear in mind that it has been renovated since and I can't comment on what it is like now. However, the evening canapes were excellent and the staff awesome.

The hotel is a short walk from Sentral so you can get the train from KUL and be in the hotel in no time.

 

[froggerADL]

The hotel is a short walk from Sentral so you can get the train from KUL and be in the hotel in no time.

Or if there are more than one of you, you can take a taxi and save some money! They're charging MYR55 for the train now, up from MYR35. I found this out today.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Stockholm Syndrome that's what it is......
I made a last minute booking this week for Hilton SYD, not much available so booked a Relaxation Room.
Get to check-in and what am I given ?
A Relaxation Room and a "Thanks for your loyalty I see you are a Diamond guest".
After a bit (ok a lot) of grovelling it became a Relaxation Suite on a lower floor

There were King Suites available but apparently none for me as the next upgrade to my room type is a Junior Suite, except we all know that's a downgrade and I said as much.

 

[mingzie]

Location: Hilton Sydney
Status: Diamond (and 2nd room also Diamond)
Room Booked: 2 x King Deluxe (separate reservations)
Room Received: 2 x King Executive

a bit disappointed about this.. still rooms showing in reservation, and i consider exec to be downgrade vs certain cheaper rooms lol.

think i might avoid this property now, its really not worth it if you never get upgrades above the shoebox. spent $700+ on stays in past. this is 5th stay

only way to get anything decent is to estandby. i dont think they regularly give status guests who don't stay here all the time anything decent (and even then, such as in in Princess Fiona case, seems to be random).

and another whinge about the coffee tax lol. however, the lounge is good as usual and the hotel/staff/location are nice.

i guess i shouldn't be disappointed, as that would be DYWKIA. can't expected to be upgraded all the time however i am 0/15 suite upgrades this year at all hiltons (even SE asia), maybe status match has made the rewards worse or i have something in OnQ telling them to never upgrade me . i keep getting those fake exec level upgrades lol.

 

[drross]

Location: Hilton Sydney
Status: Diamond (and 2nd room also Diamond)
Room Booked: 2 x King Deluxe (separate reservations)
Room Received: 2 x King Executive

a bit disappointed about this.. still rooms showing in reservation, and i consider exec to be downgrade vs certain cheaper rooms lol.

think i might avoid this property now, its really not worth it if you never get upgrades above the shoebox. spent $700+ on stays in past. this is 5th stay

only way to get anything decent is to estandby. i dont think they regularly give status guests who don't stay here all the time anything decent (and even then, such as in in Princess Fiona case, seems to be random).

and another whinge about the coffee tax lol. however, the lounge is good as usual and the hotel/staff/location are nice.

i guess i shouldn't be disappointed, as that would be DYWKIA. can't expected to be upgraded all the time however i am 0/15 suite upgrades this year at all hiltons (even SE asia), maybe status match has made the rewards worse or i have something in OnQ telling them to never upgrade me . i keep getting those fake exec level upgrades lol.

welcome to AFF mingzie..what other Hiltons have you stayed at? Any standout ones?

 

[Daver6]

Location: Hilton Brisbane
Status: Diamond
Room Booked: Base (cheapest room)
Room Received: Deluxe room. Not even an executive room (although they really are all the same). Lounge was a zoo last night. Totally packed. Told no free tables, but I could get drinks downstairs instead. I asked about food and told they could send down some cold options, but would get me a little later if a table become free. Not really an option as we only had 30 minutes before dinner. In the end they offered to seat us to share with another couple. The couple graciously agreed and were lovely to chat to. Oysters were available which made me happy. Let's see what tonight brings...

 

[Princess Fiona]

Location: Hilton Brisbane
Status: Diamond
Room Booked: Base (cheapest room)
Room Received: Deluxe room. Not even an executive room (although they really are all the same). Lounge was a zoo last night. Totally packed. Told no free tables, but I could get drinks downstairs instead. I asked about food and told they could send down some cold options, but would get me a little later if a table become free. Not really an option as we only had 30 minutes before dinner. In the end they offered to seat us to share with another couple. The couple graciously agreed and were lovely to chat to. Oysters were available which made me happy. Let's see what tonight brings...

That Executive Lounge is woefully inadequate for the size of the Hotel. Every time I've been there on a weekend night it has been an absolute zoo, not worth going to. It's the worst Exec lounge in Australia IMO of the ones I've visited.

 

[penegal]

That Executive Lounge is woefully inadequate for the size of the Hotel. Every time I've been there on a weekend night it has been an absolute zoo, not worth going to. It's the worst Exec lounge in Australia IMO of the ones I've visited.

Agree that it's not worth it. Pay for a drink somewhere else, and you get to actually enjoy it...


Have you been to Darwin?

DRW and BNE both have multiple floors of exec rooms, but the lounge is basically the size of a couple of standard rooms (e.g. far too small). That said, the staff at both BNE and DRW try hard given the limited facilities they have to work with.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Agree that it's not worth it. Pay for a drink somewhere else, and you get to actually enjoy it...


Have you been to Darwin?

DRW and BNE both have multiple floors of exec rooms, but the lounge is basically the size of a couple of standard rooms (e.g. far too small). That said, the staff at both BNE and DRW try hard given the limited facilities they have to work with.

Not since Hilton took over there.
I totally agree about the staff, it's the hard product that's sadly lacking.

 

[boomy]

No such problems here in HSW, plenty of space in the lounge... and in my suite

 

[drross]

Agree that it's not worth it. Pay for a drink somewhere else, and you get to actually enjoy it...


Have you been to Darwin?

DRW and BNE both have multiple floors of exec rooms, but the lounge is basically the size of a couple of standard rooms (e.g. far too small). That said, the staff at both BNE and DRW try hard given the limited facilities they have to work with.

Darwin is smaller but have never experienced the 'bogan' element that bne often attacts

 

[kermatu]

Not since Hilton took over there.
I totally agree about the staff, it's the hard product that's sadly lacking.

Agree. Staff are great, but the lounge is small, and very uncomfortable. Food is also very poor. I've shifted to the Sofitel in Brisbane -- EL spacious, great views, variety of seat choices and zones. Breakfast also far superior. Canape hours a bit reduced, but food and beverage selection better than the Hilton. Not as good as the Melbourne Sofitel (but half the price, so can't complain!).

 

[Daver6]

Agree. Staff are great, but the lounge is small, and very uncomfortable. Food is also very poor. I've shifted to the Sofitel in Brisbane -- EL spacious, great views, variety of seat choices and zones. Breakfast also far superior. Canape hours a bit reduced, but food and beverage selection better than the Hilton. Not as good as the Melbourne Sofitel (but half the price, so can't complain!).

EL quieter tonight but still busy. Food offering was seriously average. Agree with others though, the staff here are fantastic!

 

[penegal]

Darwin is smaller but have never experienced the 'bogan' element that bne often attacts

Agree - It is mostly grey nomads and people up for work in the exec lounge. A number of engineering and mining types do stay there (with exec access), but the crowd in the lounge keep it tame.

 

[Spacetravel]

Booked: Guest Room Plus
Received: King Junior Suite
Status: Diamond
When: July
Property: Sydney

Booked a last minute stay, booked same day as check in. Got an amazing rate of $190 and got upgraded all the way to a suite!

Best value for money and upgrade I have received at any Hilton property.

Got another stay here this week fingers crossed the upgrade gods bless me again!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Agree - It is mostly grey nomads and people up for work in the exec lounge.

Grey nomads in a Hilton lounge :shock:

Most grey nomads I know settle in at 1600 under the caravan awning with a bottle or two of chardy waiting for some unsuspecting soul to walk by to chew their ear off!

At least, that's what I do when I'm caravanning!

 

[serfty]

Booked: Guest Room Plus
Received: King Junior Suite
Status: Diamond
When: July

Booked a last minute stay, booked same day as check in. Got an amazing rate of $190 and got upgraded all the way to a suite!

Best value for money and upgrade I have received at any Hilton property.

Got another stay here this week fingers crossed the upgrade gods bless me again!

Seems amazing!

At what property was this?

 

[Spacetravel]

Seems amazing!

At what property was this?

It was!

Sorry left it off haha. Hilton Sydney.

 

[Ausbt]

In the Perth VA lounge and there is a triangular promo-advert (what do they call these things?) that screams "Free Lounge Access". "Exclusively for SG & WP VA members during their stay". All sounds nice enough but link on 'thingy' is not working: HHonors.com/Velocity . Is this some long-gone superceded promotion that passed me by? Is it all about to drop and only the VA lounge in Perth are hip to it? Or is it a con. Connie, are you hearing me? I haven't spend a dime in your establishments since my comp Diamond status lapsed. Something to think about.