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.

 

[Andrew Curran]

I have a soft spot for the Hilton ADL. Sure, it lost its spark in about 1999 but I often stay there in winter when it is raining and I find the joint cosy in a slipper and dressing gown kind of way. Love the takeout options from the market and Hong Kong BBQ next door, but mourning loss of Vintage Cellars for emergency wine and Coles for CCs.

 

[DC3]

Property: Hilton Adelaide
Exec Lounge is open from 1-8PM and has OK canapes from 5-7pm. Breakfast is standard fare …

How was the restaurant breakfast barista coffee? The last time that I stayed, the coffee was pretty bad.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have a soft spot for the Hilton ADL. Sure, it lost its spark in about 1999 but I often stay there in winter when it is raining and I find the joint cosy in a slipper and dressing gown kind of way. Love the takeout options from the market and Hong Kong BBQ next door, but mourning loss of Vintage Cellars for emergency wine and Coles for CCs.

The Olive Tree at the markets is actually pretty decent for wine.
Opening hours not as good as VC of course.

 

[DC3]

I find the joint cosy in a slipper and dressing gown kind of way

 

[WLGFlyer]

How was the restaurant breakfast barista coffee? The last time that I stayed, the coffee was pretty bad.

I wouldn’t know, I was never asked for my coffee order. In fact I was only shown to a table once, which wasn’t an issue since I was in early every day and the restaurant was empty but speaks to the “bare minimum” approach.

Agree with the other comments, I love looking out over Victoria square in the morning, fog rolling down the hills and listening to the tram bells. I’ll be back in a couple of days and I’m give it another shot.

 

[QF WP]

I had a soft spot for it in the 2010 decade, when there was the Exec Lounge Manager was married to one of the Concierge.

Now my trips to Adelaide are day trips so no opportunity. But I don’t think I’m missing anything

 

[owwreally]

Do you find there is a difference in treatment between Honors Gold via credit card status vs earning it through stays - or status is status for them?

 

[Moopere]

Do you find there is a difference in treatment between Honors Gold via credit card status vs earning it through stays - or status is status for them?

tbh I had better perks via Gold recognition than when I became an earned Diamond. To my mind though this was because it took me a couple of years to gear up properly and get Diamond and in that time status across AUS seemed to suffer devaluation - so its not really an apples to apples comparison.

Otherwise, I didn't perceive any difference in recognition. I originally received gold via a challenge and was well looked after. The following year I'm pretty sure I earned Gold and was equally happy with recognition if I remember correctly.

Which CC are you using to get HH gold? Amex Plat? I'm thinking of going down this road - get HH Gold and Bonvoy Gold too iirc. I'll never get to the top level tiers again in either scheme as I'm booking BHOD and BFOD these days and not gunning my spend towards a single program.

 

[owwreally]

Which CC are you using to get HH gold? Amex Plat?

Yes looking to go down that route.

Pre covid I had put my eggs in lots of baskets with hotel groups - so looking to re-focus.
However considering the effort its almost cheaper to just pay the $1450 for the amex and align myself with one hotel group.

 

[Moopere]

Yes looking to go down that route.

Pre covid I had put my eggs in lots of baskets with hotel groups - so looking to re-focus.
However considering the effort its almost cheaper to just pay the $1450 for the amex and align myself with one hotel group.

This is exactly my thought process as well. Just pay the annual fee, which is admittedly pretty steep, but access reasonable status benefits without golden handcuffs.

 

[owwreally]

This is exactly my thought process as well. Just pay the annual fee, which is admittedly pretty steep, but access reasonable status benefits without golden handcuffs.

I figured:
Fee is $1,450

Benefits:
$450 travel credit (which i believe can be used on hotels)
$400 dining credit
$624 Australian Subscription (i already pay for it).

It pays itself off, then everything else is a freebie.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I figured:
Fee is $1,450

Benefits:
$450 travel credit (which i believe can be used on hotels)
$400 dining credit
$624 Australian Subscription (i already pay for it).

It pays itself off, then everything else is a freebie.

And the 325K Bonus MR points is a lovely sweetener right now

 

[owwreally]

And the 325K Bonus MR points is a lovely sweetener right now

I don't qualify as I have the Qantas Ultimate card which really sucks.

 

[boomy]

I figured:
Fee is $1,450

Benefits:
$450 travel credit (which i believe can be used on hotels)
$400 dining credit
$624 Australian Subscription (i already pay for it).

It pays itself off, then everything else is a freebie.

Also AccorPlus membership valued at $400.

 

[owwreally]

Also AccorPlus membership valued at $400.

Yeah was treating that as a freebie as i wouldn't pay for a loyalty scheme. But they are the added perks i'd get.

 

[Berlin]

We had Gold status with Hilton and Starwood now Marriott for years through the Amex. Got Hilton Diamond through actually staying but with the much easier entry point over and just post Covid. Proved to be entirely useless, maybe even worse than Gold a few years back as others have stated.

However- we also hit Hyatt Globalist (their silly named highest tier) when it was only 30 instead of 60 nights post Covid and gosh oh gosh: Night and dat compared all the others. Managed the full 60 nights last year and are well on track doing it again. So worth it, mostly because they hardly give away status through credit card programs.

So it will be mid (“Gold”) tier with Marriott and Hilton as a backup (Accor doesn’t count at all- I learnt that lesson in France aged 10 or do) and full on qualifying with Hyatt from now on.

 

[boomy]

Yeah was treating that as a freebie as i wouldn't pay for a loyalty scheme. But they are the added perks i'd get.

Well you can price the free night at least, leaving out the less significant perks. We try to use it at Sofitel Noosa each year, a night there normally cost $400-500.

 

[VPS]

Property: Hilton Chelsea London

Room booked: Double and Single Bed Guest Room
Received: Double and Single Bed Guest Room

I was asked at check in if I needed two beds and said no so he pushed a few buttons which took quite a while. I had said that I wanted a walk in shower and not a shub. He had to call someone over and they pushed a few more buttons and I got what I booked. Was given a free drink voucher.

No acknowledgement as a Diamond and no water. I’d been unwell and didn’t think to ask

Breakfast was very ordinary. A new tray of poached/fried eggs were put out just as I got there, and I took one and it was almost completely cold. I was in a hurry to leave so didn’t have time to say anything.

I got the survey and said I didn’t get any acknowledgement as a Diamond and no water and commented on the eggs.

I got an email back almost immediately saying they were sorry and crediting me 20% of the room fee.

 

[stm1sydney]

Property: Hilton Sydney
Room booked: King Room
Room received: King Executive
Status: Diamond

So effectively no room upgrade as per usual, but the afternoon tea (scones and cake) and evening canapes/drinks in the EL are very good. Also the breakfast in Glass for diamonds is still the full buffet, which is excellent - it is a great spread.

 

[Berlin]

So effectively no room upgrade as per usual,

You must be very unlucky as we've basically never stayed at this property without getting a room upgrade. I actually thought that it's rather the usual to get one