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.

 

[Captain Halliday]

If I go back, I’ll definitely be trying the HGI. Darwin’s a good place for a mattress run and they are all within close proximity. @Captain Halliday would know them all well from his time there.

Are you suggesting I didn’t make it home some nights?

 

[justinbrett]

If I go back, I’ll definitely be trying the HGI. Darwin’s a good place for a mattress run and they are all within close proximity. @Captain Halliday would know them all well from his time there.

I am an ex-Darwin local too, and go back for work regularly.

I spent a month in the now HGI in 2018. It was really nice inside (the current photos on hilton.com are accurate). It's old from the outside but overall I think it's nicer than the DT. I haven't stayed inside the DT but when I was at the one next door they had a policy you could use either hotel's facilities, so I did spent a lot of time in the now DT's pool - which is better.

Hilton Darwin (where I've also stayed numerous times) certainly has better facilities, and in a better location - but I'd say the rooms are slightly inferior to HGI. Even though the HGI only has Juliette balconies, the other two don't have any, so it does feel more open, especially if you get a room facing the Esplanade.

 

[Happy Dude]

Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers - any recent experience from diamonds?

Thought I’d ask here as opposed to starting a separate question. Plus I can’t get the chat to start on the HH app.

I‘m travelling with wife and 2 kids so would like to know if diamond benefits extend to all (well, brekky at least). The website doesn’t list an exec lounge either.

Just looking for a nice splurge (at the tail end of a four-month trip) including good pool, brekky and sauna/hammam. Some hotels seem to have high “resort fees” or sauna in the pay extra spa area.

 

[Pele]

Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers - any recent experience from diamonds?

Thought I’d ask here as opposed to starting a separate question. Plus I can’t get the chat to start on the HH app.

I‘m travelling with wife and 2 kids so would like to know if diamond benefits extend to all (well, brekky at least). The website doesn’t list an exec lounge either.

Just looking for a nice splurge (at the tail end of a four-month trip) including good pool, brekky and sauna/hammam. Some hotels seem to have high “resort fees” or sauna in the pay extra spa area.

I stayed there twice in November and December 2022. Please see my post #9202 in this thread.

First stay it was three of us. Brekky no problem for everyone. Second stay was only me and child.

The website doesnt list an executive lounge because they dont have one for Diamond members. They have a two hour happy hour each day with all the usual stuff you would expect from a lounge, but just in one of the usual eating areas near the pool.

Note that there are room types called Club45 or Level45 or something which has a special lounge area for hotel guests who book that room type. You wont get upgraded to a Club45 room.

Overall i thought this hotel was excellent and would go back in a heartbeat. I think it is at Conrad Tokyo/Osaka standards and is significantly cheaper than either of those.

 

[justinbrett]

Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers - any recent experience from diamonds?

Thought I’d ask here as opposed to starting a separate question. Plus I can’t get the chat to start on the HH app.

I‘m travelling with wife and 2 kids so would like to know if diamond benefits extend to all (well, brekky at least). The website doesn’t list an exec lounge either.

Just looking for a nice splurge (at the tail end of a four-month trip) including good pool, brekky and sauna/hammam. Some hotels seem to have high “resort fees” or sauna in the pay extra spa area.

Yas Island is a great location if you don’t want to be in downtown. It’s a bit more expensive though. Plenty of things for the family at Yas.

 

[Happy Dude]

Terrific info @Pele and @justinbrett. Thanks. The Yas one is not available for our stay sadly.

 

[WLGFlyer]

Property: Hilton Adelaide
Room booked: King Deluxe
King Received: King Executive
Status: Diamond

The usual, no upgrade on day of arrival when checking in online. Messaged the hotel via the app and ended up in a room on the top floor (what can I say, I like the views from up there).

To my surprise I was asked to pay $10 when arriving downstairs for breakfast. Looks like the lounge is back open for breakfast and there is now a charge to eat at the restaurant. Was waived fairly quickly since "it's new" but I wasn't impressed with the lack of communication, not to mention the petty cash grab.

 

[justinbrett]

To my surprise I was asked to pay $10 when arriving downstairs for breakfast. Looks like the lounge is back open for breakfast and there is now a charge to eat at the restaurant. Was waived fairly quickly since "it's new" but I wasn't impressed with the lack of communication, not to mention the petty cash grab.

Is it a $10 upgrade to full breakfast or $10 regardless?

For Golds they wouldn't normally be entitled to eat breakfast in the lounge, so would have thought they could still get continental from the restaurant for free (as could Diamonds if they choose not to use the lounge).

As much as people like to complain about upgrade fees, the benefit was always only continental breakfast. That's why I'm a fan of the new US system, as I wouldn't pay $15-18pp on a continental breakfast. I'd rather choose how to spend that elsewhere in the hotel.

 

[serfty]

The DT next door (I think is a HGI now) is much nicer inside. Maybe they picked the wrong hotel to be a HGI.

They used to both be Holiday inns ...

 

[Dr_Goz]

Is it a $10 upgrade to full breakfast or $10 regardless?

For Golds they wouldn't normally be entitled to eat breakfast in the lounge, so would have thought they could still get continental from the restaurant for free (as could Diamonds if they choose not to use the lounge).

As much as people like to complain about upgrade fees, the benefit was always only continental breakfast. That's why I'm a fan of the new US system, as I wouldn't pay $15-18pp on a continental breakfast. I'd rather choose how to spend that elsewhere in the hotel.

Just stayed at the Hilton in Perth. $10 extra to eat breakfast in the restaurant regardless. Free to eat in the lounge (as a diamond).

Nothing said until checkout.

Most expensive bowl of baked beans I've paid for (the only reason why I wanted to eat in the restaurant)

 

[Flashback]

Just stayed at the Hilton in Perth. $10 extra to eat breakfast in the restaurant regardless. Free to eat in the lounge (as a diamond).

Nothing said until checkout.

Most expensive bowl of baked beans I've paid for (the only reason why I wanted to eat in the restaurant)

Well, baked beans wouldn't be covered under continental anyway so even if continental was free in the restaurant..... it'd still have been $10.

 

[justinbrett]

Just stayed at the Hilton in Perth. $10 extra to eat breakfast in the restaurant regardless. Free to eat in the lounge (as a diamond).

Nothing said until checkout.

Most expensive bowl of baked beans I've paid for (the only reason why I wanted to eat in the restaurant)

So what do Golds get?

 

[serfty]

So what do Golds get?

Continental in the restarant?

Can't have baked beans without upcharge?

 

[JessicaTam]

Location: DT MEL
Booked: Twin room
Received: Twin room with window
Status: Diamond

Hotel is 100% full this weekend. We were told there is some sport happening. But I am always happy with the room I book. 6th floor at the back so nice and quiet.

Large bottle of water, bottle of red wine and a plate of little cakes in our room. Also a nice welcome card.



Breakfast always good with Nos on the go, and no coffee tax.

 

[straitman]

Congratulations JessicaTam,

A pity they couldn’t do more for you on such an important occasion.

 

[JessicaTam]

Congratulations JessicaTam,

A pity they couldn’t do more for you on such an important occasion.

Oh, there were also a couple of gin and tonics on arrival.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Location: DT MEL
Booked: Twin room
Received: Twin room with window
Status: Diamond

Large bottle of water, bottle of red wine and a plate of little cakes in our room. Also a nice welcome card.

View attachment 337923
.

Congratulations

 

[VPS]

Location: DT MEL
Booked: Twin room
Received: Twin room with window
Status: Diamond

Hotel is 100% full this weekend. We were told there is some sport happening. But I am always happy with the room I book. 6th floor at the back so nice and quiet.

Large bottle of water, bottle of red wine and a plate of little cakes in our room. Also a nice welcome card.

View attachment 337923

Breakfast always good with Nos on the go, and no coffee tax.

Congratulations

 

[Captain Halliday]

Location: DT MEL
Booked: Twin room
Received: Twin room with window
Status: Diamond

Hotel is 100% full this weekend. We were told there is some sport happening. But I am always happy with the room I book. 6th floor at the back so nice and quiet.

Large bottle of water, bottle of red wine and a plate of little cakes in our room. Also a nice welcome card.

View attachment 337923

Breakfast always good with Nos on the go, and no coffee tax.

Buried the lead there... Congratulations!

 

[I love to travel]

Location: DT MEL
Booked: Twin room
Received: Twin room with window
Status: Diamond

Hotel is 100% full this weekend. We were told there is some sport happening. But I am always happy with the room I book. 6th floor at the back so nice and quiet.

Large bottle of water, bottle of red wine and a plate of little cakes in our room. Also a nice welcome card.

View attachment 337923

Breakfast always good with Nos on the go, and no coffee tax.

Congratulations