Premium Club, Discount application issues

[straitman]

... A few observations about these stays.

1. We got the same great upgrade on our return visit.
2. The food at Maravu was really great the second time also.
3. We looked at the menu at Nuku and were not impressed with either price or options.
4. Nuku Restaurant will be closed for refurbishment for 2 weeks from the 16th February 2011.
5. If you make a prepaid booking make sure of your rates as I don't believe my HPC discount has been applied. -- I will work this out today and get back to them if necessary or apologise to them on this thread.
6. The normal cabs from the airport are 'very ordinary' (being really polite here). The concierge organised the cab back and it was quite a different experience at the same price. I have the guys phone number if anyone wants it.

 

[serfty]

A few observations about these stays.

5.

If you make a prepaid booking make sure of your rates as I don't believe my HPC discount has been applied. -- I will work this out today and get back to them if necessary or apologise to them on this thread.​

...​

With the HPC 20%, I have found sometimes the initial booking rate is adjusted down within the reservation itself and sometimes not. Unless you have a copy of the initial confirmation it is sometimes hard to prove. That is why I make sure I try to print a copy. I do this to a .pdf (cutePDFwriter) and a printer if available.

 

[straitman]

Re: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

With the HPC 20%, I have found sometimes the initial booking rate is adjusted down within the reservation itself and sometimes not. Unless you have a copy of the initial confirmation it is sometimes hard to prove. That is why I make sure I try to print a copy. I do this to a .pdf (cutePDFwriter) and a printer if available.

Correct and I am not sure which way this one went. I have even found some hotels do it differently on different occasions. ie Brisbane Hilton.

 

[straitman]

If you make a prepaid booking make sure of your rates as I don't believe my HPC discount has been applied. -- I will work this out today and get back to them if necessary or apologise to them on this thread.

I have been through this and the HPC rates have not been applied. I have spoken then emailed someone at Hilton who has promised to sort this out for me.

It will be interesting to see how long the process takes.

 

[straitman]

I had an issue with HPC rates again yesterday.

I had a prepaid booking for two nights at the Brisbane Hilton and then a single night separate booking. The rate for the single night was applied correctly but not for the two night booking.

The Front Office Manager claimed that as my booking was a AAA booking that the rates did not apply.

Two things out of this:

1. It could not have been a AAA booking as these are not prepaid bookings. In any case that is irrelevant as the T&C of HPC state,
2. You will receive a further 20% off any advertised Hilton consumer accommodation rate for any participating Hilton Hotel in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia. This includes third party accommodation sites when booked via Hilton channels such as Hilton Reservations Worldwide, Hilton.com, Hiltonmacquarie.com, or with the participating Hilton Hotel. Your 20% discount is unlimited and available on any room type, any date - if the hotel has a room available you are guaranteed this room plus your 20% discount.

I have sent her an email this morning and await the response. It is getting frustrating as this is the fourth time in nine months that hotels have applied the HPC rates incorrectly for me. :evil:

 

[straitman]

Has anyone had issues using a AAA booking and getting the HPC rates applied :?:

HSW are now saying that the AAA rates do not attract the HPC discount and I maintain that it should.

The AAA rate is available to anyone who is an Auto club member as they have affiliation and there is a AAA symbol on the back of the cards. The AAA rate is booked via Hilton.com simply by putting in your membership code. This rate is similar to the Advanced purchase rate in price but offers more flexibility.
The HPC web site states:
You will receive a further 20% off any advertised Hilton consumer accommodation rate for any participating Hilton Hotel in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and French Polynesia. This includes third party accommodation sites when booked via Hilton channels such as Hilton Reservations Worldwide, Hilton.com, Hiltonmacquarie.com, or with the participating Hilton Hotel. Your 20% discount is unlimited and available on any room type, any date - if the hotel has a room available you are guaranteed this room plus your 20% discount.

This has been refered to Hilton in Sydney so now I await the umpires decision.

 

[oz_mark]

Perhaps they treat it as a discount card :shock:

No discount on accommodation when using a discount card or a specially negotiated corporate rate. However, a 20% discount will still be made on the other components of your total bill for which you are eligible for a discount.

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[serfty]

Has anyone had issues using a AAA booking and getting the HPC rates applied :?:

HSW are now saying that the AAA rates do not attract the HPC discount and I maintain that it should. ...

I have never had an issue using the AAA ("Show your card and save") rates at this Hotel as well as getting the 20% discount.

(In fact I have never been asked to "show" my [RACV] car either.)

Form the T&C's booklet:

Room Benefits*

In addition, when staying at a Participating Hotel in Australasia upon presenting your Card you will receive, also as part of the Hilton Card Benefits, (subject to the Card Conditions of Use*):

• 20% off all published consumer accommodation rates, weekend and seasonal rates for Participating Hotels in Australasia, when booked via Hilton channels including Hilton Reservations
• Worldwide, Hilton Macquarie - HOME or through the Service Centre or at the Hotel with your card. Conditions granting of this discount include:
  • This discount is not available when using a discount card or specially negotiated corporate rate.
  • For Hilton HHonors points and airline miles earning check the conditions of the individual benefit cards.
  • 20% discount on the following items provided they are charged to your hotel room account; restaurants and bars (including alcohol and other beverages); breakfast; room service; telephone charges; laundry and dry cleaning; mini bar; faxes; and – in house secretarial services.
• You will not receive a discount on items that involve an additional third party cost to the Hotel. This includes for example catering, banquets, taxis, in house movies, doctor visits, day tours, parking and transfers.
• No discount on accommodation when using a discount card or a specially negotiated corporate rate. However, a 20% discount will still be made on the other components of your total bill for which you are eligible for a discount.
• Your benefits are available for one room only, unless the second room is occupied by children under 18 years of age in which case the benefits will extend to the second room. However your Card cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

However, these T&C's are online. I'll check the original ones I had from last year. If they have changed substantially, I have not been informed.

 

[straitman]

Response from Kate Fethers at Hilton.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) rate offers 5% off our Best Available Rates.

As part of the Hilton Macquarie Platinum Card terms and conditions, you may not use your Hilton benefits in conjunction with any other discount or membership programs. As the AAA rate is part of another membership program, your Hilton discounts will not be eligible. Essentially you have the option to choose between the AAA rate or your Hilton Macquarie discount - which is 20% off our Best Available Rates instead.

Further to this, the 20% discount off any published, promotional, weekend or seasonal accommodation rate applies only to consumer rates and not specially negotiated rates as part of other membership programs or corporate rates.

I hope this clarifies the parameters of the Hilton Macquarie Platinum Card benefits and conditions.

 

[serfty]

OK, I dug into my files last night.

The T&C in the small members handbook that came with the cards has the following:

Enjoy 20%* off any published accommodation rate at Hilton Hotels throughout Australasia on any day of the year. ...

On the Back cover is the fine print:

*At any Hilton Hotel in Australasia, members are entitled to: 20% off any published, promotional, weekend or seasonal consumer accommodation rate, 20% off room charges (hotel facilities/services only) ...

... BKL0273​

There is absolutely no mention of "a discount card or specially negotiated corporate rate".

 

[straitman]

OK, I dug into my files last night.

The T&C in the members handbook that came with the cards has the following:On the Back cover is the fine print:There is absolutely no mention of "a discount card or specially negotiated corporate rate".

I agree but have no better answer at this time.

I might refer your post to Hilton for their interpretation/thoughts.

 

[Danger]

I've been told by the Hilton Macquarie service centre that government rates do not attract the further 20% discount as this is a specially negotiated rate that isn't available to anyone. Unfortunately, I would put the AAA rate into this basket (ie. it's not 'publicly available' anymore than a government rate is).