Elite treatment at Hilton Surfers Paradise

[kyle]

To add to this thread, while old this is a post from my stay a few years ago: HSP - A Schoolies Sell Out



Now I have been back several times since, as recent as last month. The same security guard is still there surprisingly but has toned down on the macho since. Still not very friendly though, but has at least dropped the " new security guard" ego.

To restate what has already been said before, you MUST stay in the Orchard tower, the other one is a cough hole in comparison. Every time I book I put it in the additional requests on the booking to put me in the Orchard tower and I request it at check in too. One time even after all that they STILL put me in the other one but they let me change when I pushed.

A bit of background I heard on the grapevine, the Orchard Tower was designed and built by Hilton. The boulevard tower was another project under construction at the same time by another company that went bankrupt in the final stages which Hilton decided to take over. This would explain why the other place is cheap all round from the lack of lifts, thin walls, small rooms and lower quality built ins.

Honestly IMH besides the security issue mentioned before the Hilton Hotel section (not residence) is on par with other properties. I've stayed in some considerably worse Hilton properties in other parts of the world. Even the residence in the Orchard tower are pretty sufficient, especially if you book outside of school holidays you can get some very good rates.

I've only stayed in the Orchid Tower and felt the fittings already looked cheap. Can't imagine what the other tower is like.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Honestly IMH besides the security issue mentioned before the Hilton Hotel section (not residence) is on par with other properties.

I agree with you about the hotel rooms ... in fact I quite like the hotel rooms, but the foyer is atrocious IMO and the pool area is nearly always cold and uninviting.

As for the property, it was a Raptis development and Hilton were to take only the hotel and I think some residences in the Orchid Tower. Raptis fell over and Hilton in negotiations with the builder, Muliplex, decided to take over the management of considerably more of the project. I would not be at all surprised that as the residential stock is sold off, Hilton doesn't release their management of Boulevard Tower and relegate it back to purely residential. The Boulevard Tower was never intended to carry the level of transitory guests that it now does and the elevators just don't manage the frequency of guest usage. They likely would be sufficient for a purely residential tower.

 

[liamsal]

Had a great stay in the Residences tower earlier this month and was really well looked after as a Diamond. I posted more details here: How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

 

[moa999]

Chinese owners have HSP up for sale.

Contract seemingly allows reflag on sale.
Chinese Hilton owners look to double money on Gold Coast flagship

 

[moa999]

Bad investment for those who bought the residences...
Ouch

Homeowners take a bath in paradise

 

[Deleted member 29185]

As far as luxury high rise apartments on the Gold Coast goes, HSP does not rate well in my book. Seems I may not be alone. The are plenty of really bad negatives with the complex itself. Southport Central is another example of expensive design gone horribly wrong (IMHO).

 

[Trin Trin]

Recently stayed at the residences as a Diamond. Booked a non-ocean view 2BR apartment and got upgraded to 2BR Sky Residence. All the usual Diamond perks of free breakfast, lounge access (I was given a seperate card at check in) without any fuss. Surprisingly, the residence booking comes with a weekly housekeeping service, but I had a knock on the door every single day!

 

[WethereX]

i stayed there in a residence as a diamond. got 6 keys, three for the room for me and my guests and 3 for lounge access... was interesting going down the lifts walking across and then back up to the lounge in a different building...

 

[DC3]

.... was interesting going down the lifts walking across and then back up to the lounge in a different building...

Yes. As you discovered, the EL is in the Hotel tower, rather than the Residences.

 

[repete]

Have they sped up the lifts in the Boulevard Tower yet!? I stayed there this last week and specifically asked for Orchid Tower to avoid waiting some long minutes at the other tower on a previous stay!

 

[DC3]

Booked: Base King (Guest?)
Received: King Relaxation Room
Status: Diamond
EL: Closed (for relocation)
Rate: $224 for one night (this week)

I've been upgraded to this room-type previously. Quite spacious, with ocean views across from Soul.

The old EL has been closed since mid-August. Relocated EL still to be completed (Level 2? I was told).

Staff a bit unsure about where/progress. Temporary EL area set-up in a section of Salt restaurant. 5.00pm to 7.00pm drinks were self-serve. Canapes (not the variety as usually in the EL) brought to the table, with seconds offered. The EL at Surfers has progressively gone downhill over the time since opening.

Full breakfast in Salt Restaurant for Diamond and Gold. Didn't have coffee so don't know whether there's still a coffee tax. Parking fee waived.

Schoolies is fully underway, although there's an alert about this on the website. Orchid Ave has no vehicle access from 8.00pm to 2.00am this week.. I wasn't aware of this until check-in but it didn't affect me. Usual noise levels from Orchid/Cavill area

Edit: Cross-posted to the How does Hilton treat you as an elite thread

 

[boomy]

There was nothing wrong with the current exec lounge location. Level 2 will have no views. I guess they want to use the current space for functions or extra rooms maybe...

 

[DC3]

.... I guess they want to use the current space for functions or extra rooms maybe...

$$$$

 

[repete]

When we visited in July, the whole section on the right (as you enter, the other side of food area) was closed off the entire week. That was the best side so a shame to have that already closed and now to drop to level 2?!

 

[boomy]

When we visited in July, the whole section on the right (as you enter, the other side of food area) was closed off the entire week. That was the best side so a shame to have that already closed and now to drop to level 2?!

They often closed the right side for functions. Honestly F&B isn’t great for quite some time, best feature of the lounge was the view.

 

[liamsal]

Diamond

Booked a 2 bedroom apartment in the residences for Monday night and asked to upgrade a few weeks earlier to the 3 bedroom apartment. Was told there was a $150 upgrade fee which I was happy with. Upon checking out I found out they had waived the fee. Also got parking fee waived and 1pm checkout (was offered later but didn't need). Didn't use the temporary EL or breakfast.

Also stayed last month for 5 consecutive nights, booked the King Guest room and received a King Relaxation room for the duration of the stay. Again parking waived for the 5 nights.

 

[glasszon]

Has anyone stayed at this property recently? I am going there this weekend and was wondering whether there are any rooms I should avoid, I got Hilton Diamond status.

 

[boomy]

Has anyone stayed at this property recently? I am going there this weekend and was wondering whether there are any rooms I should avoid, I got Hilton Diamond status.

No particular rooms types to avoid but better request highest floor possible, especially if you stay during weekend, to avoid late night noise from pubs and clubs down the street. As diamond you should be upgraded to relaxation room or suite but don’t let the name fool you, it will not be very relaxing on low floor

 

[Spacetravel]

Booking a stay at HSP, its been a little while since I was last there and found this note in regards to the residence on the website:

Residences Housekeeping: All Residences are serviced by housekeeping after every third day, upon request. Extra cleaning and servicing is available for an additional charge. If you are staying for 3 nights or less, the Residence will not be serviced throughout your stay. Please speak to our team if you would like to confirm what days your room will be cleaned.

Only the "upon request" appears to be a covid measure as listed under Hotel Housekeeping says they will attend every day "upon request". Is this new? I am certain when I have stayed at the residence before I've had house keeping daily. I find it a bit rich they will charge extra considering on the booking engine it mentions nothing about the difference between hotel and residence. This is the only Hilton property I am aware of anywhere that doesn't offer daily house keeping.

 

[repete]

I note boomy's comment above about diamond upgrades. Sadly just spent a night there over the weekend. No upgrade at all from a general King guest room - only limited view of ocean from side balcony. Was also the first time (on my third stay) that I was there on a weekend - Sat night was noisy! Aside from that, was overall happy with other facilities on offer and pleased to have breakfast buffet (albeit plated by staff)