Elite treatment at Hilton Surfers Paradise

[drross]

Sounds like a pretty good stay

 

[Ricardo]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Surfers Paradise
Date: 30 August
Booked: King Guest
Received: King Executive (14th floor, one down from exec. lounge)
Rate: $148 (Gov't)

Check-in - Excellent. Phoned the lovely Lindy about 8am, who gave us early check-in from whenever we wanted (arrived approx. 11am) and Freddie handled check-in without fault and with great charm and warm conversation. Can't fault it.

Lunch was taken in perfect GC sunshine at the SP SLSC. Great atmosphere, nice food, great price, service however was a bit ordinary (but not devastatingly bad).

Afternoon tea - Wow........still below par, but about 300% better than the last few weeks. The coffee machine worked perfectly (for a change), the food offered was carrot cake, shortbread biscuits, shot glasses of yohurt and berry compote, fruit salad, tubs of yogurt, nice lemon tartlets and the ubiquitous jelly beans :evil:....

Happy Hour - Now this is new.......4-6pm Fri and Sat in the Food Store, they're offering $5 happy hour drinks. We spent an enjoyable hour or so sitting in the front window (Amsterdams red light district meets Amityville Horror ) watching the Orchid Ave Friday arvo people parade.

Canapes and drinks - Like afternoon tea, not to the standard of all other Hilton Oz lounges, but wow, what a huge leap forward from 2 weeks ago! Still the antipasto staples, but at least there was plenty there. This was complemented by a really enjoyable beef stroganoff and pasta dish, fresh bread (really nice fresh, fresh bread), leftover afternoon tea, a nice cheese selection with heaps of crackers, a pea and ham soup (ordinary according to my +1) and of course bloody jelly beans! The drinks were plentiful and restocked as necessary and all round an almost enjoyable experience.

Although not in room at time of (early) check-in, the fruit platter and water (one still, one sparkling) was delivered shortly later along with the GM card. Turn down was not exactly a turn down, but we were offered another two bottles of water and 4 chocs.

We booked the theatre for our daughter and she watched Night at The Museum 1 for yet another time, but the private huge screen and 12 or so seat theatre is also an enjoyable freebie and Lisa and I ended up there as well (forgot how fun that movie actually is)!

The afternoon was filled in with the ladies around the pool (too windy for me) and me having a nana nap!

Still have to see if the morning paper arrives, how well they do breakfast and if my booking lurk works again tomorrow at check out! We intend to have fish and chips on the beach tomorrow for lunch and hopefully will score a late check-out (Sat nights are normally busy so maybe not too).

With this stay, I'm very satisfied.......so far .

(PS - Given I haven't spoken to Lindy since Christmas and she knew me when I phoned this morning, does that mean I'm an exceptionally big PITA or she is an exceptionally good HH ambassador? I'm not sure if I should be honoured or peeved )

Thanks for the insight Swanning, I have a one night stay in Nov also on Govt rate for a conference nearby, so will report back on how I go.

R

 

[Ricardo]

I have considered checking in at the exec lounge but during the day the lounge is often not staffed, so that idea would be a waste of time.
So I suppose it would depend what time you checked in.

They promote lounge check in/out on one of the HSP websites, I am going to try it when I stay in November, also stayed at a couple of IC's, one of which had it's own check in on the 17th floor (I think it was), the reception staff escorted us up and we had a nice private check in at the lounge, and we arrived late about 9.30pm from memory, it was the IC Tokyo Bay, very nice hotel and exec lounge, professional lounge staff too for the record.

Executive Floor and Lounge | Surfers Paradise | Australia Gold Coast | Hilton Surfers Paradise Hotel

I swapped my Govt rate for the $175 Virgin Exec Lounge offer, and booked 3 other rooms for work collegues.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

They promote lounge check in/out on one of the HSP websites, I am going to try it when I stay in November,

I'm not sure how. you need to be checked in and have a key card to gain access.

Also, don't be surprised if the lounge doesn't look quite like that photo you linked to........it's not the executive lounge at HSP. Looks more like what the railway underpass tunnel should look like, but it doesn't look like that either! A good artists mock up of something that never actually eventuated perhaps?

 

[k3nnis]

I agree with you 100% swanning it. On my last stay I was going to check out at the lounge but reception was quiet so I just went downstairs. Also I have attached a pic which shows you the food offering on a sunday afternoon



But it was a good stay overall. Paid $149 for executive room but upgraded as a gold to a relaxation room. Can't complain really. 2 bottles of water everyday and chocolates. Only thing that was a disappointment was not offered breakfast at Salt only at the lounge so no hot food. Was offered $10 pp to upgrade the breakfast to Salt but didn't take it up.

I'm not sure how. you need to be checked in and have a key card to gain access.

Also, don't be surprised if the lounge doesn't look quite like that photo you linked to........it's not the executive lounge at HSP. Looks more like what the railway underpass tunnel should look like, but it doesn't look like that either! A good artists mock up of something that never actually eventuated perhaps?

 

[Virgin Bart]

.... Are you serious?

I agree with you 100% swanning it. On my last stay I was going to check out at the lounge but reception was quiet so I just went downstairs. Also I have attached a pic which shows you the food offering on a sunday afternoon

View attachment 19199

 

[k3nnis]

Yes 100% serious... Towards the late afternoon, say 5PM there were better offerings, I think for the evening tapas.

.... Are you serious?

 

[ric_melb]

I just love the way the HSP does EL food!

 

[Ricardo]

I'm not sure how. you need to be checked in and have a key card to gain access.

Also, don't be surprised if the lounge doesn't look quite like that photo you linked to........it's not the executive lounge at HSP. Looks more like what the railway underpass tunnel should look like, but it doesn't look like that either! A good artists mock up of something that never actually eventuated perhaps?

Yes I thought as much, my standards are too high after staying in exec lounges in Japan and Asia, I will ask for an escort to get up to the 15th floor :mrgreen:

I guess it is the GC (full stop!!!) after all ...........

 

[k3nnis]

Also in a relaxation room, on a Sunday night it was like a nightclub in our room. The noise from downstairs...

 

[boomy]

Also in a relaxation room, on a Sunday night it was like a nightclub in our room. The noise from downstairs...

You already have the music, the location, the view, alcohol from mini bar.
Only thing missing are the meter girls to have a party GC style

 

[anat0l]

You already have the music, the location, the view, alcohol from mini bar.
Only thing missing are the meter girls to have a party GC style

How about a chef who can make Eggs Benedict for the next morning hangovers?

 

[k3nnis]

Lol. My 2.5 year old daughter loves the exec lounge. She keeps telling me to go to 15th floor lounge lol. She loves the nuts and mount franklin!

 

[boomy]

Lol. My 2.5 year old daughter loves the exec lounge. She keeps telling me to go to 15th floor lounge lol. She loves the nuts and mount franklin!

I knew its just a matter of time until we find someone who enjoys this lounge
I reckon HSP should change the name from exec to 'kids lounge' and then no one will complain anymore that all they offer there is nuts and water lol

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Also in a relaxation room, on a Sunday night it was like a nightclub in our room. The noise from downstairs...

You didn't find that relaxing? :shock:......

Actually, the relaxation rooms are our favourites (higher floor ones though). They're big, perfect aspect, nice sized bath (please note anat0l) and they go overboard with the complementary toiletries (even mouth wash).

Last night was a pain, the noise from our very drunk neighbours made sleep not so easy!

We did take evening drinks on the balcony of the EL last night and watched the moon rise silently beside Soul! Very enjoyable indeed. All they need to do now, is sack Luke M. and nip down to Coles for something that loosely resembles edible canapes. I'm well and truly over antipasti.

 

[jetlagger]

You didn't find that relaxing? :shock:......

Actually, the relaxation rooms are our favourites (higher floor ones though). They're big, perfect aspect, nice sized bath (please note anat0l) and they go overboard with the complementary toiletries (even mouth wash).

Last night was a pain, the noise from our very drunk neighbours made sleep not so easy!

We did take evening drinks on the balcony of the EL last night and watched the moon rise silently beside Soul! Very enjoyable indeed. All they need to do now, is sack Luke M. and nip down to Coles for something that loosely resembles edible canapes. I'm well and truly over antipasti.

View attachment 19215

Nice pic..

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I guess it is the GC (full stop!!!) after all ...........

They'll sue you for misrepresentation! It's not just a full stop......it's a red full stop .
And a bloody expensive one at that! A total apparantly of $680 000 for a marketing company to come up with, and market, a red full stop. (I must be in the wrong business)

 

[k3nnis]

It was relaxing but the noise was pretty worrying. But after the 3rd day I was used to it.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

It was relaxing but the noise was pretty worrying. But after the 3rd day I was used to it.

Although they cannot do much about the street noise, may I suggest you definitely sent feedback (and photo) about the lounge. I've whined loudly to them about it and have been effectively ignored so I think HH elites have got 2 choices with the HSP lounge.......live with the tardiness of the offerings (I believe the scant offerings you pictured were partly made up of left over breakfast offerings from Salt) or complain that it is not up to the standard expected of Hilton lounges nor worth the extra cost of executive rooms. Weight of numbers is probably the only way of getting change to happen there.

 

[anat0l]

I've whined loudly to them about it and have been effectively ignored

After the third time, the property is used to it


Seriously though the EL offerings need to be stepped up. Not sure if it's the quality of offerings, the rate of supply or both....but if the reports here are representative, this isn't ideal for anyone....unless you're on a diet.