How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[boomy]

Hey, I resemble that remark :mrgreen:......or perhaps I should say, I use to resemble that remark!

Hilton used to be my first choice before, until I realised that I don't have to stay in a dog box (nice analogy ) and there are much better options in Sydney.

 

[Danger]

. . . Further salt in the wounds was the fact our "king" bed was in fact 2 singles pushed together with a king sheet over them........that's not a bloody king bed....and the mattresses were visibly sagging in the middle of both of them . . .

It amazes me how many properties get away with this, particularly at the high end of the market.

 

[hummel]

Interesting reading about Hilton Sydney, currently have 1 night booked there for the 28th of this month as a Diamond @ $265/night AAA rate - Base room

Can get IC Syd at $283 on friends/family base room.. only priority gold with them though.

Thoughts?

 

[markis10]

Interesting reading about Hilton Sydney, currently have 1 night booked there for the 28th of this month as a Diamond @ $265/night AAA rate - Base room

Can get IC Syd at $283 on friends/family base room.. only priority gold with them though.

Thoughts?

Why move, no free breakfast at the IC?

 

[Moopere]

Checked into HSW today and was told that policy meant that they could not upgrade more than two levels above the room grade booked. Interesting to hear whether this was just a convenient statement or something they adhered to... Has anyone been successful in getting a two+ level upgrade in recent times?

I left quite a whiney post on the HSW thread that relates to this. I suspect there might well be some internal 'guidance' on this subject as for the first time in a long time I didn't immediately receive an exec upgrade upon checkin. To be fair to the property, they did offer me a 19th floor guestroom+ (or whatever the one-up is on a base room). I probably would have accepted that - despite my other rant, because I _do_ realise that Golds really can't expect exec room upgrades (or complimentary lounge access) every time. However, when I enquired about the possibility of accepting this room but gaining lounge access anyway, something I've previously been granted more than once at HSW, I was informed that couldn't be done but that exec room upgrades were available at a cost of $75/night.

I guess thats what triggered my real annoyance - so the exec rooms where indeed available, as I suspected anyway given the low per night price and indications from the web booking site.

One can never know exactly what is going on I suppose - similar to airlines it seems reasonable to me that the simple existence of a room doesn't mean its available as an upgrade (think J upgrades on virgin for instance, only about 50% or less are available as points upgrades). But the offered exec upgrade price was nearly double the online price difference from my booked room, and this at 11:30pm at night....it just smelled a lot like a try-on to me and my spidey senses were most definitely tingling.

In answer to your question though - yes, in the end I did get a complimentary upgrade last week from base to exec room, so it _is_ still possible, but it seems that relatively low frequency Gold guests like me have to really work a bit to achieve this (I stay perhaps 4 times a year with this property).

There is most definitely something going on internally I think, and not just as HSW but at many (all??) australian properties. I haven't seen a welcome card in more than a year in Aus, bathroom amenities are getting smaller and fewer in number, and I very often seem to have to remind staff of the basic and guaranteed status benefits (like water and whatnot).

Was also told that Brett was coming back to be GM. Hopefully things will revert to the good old days but given the increasing occupancy rates at this hotel I doubt it....

This guy is golden and the HSW under his Captaincy is largely responsible for me directing effort towards HH and hilton properties - my first few stays at HSW a few years ago made a very large impression on me and several trips into SE Asia at Hilton and related properties shortly afterwards just cemented that feeling. I noticed an almost immediate drop in service level when Brett left the SW property.

The whole hotel right now, for me, leaves an impression of a lack of love from above. The restaurant and adjoining bar is basically deserted day and night, whereas previously there was always something going on there and people seemed to congregate there more as a result. The downstairs coffee shop (Cino??) is closed for the whole christmas period - what the!! Thats surely got to be a sign of a lack of business.

The property is still pretty fresh, not showing too much wear, and for my needs its location is better that HotP (unless going to a concert), if not for this I'd probably move my business to HotP.

 

[Moopere]

Coming from a IC Harbour Bridge and Opera House view club suite to a HSYD dogbox was a tad disappointing.

The only thing that keeps me going to the HSyd is the location and the staff....oh, and needing to keep my HH nights incrementing of course The rooms are really too tiny when compared to most modern 5* properties and as you state later there are almost always some maintenance issues.

Further salt in the wounds was the fact our "king" bed was in fact 2 singles pushed together with a king sheet over them........that's not a bloody king bed....and the mattresses were visibly sagging in the middle of both of them.

I've been stung with this before at other branded hotels - its just not acceptable. The two singles are either sagging in the middle or too strong in the middle ... either way, it just doesn't work. King sized beds almost always have two separate bases, but they should manhandle a proper king mattress into the room if they are going to sell it as a king bed.

...get a diamond guest to trek downstairs?? WOW was all I could think, but I took her advice and did just that.

Yep - WOW!

I happened accross the HH guest relations manager and I explained to her my predicament

How do you know the guest relations managers when you see one? Do they have a special name tag or something? I should pay more attention as I love to speak with management at properties - I am in front line service provision myself and understand the need for feedback, both good and bad, and always take the opportunity to tell managers when things are going great or when they are not so great - but in Australia I find it difficult to tell who is who.

All in all, the outcome was satisfactory for both myself and my wife but it was like pulling teeth

This was my overriding feeling at my recent stay at HSW as well - I received, in the end, service and amenity that I was happy with, but it didn't come easily. I really rarely pull a DYKWIA, I don't like to do this so its not like I wave my lowly gold card around in peoples faces, but at the same time, most Hilton properties class themselves as 5* and with that comes a certain expectation which I think is reasonable by and large. It should be mandatory for all levels of property management in Australia to spend time in Asian hilton hotels I think ... to get some real insight into how things can be done when they are done well.

As a postscript, the king suite we finally received, was rundown. Some binds didn't work, the carpets were grubby, cable ducts were hanging off and wait for it........the king bed was also not a king bed but two singles pushed together which were both sagging in the middle. Should it really be that hard?

There was a time, not that long ago, when I used to just sigh and accept this type of thing. But I've spent too long in Asia now and have received more than one 'wedgy' from Asian friends of mine during SE Asian stays that I'm too laid back in respect to bad service or bad amenity. Nowadays I'm much more likely to present, and present again, at the front desk until a decent, clean, and reasonably maintained room is offered. I notice that from KL or BKK across to HKG and everywhere in between a status guest manager almost always accompanies me to my booked (or upgraded) room to see that I'm happy with it.

 

[anat0l]

I guess it's a big problem for them. The rooms are miniscule and I assume gold/diamond guests are plentiful. Really, given the place is far better suited to business travellers, why can't they just be up-front about it. Forget the "room type" sham and simply give the real options ie - dog-boxes, corner dog-boxes, dog boxes with exec lounge access, relaxation dog boxes, relaxation suite, king suite etc rather than the plus/deluxe/executive rubbish. As a frequent business traveller, if I was on my own, I'd have no problems with their small rooms. As for an upgrade......there's not much they can upgrade to.....corner room or relaxation room perhaps, or a suite. I actually asked if a corner room was available as the upgrade but told no (which was most likely correct as they were apparantly 98% full). I don't think there is an easy answer exept booking elsewhere, which is what I'll be doing in future. As I said, the IC was far better value for us and I actually like the fact you know what you'll be getting rather than the lottery upgrade at HSYD. It's just a pity there are few ICs in Australasia and a large chunk of CPs and HIs are ordinary at best.

The IC is quite easy. If you have no Ambassador status, likely you are getting nothing except what you booked. Ambassador is a lot more consistent in application of upgrades compared to Hilton HHonors (let alone it's "sister" programme, IHG Rewards Club). Ambassadors get a one level upgrade and Royal Ambassadors get a two level upgrade.

Why would they change anything when they are 98% full?! The problem is that too many elite guests are "addicted" to the brand because they want to keep their status (gold/diamond) so they automatically book the Hilton when staying in Sydney.

What boomy said. The hotel is always full (which is why getting good rates at this property is difficult at the best of times). I wouldn't be surprised if they have enough people who will buy their best rooms (suites) outright with no upgrades. That and they can afford to let them be because either someone will or they can set a high enough NOR1 differential to exact some cream from someone who will elect for that room that way.

A very full hotel of course bred the design model which means all of the rooms are the sizes of matchboxes.

One problem with being "addicted" to the brand is that you do still get some benefits (if not the bigger room, a contiguous King bed and free espresso coffee); loyalty always acts as a set of handcuffs - the higher your status, generally the more set the handcuffs are. Let's not even broach the topic of points. C'est la loyalty.

Hilton Sydney really needs a facelift. The rooms are clean and functional enough (if, as swanning_it mentioned, you're usually a single business traveller), but that's about all. They only did this to the Executive Lounge unfortunately. They are, more unfortunately, stuck in the "timing trap" in a similar way to the Hilton Brisbane until late. (The ownership of the property likely does not help things).

It amazes me how many properties get away with this, particularly at the high end of the market.

Several times. Some are a lot more noticeable than others when you sleep on them.

Maybe someone should raise a complaint to the Department of Fair Trading for false advertising? Might just light up the right fire.

Interesting reading about Hilton Sydney, currently have 1 night booked there for the 28th of this month as a Diamond @ $265/night AAA rate - Base room

Can get IC Syd at $283 on friends/family base room.. only priority gold with them though.

Thoughts?

Why move, no free breakfast at the IC?

If you had no status on either programme at all, the IC would be more likely to be the better proposition.

Otherwise, again (as markis10 alludes) we have the "status handcuffs" again - at the IC you are going to get the room alone and nothing else (well, maybe complimentary internet), unless you are an Ambassador.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

How do you know the guest relations managers when you see one? Do they have a special name tag or something?

Generally, I have no idea. WRT HSYD, when you exit the elevator corridor on the ground floor, instead of turning right, look to your left slightly and over toward the driveway and there's a lovely lady sitting at a desk. Since she was not dealing with other guests and check-in was busy, I just wandered up and asked her what she did? I've never claimed to be tactful , and luckily, she turned out to be the HH guest realations manager........just the person I wanted!

 

[markis10]

The IC is quite easy. If you have no Ambassador status, likely you are getting nothing except what you booked. Ambassador is a lot more consistent in application of upgrades compared to Hilton HHonors (let alone it's "sister" programme, IHG Rewards Club). Ambassadors get a one level upgrade and Royal Ambassadors get a two level upgrade.

Your info is about three years out of date, Ambs do indeed get one level whilst RAs get a club room or suite, now exactly what a suite is becomes fodder for many a thread elsewhere!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Your info is about three years out of date, Ambs do indeed get one level whilst RAs get a club room or suite, now exactly what a suite is becomes fodder for many a thread elsewhere!

The suite we recieved at IC (2102) had excellent views but was somewhat smaller than the HSYD king suite. The HSYD king suite is very large and because it takes up 3 sides of one end of the hotel, has a range of views, but none of them even come within a bulls roar of the IC views. The HSYD lounge is nice with a better than usual array of canapes when compared to other Hiltons in Oz, but the IC club is about a hundred steps above it.......great canapes, good drink selection, table service, exceptionally friendly staff, outdoor seating with uninterupted views from the bridge to the heads and back around to about Bondi. As an IC AMB, I was able to book what I knew would get me the room upgrade I wanted and in fact, the ICSYD staff also confirmed for me that my planning was indeed correct. Admittedly, there was no surprise at check-in at the IC......but surprises can be either great or disappointing and the HSYD surprise upgrade tends to be the later (not always but IME, mostly).

I'm now keen to try some other SYD hotels.....like the Park Hyatt for example. The downside of the IC SYD is the indoor pool. The level of cholorine used made it almost unbreathable in there and my eyes were stinging well before I made it to the water. I've no idea why 5* hotels cannot seem to get water levels correct. Whilst many can, the indoor pools often cannot.

 

[anat0l]

Your info is about three years out of date, Ambs do indeed get one level whilst RAs get a club room or suite, now exactly what a suite is becomes fodder for many a thread elsewhere!

Fair enough - I only remember the mention of RAs getting "two level upgrades", which usually ends up being a suite or a club room anyway (if the IC in question has a club level).


Should also be noted that HH Diamonds getting more suites as an upgrade is still a fairly new thing in the grand scheme (pun intended); that said, the expectations have been set so......

 

[Flashback]

To those Golds whinging you are not getting EL rooms. Get over it. It's not a benefit so don't whinge when you don't get it. Any luck getting one in the past is just that, luck. If you want one, book it or become a Diamond member.

 

[dfcatch]

To those Golds whinging you are not getting EL rooms. Get over it. It's not a benefit so don't whinge when you don't get it. Any luck getting one in the past is just that, luck. If you want one, book it or become a Diamond member.

I think that's unfair Flashback.

Until recently - it in fact WAS a benefit that Golds would receive an upgrade to an Exec Room if available upon checkin.

EL access was of course dependent on receiving an Exec Room.

It was only recently that the Gold benefit was downgraded to a "preferred" room.

Likewise Diamonds with Suites.

 

[Flashback]

I think that's unfair Flashback.

Until recently - it in fact WAS a benefit that Golds would receive an upgrade to an Exec Room if available upon checkin.

EL access was of course dependent on receiving an Exec Room.

It was only recently that the Gold benefit was downgraded to a "preferred" room.

Likewise Diamonds with Suites.

Yes, the benefit is based on the room upgrade - not an entitlement to EL access, nor EL rooms.

 

[hgwells01]

Just back from four nights at Syd Hilton, and it was a great stay, as has been discussed at length upgrades for Diamonds are usually quite thin so I paid 420.00 for a Nor1 to a relaxation suite and this was confirmed beforehand to me as I had to send some emails about the booking. The new HH Manager Kelly is really very good, I went and said hi when she was at her desk in the foyer and thanked her for her assistance in sorting it all out for me and chatted to her around the place a few times, on the last night a fruit bowl and a half bottle of red with a card was waiting for us saying she hoped our stay was great. Fabulous dinner in Glass, and despite them saying the Heidi Gruyere Soufflé was not on the menu that night when I said it was my favorite the word came back that Chef would be happy to make it for me, Kelly arranged a table right in front of the QVB which looked lovely after all its renovations and it really was a perfect night. Breckie in Glass a couple of mornings, some retail therapy and a wander around Sydney town was a perfect pre Xmas break. A quick trip to the Fish Markets on the way out to stock up and a run back to Newcastle with the goodies on board, must be Xmas, ho ho ho.

 

[Moopere]

To those Golds whinging you are not getting EL rooms. Get over it. It's not a benefit so don't whinge when you don't get it. Any luck getting one in the past is just that, luck. If you want one, book it or become a Diamond member.

Hehe, whinging, that would be me

But its really just a sigh .... 'working' the FF and loyalty game can be tiring and its been a hard and busy year ... with HH I'd found a pretty good friend and didn't feel even slightly inclined towards comparing them with other schemes, but written and on-the-ground changes this year have me scratching my chin again and I probably need to do yet another revaluation of a loyalty schemes.

 

[cgoh]

Not sure if anyone noticed this, but there was a planned website maintenance last weekend and I noticed that Diamond Benefit may have been enhanced!

Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton™

• Space-available upgrade to a preferred room (the word "suite" has disappeared!)
• 1,000 HHonors Bonus Points per stay
• A complimentary continental breakfast for you and up to one additional guest registered to the same room each day of your stay
• Executive Floor Lounge Access (available at select properties[SUP]7[/SUP])

 

[Flashback]

Hehe, whinging, that would be me

But its really just a sigh .... 'working' the FF and loyalty game can be tiring and its been a hard and busy year ... with HH I'd found a pretty good friend and didn't feel even slightly inclined towards comparing them with other schemes, but written and on-the-ground changes this year have me scratching my chin again and I probably need to do yet another revaluation of a loyalty schemes.

To be honest, now that I've earned HHD I was a bit 'meh' over it. It was nice when I stayed at the Conrad, definitely felt the bennies there but as most of my stays are Hilton or DoubleTree I certainly won't be working hard to renew next year. In fact, if I make Gold I'll be lucky and I know it will open my eyes... a lot of hotels have breakfast/wifi all for a reasonable price so paying all that much extra for a Hilton just to get 'free breakfast/wifi' won't be high on my list anymore. That being said I have a reasonable number of stays booked to actually enjoy the HHD bennies for the next year and a bit.

 

[anat0l]

To those Golds whinging you are not getting EL rooms. Get over it. It's not a benefit so don't whinge when you don't get it. Any luck getting one in the past is just that, luck. If you want one, book it or become a Diamond member.

I think that's unfair Flashback.

Until recently - it in fact WAS a benefit that Golds would receive an upgrade to an Exec Room if available upon checkin.

EL access was of course dependent on receiving an Exec Room.

It was only recently that the Gold benefit was downgraded to a "preferred" room.

Likewise Diamonds with Suites.

A generation of HH benefits ago, HH Gold could choose to a MyWay benefit for space available upgrade to an Executive Room (with accompanying access to EL).

With the new HH, this specific wording was removed. HH Golds are still entitled to an upgrade; they don't need to receive an Executive one, even if there is inventory.

So for the HH Golds, old and new, forget complaining if you don't get an Executive level room, because the terms say you're not strictly entitled to one!

To be strict, IIRC HHD aren't necessarily entitled to Executive rooms - let alone Suites - according to the terms. It would be weird if HHDs at an Executive property did not receive an Executive room (although they would get EL access in any case). HHDs who don't get a suite upgrade should similarly "get over it" because it is not a gazetted benefit.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The new HH Manager Kelly is really very good,

I agree and in my haste to winge, I forgot to add the staff at HSYD are generally exceptionally good. Kelly is the lady that sorted out my tale of woe (at least as told by me) and I also forgot to mention I had a half bottle of merlot as a gift (sort of matched the half sized room they gave me to start with). Nice to hear you thoroughly enjoyed your stay.

Not sure if I should add the IC managed to gift me a full size bottle of wine