How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[Deleted member 29185]

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!)

And yet their "preferred room" dropdown list does not include "suite" . What is it from memory.....twin or king, high or low, near or away from elevators? Have I got that correct or is there somewhere I can say "I prefer a suite....or an exec.....or a corner room.......or a relaxation room"????? Isn't "preferred" room a fairly nondescript, flowery bit of fill designed to make us feel good (not necessarily any more comfortable)?

 

[Flashback]

And yet their "preferred room" dropdown list does not include "suite" . What is it from memory.....twin or king, high or low, near or away from elevators? Have I got that correct or is there somewhere I can say "I prefer a suite....or an exec.....or a corner room.......or a relaxation room"????? Isn't "preferred" room a fairly nondescript, flowery bit of fill designed to make us feel good (not necessarily any more comfortable)?

It usually says "includes a higher floor, corner view, etc etc". That being said a lot of corner rooms are often suites

 

[cgoh]

My grief will be do they even bother with your room preference when allocating room?

And yet their "preferred room" dropdown list does not include "suite" . What is it from memory.....twin or king, high or low, near or away from elevators? Have I got that correct or is there somewhere I can say "I prefer a suite....or an exec.....or a corner room.......or a relaxation room"????? Isn't "preferred" room a fairly nondescript, flowery bit of fill designed to make us feel good (not necessarily any more comfortable)?

 

[dfcatch]

My grief will be do they even bother with your room preference when allocating room?

You'll get what you're given and you'll like it

 

[cgoh]

Not quite, I nearly walked out yesterday and insisted on a refund because I spent a good ONE minute specifying my room preference and I wasn't given what I want. Miraculously, my preferred room then became available.

I've learnt these days to spread my loyalty (oxymoron I know), and if I don't get what I want I am ready to walk out. It's my money so I am entitled to make a fuss (or put on my DYKWIA attitude)!

You'll get what you're given and you'll like it

 

[JessicaTam]

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])

And there is this change as well, where the words 'high speed' used to appear, they have now been enhanced out:

Diamond Elite Members will receive the following during stays as a registered Diamond Elite Member:

• A 50% bonus on Base Points earned during the period they are Diamond Elite Members.
• Complimentary In-Room and Lobby Wi-Fi Internet Access during stays at Waldorf Astoria™ Hotels & Resorts, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton™, Embassy Suites Hotels™ and Hilton Grand Vacations™.*

 

[Flashback]

And there is this change as well, where the words 'high speed' used to appear, they have now been enhanced out:

Yeh, the change happened about a week ago... the thought is that to get the high speed access you will probably have to pay. Let's sit tight and see how it works in practise...... this was bound to happen with Hilton raising an IPO. Nickel and diming at its best.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Another point of difference I noticed between HSYD and IC SYD......at IC upon connecting to the internet and entering surname and room number the message came up "Thank you, as Platinum Ambassador you have complementary internet" (or something like that), which I though was nice as it clearly links to my IHG profile, whereas with Hilton, you have to purchase the internet desired ($29 for 24 hours I think) which then oftens appears on the bill and you have to request it be removed which means the fast checkout envelope cannot be used . I often wonder how many elites just leave the charge and get on with life?

 

[markis10]

Another point of difference I noticed between HSYD and IC SYD......at IC upon connecting to the internet and entering surname and room number the message came up "Thank you, as Platinum Ambassador you have complementary internet" (or something like that), which I though was nice as it clearly links to my IHG profile, whereas with Hilton, you have to purchase the internet desired ($29 for 24 hours I think) which then oftens appears on the bill and you have to request it be removed which means the fast checkout envelope cannot be used . I often wonder how many elites just leave the charge and get on with life?

In just over a weeks time the internet will be free at all IHG hotels to all rewards clubs members, now if we could only get them to think about free breakfast for golds and up!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

In just over a weeks time the internet will be free at all IHG hotels to all rewards clubs members, now if we could only get them to think about free breakfast for golds and up!

If they did that, it would almost remove all stumbling blocks against IHG. Club access would be nice, but the complementary breakfast still is a Hilton drawcard.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Space-available upgrade to a preferred room (the word "suite" has disappeared!)

It usually says "includes a higher floor, corner view, etc etc". That being said a lot of corner rooms are often suites

Whilst the suite upgrade still shows in the T&Cs...........

Upgrades for Diamond HHonors guests may include the next-best available room from the room type booked. Upgrades may also be rooms with desirable views, corner rooms, rooms on high floors, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors, or suites, as identified by each property.

........................but it appears the HH T&Cs tell us the word "Preferred" is not in fact our preference, but is the individual hotel preference.........

Preferred rooms are identified by each individual property and may vary within each brand

"Oh you booked an executive? Well we have upgraded you to our preference, which is the laundry hamper in the basement........enjoy your stay!"

 

[serfty]

Another point of difference I noticed between HSYD and IC SYD...

Systems are changing, at the HSW on the weekend the internet came up as complimentary for gold/diamond upon connection without further ado.

 

[Flashback]

Systems are changing, at the HSW on the weekend the internet came up as complimentary for gold/diamond upon connection without further ado.

It's done that at all the European Hiltons I have stayed at this year...... Australia finally catching up?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Australia finally catching up?

Well, not HSYD at least.......still had to buy internet (in fact, I had to buy the 24 Hour deal twice despite being in the hotel for less than 24 hours) and then have it removed from the bill!

 

[serfty]

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.

The removal of "Exec if Available on check-in" benefit for "preferred room" for Gold happened well over a year ago - I am thinking early 2012.

 

[dfcatch]

The removal of "Exec if Available on check-in" benefit for "preferred room" for Gold happened well over a year ago - I am thinking early 2012.

I think you are correct Serfty as that was the beginning of my first year at Diamond (after being Gold).

In my parlance - that's "recently"

 

[Deleted member 29185]

In my parlance - that's "recently"

Who's getting older now? ........."Back in my day, sonny........" :mrgreen:

 

[serfty]

I think you are correct Serfty as that was the beginning of my first year at Diamond (after being Gold).

In my parlance - that's "recently"

Recently is as recently does - It was worse in my "early" days as there were no guaranteed benefits for Gold or Diamond outside of North America.

It's was a lottery and one would check-in with some trepidation as what bennies one would get (if anything)

(HOP was "good" at putting you in a room with bigger toiletries, slippers and a batch robe with nothing else offered (although not always, sometimes I received exec access as a gold.)

This changed late 2007.

So that's why these days I expect the guaranteed benefits and consider anything more as a bonus. So breakky and lounge access for this Diamond - other than thatI have the philosophy "You can't eat a view".

 

[mattm199]

Status: Gold
Property: Brisbane
Date: Dec 23
Rate: $176 AAA rate
Booked: King Guest Room
Received: King Executive Room

Usual good stay at Hilton Brisbane, and good to find the usual great team in the Exec lounge. Just the one regular free bottle of "Balance" water near the minibar area.
What I said it was nice to see them open in Christmas week, I was told there were complaints last year when the "closed for maintenance"!

 

[QF WP]

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.

It has never been on my radar as my hotel of choice in SYD, stayed there for the first time this year and underwhelmed by the room size (but happy enough with restaurant and EL).

Hopefully the chat that trippin_the_rift and dfcatch had with Management might change their outlook. I'm staying with a former Hilton Manager in the UK and he just shook his head with the story