How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

...

Although I asked the Corporate TA to add my HH number to booking, they didn't. As expected, Front Desk confirmed that property was full, so even though she added my number, no upgrades available. No issues there, as no stay credit anyway. Just happy to have wireless access free and breakfast downstairs in restaurant rather than Exec Lounge (which has reduced its fare since I was last here in Sept).
Be careful with making a link between qualifying and non-qualifying bookings on consecutive nights at the one property- it can affect the credit for your entire stay (including the qualifying night(s).
 
Yes, I made sure of that at check-in Serfty. Told them not to connect bookings and this was noted in all bookings and that I would check out after each booking. Checked out yesterday and there is a change of room type between bookings.
 
Yes, I made sure of that at check-in Serfty. Told them not to connect bookings and this was noted in all bookings and that I would check out after each booking. Checked out yesterday and there is a change of room type between bookings.
Good luck with that one ...
 
Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Garden Inn Times Square Manhattan
Date: 17 -22 Jan 2014
Rate: USD188++
Booked and received: Standard Guestroom

They are working hard at recognising status here. HGI don't offer upgrades but I got an email before arriving asking about preferences, a welcome card, and phone call on the second night from the Guest Relations Manager. I have free wifi. There were two bottles of water in the room on arrival and I was given a voucher to get a further two bottles from the shop if required. HGI offer free breakfast or 750 points and I have selected the breakfast, served next door. It’s OK but nothing special.

A good cost-effective option if the two main Hiltons in the area are over your budget.
 
DT Alice was good i felt (for ASP).

Can't beat the cookie, fruit platter was nice.

GM personally called and apologised he wasn't there when I checked in and wanted to congratulate me on my 75th stay at Hilton Worldwide.

The personal service makes up for the tired property.
 
Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi
Date: 20-21 Jan 2014
Rate: 30000 HH points
Booked: Guest King
Received: One bedroom deluxe suite with lounge access (going for $1000 that night online)

Wow, did not expect such a nice room and treatment, made for a great stay. Even got my preferred view which is of the executive airport runway across the road, and a small balcony on which I enjoyed the sunset. Happy hour lasts for three hours in the lounge with small food selection but perfectly chilled beer. WiFi sucks being an end of building suite is the only drawback.

ImageUploadedByAustFreqFly1390265436.053804.jpg

ImageUploadedByAustFreqFly1390265521.531006.jpg

ImageUploadedByAustFreqFly1390265559.130549.jpg
 
...
Property: Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi
...
Nice stuff - received an email from them this morning from them indicating some transfer options, noting my 11:40pm arrival and asking if there's anything they may do to assist.
...
I am pleased to inform you that as our valuable HHonors Diamond member, we have given you a room upgrade to our King Superior Suite room. Your preference for non-smoking and high floor has been noted down. We are more than happy to offer you complimentary access to the Executive Lounge. You will also receive special in-room amenities on arrival and a complimentary access to our luxurious Mizan Spa. Complimentary Wi-Fi connection is also made available inside your room....
Will see how it goes (I am staying here over the other HH property as it's ¾ the reward cost (30K or 12K+AED213[$66] over 40K or 16K+AED277[$86]).)
 
Last edited:
Nice stuff - received an email from them this morning from them indicating some transfer options, noting my 11:40pm arrival and asking if there's anything else they may do to assist.Will see how it goes (I am staying here over the other HH property as it's 75% the cost [12K and AED213].)

Cab is cheap enough at 50AED at that time of night.
 
Status: Gold
Property: Conrad Singapore
Date: 17-20 Jan 2014 (3 nights)
Rate: 60000 HH points per night
Booked: King Classic Room
Received: King Business Room

At checkin I was advised of my upgrade to 'Business' Room which involved being able to breakfast by the pool, and $20 laundry allowance per day, and was offered late checkout. I did say I'd be happy to trade all of that for lounge access but "sorry not possible lah" was the reply, though the lady then informed me I was able to purchase lounge access (SGD50 + taxes per day). I asked if could think about it and she said yes. I decided at Singapore drink prices I could make that a good deal and went back to reception a few hours later and asked a different lady about buying the lounge access and she went tap tap tap on the keyboard and cheerily advised I didn't need to and I already had lounge access. I asked her to double check which she did, answer still the same - yes!

I was not convinced and headed up to floor 31 and approached the man at the EL (I don't like uncertainty of that sort) and asked him to check. He invited me to go and have a drink while he contacted reception to check. About 15 minutes later he came in and said he could not contact reception (or the right person there), and the message I got from him (wasn't all that clear) was that I should not have it, but because of the mucking around they were giving it to me. Yay, I'll take that. The interesting bit is that later another guest (I was at FT SIN DO) said that because my card had got me to floor 31 in the first place, it must have been programmed for lounge access. I had thought once you swiped the card you could select any floor - I could certainly select any other floor.

Anyway, whatever the reason (my original suspicion was that the second lady I spoke to at checkin saw 'business' room and upgraded it to exec without realising a one-level upgrade had already been applied to take it to Biz - but that is just speculation).

That drama (albeit 'good' drama in the end) aside the stay was great as always. I got Conrad Bear and the duck, fruit and chocolates delivered to my room, and the EL staff (and food/bev) were excellent as always. Interestingly on the Sunday there were around 8 of us in the EL for an extended period of time and a staff member came around and took our room numbers - I think one o two of us should not have been there but they thought quick enough on their feet to seemingly avoid any issues.

Actually, one beef (and I may whinge about it to the Hotel if I can be bothered). Toss-up on Friday (visiting friends) between cab and MRT plus 2km walk, Decided I didn't want to turn up 'icky' after a long walk so opted for cab. Well, a combination of Friday night and Hindu Thaipusam festival had me waiting in the taxi queue for 45 minutes - would have taken the other option had I known, and traffic was very bad too due to Thaipusam blocking off much of Little India.

My beef comes with the fact that just before a cab would turn up, someone would walk out the door with suitcases and the queue manager would shout 'Airport, Airport' and divert the cab to them, despite many of us having waited in the queue a long time. It is a hotel policy and IMHO a bad one. Doesn't matter where you are going, airport or pub or wherever, you are responsible for getting yourself there in a timely fashion. Oh, and people at the end of the queue were flagging and boarding the incoming cabs while the queue manger's attention was distracted.
 
My beef comes with the fact that just before a cab would turn up, someone would walk out the door with suitcases and the queue manager would shout 'Airport, Airport' and divert the cab to them, despite many of us having waited in the queue a long time. It is a hotel policy and IMHO a bad one. Doesn't matter where you are going, airport or pub or wherever, you are responsible for getting yourself there in a timely fashion. Oh, and people at the end of the queue were flagging and boarding the incoming cabs while the queue manger's attention was distracted.

I had exactly the same experience when I was there in October last year, the whole thing seemed a bit crazy and not enough cabs (but I was there for F1 weekend)
 
Last edited:
Most hotels in Singapore have stated preference in queues goes to Airport guests, then house guests then the rest, so I think its widespread.
 
Most hotels in Singapore have stated preference in queues goes to Airport guests, then house guests then the rest, so I think its widespread.

Don't doubt it, one in, all in, but still think it is a bad policy (BTW, nothing stated to me, and as far as in-house guests vs. others, no apparent difference - all in one queue).

Still, a lesson learned - in the unlikely event I find myself in a similar situation again, I will appear at the front door with a piece of hand luggage, state I'm going to the airport, then once in cab will redirect him, and if necessary pay the equivalent of the airport fare.

Edit: Back in the day in Singapore, one only to had to think Taxi and 4 or 5 would appear, no matter where you were (the exception being when it started to rain - almost impossible to get one then).
 
Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Fashion District New York
Date: 22 Jan 2014
Rate: USD350++
Booked and received: Queen Room

An unexpected hotel stay after my flight from LGA was cancelled as a result of the snow storm and rebooked for the next day. After establishing all the decent hotels near LGA were booked out I called Hilton and asked for any property in Manhattan for under $300 and this was the best option closest. The room is quite small. The air-conditioning unit is a floor model and the fan, which comes on and off to maintain temperature, is quite noisy. I note there is a box of earplugs by the bed!

I’ve been given a voucher for breakfast, and a bag that contains two bottles of water, a bag of choc peanuts and a generic welcome card. I’ve got free wifi. There is no Executive Lounge here.

Bed is comfy and I make use of the earplugs and have a pretty good night. Breakfast in the restaurant downstairs has a range of about 8 cooked to order options or a continental buffet. The delivered food is plentiful and tasty. The brewed coffee was actually surprisingly OK, and although the menu allows just one drink option I don’t get charged for a requested OJ.

I was really grateful to be here last night but I wouldn’t otherwise choose to stay here, basically because of the AC unit. I prefer rooms where the AC is running constantly and reasonably silently in the background.
 
I was really grateful to be here last night but I wouldn’t otherwise choose to stay here, basically because of the AC unit. I prefer rooms where the AC is running constantly and reasonably silently in the background.

I hear you. As a light sleeper, if there _must_ be noise in the room I need it to be consistent and low level. Fridges and aircons turning on and off or the neighbours toilet flushing at odd hours normally means broken sleep for me.
 
Nice upgrade at Conrad HKG.
Booked two base level connecting rooms Govt rate (one King, one double) upgraded to King Exec Suite and Harbour View Double connecting room.
Love this hotel :)
 
Nice upgrade at Conrad HKG.
Booked two base level connecting rooms Govt rate (one King, one double) upgraded to King Exec Suite and Harbour View Double connecting room.
Love this hotel :)

It used to be our corporate hotel and very close to regional HQ in pacific place, I always enjoyed staying there and just watching the harbour madness.
 
Read our AFF credit card guides and start earning more points now.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Status: Diamond
Property: Parmelia Hilton Perth
Date: 12-13 Jan 2014
Rate: Cheapest available $155.00

I feel a bit uneasy staying at a hotel in my home city but I had 2 good reasons.
First the temperature that weekend in Perth was not expected to get below 30C with both daytime maximums reaching 40C, so with Diamond free wifi and a good breakfast I thought it worth the money.

Secondly I had 22,176 points before this stay but needed a few thousand more to get above 24,000 points, to be able to get a shot at a points and cash at the Brisbane Hilton in February 2014.

The temperature didn't get below 30C, the breakfast was good, the staff called when I arrived in my room to ask how it was, I was after the free water, it arrived a few hours later. The breakfast was good and the wifi worked.

There are 2 disappointments with this property,
What happened that every Hilton was to get a lounge, they have redone the lifts and added some new carpets but still no lounge, come on this is the 21st century and this Hilton can charge some outrageous pricing.

The bed had a sag on 1 side, really if I was paying above $300 a night for this place and sharing the bed with your partner one of you would have had an uncomfortable night.

**************************************************

Status: Diamond
Property: Conrad Singapore
Date: 18-19 Jan 2014
Rate: 30000 HH points

Booked a twin at room at the old rate of points back in March 2013, as I read a devaluation was coming and I was about 99% I was going to Singapore that weekend for the Flyertalk Sin Do.

Awesome lounge, great bed, food platter in the room, what is also good is being able to share the lounge with a few friends.
 
Status: Gold

Property: Conrad Hong Kong

Date: 16-19 Jan 2014

Rate: 25,000 Pts plus hk$1.000, booked before the devaluation

Booked : King Superior

Received: Peak view Executive

Arrived at 7.00am as we had informed the Hotel, expecting to drop our bags off and go out for the day. Escorted up to the Lounge and checked in there. Was told that our room would be ready in 30 minutes and to please have breakfast while waiting.
Room on the 58th Floor with a nice view of the Peak. Allowed to have breakfast downstairs each day.
Changed our bathroom amenities to Shanghai Tang, much nicer than the standard ones brand.
The lounge wasn't overly busy at night and food selection was quite good.
Received three letters of welcome, a platter of fruit on arrival and a steamer of chocolates each evening, oh and two Conrad bears.
All in all a very good stay.
 
Status: Diamond
Property: HSW
Date: 23-24 Jan 2014
Booked: Queen family room
Received: Queen family room

Got the room I booked, which is fine by me. I arrived at about 2pm, and the room wasn't ready, so I was accompanied to the EL to wait until it was. The room was ready at about 3pm which is also fine, as that is the advertised check-in time. No bottles of water, which I had to ask for and were delivered whilst out for dinner. Only one of the two beds turned down.

I asked for a small jug of soy and was asked if I would always like this, as they could add it to my profile. It has taken many, many stays at HSW for this to be offered (and I have asked for soy each visit). Interestingly, by my third stay at HotP it was automatic and unprompted. There is a new HSW EL manager (Christian) so that may have something to do with it finally being put on my profile.
 

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.
Back
Top