How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[turtlemichael]

Any pictures?

Yes, I'll put them up when I can remember how to do it!

 

[boomy]

Bet I won't get mine. Never got the playing cards, and I'm using a 2 year old card. Somewhere they signed me up for "no paper mail" and it's stuck!

I was also using a 2 year old card and got a new one yesterday. Looks exactly the same, just new expiry date.

 

[Cynicor]

Great news. My email requesting they fix my profile must have gone through, as I just got my new diamond card!

 

[mel-world]

Status: Diamond
Property: Conrad Istanbul
Dates: February 26 to March 1 and March 3 to 5
Rate: TRY 780 (AUD390) Senior Rate
Booked: King Bosporus View Room
Received: Brand New City View Suite (for first stay)

Interesting start to the first visit but the situation quickly improved. Booked the room for the previous night given our wish to check in around 0600 after an overnight flight. On arrival advised that I should have told them on booking of our very late arrival - they had cancelled the booking! They quickly re-booked us and said that they would not charge for the previous night. That sounded good until we found that our Bosporus View room was on the 3rd floor overlooking the renovation works and hardly had any view at all. It was a standard room just vacated by a tour group (their bags were still outside the door!) Up to the Lounge to see what they could do.

In the Hotel's defence, they are renovating and have many old rooms awaiting an upgrade. Still, while we were having breakfast and an hour later, the Hotel's Lobby Manager found us a brand new city view suite that was just ideal. The Lounge has a view we can enjoy. The suite is not huge but tastefully decorated with an outside terrace to enjoy the view that does include a little of the water (would be a good place to relax if it was not 7C today). The staff are all very friendly and delivered fruit and water soon after we arrived.

I have thanked the Manager for her attention as I find a little civility can go a long way. I think we are going to enjoy Istanbul.

Second stay was equally as good as received the same suite, the same amenities and an additional personal welcome and bottle of decent red wine.

I would definitely recommend the Conrad Istanbul but be aware of the extensive renovations at the moment (so book early) and the location away from the old quarter although near the Bosporus and the Palace. We were early in the season after working at the Sochi Olympics. If you are going to holiday in Turkey, remember Istanbul is a city of 15 million and is the 5th busiest tourist city in the world so shoulder season is probably the best - April/May or September/October recommended by our guides.

 

[mel-world]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Singapore
Dates: March 6 to 10
Rate: 1st Room S$399++ Senior Rate
2nd Room for friends 180,000 points - 3 nights
Booked: King City View Room - early check in requested at S$100++ for 8am Check-In (subject to availability)
Received: Twin City View Executive Floor Room (for first stay) at same rate
- Friends got - King Mini Suite on Executive Floor

What a difference from the Conrad above. The check-in, albeit at 0800, after an overnight flight was painful. "We are full, check in is at 1400. Yes, you have requested an early check-in but there is no king non-smoking available - come back in 2 hours, maybe we will have something then." or words to that effect.

No offer of waiting in the Lounge or any other Diamond benefit. Only after sometime and the intervention of the Manager (I suspect) did they find a twin N/S for us. I guess this is a busy corporate type Hotel that is always full so not so focused on providing more service than necessary and, at least they did find us a room for our tired bones and did also upgrade our friends who checked in later the same day to large room and offer them Diamond benefits as well although both bookings in my name. We did get water, the usual Executive benefits (breakfast in Lounge or Cafe), free WiFi etc. as did our friends.

However, be aware that the water pressure in the morning is unreliable to say the least - scalding to cold in a split second - I guess depending on other guests along the corridor. Also note that rooms 2105 to 2108 (approx.) are below the Executive Lounge - I had 2107 - so could hear people walking around (especially in high heels) and chairs being dragged over marble floors from 0530 onwards.

A central location for shopping, if not for business. They warn you that taxis are hard to get, especially Monday to Thursday mornings so better to prebook. Singapore is getting more expensive every-time I visit.

 

[turtlemichael]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Durban
Dates: March 6-9
Rate: 1250 Rand (c AUD135) AWA Rate
Booked: King with bath and shower
Received: King one bedroom suite with living room The usual benefits, welcome letter, plate of chocolate strawberries, nuts and copious complimentary water.

Hotel is in good condition and undergoing extensive renovations to the foyer area for another month. The suite, a very good upgrade, was spacious and well furnished but dated and with good views north. EL we liked. Breakfast was plentiful and evening drinks were self serve from a good selection of wines and spirits. The lounge is small but at most we saw 4 or 5 other people there. I think the hotel was very quiet. Staff were universally friendly but of varying efficiency. Required maintenance (when someone rang the bell 5 rooms away ours also rang???) just didn't happen in three days. Would stay again to enjoy Durban's delights. We liked the city apart from the very centre. There were some great beaches to the north and an excellent botanic garden as well as excellent restaurants.

 

[carwashhair]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Cairns
Dates: March 7-8
Rate: Gov't
Booked: Deluxe King
Received: Executive King Inlet view with exec lounge access

No turn down service or welcome gift, but did get a letter from lounge manager. 2x bottles water were in the room. 2pm checkout.
Nice room upgrade, managed to enjoy the lounge from check-in around 7:15 until it closed at 8. Very nice drinks service from the lady running the lounge, but she did apologise for the average food options, saying they had been 'smashed' earlier in the evening.
Overall a very pleasant stay and upgrade experience.

 

[dfcatch]

Hilton Whistler

28 Feb
$400 approx.
Standard rate (booked 1 day prior)
Queen Room

Upgraded to Alpine 2 bedroom suite with private steam room.

Message on phone from hotel operations manager checking in to see if everything was satisfactory and welcoming me back to the hotel.

(Didn't receive upgrade on previous visit and ops manager previously wrote to me to apologise).

 

[drross]

Hilton Whistler

28 Feb
$400 approx.
Standard rate (booked 1 day prior)
Queen Room

Upgraded to Alpine 2 bedroom suite with private steam room.

Message on phone from hotel operations manager checking in to see if everything was satisfactory and welcoming me back to the hotel.

(Didn't receive upgrade on previous visit and ops manager previously wrote to me to apologise).

How was the snow??

 

[dfcatch]

How was the snow??

Pretty average by their standards but had a few nice days

 

[drross]

Maybe abit better than what we'll see in Oz this season!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Maybe abit better than what we'll see in Oz this season!

Or in NZ last season (well at least at the time of was there......rock hopping wears thin after a day or so......excuse the pun).

 

[JessicaTam]

Status: Diamond
Property: HotP
Date: March 6-7
Rate: $155 Government
Booked: Hilton King
Received: Executive Suite

Great stay. I booked at half past two, and walked in an hour later to find the room ready, with soy in the fridge. Five minutes after checking in, two bottles of water delivered. Didn't stay long enough to enjoy exec lounge drinks or breakfast the following morning.

 

[JMFK]

Who says membership doesn't have it's privileges...

 

[Princess Fiona]

View attachment 26274

Who says membership doesn't have it's privileges...

That's a bargain

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Who says membership doesn't have it's privileges...

Hampton Inn! How many nights did you book?

 

[JMFK]

Hampton Inn! How many nights did you book?

That's for one night! Hilton IT strikes again I would hope!

 

[Deleted member 29185]

That's for one night!

Yes I know! The question was......how many nights did you book! :mrgreen:

 

[JMFK]

Yes I know! The question was......how many nights did you book! :mrgreen:

Ahhh, gotcha.

None.

The bonus snack AND bottle of water were a compelling incentive, but alas, I had to pass.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Ahhh, gotcha.

None.

The bonus snack AND bottle of water were a compelling incentive, but alas, I had to pass.

No sense of adventure!