How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[DeKa]

Status: Diamond

Property: Hilton Sydney

Rate: $246 NRMA

Dates 26 April

Booked: King Hilton Guestroom Plus x 2

Received: King Hilton Executive x 2

Both rooms received full Diamond benefits, 2 bottles of water, a bottle of Merlot, lounge access, breakfast at Glass for 4. Our guests were delighted - never having stayed at a hotel with a lounge before.

We had an extra breakfast guest. You can add extra breakfasts at reception for $29 (rather than $38 in the restaurant).

 

[mushypeas]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki
Dates 18-20 April
Booked: Ali'i King Ocean Front
Received: Ali'i King Ocean Front

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki
Dates 25-27 April
Booked: Ali'i King Ocean View
Received: Ali'i King Ocean View

This property is a bloody zoo, far too busy and I should have known better. It was an okay experience but no perks offered.

 

[Fifa]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton on the Park
Rate: $155 pn
Dates: 23 & 27 April (2 x stays)
Booked: King Guest Room
Received: King Relaxation Suite

Exec lounge service was excellent on both stays. The new coffee machine makes great coffee.
Breakfast was a mess this morning - I think they had a few tour groups through before we arrived and a lot of the dishes were almost empty (I don't like eating scraps) :shock:. We should have had brekkie in the lounge.

 

[moa999]

Very good rate for hotp

 

[Fifa]

Very good rate for hotp

Govt. rate

 

[Fifa]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Melbourne South Wharf
Rate: $199 (first 2 nights), $217 (third night)
Dates: 24-27 April
Booked: Queen Hilton Family Room
Received: Queen Hilton Family Room

The delightful young lady at check-in spent a fair bit of time trying to find an upgraded room for all or even one or two of the nights but she was unsuccessful and advised they had a high occupancy rate. (We had our adult son with us for the last two nights).

2 x waters delivered each day.
As noted in another thread the coffee machine in the exec lounge produced coffee which was only warm.
Internet in the lounge was slow and dropped out - very frustrating.

 

[DeKa]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Sydney
Rate: $265 NRMA
Dates 28 March 2014
Booked: King Hilton Guestroom x 2
Received: King Hilton Executive x 2

This was a different booking to the one above, but again, both rooms received full Diamond benefits, 2 bottles of water, a small bottle of Merlot, lounge access.
Breakfast at Glass for 4. Our guests enjoyed the prawns in the lounge. I was almost embarrassed clearing the bowls of prawn shells.

 

[LACE]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Surfers Paradise
Rate: $165/night
Dates 24 - 26 April
Booked: King Hilton Executive
Received: King Hilton Executive

Asked (nicely) at check-in if there was an upgrade available but they were booked out, this wasn't an issue but for the attitude of the Duty Manager who said I was already on the exective floor and asked what more I could want and then proceeded to say I couldn't have the continental breakfast in the restaurant only in the lounge and that I would have to pay $10 for a full buffet breakfast. Thankfully the rest of the staff during the stay were great.

Got the usual extras 2 x waters delivered each day, free wifi etc. also got note from GM, turndown service each night with chocolates and extra water supplied, newspaper outside the door each morning and a call on the second day asking how my stay was going and if there was anything else they could do. Overall very happy.

 

[Hvr]

Well I used an elite benefit today. Chicago is basically booked out on 01 June. However Diamond members are able to access rooms at cheaper point rates. I used this option. Also had the option of Diamond force at full rate but that was too expensive.

I'm not counting on an upgrade in room though.

 

[ProV]

Status: Diamond
Property: Hilton Brisbane
Rate: $185/night
Dates 25-26 April, ANZAC Holiday
Booked: Twin Guest
Received: Twin Executive

Complimentary 1 bottle of water (1L), breakfast in Vintage Bar and Grill, spouse stays free, lounge access, newspaper in the morning, late check-out up till 2 pm. Previously stay at the same establishment - received a bottle of red wine - same one served in the Exec lounge.

 

[Moopere]

Status: Gold
Property: Hilton Surfers Paradise
Rate: $165/night
Dates 24 - 26 April
Booked: King Hilton Executive
Received: King Hilton Executive

Asked (nicely) at check-in if there was an upgrade available but they were booked out, this wasn't an issue but for the attitude of the Duty Manager who said I was already on the exective floor and asked what more I could want and then proceeded to say I couldn't have the continental breakfast in the restaurant only in the lounge and that I would have to pay $10 for a full buffet breakfast. Thankfully the rest of the staff during the stay were great.

Got the usual extras 2 x waters delivered each day, free wifi etc. also got note from GM, turndown service each night with chocolates and extra water supplied, newspaper outside the door each morning and a call on the second day asking how my stay was going and if there was anything else they could do. Overall very happy.

Its only suites after the exec at this property isn't it? I've never once received a suite upgrade as a gold inside Australia. Outside of Australia, except for the Hilton KL (which I won't return to but for different reasons) I get a suite perhaps 50% of the time.

I'm bracing myself for the worst at Surfers as I booked a low end room there and will be arriving tomorrow - I keep hearing disappointment about BNE and Surfers Hiltons with relation to upgrades. But I should perhaps be more optimistic, reading this thread reminded me to go have a look at my HH profile as some folks report seeing their upgrade the day before ... low and behold, I seem to be in line for an exec upgrade ... if this comes to pass I'll be more than happy.

By the by, the price you paid is similar to what I've paid too as an AP - its pretty decent given the normal rate for this hotel I'm sure you'd agree.

Was just about to finish there but the thought popped up ... I find myself reluctant to book exec rooms with hilton as, generally speaking, they are the top room type before junior or other smaller suites .... and as I don't ever seem to get suite upgrades this makes me feel that there is 'nowhere to go' in terms of a status upgrade. I guess in many ways I'm overthinking it all (and overplaying 'the game').

 

[Moopere]

However Diamond members are able to access rooms at cheaper point rates.

Oh? I didn't know that. Is this the case for Gold members too? I just assumed without thinking that the points and points+pay options where fairly rigid but are they in fact tailored to some degree for status holders?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Its only suites after the exec at this property isn't it?

I guess that depends on what you value most. For gold members, I'd say the exec rooms with the associated exec lounge access would make them the best, but for this diamond member (with lounge included anyway), the relaxation room is better.

Oh? I didn't know that. Is this the case for Gold members too? I just assumed without thinking that the points and points+pay options where fairly rigid but are they in fact tailored to some degree for status holders?

Not like they were AFAIK. There is the 5th night free which is available for silver, gold and diamond.

 

[Moopere]

I guess that depends on what you value most. For gold members, I'd say the exec rooms with the associated exec lounge access would make them the best, but for this diamond member (with lounge included anyway), the relaxation room is better.

Ahh, yep, true. I often forget that a lot of suites don't automatically come with lounge access - this is another weird thing I sometimes see in Australian inventory but very rarely when I travel O/S.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Ahh, yep, true. I often forget that a lot of suites don't automatically come with lounge access

The relaxation room I mentioned is not a suite. I personally prefer them over the suite and exec rooms at HSP but AFAIK, they don't normally include exec lounge access.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

The relaxation room I mentioned is not a suite. I personally prefer them over the suite and exec rooms at HSP but AFAIK, they don't normally include exec lounge access.

Actually, I'll correct myself here. I just checked and the suites and the relaxation rooms come with exec benefits, so my advice is yes, there are better options than the exec room upgrade. I was also told on Mon that HSP was running at only 30% occupancy this week (following the string of long weekends) so a nice smile and a helpful check-in lady (yes they do exist at HSP), just may be able to offer something a bit better .

 

[Danger]

Five nights over Easter
Property: Hilton Stockholm Slussen
Room booked: Queen Room
Rate: SEK931 per night (~ AUD153)
Received: King Executive, breakfast in restaurant as well as lounge, two free drinks, small bag of Easter eggs

Last night
Property: Hilton Singapore
Room booked: King Hilton Deluxe
Rate: HHonors points plus pay, 24000 points plus SGD127 ++
Received: upgrade to King Executive, breakfast in lounge or restaurant, late check-out plus two hours, two bottles of water

 

[ash.1111]

According to HH regs, is it true that we only get 2x waters per stay? This is for a Gold HH member.

From my research, it seems to be the case. Also, last time in SYD MAGIC said it was per stay. But people on here report on receiving top ups during housecleaning visits. So now I'm confused.

 

[Flashback]

According to HH regs, is it true that we only get 2x waters per stay? This is for a Gold HH member.

From my research, it seems to be the case. Also, last time in SYD MAGIC said it was per stay. But people on here report on receiving top ups during housecleaning visits. So now I'm confused.

If there's one thing you should learn about any hotel chain .. it's that benefit application is never as per the guidelines / the same at any 2 hotels!

 

[anat0l]

According to HH regs, is it true that we only get 2x waters per stay? This is for a Gold HH member.

From my research, it seems to be the case. Also, last time in SYD MAGIC said it was per stay. But people on here report on receiving top ups during housecleaning visits. So now I'm confused.

It is, by letter of the benefits, per stay. That said, anecdotally, many have found that sometimes their water gets topped up everyday. Hey, in Brisbane, instead of two bottles, sometimes you just get one big bottle (it's actually short changing you by about 200 mL, but who is counting....)


One big thing about hotel benefits (not just HHonors): what is stated in the benefits list / T&Cs is guaranteed* to be received; anything beyond that is up to the property. Another good example is the breakfast benefit. By letter of the law, HH Gold and Diamond are entitled only to continental breakfast (assuming no Exec Lounge / Exec Lounge access), but several properties (those in Australia in particular) allow these elites to help themselves to the full breakfast selection.

Of course, the sword works the other way as well. For example, giving you an upgrade may not mean the class of your room changes to a better one (e.g. from a standard room to an executive room), it just may mean you get one with a better view or on a higher floor; let alone, there's nothing that explicitly says that your upgrade must be to a particular kind of room (e.g. a standard room to a deluxe, an executive or a suite).

* Naturally, there could be service shortfalls...