How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[vitagen]

Jess.... Don't you live in Mel?

 

[JMFK]

Jess.... Don't you live in Mel?

That hasn't stopped me from racking up plenty of stays at HSW. I live about 45 mins from the CBD so if I have an early start or late finish, HSW is my hotel of choice.

 

[JessicaTam]

That hasn't stopped me from racking up plenty of stays at HSW. I live about 45 mins from the CBD so if I have an early start or late finish, HSW is my hotel of choice.

Exackery!!!

 

[BLK343]

Hilton status can get you a room in an apparently ' full ' Hotel ....... I have booked three rooms at HSW for May 19th to 23rd and another room from the 21st to the 23rd of May for one staff member who did not need to be there as long

is it possible to have 2 separate bookings under one same name and yet someone else staying? Keen to know whether this creates confusion

 

[anat0l]

It almost made up for the coffee with breakfast: I was offered coffee, which I accepted as there was no mention of cost. Coffee was served, and there was no mention of cost. Eventually received the chit to sign which I did, although commenting that it was poor form to offer something with no cost mentioned, and then charge for it. I also pointed this out when checking out and the charge was reversed.

Hotels, not just Hilton, have a rather odd habit of doing this - letting you have "what you want" but then adding it to the bill later without mentioning that there is a charge.

It's as if they are doing you a favour by offering some sort of service or convenience and it seems you will forget or not care about how much it will cost. Either that or they think (or is it a Western thing) that people will not be petty to ask the cost of something if they ask something to be done and the staff shall not appear to be petty by confirming whether the customer is happy to do something if it costs this much, viz. the scenario which plays out is:

Customer: "Latte, please."
Staff: "That will be $5, Sir - is that alright?"
Customer: [exasperated and somewhat insulted] "YES!"

 

[JessicaTam]

Hotels, not just Hilton, have a rather odd habit of doing this - letting you have "what you want" but then adding it to the bill later without mentioning that there is a charge.

It's as if they are doing you a favour by offering some sort of service or convenience and it seems you will forget or not care about how much it will cost. Either that or they think (or is it a Western thing) that people will not be petty to ask the cost of something if they ask something to be done and the staff shall not appear to be petty by confirming whether the customer is happy to do something if it costs this much, viz. the scenario which plays out is:

Customer: "Latte, please."
Staff: "That will be $5, Sir - is that alright?"
Customer: [exasperated and somewhat insulted] "YES!"

Except in my case it would have been:

Customer: "Latte, please."
Staff: "That will be $4, Ma'am - is that alright?"
Customer: [exasperated and somewhat insulted] "No, thank you!"

 

[Deleted member 29185]

is it possible to have 2 separate bookings under one same name and yet someone else staying? Keen to know whether this creates confusion

Yes and no. Yes it's possible and no it doesn't cause confusion. Also, if you remember to merge the two folios, you get points for both rooms as well.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Except in my case it would have been:

Customer: "Latte, please."
Staff: "That will be $4, Ma'am - is that alright?"
Customer: [exasperated and somewhat insulted] "No, thank you!"

I know this has been covered to death, but the thing that really irks me about the whole "charge for coffee" caper, is that at least here in Oz, I believe it is "normal" practice to have a coffee/tea with breakfast for most people (not all). Forgetting about the diamond/gold complementary breakfast for the minute and think about those paying circa AU$40 per head, I find it an insult to demand an additional AU$5 for a decent coffee. The excuse about the extra labour to "make" an espresso does not wash with me either. It takes extra labour to cook eggs, bacon, mushrooms, pancakes as well, so is the next thing to charge an additional fee for those? I thought they already did......the difference between a full breakfast and a continental breakfast! What about the fruit juice? Doesn't it take extra labour to open the bottle and pour it out? Extra charge for that too perhaps? Oh, and to use plates and cutlery takes extra labour to collect and wash them after us gravy swilling pigs have soiled them......that's definitely an extra charge then!

Really? Why do they think people are prepared to pay the AU$40 for a breakfast to start with? Take away the breakfast and there really is not much point, is there? Yes, I do realise it's only a $5 cup of coffee, but where does it stop......next thing we'll see the McHilton menu board where everything has a dollar value attached and you choose only what you want to pay for.......oh, and then some highly paid marketing guru will come up with the concept of creating a McHilton value meal where all the commonly requested food/drink items are bundled together.........hang on, isn't that what we (until recently), had already at a Hilton full breakfast?

 

[Clivem]

Yes and no. Yes it's possible and no it doesn't cause confusion. Also, if you remember to merge the two folios, you get points for both rooms as well.

Bingo......has never been an issue in the past ........

 

[Fifa]

What about the fruit juice? Doesn't it take extra labour to open the bottle and pour it out? Extra charge for that too perhaps?

I rarely have juice with breakfast so I think it would only be fair that I have a cappuccino instead but, no, I have to pay for it . And that goes for everyone - we all eat/drink different things at breakfast so it's swings and roundabouts.

You summed up the additional charge for coffee very well swanning_it! Thanks.

 

[boomy]

Really? Why do they think people are prepared to pay the AU$40 for a breakfast to start with? Take away the breakfast and there really is not much point, is there? Yes, I do realise it's only a $5 cup of coffee, but where does it stop......next thing we'll see the McHilton menu board where everything has a dollar value attached and you choose only what you want to pay for.......oh, and then some highly paid marketing guru will come up with the concept of creating a McHilton value meal where all the commonly requested food/drink items are bundled together.........hang on, isn't that what we (until recently), had already at a Hilton full breakfast?

I always wondered who actually pays for buffet breakfast at Hilton. Some high end hotels do sometimes offer impressive buffet breakfast which may be worth $40 but Hilton is not one of them. Most coffee shops near the hotel will offer a decent breakfast at half of the price (less quantity but better quality).
Same goes for the $5 coffee tax, who will pay that?! You either get it for free at the exec lounge or buy a better one outside.

 

[JMFK]

I rarely have juice with breakfast so I think it would only be fair that I have a cappuccino instead but, no, I have to pay for it . And that goes for everyone - we all eat/drink different things at breakfast so it's swings and roundabouts.

You summed up the additional charge for coffee very well swanning_it! Thanks.

Amen. I don't drink the juice either. And I normally just have fruit and yoghurt, and only one plateful, not a weeks worth of food like some people!

So comparatively, I'd argue that it's cheaper for them to extend me my Diamond privileges than the next person...so I want coffee damnit!

Look, it wouldn't be so bad if the coffee was mind blowing, but it rarely is. And It only adds insult to injury when the 'espresso' coffee they've laboured over simply comes out of a push button machine, HOTP style.

 

[JMFK]

Same goes for the $5 coffee tax, who will pay that?! You either get it for free at the exec lounge or buy a better one outside.

Case in point, Citizen at HSW and Workshop Espresso at Hilton SYD!

 

[Fifa]

And It only adds insult to injury when the 'espresso' coffee they've laboured over simply comes out of a push button machine, HOTP style.

I was so excited on my last stay at HOTP when told cappuccino was included with breakfast. What a letdown when it arrived!
If diners think they are getting a "real" coffee when paying during other meal times they'll be seriously disappointed.

 

[basso]

next thing we'll see the McHilton menu board where everything has a dollar value attached and you choose only what you want to pay for.......oh, and then some highly paid marketing guru will come up with the concept of creating a McHilton value meal where all the commonly requested food/drink items are bundled together.........hang on, isn't that what we (until recently), had already at a Hilton full breakfast?

You are aware that most Hiltons actually do have an a la carte menu for breakfast? Last time I stayed, I chose off the menu, had a coffee with it, and it was all only a bit more than half the price of the buffet breakfast. (as for the coffee at the buffet, if you can take the brewed coffee, you don't normally have to pay)

 

[BLK343]

Yes and no. Yes it's possible and no it doesn't cause confusion. Also, if you remember to merge the two folios, you get points for both rooms as well.

Thanks swanning_it... Dumb question ... How do you merge the 2 folois? I have the exact scenario where I have booked a room for myself for 4 nights but booked another room for one night for the in-laws. Currently booked under their name with my HH #

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Thanks swanning_it... Dumb question ... How do you merge the 2 folois? I have the exact scenario where I have booked a room for myself for 4 nights but booked another room for one night for the in-laws. Currently booked under their name with my HH #

You just ask them and they do it without issue. This can be at checkout or before, but if you do it before, always check it's been done at checkout. if you don't merge the folios, you won't get the points for the second room (at least, that's been my experience when I've forgotten to do so).

I think your second room should be booked under your name, just with the outlaws listed as staying guests. I'm not sure if it makes a difference (others may be able to answer that one).

 

[BLK343]

You just ask them and they do it without issue. This can be at checkout or before, but if you do it before, always check it's been done at checkout. if you don't merge the folios, you won't get the points for the second room (at least, that's been my experience when I've forgotten to do so).

I think your second room should be booked under your name, just with the outlaws listed as staying guests. I'm not sure if it makes a difference (others may be able to answer that one).

Thanks for the advice swanning_it.

 

[straitman]

This afternoon (about 2:00pm) I made a booking for HSW for tomorrow night (Sunday 11th) that I may or may not yet use.

It is already showing as a '2 BEDROOM SUITE CITY VIEW'

That's quick. :shock:

 

[GCC]

Status; Gold
Property: Hilton Adelaide
Booked: 2 x Queen Hilton interconnecting
Rate: $150 pn AAA rate
Received: 2 x king exec interconnecting, 1 a corner room.

In fact I contacted the hotel prior to stay and was able to specify and confirm the rooms I liked from previous stays and thus upgrade was confirmed several weeks in advance of stay.

A while since I've stayed at H.A, although we've been staying here 1-4 times a year for many years. Exec lounge staff are fantastic, and really lovely to my travelling companion, 4 yo miss GCC. Lounge beverage and food choices good. Was given 2 free waters per room per night.

Away from the exec floor though I feel this property has slipped in general standards. Check in underwhelming and no welcome back, concierge slow to get to car/cab, breakfast nothing special and had a grumpy egg chef, and our 1 room service meal was disappointing.