Wayyy too many recent Hiltons - HH G (via VA, should make it on bookings this year)
Doubletree by Hilton Shanghai Pudong (newly Hilton-ised from March 2012 - I think previously a Sofitel?)
Booked: King guest room
Rate: 1075 RMB/night inc tax (AUD $165/night(
Upgraded to king executive suite, with executive lounge access including breakfast and evening happy hour which was sufficient for a light meal
Nice hotel, newly re-done as far as I could tell. Not really in a great tourist area IMHO but near to subway stations so easy enough to get around Shanghai and useful if needing to be in Pudong on business. Got a printed page welcoming me on arrival (with my cookie) and free bottled water in room, but nothing else specific. Didn't try out many of the facilities, however was left with a rather bad taste in my mouth after the exorbitant charges for the business centre - needed to scan some documents to send to Oz as figured that was cheaper than faxing. 28 RMB ($4) PER PAGE! Did 9 pages, if I'd had more time it'd probably have been cheaper to buy a scanner...
Hilton Dubai Creek
Booked: Queen Room
Rate: $280 AUD/night first night, used reward certificate for 2nd night
Upgraded to King Deluxe (I think) corner room with nice view of the creek and featuring a jacuzzi. Also greeted by a rubber ducky and the housekeeping staff had folded some extra towels into animals! (2 swans and what looked like a little monkey...) Also a hand-written card from the GM slipped under the door. Although not on the executive floor, given executive lounge access (breakfast, disappointing 'afternoon tea', and evening happy hour/canapes) including after late checkout time before I had to go airport.
Hotel was in the Deira/older part of Dubai, close to golf club, numerous malls and an easy taxi ride ($5-$7) to Burj Khalifa and Dubai mall areas, slightly less to the airport. They also have a free shuttles to the Jumeirah beach Hilton to use the beach/pool/spa facilities etc, which I didn't realise til after I checked out. Bugger.
Millenium Hilton Bangkok
2 separate bookings 3 days apart
Booked: King Hilton Deluxe
Price: About $140/night inc tax (Paradise Escapades promotion)
Upgraded to exec room on first booking, second time staff apologised for lack of upgrade but granted access to exec lounge anyway. Breakfast could be taken in exec lounge or in restaurant so tried both. Fruit tray in room each time and printed but handsigned letter from GM. Others have already commented on this hotel this page so won't say much more, other than to say that the outside half of the restaurant at dinner is probably NOT your best choice if looking for a quiet or romantic dinner~! The boats up and down the river with dinners and functions head past regularly, each bedecked in neon lighting and featuring a variety of musical acts of varying quality but unerring in their volume! :mrgreen:
Conrad Bangkok
Booked: King Deluxe
Rate: $176/night
I can't remember if I actually had an executive room upgrade or not.... certainly had exec lounge access (breakfast, afternoon tea, canapes), late checkout and there was a fruit platter, GM card, and Conrad stuffed toy elephant AND elephant shaped rubber duckie...
Brilliant service, especially the exec lounge staff. Both Bangkok hotels can be recommended, it just depends where you need to be as to which you should choose IMHO. Bangkok traffic jams were pretty impressive, so the price difference is worth paying if you need to be nearer one hotel!
