How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[SponsorSFC]

Great to hear.

We have a stay booked at the Aleph for the end of August. We are only in Rome for 3 days so it was a toss up between here and the WA, but the Aleph won on location.

 

[mel-world]

Hotel: The Porter, Curio Collection, Portland OR
Stay: 2 nights in a pre-paid base room
Current Status: Gold
Upgrade: None offered (the Hotel was full due to an NBA Playoff game so was not expecting anything but nothing mentioned at Check In)

Isn’t is disappointing when a fabulous hard product is spoiled by the soft product delivery. The Porter is a new property in the middle of town and easy walking distance to the excellent public transport system, restaurants and other attractions. It has a very modern but functional lobby, a coffee shop, busy bar and an Italian meat and seafood restaurant, all on the ground floor. It also has the best bathroom, with walk in shower, I have encountered in my stay away this trip. The twin room was a good size, functional and had everything except proper tea, milk and a kettle (but we were in NA). The breakfast benefit was a $15 voucher each day, enough for most menu items.

Unfortunately, that’s where the delivery ended. As mentioned, the check in was very off-hand with no recognition of status, no mention of an inability to offer any upgrade and the delivery of a room on a low floor, opposite housekeeping.



This is what greeted me from around 0700 until the evening each day with various staff propping the door open permanently while working and talking in the room. Spoilt the whole look of the Hotel.

I decided to use the restaurant on the first night and it was not at all busy. I ordered one of 5 seafood dishes on the menu, then another and then a third; they were out of all seafood except Mussels. The waiter did say I could go to another seafood restaurant across town!

As I had a late flight via SFO to HKG, I was anxious to have as late a checkout as possible so asked twice if this would be possible. I was told that there was plenty of spare rooms one day but to check the next morning. By then the availability had obviously disappeared and I was offered an hour, again with no recognition of my status. I managed to get this extended to 90 mins but begrudgingly and with the comment that management had told the front desk not to extend anyone.

And finally, I asked if I might discuss my concerns with the Duty Manager but nobody was free so all I got was a business card to respond to. An excellent property let down by really off-hand customer service. It is one of the new breed of hotel where, maybe, customer service is no longer the norm.

 

[mel-world]

Since writing this report, I did reach out to the Duty Manager, who wrote back immeditately, initially offering a one-night stay as compensation. Once I mentioned that it is a long way back to Portland from Melbourne, she immediately offered 10,000 points that I accepted.

A prompt proactive service recovery by the Hotel. Portland is still a great city and the Porter a property worth considering.

 

[boomy]

Property: Hilton Rome Airport
Booked: King Guest Room
Received: King Executive Suite

Stayed one night before an early departure. Hotel is attached to airport terminals, an easy walk indoors.

Got a very interesting upgrade to huge suite with 3(!) separate entrances, each with its own room number and key. Basically it’s was two standard king guest rooms connected to a huge living room with sofa, dining area and walk-in wardrobe. There was total 3 bathrooms in the suite.

Exec lounge was small and packed, mostly with Americans who were very noisy. Not much food on offer and only basic alcohol (no spirits). Had couple Heineken beers and left early.

No time to visit the restaurant in the morning due to an early departure but hotel staff were generous in packing breakfast hampers for us.

Overall good property even if a bit dated at the best location for airport hotel in FCO.

 

[JessicaTam]

Property: HH Sydney
Booked: King guestroom
Received: King guestroom

Standard treatment of a diamond in Sydney: No recognition, no upgrade, no nuffin'. *sigh*

 

[Sojourner]

Property: HH Sydney
Booked: King guestroom
Received: King guestroom

Standard treatment of a diamond in Sydney: No recognition, no upgrade, no nuffin'. *sigh*

Rooms are small, tired... just some of the many reasons to look elsewhere in Sydney.

 

[Aeolus]

I heard they were bursting last weekend due to the start of vivid and possibly also from the FT do.


Attended the function, didn’t see any familiar faces but had a good chat with management, Luke Mangan was also there and his own range of wines were really good. They’ll be redesigning the interiors for the relaxation room in the later half of the year. Forgot to ask when they’ll be rolling out the new interiors for the standard rooms, definitely an improvement from current.

 

[serfty]

Rooms are small, tired... just some of the many reasons to look elsewhere in Sydney

Small rooms part of the structure - cant do much with them.

It was only a little over a decade ago the hotel reopened after being closed for several years during which it was gutted and rebuilt.

 

[Chesty]

Property: Conrad Bali
Booked: Garden Deluxe
Received: Conrad Suite...but upgraded to Pool Villa
Status: Diamond

Just completed 9 nights and managed great Diamond recognition.

Initially offered a Conrad Suite which I then managed to negotiate for a paid supplement an upgrade to a Conrad Pool Villa for my entire stay. The Conrad Pool Villa is fantastic, very quiet with a great room layout and garden. The pool could be bigger and deeper however.

Worth adding that canapés in the lounge is now in the form of a mini buffet and not the previous process where they would bring out a small sample tray.

 

[Daver6]

Property: Conrad Bali
Booked: Garden Deluxe
Received: Conrad Suite...but upgraded to Pool Villa
Status: Diamond

Just completed 9 nights and managed great Diamond recognition.

Initially offered a Conrad Suite which I then managed to negotiate for a paid supplement an upgrade to a Conrad Pool Villa for my entire stay. The Conrad Pool Villa is fantastic, very quiet with a great room layout and garden. The pool could be bigger and deeper however.

Worth adding that canapés in the lounge is now in the form of a mini buffet and not the previous process where they would bring out a small sample tray.

Any pictures of the pool villa? If you're comfortable sharing, how much per night did you pay extra for that upgrade?

What was the quality of the buffet canapes like compared to the previous offering?

 

[Aeolus]

Property: Conrad Bali
Booked: Garden Deluxe
Received: Conrad Suite...but upgraded to Pool Villa
Status: Diamond

Just completed 9 nights and managed great Diamond recognition.

Initially offered a Conrad Suite which I then managed to negotiate for a paid supplement an upgrade to a Conrad Pool Villa for my entire stay. The Conrad Pool Villa is fantastic, very quiet with a great room layout and garden. The pool could be bigger and deeper however.

Worth adding that canapés in the lounge is now in the form of a mini buffet and not the previous process where they would bring out a small sample tray.

Did you take a photo of the evening canapés? In your opinion is the buffet option better?

 

[DC3]

Property: Conrad Bali

... Worth adding that canapés in the lounge is now in the form of a mini buffet and not the previous process where they would bring out a small sample tray.

Good to hear about buffet food offerings.
When I stayed two weeks ago, food was meager canapes, although good quality. Unlimited coughtails, excellent.

Overall, a great place to unwind.

 

[Aeolus]

Good to hear about buffet food offerings.
When I stayed two weeks ago, food was meager canapes, although good quality. Unlimited coughtails, excellent.

Overall, a great place to unwind.
[/

I reckoned my stay overlapped yours and Chesty’s! We must start posting on Hilton meet ups more regularly, imagine the notes on Conrad and AFF stuff we could’ve compared.
By the way, not that it mattered anymore but they would be more than happy to bring you a second helping of canapés if you ask.

 

[Daver6]

Good to hear about buffet food offerings.
When I stayed two weeks ago, food was meager canapes, although good quality. Unlimited coughtails, excellent.

Overall, a great place to unwind.

Each serve might not be huge, but they were always willing to bring out as many as you wanted.

 

[DC3]

Each serve might not be huge, but they were always willing to bring out as many as you wanted.

Yes, great staff. However, the buffet will be a plus. Good news.

 

[Chesty]

Any pictures of the pool villa? If you're comfortable sharing, how much per night did you pay extra for that upgrade?

What was the quality of the buffet canapes like compared to the previous offering?

Regarding the pool villa upgrade, I negotiated $100USD++ per night but I did hear others were being offered much more than that so YMMV.

Here are some photos, most at night however...and the mini buffet in the lounge which I felt was better than the previous process.

 

[albyd]

Property: Hilton Brisbane
Room booked: King Hilton
Rate: $210/night
Status/ Diamond
Received: upgrade to executive floor; no welcome card but the usual two bottles of water.

Was plenty of food and drink available in the EL on my first night - didn’t need any dinner.

Hotel looks a little dated - though they’ve done a good job of keeping the Lobby reasonably contemporary. Will stay here again when I’m next in BNE.

 

[Chesty]

Property: Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam
Booked: King Loft
Received: King Loft
Stay : 5 nights pre paid
Status: Diamond

What to say...it’s a stunning property although as I kind of expected, the Diamond benefits are kind of limited.
I was advised in advance that as the hotel is running high occupancy I would not be offered an upgrade. While it’s is true as I had checked prior to check in, it was not 100% full. Not overly concerned as the King Loft is stunning in it self.

Other than that you get two free drinks during your stay, a welcome gift of chocolate and breakfast which is excellent.

A great base for my 5 night stay to explore Amsterdam.

 

[boomy]

Property: Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam
Booked: King Loft
Received: King Loft
Status: Diamond

What to say...it’s a stunning property although as I kind of expected, the Diamond benefits are kind of limited.
I was advised in advance that as the hotel is running high occupancy I would not be offered an upgrade. While it’s is true as I had checked prior to check in, it was not 100% full. Not overly concerned as the King Loft is stunning in it self.

Other than that you get two free drinks during your stay, a welcome gift of chocolate and breakfast which is excellent.

Very hard to get standards awards for this property. Did you use points or cash and do you think it worth the premium?

 

[Chesty]

Very hard to get standards awards for this property. Did you use points or cash and do you think it worth the premium?

I used cash for this stay so can’t comment on the points availability. It’s my first stay in a WA property but have stayed in many Conrad properties and it’s a clear step up. For mine it’s worth the premium, luxury on another level.