How do Hilton treat you as an Elite?

[Deleted member 29185]

A big part of it for me at Hilton Sydney is the gym (classes, etc.) and the pool, spa and steam rooms/sauna. I love it there.

You mean HSW doesn't have all that !..............I would never have noticed .

OK that was tongue in cheek........we also loved the choice of steam or sauna, the delightful spa and in summer, most likely the pool.........my slightly oversized waistline and man-coughs says "bugger the gym", but my brain has been arguing with them.....one day the brain may win!

I did love the HSW lounge though, but the canapes seem nicer at Sydney. As I said, for me a difficult and close call.

 

[Moopere]

I reckon it was a bit of a miscalculation to build HSW without a pool. Seems an odd decision when modern 5 stars generally have absolutely everything attached to them (like a resort almost) and I struggle to think it was an either /or decision with relation to the size of the Exec lounge.

 

[elemist]

I think its probably more related to the location of the hotel more than anything. It's attached/on top of the convention and exhibition centre, so i would suggest it's main clientèle would be business travellers rather than tourists. Given most business travellers travel as light as possible i would say most don't bring bathers etc to go swimming, nor have the time to. If it was a choice of the larger lounge vs a pool i think they definately made the right choice, the lounge is brilliant. Plus it was packed out pretty much every breakfast and evening i was there - so i would hate to see how full it would be should it not be so large.

On a side note - i loved the outside deck area. Was nice to sit there and get a bit of sun/fresh air whilst catching up on emails etc, also enjoyed a few champagnes out there in the evening with a brilliant view of the river and fire show at the casino!

 

[serfty]

I reckon it was a bit of a miscalculation to build HSW without a pool. Seems an odd decision when modern 5 stars generally have absolutely everything attached to them (like a resort almost) and I struggle to think it was an either /or decision with relation to the size of the Exec lounge.

SWinsider has posted it was a choice beteen a Pool or an Executive lounge - they went for the latter.

 

[Ausbt]

SWinsider has posted it was a choice beteen a Pool or an Executive lounge - they went for the latter.

Well it's a good lounge for sure, but certainly I'm one traveller who always carries the swim goggles and shorts. In fact I always carry a gym singlet (no man coughs on this bod anymore) and my Vibram 5-fingers as well. I can get the lot in my lappy bag (just) with a clean shirt and unmentionables along for the ride. There is a whole website, Travelling Athelete, dedicated to the art of lightweight business+excerise travel. Oh, and my spork, can never forget that.

 

[TonyHancock]

Hilton Surfers Paradise / Diamond
Best Available Rate ($239)
Booked King Hilton Guestroom, received King Relaxation Suite
Two bottle of water.
Five peieces of fruit. (First Night)
Exec Lounge access, in-room WiFi

The minibar was empty and on questioning this I was told I should have received a letter explaining the new process of calling up and having mini bar items delivered to my room.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist with my hotels so the lobby is right up there with the lobby of The Formule 1 I stayed at in Brazil. I know Surfers is supposed to be cool and trendy and all that, but the Hilton lobby is the perfect example of how not to create the right vibes if you are at the better end of the hotel groups. It came across as big, concrete and cery disorganised.

Not sorting the key cards for two nights was a bit of an annoyance too and the amenities seemed pretty basic for a King Relaxation suite too.

 

[deka2]

Ausbt, do you have a link for that website, sounds interesting.

 

[Flashback]

Ausbt, do you have a link for that website, sounds interesting.

Vibram FiveFingers : Barefoot Sports Shoes : Toe Shoes & Minimalist Shoes

Austbt, I'm interested to know which 'model' you have as I've been looking at them over the past few months, pondering!

 

[NM]

SWinsider has posted it was a choice beteen a Pool or an Executive lounge - they went for the latter.

And an excellent choice too!

 

[ric_melb]

As a Melburnian I read these posts about the lack of a pool at the HSW with a wry smile. Given Melbourne's outdoor swimming season is fairly short, with non heated public pools open from November to March, any such pool at HSW would not be worth building, in my opinion. A heated pool may have cost too much for the use it would get. Whilst there are some heated pools at Melbourne 5 star hotels, they are not standard.
Having enjoyed the Executive Lounge at HSW, I think they made the right choice.

 

[niss200sx]

Sorry to digress, however I am just wondering whether anyone has stayed at both HSW and Grand Hyatt Melbourne?
If so, could you let me know which of the lounges is better? I would assume that the rooms at HSW are likely to be superior.
We typically stay at HSW when in Melbourne but are considering giving the Grand Hyatt a go, given it's central location.

 

[Moopere]

I lived in Melbourne for years. Although the running Australian joke is about Melbournes weather, overall, during the warmer months its not exactly cold. Of course you'd expect any hotel pool to be heated, but solar heating would surely be sufficient?

Anyway, I just find it odd - I can't see why they had to choose between an Exec lounge and a pool. HOTP, a much much older hotel, manages to have both.

I tend to travel inside Australia on business and get less opportunity to use pools I must admit, but when o/s on holiday I'll specifically choose a hotel based upon this (and other) criteria. If I were living o/s and looking to travel to MEL I'd probably choose the HOTP over the HSW because of the lack of pool.

 

[Katie]

I'm a bit of a traditionalist with my hotels so the lobby is right up there with the lobby of The Formule 1 I stayed at in Brazil. I know Surfers is supposed to be cool and trendy and all that, but the Hilton lobby is the perfect example of how not to create the right vibes if you are at the better end of the hotel groups. It came across as big, concrete and cery disorganised.

I talked to Adam, one of the staff, after dinner on the verandah off our area of the Exec Lounge. He said that two towers were being built when the developer went bust and ANZ/Hilton/Whoever else came in to "save the day". So the entrance was never meant to be a hotel entrance; I guess that they could only retro-fit so much, given the stage of building. The ball room only holds 180, and Salt and Fix are much smaller than they would be in a similar sized Hilton. They also have limited back of house elevators, etc. All the bain maries, etc, for dinner on Sat night had to be ferried up in the guest lifts :shock:

 

[Katie]

Hilton Surfers Paradise / Diamond on Sat 30 June - 1 night
Pre-paid rate (Great Getaway with Breakfast - $419.25), booked early June, was not Diamond when booking
Booked 2 bed apartment Ocean view, received same.
Exec Lounge access, in-room WiFi - but wasn't sure how to access it, and frankly didn't have enough time to try.

Note from GM on arrival addressed to Mr Katie, who was listed as the secondary guest. :evil:
Wee box of 4 chocolates with the letter
Mentioned this when we had to ask where the Exec Lounge was before dinner.
Found four bottles on Mt Franklin on the kitchen bench when we got back from dinner, and four wee chocolates on one of the main bedroom pillows.

Received the Quick check envelope on Sunday morning, with Mr Katie's surname on the front :evil: yet my name on the invoice on the inside.
Salt had my name for the room on Sunday morning for breakfast. The maitre d' though was interesting - I walked to the podium first, with Mr Katie slightly behind me. When he asked for the room number, he directed his eye contact to Mr Katie (not even a sweep to both of our faces) and asked.
Then during breakfast I had a young waiter ask "Are you waiting for anything darling?"

Feeling grumpy about the name mixups (trying not to proclaim the "s" word) and odd about being called darling by a waiter???

So, an *intereting* first Diamond experience.

 

[drron]

I know your feeling Katie.Mrsdrron is the OWE in our team yet it is so annoying to her when I get the welcome aboard.CX probably the only airline to always get it right.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

SWinsider has posted it was a choice beteen a Pool or an Executive lounge - they went for the latter.

Hi serfty, it was great to meet you on Saturday. I trust your trip home was comfy and uneventful .

I have the feeling SWinsider is just repeating what has been drummed into them to say to guests who complain about the lack of these facilities. Space is not an issue for a truly world class facility. HSW has a large roof area and no penthouses so there'd be plenty of room for a very nice pool, spa sauna and steam room up there beside the essential services like lift motor room, fire jacking pumps and air conditioner plant. Similarly, the roof area above the exec offices and restaurant would be a HUGE improvement on the tacky and down right ugly trim deck roofing (the tin roof, not the exec terrace) view that the exec lounge currently enjoys (not).

All of that is certainly possible and to be honest, it would not break the piggy bank when you look at a development of that scale. In fact not scoping such facilities is almost inconceivable (but perhaps that's my Gold Coast upbringing shining through).

So what's that leave us? The running and ongoing maintenance costs? Can HSW actually expect anyone to believe that? Hilton Cairns can manage it, Hilton Surfers Paradise can manage it, Hilton Sydney can manage it, hang....even Hilton on the park can manage it and given HSW is arguably the flagship of the Hilton brand in Oz, they cannot seriously think we'd believe that convenient spiel.

As a Melburnian I read these posts about the lack of a pool at the HSW with a wry smile. Given Melbourne's outdoor swimming season is fairly short, with non heated public pools open from November to March, any such pool at HSW would not be worth building, in my opinion.

Hi ric_melb, it was also good to meet you on Saturday, although not much of a chance to chat.

With regard to Melbourne weather, I rented a house in Melbourne with a pool.......and I can assure you it was used, as was the bay and many weekends to Jan Juc for a surf and yes, I was the one who had to maintain the pool!

At a supposed premier hotel, pool heating is considered essential for guest comfort anyway but it's not just the pool. It's the whole deal. Pool, spa, sauna, steam room, sun lounges and on those 40oC Melbourne summer stinkers, I hate to be the staff trying to explain no pool to the sweltering guests! Alternatively, enclose it for all year swimming pleasure, just like the Hilton Sydney pool area. Personally, I'd prefer it outdoors but it is an option!

 

[Katie]

I know your feeling Katie.Mrsdrron is the OWE in our team yet it is so annoying to her when I get the welcome aboard.CX probably the only airline to always get it right.

At least with the one QF WP welcome I've had with Mr Katie with me, we completely confused them (I did not change my surname when we got married). I swapped from the D to G seat LAX-AKL in April, and it bamboozled the CSM that there were two <other surnames> in our row and me. I managed to catch his eye on his second pass with the J headsets, and it was all fine from there.

 

[jetlagger]

I'm a bit of a traditionalist with my hotels so the lobby is right up there with the lobby of The Formule 1 I stayed at in Brazil. I know Surfers is supposed to be cool and trendy and all that, but the Hilton lobby is the perfect example of how not to create the right vibes if you are at the better end of the hotel groups. It came across as big, concrete and cery disorganised.

Totally agree with you on this...IMO something is very wrong with the whole lobby ambience.. I visit HSP very often & have always tried to get my head around the perspective planning of lobby.. if any! The way I can interpret is poor planning/afterthought..
I am certainly no architect, but can surely add a negative critic for a Hilton Entrance.. It is cold, dark & lacks everything... It's up there as a no winner.. Palazzo Versace porte cochere is a stark contrast.. & in a different cost league as well..

 

[simongr]

Double Tree by Hilton West End.

Booked - single guest :shock:
Received - double deluxe
Two small bottles of water and free wifi

Didnt explore the exec lounge as I went out before the drinks and missed breakfast (due to getting in at 5AM)

Hilton Metropole Brighton

Booked - single guest :shock:
Received - Deluxe double

No exec lounge so: voucher for one free drink, free wifi throughout the hotel, two bottles of water and possibly some free jelly beans - there is no price list so not entirely sure if they are free, no mini bar. Free breakfast.

Possibly the smallest room I have stayed in in a long time. Fairly nicely refurbished. Have been advised I will be invited to the management/guest drinks on Tuesday...

 

[Katie]

I visit HSP very often & have always tried to get my head around the perspective planning of lobby.. if any! The way I can interpret is poor planning/afterthought..

jetlagger - see my post #1073 in this thread for some perspective on this. The building was not intended to be a hotel, according to what a staff member told me on Sat night. I can only presume from his comments and seeing the place that when the Hilton came in, building was sufficiently advanced that it couldn't be made into more of a regular hotel.