Hilton HHonors - Has anyone ever paid to upgrade a room on VIP award stay?

I like so many others here cashed in some points on a TEEN award next year to see my beloved Mariners in Spring Training. I took the trip last year as well and although the trip was wonderful and so was the room (Tapatio Cliffs) my children will be 2 and 5 next year and I feel that the 1 bedroom suite may not be enough. My question is, has anyone ever tried successfully to pay to a 2 bedroom suite at any Hilton property but especially the Pointe Hilton's in AZ?

Thanks in advance
Charlie

Yes - the Hilton Maldives suggested a "supplement" of a few hundred dollars per night for a pre-arranged upgrade for later this summer http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Actually Tapatio Cliffs asked me for $30 per day for a "view" room, more for a suite, on an award stay last March. They didn't get it. I understand your concern - the regular rooms are quite small.

Yes, the scumbags at the Langham in London refused to honor my gold status and whacked me an additional $225/night plus my GLON for a room on the executive side with lounge access.

HHV told me NO for my upgrade request with my recent ALON. The Ali'i Tower was available at several reasonable "special" rates for my entire stay, but the only way to get one of those rooms was to keep the ALON and pay one of those rates. No $40/nt confirmed upgrade option like Marriott has. (Of course, HHV still gave me a nice ocean view room, so I can't complain.)

Hilton does not offer a paid (or point) upgrade option, a large downfall of the Hilton program IMO.

While at the property itself I have never been able to pay for an upgrade, but it seems from the first three posters above that it can be done at the property level.

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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
Hilton does not offer a paid (or point) upgrade option, a large downfall of the Hilton program IMO.

While at the property itself I have never been able to pay for an upgrade, but it seems from the first three posters above that it can be done at the property level.

</font>

The UK Hiltons do offer a form of paid upgrade as part of the leisure breaks rates .. about 30GBP and up a night for a 'better room' and some other bits and pieces. As most of the rooms allocated on this rate are those difficult to sell the offer of a better room could mean little I suspect.

Stayed at the Point Hilton Squaw Peak on a TEEN. Initally got the one bedroom suite, but upon closer inspection, we pleaded (kindly and nicely) for a casita. She found us one, at no additional charge.

I am Diamond. I have found, regardless of paid stay or award stay that how kind and nice you are at initial check in really matters. The desk and hotel do want to please. They have the power to grant, space providing, almost anything. Many times we asked to see their top three room - were given keys to all to decide and then returned to the desk to let them know which room we wanted.

I also suppose that it helps that, while on a longer stay our room charges are quite large.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TonySymons:
The UK Hiltons do offer a form of paid upgrade as part of the leisure breaks rates .. about 30GBP and up a night for a 'better room' and some other bits and pieces.</font>

Tony,

is the upgrade when you make the reservation either via 800 phone/Hilton.com or done via the property itself?

Willie

At the HWV, they offered to "upgrade" me from my Deluxe Ocean View Room in the Palace Tower to a Deluxe Ocean View Room in the Ocean Tower, Executive Floor, so I'd be able to tap into the high-speed internet access there. As a Gold on an ALON, they offered this "upgrade" for an additional $105/night. High-speed 'net access isn't important to me on vacation, so I passed.

How about getting an upgrade by giving a little monetary incentive to the check in person? (In my experience $20 will usually do the trick, maybe $100 at a resort).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:

Hilton does not offer a paid (or point) upgrade option, a large downfall of the Hilton program IMO.

</font>

I recall 'paying' only 1500 or whatever extra points last year to quaranteed upgrade an AWARD stay at the swanky Sheraton Grande Sukhamvit in BKK. That is a neat SW option. IIRC the room only ran a few 1000 miles per night WITH the upgrade - no idea why is is so few points.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
Tony,

is the upgrade when you make the reservation either via 800 phone/Hilton.com or done via the property itself?

Willie</font>


At the property at time of check in or by telephone before hand. I've chucked the brochure I had but you will find plenty of copies in the lobby or in your room. Some places have a notice at check in.

From memory it's meant to apply to the LB rate (min 2 persons, 2 nights B&B).

Paid for a suite upgrade on my award stay at the Singapore Conrad. I don't know if it was a common occurence but they didn't look at me strange or anything. An extra $100 SIN dollars a night.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by travelinmanS:
How about getting an upgrade by giving a little monetary incentive to the check in person? (In my experience $20 will usually do the trick, maybe $100 at a resort).</font>
Bribery as Waldorf upgrade strategy? (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum57/HTML/006947.html)

As a HHonors diamond on a paid or award stay, one is entitled to the "best available room in the house". Suites may be included in that, but are not necessarily.

I know, I'm begging for an ALON suite and I was told "no can do" as the property was sold out.

I went to the website and tried to book a paid room, and in fact, it is sold out. At that point you just have to hope for a nice room and good treatment.

When the property has a nicer room or suite, and they say they don't, try to book one for cash (website or over the phone). If it is available for a paid stay, call the diamond desk...they've successfully "convinced" properties to give me the upgrade in many cases.

Oh, and by the way, whoever booked the suites in Hawaii over the next few weeks, cancel your trip so I can get my upgrade please. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 08-12-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NJDavid:
As a HHonors diamond on a paid or award stay, one is entitled to the "best available room in the house". Suites may be included in that, but are not necessarily.</font>
Common practice, yes. Entitlement? No.

http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/terms.jhtml;#hilton_hhonors_membership_tiers

I called the Copenhagen Scandic Hotel toa´day to request a suite for my arrival tomarrow. They said that HH Gold could not upgrade to a suite but I could pay 500dkk a day for a suite. I am using an award for 4 nights so I declined. When I asked about what upgrading to the best available room meant she said she could upgrade me to a business room. Has anyone else been upgraded to a suite at CPH Scandic on an awawrd stay?

T&C for my GLON awards all contain in item 3: "HHonors Gold and Diamond VIP members are eligible for upgraded accommodations or amenities at HHonors hotels where availalbe and subject to HHonors Upgraded Acccommodations/Amendities policy."

So this suggests one should automatically get upgraded if space is available for the full period of your stay. If there is such a room available, then there should be no need to pay additionally for it. Note upgrade varies depending upon brand and location of properties.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Shareholder:
So this suggests one should automatically get upgraded if space is available for the full period of your stay.... Note upgrade varies depending upon brand and location of properties. </font>The wording on the cert is simply stating that you get all your benefits as if you were on a paid stay.

So you get upgraded or granted an "amenity", the latter which is a large caveat.

Read the details of the link I posted above, and you'll not that nowhere is a SUITE mentioned. Nobody is "entitled" to a suite, ever, unless they're paying for it.

Again, it is common practice in some hotels to get upgraded to a suite, and I usually get them. But IMHO, it is important when negotiating for such a concession to be aware of when you are getting your due and when you are getting something special.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SoCalPLT:
When I asked about what upgrading to the best available room meant she said she could upgrade me to a business room.</font>Nowhere but nowhere does it say that anyone is entitled to BEST AVAILABLE ROOM based on VIP status! Read the T&C and you'll see. (link above)

"Has anyone ever paid to upgrade a room on VIP award stay?"

And nowhere in the title of this thread does it mention suite, just "upgrade a room". I posted the wording on the VIP award certificate which indeed says we shall receive the same benefits as if this was a paid stay. That includes upgrades to Exec Floors or higher grade of room. It was never my contention that a suite was guaranteed under this wording, but many of us do get suites as the VIP Gold or Diamond upgrade on our regular, and award, stays.

Yes, I did broaden the subject a bit since the thread title does not refer at all to suites, just upgraded rooms. The poster did raise the specifics of a suite in his post, but the thread addressed the matter more broadly. And I felt others checking it might also wonder about ExecFloor upgrades, since these tend to be equally or more in demand than suites. [This has been the subject of threads about the Conrad Hong Kong and Hilton Tokyo, among other high end properties where people often use awards.]

Shareholder, Charlie wanted to know about paying for a non-entitled upgrade.

Other people drifted into general upgrade talk, referring to "best available room", a non-existent entitlement as I pointed out.

Then you said "If there is such a room available, then there should be no need to pay additionally for it," which is simply not correct. Nobody is entitled to an upgrade of this sort - and Charlie seems to know that, which is why he asked for paid upgrade experience.

We are in agreement that he can certainly ask for, and may even be granted, a complimentary upgrade at check-in or even in advance.

If you would like to discuss this further, please send me an e-mail. I don't think we're advancing the thread by discussing it here.

[This message has been edited by Rut Dog (edited 08-13-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Rut Dog:
[B I don't think we're advancing the thread by discussing it here.

[/B]</font>


If "advancing the thread" were a Fyertalk requirement, 75% of the posts would have to be deleted. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by smahk:
Stayed at the Point Hilton Squaw Peak on a TEEN. Initally got the one bedroom suite, but upon closer inspection, we pleaded (kindly and nicely) for a casita. She found us one, at no additional charge.

I am Diamond. I have found, regardless of paid stay or award stay that how kind and nice you are at initial check in really matters. The desk and hotel do want to please. They have the power to grant, space providing, almost anything. Many times we asked to see their top three room - were given keys to all to decide and then returned to the desk to let them know which room we wanted.

I also suppose that it helps that, while on a longer stay our room charges are quite large.</font>


Same story for me. You should stay at the Squaw Peak if you have little kids. They have a much better pool area for little kids. Casitas is very likely if you have a HH status.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Rut Dog:
Nowhere but nowhere does it say that anyone is entitled to BEST AVAILABLE ROOM based on VIP status! Read the T&C and you'll see. (link above)

[/B]</font>


This is actually not true. I was just reading through this old thread and saw this statement. I have a downloaded copy (.pdf)( of the Americas Member Benefits and it clearly says that (of course based on availability), in hotels without an executive or concierge floor, you will be upgraded to the best available room (both Gold and Diamonds). The Hilton Maldives (where I am right now) unfortunately qualifies their water villas as suites, so they will definitely not - without extra payment - upgrade you to a water villa anymore.


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It seems that the hotels can do anything they want -and that elite status means less and less. The Maldives is a good example - they change their availability at will - eg showing sold out but offering to ug me for a fee (which oddly went down from 1st offer to 2nd). In this case it will backfire as I will change all or part of my stay to another resort http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif
It seems that not only do they take advantage of their staff (I had occasion to find out some of the working conditions), but they seem to be determined to take advantage of their guests - fortunately I do have a choice http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by estnet:
It seems that not only do they take advantage of their staff (I had occasion to find out some of the working conditions), but they seem to be determined to take advantage of their guests - fortunately I do have a choice http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif</font>

Just out of curiosity, could you expand on that one a bit? It seems to me that the staff seems quite happy? What is the other hotel...can you recommend it? Sorry for derailing this thread a bit. Thanks.



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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by attorney28:

The Hilton Maldives (where I am right now) unfortunately qualifies their water villas as suites, so they will definitely not - without extra payment - upgrade you to a water villa anymore.


</font>

attorney28, this might be too late for you, but I am thinking about staying at that resort next year and just had a look on their web site. They don't specify the OWB as Suites there at all, but as Executive accomodation. Have a look at that:

Standard Rooms

Each Beach villa is 72 sq meters built on the beach with wooden sun deck in front and front sea view. Beach villas are available as either standard or deluxe. Deluxe Beach Villas offer additional features such as four poster bed, CD stereo system, espresso machine, over size bathroom and located on the prime beach of the island.

Suites

The Sunset Water Villas are built on a private jetty inside the lagoon with 250 sqm, 2 bed rooms, large living room with glass floor. 43" plasma TV with satellite tv & DVD, Bose multi room surround sound music system, open air jacuzzi on the balcony, private butler, private barbeque and much more....

Executive Accommodations

The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa offers 40 water bungalows built on stilts over the Lagoon, equipped with king or twin sized beds, sitting area, private sun terrace with direct access to the sea, a deluxe bathroom with separate shower and bath with ocean view and the CD stereo system....


If they are in fact classifying all their rooms on the nicer island as suites (which is not true according to their web site), we will not stay there next year. Dou you think it makes a difference whether you are on a paid stay or an award stay? Which room did you get in the end? I have so many questions to ask you, but I can wait until you get back. Just relax and enjoy...and hopefully you could still get an upgrade to the room you wanted!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sydfly:
attorney28, this might be too late for you, but I am thinking about staying at that resort next year and just had a look on their web site. They don't specify the OWB as Suites there at all, but as Executive accomodation. Have a look at that:

Standard Rooms

Each Beach villa is 72 sq meters built on the beach with wooden sun deck in front and front sea view. Beach villas are available as either standard or deluxe. Deluxe Beach Villas offer additional features such as four poster bed, CD stereo system, espresso machine, over size bathroom and located on the prime beach of the island.

Suites

The Sunset Water Villas are built on a private jetty inside the lagoon with 250 sqm, 2 bed rooms, large living room with glass floor. 43" plasma TV with satellite tv & DVD, Bose multi room surround sound music system, open air jacuzzi on the balcony, private butler, private barbeque and much more....

Executive Accommodations

The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa offers 40 water bungalows built on stilts over the Lagoon, equipped with king or twin sized beds, sitting area, private sun terrace with direct access to the sea, a deluxe bathroom with separate shower and bath with ocean view and the CD stereo system....


If they are in fact classifying all their rooms on the nicer island as suites (which is not true according to their web site), we will not stay there next year. Dou you think it makes a difference whether you are on a paid stay or an award stay? Which room did you get in the end? I have so many questions to ask you, but I can wait until you get back. Just relax and enjoy...and hopefully you could still get an upgrade to the room you wanted!</font>

Sydfly, I am now in Bangkok at the Conrad. Please feel free to ask your questions. Unfortunately, my computer is broken, so I will spend less time online than usual. They do in fact qualify all water villas as suites, in contrast to what is said on their website. I think it makes no difference whether you are on a paid or award stay, but I am not sure. Also, being Diamond means practically nothing except the free breakfast. I ended up upgrading to a water villa for about $ 150 for the last night, out of curiosity.

Once my computer is fixed and I have more time, I will try to post a complete trip report. I took tons (literally hundreds) of postcard-quality pictures.

But please ask away http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.

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