Hilton HHonors - Problem at DT Fort Lauderdale Oceanfront... Breakfast

Hi all. I just got back from the DT Hotel in Fort Lauderdale - Oceanfront. At check in I was given certificates for free breakfast. These certificates entitled me to the All American Breakfast (egg, sausage, hash browns) and coffee/tea/juice. Me, being mildly-Jewish (and not a fan of eggs) wanted the pancakes. On the menu the pancakes cost only fifty cents more. They said I had to pay a five dollar change fee to the coupon they gave me. I voiced my concern and they send me this email, full of spelling errors (including my name). I am posting this email and my reply. I wonder, would they have a guest who is staying for 7+ nights eat the same food each day???

Dear Mr.Ureil,

My name is Linda Campbell the Food and Beverage Director of the Doubletree Oceanfront Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. I was sorry to hear about your experience in our Cafe. I would like the opportunity to explain the coupon precedure for our Hilton Honors program in hopes that you understand.

The free breakfast coupon states the you are entitle to have a American breakfast which includes 2 eggs, a choice of bacon or sausage, potatoes, toast a glass of orange juice and coffee Most people do stay with what the coupon states. However, when someone wants to change their meal and chooses from the menu, we do charge $5.00. I realize that the American breakfast on the menu states $6.95, and that if you wanted something that had a price of $7.50 that the difference would @ .89 and that should be what you pay.
Your coupon also states you recieve a glass of orange juice which cost $2.95 per glass and coffee @$1.50 .which now bring the coupon to @ $11.40 not including tax etc.and this is free of charge to you. The $5.00 charge includes the juice, the coffee plus any other item off the menu which is to off set the difference of the meal on an average. I feel this is a good value to our guests. I hope you now better understand program. I know that this may or may not make a difference in how you feel about our restaurant but would like an opportunity to see or speak with you on your next visit so that we may resolve this issue. Hope to hear from you soon.

Linda Campbell

MY REPLY

Ms. Campell,

I think that what you fail to understand is that such a rigid program does nothing but a disservice to your most loyal guests. By only offering one type of meal for "free" it forces someone to either eat it or pay more. What about Muslim, Jewish and Vegetarian guests who cannot not eat the pork? What about Vegan Vegetarians who cannot eat the pork or the eggs? And what about the guest who wakes up feeling groggy and just wants something light?

I'm sure you can see that such a inflexible system, regardless of whatever economics you try to factor in, is tantamount to religious discrimination again some guests and is simply unfair to others. Of course, I’m sure this was merely an oversight and you will take steps to correct it

Best Regards,

Jacob Uriel



********************************************

As far as I'm concerned the money argument she stated to me is pure BS.
They stated that the breakfast with coffee and juice is worth $11.40 plus tax. The same juice and coffee added to the pancake meal (which costs $7.50) would bring the value of that to $11.95. This is a mere 55 cents more that the value of the All American Breakfast meal, not the five dollars they ask us to pay.

*******************************************

What are your thoughts???


[This message has been edited by Psychocadet (edited 09-27-2003).]

They are willing to risk having someone like you complain to EVERYONE they know, over $5.00?

Why don't you find out who own's that hotel and send them a letter? I wouldn't want to irritate a frequent guest over a $5.00 item, but then again, I actually travel on a frequent basis. Most of the employees in these hotels don't really understand what it is like to spend a good portion of your life out on the road.

Best of luck -

JTB

What are you supposed to do, eat the same food every day?

There are options? Every hilton has pretty much the same food.

There were plenty of other places you could have eaten, while the food wasn't to your liking, they did give you breakfast.

I don't believe you have all that much to complain about.

At that property, be glad you didn't get a kick in the shins.

Seriously, no one is forcing you to eat the free breakfast. While their policy is somewhat unreasonable, you are free to go have breakfast somewhere else if you don't like the free breakfast you're being offered.

Whats the point of Elite benefits if they are almost designed to make you NOT use them?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Psychocadet:
Whats the point of Elite benefits if they are almost designed to make you NOT use them? </font>

Completely unrelated to this thread, but after having compared the Diamond lounge breakfast and the Palm Terrace breakfast at the ocean tower of the HWV, I was thinking about exactly the same thing...

Psychocadet, the way I understand it is that some hotels make a simple mistake in their thinking about it - they think they HAVE TO fulfill certain minimum service promises for elite members since they are part of the Hilton chain, but they do not really want to, since they regard it as revenue they are missing ("if that guy gets a free breakfast, then he will not buy one"). So they try to really reduce whatever they offer for the elite members (in terms of breakfast) to the bare minimum they HAVE TO offer under the rules of the program (some kind of continental breakfast) and other than that, try to generate revenue for every little thing that goes above and beyond what they have to do (be it through charging for every item exceeding their obligation or be it through making the offering for elites so unattractive that they might be driven to buying the better option instead, in the hotel's logic).

This thinking by the hotels is totally flawed. In the short term (for this one stay), they might actually make a little more money because people might end up paying a little extra for extra items and/or they might just buy a full breakfast instead of using the lounge (as I did today in the HWV). But in the longer term, this thinking will lead to the hotel missing out on revenue. First of all, the cost of a breakfast is relatively small compared to the cost of a room, at least in the HWV. Secondly, elite customers have expectations. If they get the impression that someone is nickel-and-diming them, this will greatly diminish their overall satisfaction at this hotel. And if they get the impression that they are getting treated WORSE as an elite customer than others, then they will not return to this particular hotel.

Therefore, in the long run, the hotel's thinking is flawed, and the e-mail sent to you by this lady is stupid.

All that being said, however, I understand your concern, but in this particular case, I would not have made such a fuss over a one or five dollar charge, to be honest. Also, while, as I tried to outline, I believe that the hotel's thinking is flawed, they did not violate the rules as they currently stand, in my opinion.

As always, just my two cents http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.



------------------
Please have a look at my round-the-world travel blog (http://sirjackiechiles.blogspot.com) and leave some comments - thanks :-).

Thanks for your imput, you're right.

Maybe I'm just used to better service. The DT in Portland offered a nice breakfast buffet, the Hilton in Tel Aviv and Barcelona were top notch. Heck, I'v eaten better at a Hampton Inn.

Its not even about being elite. Thy give the same certs out to all "breakfast included" stays and I think it screws them over too.

The five dollars each morning adds up.



[This message has been edited by Psychocadet (edited 09-28-2003).]

Sounds like a strong opportunity for the HGI FSD to me. They should build a HGI across/down the street from the Doubletree. HGI consistently is far and away the best part of the Hilton brand.

While DT is consistently the worst in my experience.......

------------------
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been,and there you will forever long to return." Leonardo da Vinci

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints."

Robert Louis Stevenson


200 nights/200 legs a year

This $5 policy is absurd. Every property that gives coupons seems to allow you to use the value of the coupon towards the purchase of alternative menu items. I'd vote with my money and not go back to that hotel.

Pleae, please, pass on your oppinions. I plan to send a copy of this thread to the hotel manager. Maybe then, when they change their policy and not nickel and dime people we can vote with our wallets and go visit the hotel.

In other news, If DT FT Lauderdale Oceanfront is reading this: FYI, if you're going to put a coffee maker into your rooms then at least add in a few teab bags with the coffee so people can have a choice.

The policy on the vouchers is not nearly as annoying as the letter this woman sent me. She mispelled my name and insulted my intelligence with her false-math.

[This message has been edited by Psychocadet (edited 09-28-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Psychocadet:
She mispeleed my name... </font>

Does anyone else see the irony in this? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif



------------------
Please have a look at my round-the-world travel blog (http://sirjackiechiles.blogspot.com) and leave some comments - thanks :-).

First, I don't work for the hotel and I'm not trying to win over a customer.

Second, "mispeeled" a word and not a name.

Third, my "mispeelings" are mainly typos from tying fast.

Fourth, I hope that the DT woman spent more time writing me a letter.

Fifth, f you don't hav anything nice to say then don't say nothing. If you're not with us you're against us http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Psychocadet, relax. Attorney28 was kidding.

While you made some valid points (about the importance of the representative of the hotel taking care not to misspell your name vs. writing a fast email, etc.) I think you should take caution in your tone. Do you reall think the use of superfluous verbiage (i.e. "you are either with us or against us", etc.) was necessary?

Hotlancer, you took care to note that he was joking but did not note that I was too? Notice the smiling wink? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

GOTCHA ! !

pynchonesque is right that you're lucky you didn't get more mistreatment here. This is a sad, sad DT property in a great location. Huge opportunity missed for Hilton at this property.

I'm surprised that you got a reply. I've written follow-up notes and left a comment on their website and never received a reply.

FYI, I have eaten 5 of 5 same breakfasts here. They used to let you get the same items of the buffet, but no more. At least they mostly open closer to the stated opening time of 7am now, instead of 20-30 minutes late on a regular basis like they have in the past.

I did not get a reply untill I contacted hilton Corporate. They sent me anther 2 replys. Let me post them:

********************************************

Mr. Uriel,
I apprecate your interest concerning this subject. I most certainly understand your point of view. Anytime there is a guest who requires a special diet due to religious or medical reasons we always accomodate. This program intention was to simply give our loyal guest something extra to show our apprecation, and is not required by Hilton. Thanks for your interest. Looking forward to meeting you on your next stay. Linda Campbell

* * *

Hi Mr. Uriel,
Have good news for you. Decided to credit your credit card for your breakfast. Thanks for all your input. Linda Campbell

*********************************************

Funny thing is that I never bought breakfast there. So I don't know what I'll get refunded. As for the "anytime there is a guest who requires a special diet due to religious or medical reasons we always accomodate" comment, that is BS. Again, I am Jewish and my freind for health reasons does not eat pork. We were harldy accomodated. Next time I'll go to another hotel unless this hotel cleans up their act. I guess they don't have to clean up there act if there are enough non-elites who go there to make them an OK profit.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by attorney28:
Does anyone else see the irony in this? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

</font>
Attorney... you should quote people accurately. Cadet worte "mispelled" and not as you quoted.

As xyzzy said many properties that grant certificates value the certificate worth whatever the basic breakfast costs. For instance at Hilton Squaw Peak, the basic breakfast gets you $7.85 worth of spending at the Hole in the Wall restaurant but $8.25 in the Lantana restaurant, bith on property. Anything over costs you extra. Anything under you lose the difference. No tipping with the cert.

This is certainly nice when you are there for an extended period. btw, I highly recommend the Huevos Rancheros at the Lantana and the young OB ones love the sticky buns.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MrPaul0722:
Attorney... you should quote people accurately. Cadet worte "mispelled" and not as you quoted.
</font>

You did notice that he edited his post...or didn't you...waiting for a third incorrect version of the word...how about something like "miss pelled"... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


------------------
Please have a look at my round-the-world travel blog (http://sirjackiechiles.blogspot.com) and leave some comments - thanks :-).

For more misspelled words, including missspel http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/misspelled.html

I'm guilty! I plead guilty to Criminal Post Editing in The Fifth Degree. What is that? A class 4 misdameanor?

I feel next you will have the seinfeld holiday of festivest and say you can only eat lobster for breakfast. Seriously they tried in good faith to offer a breakfast. Better than a muffin. I'm sure there are some people who might be allergic to an item or two. So what.. They operate a restaraunt to make a profit. With so many golds and diamonds out there..

While your jewish, how religious are you? You said you don't like eggs so u have eaten them before.. I mean I the hotel could have been more accomdating but I believe you over-reacted. I mean for all the hassle, unless you are going back there is it worth the $5 that you didn't pay.

BTW: If you go back there for the 'breakfast' I suggest you bring someone you don't like and when they aren't looking switch the plates of food..

How relligious I am is not at issue. I eat pork culturally. When I am in a country where pork is culturally big (Spain for example) I eat it. I see cultural diverity as more in line with relligion and that in order to be diverse it is ok eat non-kosher stuff once in a while and for good reason. I do not see this as more important. As for eggs, everybody has tried eggs. I don't like eggs, they make me feel like crap for the rest of the day. Why should I pay them for a perk that should be free? If you went to a hotel and they offered you human flesh... would that be ok to you? Human flesh is just as unkosher to Jews as pork. What about if for a drink you were givven a cup of Mazola oil? You probably would not like that as much as I don't want the greasy hash-browns and eggs. And I'm not giving them $30 (5 dollars per person/per night) for a FREE perk.

Folks,

I'm happy to close this story http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

At first I was given my money back for the breakfast I never ate. Today in the mail I got, without asking, a "Be My Guest" cert good for a free night at any DT.

Thanks Hilton, my Buisness stays with you.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by attorney28:
Completely unrelated to this thread, but after having compared the Diamond lounge breakfast and the Palm Terrace breakfast at the ocean tower of the HWV, I was thinking about exactly the same thing...</font>

Not to get too off-topic (ok, abit off topic for just one question http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ), but what was the difference between the two breakfasts? I was just at the HWV last week, and the buffet at the Palm Terrace was pretty good...what did they have at the Diamond Lounge? I really loved this hotel, and can't wait to stay there again, even though there seems to be a "love it or hate it" policy towards it on this board http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif