Hilton HHonors - No Upgrades

I got Gold Status in March. Since then I have stayed at a few Hamptons, a grand vacation and a Double Tree. I have yet to recieve a single room upgrade. I book 2 queen beds (cheapest room) but have King as my preffered type. The last upgrade I got was a Homewood in NH as a Silver, 2 queens to a king. Am I missing something, should I be asking at the desk if they have Kings available? At the Grand Vacation Resort I was offered to upgrade to a suite with whirlpool at time of booking, but no mention was made at check-in. I find it hard to believe that at 5 different hotels on off-weekends there have been no king rooms to put me into.

Am I missing something, or expecting too much?

I got Gold Status in March. Since then I have stayed at a few Hamptons, a grand vacation and a Double Tree. I have yet to recieve a single room upgrade. I book 2 queen beds (cheapest room) but have King as my preffered type. The last upgrade I got was a Homewood in NH as a Silver, 2 queens to a king. Am I missing something, should I be asking at the desk if they have Kings available? At the Grand Vacation Resort I was offered to upgrade to a suite with whirlpool at time of booking, but no mention was made at check-in. I find it hard to believe that at 5 different hotels on off-weekends there have been no king rooms to put me into.

Am I missing something, or expecting too much?

Upgrade at Hampton? --- not unless it's got "suites" in it's name. About the best you can expect is a room away from an elevator.

Same applies to ES.

Bob H

Such a request wouldn't generally even considered an room upgrade, just a change in bed type. Most people, if they book two beds, want two beds, so if that is available, since it matches your reservation, no front desk agent would switch you into a room with one bed without a request to do so.

If this is all you want, just ask at check-in if there are any rooms with king beds. They'll probably be happy to switch you if there is availability.

Such a request wouldn't generally even considered an room upgrade, just a change in bed type. Most people, if they book two beds, want two beds, so if that is available, since it matches your reservation, no front desk agent would switch you into a room with one bed without a request to do so.

If this is all you want, just ask at check-in if there are any rooms with king beds. They'll probably be happy to switch you if there is availability.

OK, I guess I thought since a King costs more than 2 queens it was considered an upgrade. I'll just ask next time. Thanks for the quick answer.

OK, I guess I thought since a King costs more than 2 queens it was considered an upgrade. I'll just ask next time. Thanks for the quick answer.

That depends upon the property.

The OP needs to brush up on the T&C's of the HH program. For one, nowhere does it state that you can get upgrades at Hampton Inns. Add Embassy Suites and Homewood Suites to that list.

I like to say this about upgrades: if you NEED to have a certain room type then dig in your pocket and pay for it. If you just WANT to have a certain room type then add a note to your reservation about your preference, then roll the dice and stand in line with every other Gold and Diamond member.

If you have a room preference, but you book a different room, the hotel is going to assume you want the room you booked.

If you want a king, book a king, don't expect them to realize that you booked two beds but really want one.

From their point of view, if you wanted a king that's what you would have booked (and as mentioned, two beds to one bed is not really an upgrade).

As a gold, don't expect much in the way of upgrades, and you won't be disappointed. Ask at checkin if there is a chance of an upgrade if they don't offer you one, but don't be disappointed when they say no.

I am just a gold however i have had 11 nights in the past 4 months, the only time i did not get an upgrade was at a HGI that i had already booked into the highest level room. heck i am even going to a WA preoperty this weekend with two friends who are only HH blue. I asked to be located near friends room if possible via emial to FD, and when i checked on line today all three rooms were upgraded under 3 different reservations even though friend are listed as blue,
I always ask for an upgrade, but am content that the answer might be no, then i am amost always supprised, Its kinda like i keep telling mrs particlemn, if she lowers her expectations of me then she will be more happy with me,

In the St. Louis at the Ballpark Hilton I was actually DOWNGRADED from what room I booked despite being an Hilton Gold member. I asked for the manager, the front desk said there was not on duty. Then I saw the manager walking around nearby, and he fixed the entire situation.

One of the reasons I didn't push to requalify for Gold last year (I ended up two stays short) was that I rarely got an upgrade. To me, the difference between Gold and Silver is so small (fewer points) especially as I'm usually a Hampton Inn man that holding onto it didn't matter so much. If I was the OP I'd start to never expect an upgrade so on the rare events I got one, I was even more overjoyed.

Based on what everyone says:

Lower my expectations
stop being cheap, book a king if I want a king
HHonors Gold is pointless 95% of the time

At least I was not doing anything to hurt my chances, aside from staying at hotels that do not have upgrades.

Based on what everyone says:

HHonors Gold is pointless 95% of the time

I'm not sure anybody said that.

It all depends on what is important to you.

Golds still get free internet, free breakfast, bonus points, fitness center, etc.

the types of hotels (ES, HI) you book don't have much to offer for upgrades as HI often has no suites and the ES is all suites.

I have noticed that when I stay at properties that have many families as guests, the property usually runs out of the rooms with 2 beds more often than rooms with only 1 bed. And regards to upgrades, there are certain properties that give out more upgrades than others. In some, even Diamonds don't get anything more than what's on their My Way benefits/amenities.

In the comments area put:
"Gold-Upgrade to King bedroom or best room available. I know upgrades are based on availability.Thanks"
It's short and sweet, doesn't demand, gets to the point and usually works for me.
They review these comments the night before arrival and block off requests based on status.
Good luck.

Mine is usually: "REQ AVL Diamond upgrade [if I know what kind of rooms(s) I'll add]. Thanks so very much for any consideration."

I'd say it works about 80% of the time.

And, btw, have had some of the best upgrades ever as a Gold: e.g., several times to one of the high-floor concern rooms at the Rainbow Tower at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

And, btw, have had some of the best upgrades ever as a Gold: e.g., several times to one of the high-floor concern rooms at the Rainbow Tower at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

I had to speculate when you were gold, gold as a tier wasn't so much diluted as it is right now. ;)

It may be that there really aren't any upgradable rooms that have 2 queen beds. Most places I've been have a King in the good rooms. Booking the cheapest 2 queen may be limiting your choices. Try booking the cheapest King instead and see if the upgrades happen. If not, go back to your cheapie Queen room.

i must confess my ignorance here, but after 8 years as HH gold, i don't recall any upgrades, ever.* that doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't happened, and i can think of at least once that it felt like i was (hampton in crescent city cal, where my room came with a whirlpool bathtub - but i have no way of knowing if the other rooms did not).

but the only times i've ever been put on the exec floor were when i reserved an exec floor room.

*back when i first started traveling, i went from HH blue to silver (i didn't know about the amex card yet) as a result of a nearly 2-week stay in waikiki. while there, i booked another full week stay at the same hotel for the following month, and i ended up with a very nice room with 2 lanais when i came back. but i'm pretty sure the upgrade was a result of being a repeat customer, not because of status.

i must confess my ignorance here, but after 8 years as HH gold, i don't recall any upgrades, ever.* that doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't happened, and i can think of at least once that it felt like i was (hampton in crescent city cal, where my room came with a whirlpool bathtub - but i have no way of knowing if the other rooms did not).

but the only times i've ever been put on the exec floor were when i reserved an exec floor room.

*back when i first started traveling, i went from HH blue to silver (i didn't know about the amex card yet) as a result of a nearly 2-week stay in waikiki. while there, i booked another full week stay at the same hotel for the following month, and i ended up with a very nice room with 2 lanais when i came back. but i'm pretty sure the upgrade was a result of being a repeat customer, not because of status.

Write down/print out/remember the exact room type you booked. Near your day of arrival, look to see if it changes. If it does, the hotel has generally upgraded you in advance. (IE: Booked "Standard King Room" changes to "Executive King Room")

Note that some hotels don't assign upgrades until you are at the desk checking in which means it really comes down to availability right then. Others do it a +/- a day in advance.

You can also attempt to OLCI to see what they've assigned you.

If it's important to me, I call the FD and chat with them about availability - usually referencing the list of rooms OLCI presents me with.

It may be that there really aren't any upgradable rooms that have 2 queen beds. Most places I've been have a King in the good rooms. Booking the cheapest 2 queen may be limiting your choices. Try booking the cheapest King instead and see if the upgrades happen. If not, go back to your cheapie Queen room.

I think Slidergirl's opinion mimics my own experiences.

Agree with the posts about booking a the bed type that you want. Additionally, I find that several hotels do not read the comments in the reservation until you actually check in. Several times, I have had them read the comments requesting a different bed type at check in and change my room. I would not count on anyone at the hotel actually reading the comments prior to your arrival though. If it is really important, I might send an email to the GM prior to your arrival. With a quick google search, you can usually find the GM's name and email address. This way the room "upgrade" could be done prior to your arrival, assuming availability.

how do you know you've been upgraded?

Well, first off, there is a lot of misinformation in this thread, so let's deal with that first. As a Gold or Diamond member, we are entitled to a space-available upgrade at Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Doubletree by Hilton hotels. At all other Hilton brands, you are not entitled to an upgrade, even if space is available. Depending on a lot of factors, you might or might not get a change of room type, but this is entirely within the hotel's control, they may choose to do this or not to do it, and if they don't, you can't really ask why (well, you can ask, but they don't have to answer). For example, if you ask for a different room type at another brand, they can answer that they have that room type, but they want to hang onto it in case someone comes in who wants to rent that room type.

A change of room type is not necessarily an upgrade. For example, the OP of this thread wanted an "upgrade" from two queens to a king bed. That isn't an upgrade.

Usually I will ask at checkin about the availability of an upgrade. Sometimes I am told that I have already been upgraded. Sometimes, the desk clerk will say "Let me look", followed by typing, looking, more typing, and then "Yes, I can upgrade you to either X or Y. Which would you prefer", which makes me think I was not upgraded originally. Sometimes, after "let me look" and a shorter amount of looking, I am told nothing is available.

Agree w/slidergirl, ebuck, and winecaptain. Your room choice is prob hampering your upgrades in the non-HI, ES, HGI hotels.

When you book 2 beds, the hotel assumes that is what you want. I've been offered an upgrade from a std King to a deluxe 2 bed room as that was the only deluxe type available but never the other way (2 beds to 1 king) ex when I specifically put in the comments, "king if available please" and then ask about going from 2 beds to 1. I'm pretty sure a lot of the comments are NOT read in at check-in!

I haven't been gold for awhile. But I don't remember getting many upgrades as a Gold ex an occasional ER. A lot of times those ERs were no different from the regular rooms ex for a bathrobe (and no EL at the hotel).

Even as Diamond, in the last 2 yrs, I have not been getting many upgrades. The rosters of highest level elites has exploded since the advent of CC Diamond access. Add to this the low $ cost (point cost still seems high) of upgrading to ER (and EL access) via NOR-1 for anyone (elite or not). It really decreases the number of rooms available for Gold upgrade.

Also you may be getting an upgrade at the non-HI, ES, HGI and not realize it.
Remember, a Gold upgrade is ONLY to a PREFERRED room which can mean a higher floor, corner room, or room with additional amenities, e.g, bathrobe. Golds are only entitled to a one level upgrade, if available, from the room type booked. If you booked the lowest level room, you most likely will not get much of an upgrade. I think the days of Golds getting an ER upgrade routinely are long gone. An ER will most likely NOT be given to Golds if there is a deluxe level or even a higher floor or corner room between the std and ER.

So, with all the new changes to upgrade definitions, as Gold, do NOT expect a big upgrade (possibly only minor ones as above) and be pleasantly surprised if you do get one.

...At all other Hilton brands, you would not get an upgrade.

That's too overstated. While indeed upgrades are not a stated benefit at Hamptons and HGIs and Embassy Suites, I am pretty regularly upgraded at all of those when they are not sold out. (And, yes, some ES's have upgraded inventory)

At all other Hilton brands, you would not get an upgrade.

That's not 100% correct.

Granted it's not a stated policy, but I've had upgrades, sometimes very nice upgrades at every brand in the chain. Homewoods, Hamptons, Embassy, etc.

Maybe I've been a bit lucky but I've received several nice upgrades just this year as Gold (and I booked the most standard room at each location). What was called the Presidential Suite at a Conrad (biggest hotel room I've ever stayed in), a large Homewood Suites room with 5 beds, Executive Flour at a sold out Hilton, and the crown jewel--Napua Club at Grand Wailea.

Ironically, I just made a booking change from a room with two queens to a room with one king, because I judged it would be extremely unlikely we would be upgraded with a paid preference of two queens. And - no noticeable difference in charges (as in most laces I book) between two queens and a king. (Also note a Standard King might be upgraded to a Deluxe King, in some properties an upgrade but not much of a difference.)

Also was upgraded at the last two HGIs and the last Hampton I stayed in - at the Hampton it was from a standard king to a king studio, more room, more seating (may have been a sofa-bed) a fridge, etc. (time frame: last two months.)

Ironically, I just made a booking change from a room with two queens to a room with one king, because I judged it would be extremely unlikely we would be upgraded with a paid preference of two queens. And - no noticeable difference in charges (as in most laces I book) between two queens and a king. (Also note a Standard King might be upgraded to a Deluxe King, in some properties an upgrade but not much of a difference.)

Also was upgraded at the last two HGIs and the last Hampton I stayed in - at the Hampton it was from a standard king to a king studio, more room, more seating (may have been a sofa-bed) a fridge, etc.

Ironically, recently, as Diamond, I've been getting more upgrades (corner room, rooms w/fridges, 2 room suites) at Hamptons Inns while barely getting any upgrades, if any, at DT and Hiltons. At a Conrad, we were upgraded only to a deluxe though the hotel was not that full. But we did have access to the very nice EL.

It may be that there really aren't any upgradable rooms that have 2 queen beds. Most places I've been have a King in the good rooms. Booking the cheapest 2 queen may be limiting your choices. Try booking the cheapest King instead and see if the upgrades happen. If not, go back to your cheapie Queen room.
This.

But I would still book the cheapest room. If it happened to be 2 queens, there is specifically a check box when you are reserving the room that says "The room type I wanted was unavailable". If you check that box, it reveals some text that says, "Please use the preferences below when assigning my room at check-in if a matching room is available," and it has an option for "1 King Bed".

Win-win. I generally won't pay even $10 extra for a king bed over 2 queens - we sleep on a queen bed at home, anyways.

That's too overstated. While indeed upgrades are not a stated benefit at Hamptons and HGIs and Embassy Suites, I am pretty regularly upgraded at all of those when they are not sold out. (And, yes, some ES's have upgraded inventory)

That's not 100% correct.

Granted it's not a stated policy, but I've had upgrades, sometimes very nice upgrades at every brand in the chain. Homewoods, Hamptons, Embassy, etc.

Edited to say "You are not entitled to an upgrade". At the listed properties, if there is a better room available when you check in, you are entitled to the upgrade (although you do have to fight for it sometimes). At other properties, you may get one, but it is totally on the whim of whoever is checking you in, if there is a better room available and the desk clerk doesn't want to give it to you, you have no leg to stand on.

Well, first off, there is a lot of misinformation in this thread, so let's deal with that first. As a Gold or Diamond member, we are entitled to a space-available upgrade at Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Doubletree by Hilton hotels. At all other Hilton brands, you are not entitled to an upgrade, even if space is available.

This.

If you want to see the current rules, go to hhonors.com, log in and look at the "On property benefits" in the "My Way" section. Note that the rules have changed many times over the years and even a couple of times in the last 18 months.

Many posters have responded with anecdotal stories of being upgraded at limited service properties (HI, HGI, ES, HS et.al.) but if all of these were in the last year (funny that no one gave a time frame :rolleyes: ) then it was at the property's own volution, not as a HH defined benefit.

I've been a HH member for over a decade and have been Gold or Diamond for 7 or 8 of those years and in my own experience, have found upgrades at limited service properties _very_ rare (but not nonexistant :cool:) and zero in the last year (I'm currently Gold). At full service properties, they seem to be more "by the book" and I have gotten the 1-class upgrade (i.e. "standard" to "deluxe" or "HHonors floor") more often than not.

Many posters have responded with anecdotal stories

Why "anecdotal stories"? Why not just "stories"? Or, better, the more neutral "reports." Your way of putting it suggests an imputation of dishonesty. :(

of being upgraded at limited service properties (HI, HGI, ES, HS et.al.) but if all of these were in the last year (funny that no one gave a time frame :rolleyes: ) then it was at the property's own volution, not as a HH defined benefit.

No one has ever said that they were defined benefits.

I've been a HH member for over a decade and have been Gold or Diamond for 7 or 8 of those years and in my own experience, have found upgrades at limited service properties _very_ rare (but not nonexistant :cool:) and zero in the last year ...

Sorry to hear that.

Since you are eye-rolling at the fact that no gave a "time frame" (and not sure why the suspiciousness), here's my record of "anecdotal stories" in the last year for properties where upgrades are not a "defined benefit" and where there was in fact upgraded inventory available (a few older Hamptons simply have either King or 2 Queen rooms, period):

Hampton Inn Iowa City/Corralville Upgraded to a wonderful oversize in-room Jacuzzi room.

Hampton Inn North Platte Upgraded to a very nice Jacuzzi room

HGI Northwest Indpls Upgraded to a lovely Jr Suite

Hampton Inn Farmington NM Upgrade to a studio suite

HGI SFO south Upgrade to a wonderful oversize Jacuzzi, oversize room

ES Walnut Creek CA Upgraded to larger suite

Only twice in the last year when a) there was in fact upgraded inventory that b) hadn't already been sold have I not received an upgrade.

I'm pretty happy overall with HHonors on this issue.

You're welcome :D

When you book 2 beds, the hotel assumes that is what you want. I've been offered an upgrade from a std King to a deluxe 2 bed room as that was the only deluxe type available but never the other way (2 beds to 1 king) ex when I specifically put in the comments, "king if available please" and then ask about going from 2 beds to 1. I'm pretty sure a lot of the comments are NOT read in at check-in!

Great point. I assume that upgrade rooms are split maybe between King and 2 beds, but in general easier to get UG's if you are in King room vs 2 beds.

I always put "King upgrade/suite requested if available" in the comments section. To date, since receiving Gold status in late 2011 and throughout 2012 (22 stays or so total), I've received an upgrade 100% of the time and a suite 100% of the time at properties that have suites ^.

This.

But I would still book the cheapest room. If it happened to be 2 queens, there is specifically a check box when you are reserving the room that says "The room type I wanted was unavailable". If you check that box, it reveals some text that says, "Please use the preferences below when assigning my room at check-in if a matching room is available," and it has an option for "1 King Bed".



I never realized this, good to know.

Why "anecdotal stories"? Why not just "stories"? Or, better, the more neutral "reports." Your way of putting it suggests an imputation of dishonesty. :(

There was nothing in my statement that suggested anyone was dishonest. Sorry you took it that way. It was, however, an imputation of irrelevance to the OP's situation.


No one has ever said that they were defined benefits.

But that's exactly what the OP was talking about: As a newly minted gold, he/she was not receiving any upgrades at (mostly) limited service properties and wondering why.


Since you are eye-rolling at the fact that no gave a "time frame" (and not sure why the suspiciousness), here's my record of "anecdotal stories" in the last year for properties where upgrades are not a "defined benefit" and where there was in fact upgraded inventory available ....

...You're welcome :D

I'm not suspicious in the least bit (where are you coming up with this?:confused:). I fully believe you (and the others) who posted their upgrade history received the upgrades. However, the situations were different (your masthead says you are a HH Diamond) than the OP and irrelevant to his/her situation. Some properties may bend the rules for Diamonds more than Golds. I know that happened to me a couple of times when I was Diamond but now that I have dropped to Gold it rarely (make that never) happens.

The reason I asked for a time frame is because the HH My Way benefits have been revised a couple of times in the last year. For example, previously if you stayed at a Hilton as a Gold and your My Way choice was points, you were not eligible for an upgrade. Now you are eligible regardless of your My Way choice. This can have the negative effect of more guests competing for the available upgrade rooms.

I got Gold Status in March. Since then I have stayed at a few Hamptons, a grand vacation and a Double Tree. I have yet to recieve a single room upgrade. I book 2 queen beds (cheapest room) but have King as my preffered type. The last upgrade I got was a Homewood in NH as a Silver, 2 queens to a king. Am I missing something, should I be asking at the desk if they have Kings available? At the Grand Vacation Resort I was offered to upgrade to a suite with whirlpool at time of booking, but no mention was made at check-in. I find it hard to believe that at 5 different hotels on off-weekends there have been no king rooms to put me into.

Am I missing something, or expecting too much?

Don't expect anything as a Gold. It's so diluted, anyone could be one.

Also, Hampton's are under no obligation to upgrade anyone, even Diamonds. Same goes for HGVC.

Why "anecdotal stories"? Why not just "stories"?

Huh? Anecdotes are stories based on individual experiences rather than verifiable fact. Sure, they can sometimes be unreliable (which is, I suppose, why you take issue with the term -- but so can stories or reports). I checked into a Hilton today and got an upgrade. That's an anecdote. The T&C says I might be upgraded to a suite or to a corner room, etc. is a verifiable fact. Virtually everything on flyertalk is anecdote!