Hilton HHonors - Hilton UK award question

Finally have enough points for a free London stay at the Green Park (my favorite due to its small size and great location, although I don't think they should have upped it to 40,000 points per night -- especially while I was saving up for 4 nights and now will be able to get only 3!). My question - will breakfast be included or do you get the room only on an award stay? Or maybe they'll give me a breakfast chit since I'm Gold?

Hilton only allows you to get a standard room on an award stay. The hotel may give you an upgrade and/or breakfast but are not obligated to in non-US hotels. The details are on the Hilton website.

Do you have a Hilton AMEX card? If so they have a special award called an AXON that is a reduced award for 4 nights. Might be worth getting the card just for that if you don't already have it.

Hilton only allows you to get a standard room on an award stay. The hotel may give you an upgrade and/or breakfast but are not obligated to in non-US hotels. The details are on the Hilton website.

This is simply not true.

According to the Hilton website, outside the US, Gold and Diamonds are entitled to an upgrade IF it's available. If that upgrade is not available, you are entitled to SOMETHING -- some amenity or service. It doesn't matter if its an award stay or not.

"Upgrade to Executive Level or to the next best available room type from the room type booked (does not include suites). Upgraded rooms are subject to availability at the time of check-in and only guests that receive an upgrade to the Executive Level will be given access to the Executive Lounge. At hotels that do not have upgraded types of accommodations or upgrade is not available, Diamond VIPs will receive an additional amenity and/or services, which vary by property."

Hilton only allows you to get a standard room on an award stay.

And this it not true either. Call Diamond Force and they will be able to get better rooms for the same rate. I frequently booked Deluxe Plus rooms in Berlin and Waldorf Hilton and it works. These upgraded accomodations are not offered on the website.

I have to say that I've always been upgraded on an award night. The rules are exactly the same as for a revenue stay; i.e. subject to availability. Sometimes (in particular with the Dartford Bridge Hilton) I'm able to see premium rooms at the time of booking my reward night; and I simply select one of those. I'm at gold level.

Outside of North America the Hiton Hotels do not have to give you upgraded accomodations nor are they obligated to give you any type of breakfast or lounge access.

Some properties will give you an upgraded room/lounge access/breakfast, some won't. The hotel may consider a room one floor higher to be better and thus consider it an upgrade in which case you may not get anything more. This is at the hotels discretion. If you don't get an upgrade then an amenity will be given but it can be as simple as a bottle of water and 4 pieces of chocolate even if you're on a two week stay.

If you are planning for the worst case scenerio then look at the published Hilton rules and hope for better.

You can try calling the Diamond Desk but since the original poster is a Gold they may not help them. The better thing would be to contact the hotel directly and ask the GM what is given. That way you are getting current info.

There are always exceptions to the rule. I know all the stories about getting the penthouse when the hotel screwed up because I have had that happen to me. BUT, you cannot expect or gaurantee that you will get anything other than posted benefits at any particular property.