Hilton HHonors - Award stay. Pay for executive level??

I apologize if this has been discussed before.I bet it has . . . but I couldn't find it! In '04 we stayed at the London Metropole and the Berlin Hilton. Both were award stays and we were given executive lounge access / floor. I'm gold hh. I've been reading the discussion here of the new restrictions on lounge access. Has anyone been able to use an award and pay a fee for executive privilege as gold?

AFAIK, can't be done. Award stay is for a basic room ... if you get the upgrade, you're set... but you can't pay extra on top of the award reservation.

I recall a thread in which the poster was offered exec lounge access at the Cavalieri for 70 Euro (IIRC) per day. :eek: Perhaps other properties offer this? Can't hurt to ask if you are unable to secure an upgrade that gives you access. Of course at this rate I'd pass, even though I thoroughly enjoyed the Cavalieri lounge.

Edit: Oh, obviously this offer only gets exec lounge access, not an exec floor room.

I tried to do that this month in Paris and they wouldn't allow it.

I used a 6 night award stay at the Cavaleri Hilton and a 6 night award stay at the Amersterdam Hilton this summer and paid a fee to upgrade to the executive floors at both hotels. It was well worth the money because it saved us so much money on eating out. :cool:

Dreamliner1,
Did you negotiate your deal before or after your arrival at the hotels?

I have done this a couple of times at hotels in Germany and Vienna...for what it is worth, call the hotel before you arrive and request a paid upgrade on an award...the few times I have done this I have been upgraded to the exec floor and not charged!!