Hilton HHonors - What is an Upgraded Room at a Hilton Garden Inn?

MyWay offers a choice to Golds and Diamonds for HGI stays: earn 750 points (worth around $3.75), or get a full breakfast for 2 and an upgraded room.

Now HGI is about my favorite brand, but just what is an upgraded room here? It seems to me that of the HGIs I've stayed at recently, all rooms are about the same size and layout, except for a few "accessible" rooms which may have more square footage but otherwise have the same features. I think some HGIs have suites, but I haven't seen any recently. From the outside, it looks like some rooms might be a foot longer, but maybe the sawtooth exterior is just a decorative feature.

Is Hilton promising something they don't deliver?

Hi,

Some HGI's have Junior suites ( living room connected to the bedroom)or full suites ( ususally only a few per hotel)

Regards

TBS

About half the time I would get a junior suite at an HGI, or else an accessible room. Either one in larger than a normal room.

I'd get this, even though I opted for the additional 750 points. :)

I have never seen an Upgrade at an HGI although Diamond and have requested it.

In some locations, it could be a Jr. Suite or a Jacuzzi / whirpool type bath.

About half the time I would get a junior suite at an HGI, or else an accessible room. Either one in larger than a normal room.

I'd get this, even though I opted for the additional 750 points. :)

Did you also get full breakfast?

Of the numerous times I have stayed at a HGI, I have only once been upgraded and that was to a Jr. Suite at the LAX location.

I've gotten precisely one upgrade at an HGI (and that happened to be my last HGI stay, in downtown Cleveland). The upgrade in question was to a two-room suite with a minibar, though this is going to obviously vary by property, as some of the properties don't go any higher than jacuzzi rooms or junior suites, I don't believe.

Mike

Did you also get full breakfast?`No, because for that you need a chit, and they knew from my profile I wasn't entitled to one.

I usually blew off the breakfast anyhow and just grabbed a bagel and coffee for the car. However, sometimes they comp'd me b'fast because I was there so often.

I think most HGI's have at least a hospitality suite but some only have the one and rather than deal with guests having an upgrade and not the next time etc it is easier to just not upgrade the room. I have gotten upgrades at the St. Charles, IL to a larger Jr. Suite and the Downtown Chicago HGI has given me a regular room with a conference suite attched to it.

I dont expect an upgraded room ever at an HGI.

Do HGIs usually have an Exec Lounge? I just stayed at the one in Monterey and don't think there was one there.

I've gotten precisely one upgrade at an HGI (and that happened to be my last HGI stay, in downtown Cleveland). The upgrade in question was to a two-room suite with a minibar, though this is going to obviously vary by property, as some of the properties don't go any higher than jacuzzi rooms or junior suites, I don't believe.

Mike

The "whirlpool with jacuzzi" room that the Folsom, CA GM arranged for us was in reality an accessible room with an almost-normal-size bathtub and shower containing jets. The square footage of the combined living room/bedroom was larger than normal. But no table or even sofa, just the normal desk and presumably the normal chair with ottoman.

The front desk said the hotel had two of these rooms. Neither was in an optimal location for quiet or view, and neither was on the top floor.

In some locations, it could be a Jr. Suite or a Jacuzzi / whirpool type bath.

That's just what I got at the HGI Napa Valley! It was sweet...

The new HGI that opened in Dec in Charlottesville, VA has four suites in the entire hotel (I asked). However, at the HGI in Arlington, VA I was often upgraded to a larger room (a junior suite, I guess).

Do HGIs usually have an Exec Lounge? I just stayed at the one in Monterey and don't think there was one there.

I've never seen one.

Last time I was in Rock Hill, SC, I was upgraded to a room with a Jacuzzi in the bedroom. Guess it all depends what the particular HGI has to offer in cases of upgrades.

S/F
-John

It could be a corner room that's a little larger, it could be a suite or mini suite, it could be an accessible room they couldn't sell. It could be a beach property and be a room that faces the ocean.

I've even seen one property where I swear they were giving and selling upgrades in name only to make people feel special or collect some cash, I had stayed there previously and gotten an identical room (though on the ground floor) that was not considered an upgrade.

It could be just about anything.

If you click on accomondations on the website for that particular property, it will list (usually) the types of room(s) available.

I have been upgrade to suites in Omaha, and Las Vegas. Las Vegas also has a lot of Jr Suites. Not all hotels have suites. I agree with other posters about the some rooms maybe a foot or two bigger, but can not tell for sure.

If you're a Diamond and get bumped up to the University Wing at LAX, your possibilities are almost endless since they're constantly changing the various room types.

The HGI Staten Island had to be the best upgrade I ever got. I'm a Diamond and got a huge one bedroom suite on arrival. Additionally, the manager sent me and my wife a complimentary fruit/cheese plate welcoming us to the facility. That with just about the best breakfast I've ever had at an HGI, I was extremely impressed.

Made my next night at the Waldorf (where I was upgraded to a junior suite) seem almost anticlimactic.

I've stayed at many HGI's and have never been upgraded. Maybe because I'm just a pee-on Gold. I will have my 28th stay next weekend so maybe one day...

I've gotten precisely one upgrade at an HGI (and that happened to be my last HGI stay, in downtown Cleveland). The upgrade in question was to a two-room suite with a minibar, though this is going to obviously vary by property, as some of the properties don't go any higher than jacuzzi rooms or junior suites, I don't believe.Back when I was a Diamond I think this is the only HGI I stayed in during that time and I was upgraded to a huge suite on the top floor that was the size of three normal rooms, the first room was pretty much a typical room with a jacuzzi tub in the sleeping area, the second room set up as a living room with a bathroom, and the third room was a conference room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Jacobs Field.

A big factor in upgrade availability has got to be whether the HGI was purpose-built as such, or whether it was built as something else. The standard cookie-cutter design that you see in the suburbs, or near some airports, often doesn't have suites, just a few accessible rooms. Whether these constitute an upgrade is open to question (if they are even available).

BTW, the JFK Airport HGI, while it might be the best JFK hotel (among shockingly bad candidates), is scaled down in room size and everything else. The place is very cramped; it's also expensive. When I was there, other guests were complaining that their preferred room locations weren't being honored. I doubt if there's a single suite.

We've stayed at the one in SCE several times, and after the first or second visit, we'd typically get upgraded to either a one bedroom suite, or the jacuzzi suite. The only time we stayed there that we didn't receive an upgrade, after our first visit or two, was THON (http://www.thon.org)weekend, when the hotel was booked solid.

At the new HGI in Manchester, NH there were two type of upgrades - a 1 bedroom suite with a very large bathroom, or the regular suite, which I very much preferred. The regular suites was one large room in the corner, with bar/sink in the corner, and huge windows on both sides of the room, the back overlooking the baseball field that the hotel is built onto. There was one corner suite and one one-bed suite per floor.

I've been upgraded regularly to either a jr. suite or a jacuzzi room. Sometimes it was offered; sometimes I asked if any free upgrades were available upon checking in. It has always been appreciated.

As I Gold I stayed at the HGI Rancho Mirage where I just received a standard room ( quite soacious though ) and free American breakfast.

I recently received an upgrade at HGI in Charlotte(without requesting it), and was stunned to find a living room space with a couch and TV, a table with about 6 chairs around it, and a seperate large bedroom. This was different than the king jacuzzi suites which i know they also have.
As a FYI, this is one of my favorite HGI's, and my usual hotel in Charlotte.

My experience is that they never automatically upgrade you. But if you ask at check-in, you have about a 75% chance of getting a jr. suite.

If you have an upgrade as part of your MyWay preference and you know they have them available but won't give it to you, ask for the HHonors MOD.

I was never upgraded when I was at an HGI. The best was when I was given comp breakfast for two.

HHonors MOD.

Huh? Please explain.

The "whirlpool with jacuzzi" room that the Folsom, CA GM arranged for us was in reality an accessible room with an almost-normal-size bathtub and shower containing jets. The square footage of the combined living room/bedroom was larger than normal. But no table or even sofa, just the normal desk and presumably the normal chair with ottoman.

The front desk said the hotel had two of these rooms. Neither was in an optimal location for quiet or view, and neither was on the top floor.
Stayed at this hotel a few times and they have just given me full breakfast comped as my "Gold amenity." Never knew there was an "upgrade" to go to at an HGI.

Used to get upgrades at both SFO HGI to the jacuzzi rooms/suites - though now I'm Diamond of course no room upgrades !

Got back from another Charlotte, NC/Rock Hill, SC trip. Was upgraded to a Suite with in the bedroom Jacuzzi in Charlotte and another room with Jacuzzi in the bedroom at Rock Hill (was guest of the day as well... a bag of goodies comes with that honor).

I think HGI is really making a push on pleasing its HHonors members these past few months. I'm only a gold... its effective, you start looking at staying at HGI's rather then Hiltons.

S/F
-John

Are jacuzzis usually a decent size version? At Folsom CA HGI it was just a standard-size bathtub in the bathroom, jets added, with shower overhead. By contrast a Hampton Inn in Fresno has "suites" (actually large living room/bedroom) with a big jacuzzi on a pedestal in the living room.

If you're Gold or Diamond, are you entitled to an upgrade to a suite at a Hilton Garden Inn (assuming availability)? Or does a room upgrade imply something else?

If you're Gold or Diamond, are you entitled to an upgrade to a suite at a Hilton Garden Inn (assuming availability)? Or does a room upgrade imply something else?

I have been to 2 HGI's of which one didn't have a single suite. All the rooms were indentical and thus no upgrade of any sort.

It seems more and more an "upgrade" at a HGI is to an "Evolution Room" with the Herman Miller "Mirra" chair and Garden Sleep System bed. In some cases, it is to a Bay View room. In no case is an upgrade to a suite an entitlement in any Hilton property, iirc.

The HGI in San Antonio has upgraded "Executive Suites" with a jacuzzi tub/shower combination in the bathroom and a little more room for the Hospitality Center. The funny thing is that I never see an option for the Executive Suite on Hilton.com, just a King or Two Queen Bed option. I

Are jacuzzis usually a decent size version? At Folsom CA HGI it was just a standard-size bathtub in the bathroom, jets added, with shower overhead. By contrast a Hampton Inn in Fresno has "suites" (actually large living room/bedroom) with a big jacuzzi on a pedestal in the living room.
Most I've seen at HGI's are the pedestal in the living room kind. I have seen some that are just a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom.

Have had jacuzzi suites at Halifax and Edmonton (two person size), with Edmonton also having giant bathroom, two fireplaces, a decent sized living room and large bedroom, two TVs, work desk etc.

Edmonton seems to have suite on each floor and I have a pretty good success rate in getting it if it is available.