Hilton HHonors - upgrading a friend, possible?

I have friends going to Paris for valentines day, staying at the Hilton near the tower.

I would like for them to get the VIP treatment while they are there, is there any way to contact Hilton and ask they treat this couple like they are me (Diamond)? As I understand it, a non HHonors member in this hotel is treated pretty poorly and a Gold or Diamond is treated very well.

Benefits are available to the actual member, who's name must be the primary name on the reservation and be present at check in.

So, no. And that wouldn't really be fair to the HHonors elite members staying there when your friends are, now would it?

It tough enough for we Diamonds to get VIP treatment and you want to get non-VIP people upgrades? Do I assume correctly if they get upgrades then there are less upgrades for the true butt-in-bed crowd? Sorry.

MisterNice

On the other hand, I have heard of cases whereby the giftee was provided with certain Diamond benefits because the gift cert was in the name of a Diamond.

No guarantees, but depending on the elite load at the hotel at the time, they might luck out.

It tough enough for we Diamonds to get VIP treatment and you want to get non-VIP people upgrades? Do I addume correctly if they get upgrades then there are less upgrades for the true butt-in-bed crowd? Sorry.

MisterNice

I 100% agree!

.......And that wouldn't really be fair to the HHonors elite members staying there when your friends are, now would it?

I can't wait to read the response to this.

I 100% agree!



I can't wait to read the response to this.

^

You are absolutely right, it isn't fair for the Diamonds that are present to be given less priority than the friend of a diamond. On the other hand, I am not asking them to make any type of saccrifice, if I was present I would be displacing your upgrade. I am just asking for my friends to have a nice time and since I spend a pile of money almost exclusively with Hilton I am just asking for some consideration.

I totally get the whole "don't take my vip treatment away" vibe here, but if you draw a comparison to the airline industry I can upgrade them to FC in the air.

You are absolutely right, it isn't fair for the Diamonds that are present to be given less priority than the friend of a diamond. On the other hand, I am not asking them to make any type of saccrifice, if I was present I would be displacing your upgrade. I am just asking for my friends to have a nice time and since I spend a pile of money almost exclusively with Hilton I am just asking for some consideration.

I totally get the whole "don't take my vip treatment away" vibe here, but if you draw a comparison to the airline industry I can upgrade them to FC in the air.


You're missing the point. HHonors is a loyalty program. YOU spend money to maintain your Diamond status. What have your friends done at/for Hilton?? If they want entitlement to benefits, suggest they join a loyalty program.

People here always complain about “dilution” of benefits. I don’t like it when people make reservations and add spouse/relatives as a second guest to the reservation so that they can possibly get the benefits nor do I want someone with NO loyalty at all to get the benefits that I and many others, work hard to maintain.

I’d like to add that if this was a special occasion and the guest had a long standing relationship with the hotel (example: couple gets married at the hotel in 1958 and has celebrated their anniversary at the property every year since 1958) that would be a different.

What you’ve asked for I don’t like and I hope they get exactly what they book.

You are absolutely right, it isn't fair for the Diamonds that are present to be given less priority than the friend of a diamond. On the other hand, I am not asking them to make any type of saccrifice, if I was present I would be displacing your upgrade.


But you are asking them to make a sacrifice, and at the expense of another member who is more deserving. If you were present then you'd be the guest of record and be entitled to the benefits, and your friend(s) could enjoy them with you.


I totally get the whole "don't take my vip treatment away" vibe here, but if you draw a comparison to the airline industry I can upgrade them to FC in the air.
How does an elite airline customer upgrade a fellow (coach) traveler in the air (if you meant that literally)?

With an airline, your friend is flying with you to get the upgrade. Just like at a hotel he gets the VIP benefit if he's on your reservation with you.

Otherwise, you are providing some sort of compensation to the airilne to give your friend the upgrade (certificate, points, award ticket, etc). In this case, you are offering nothing to the hotel. If there were hotel upgrade awards, then it would be a different story.

If you like them enough, call and change their confirmed room type to something nicer and cover the difference with your own $$$.

as a gold i get passed over all the time by diamonds for upgrades and don't mind - after all they've earned more status, and good for hilton for rewarding their best customers...

however if i get passed over by a FRIEND of a diamond, why thats then a slap in the face to me and my loyalty to the brand.

why do you think your friend deserves an upgrade more then me? because he "knows" a diamond?

I agree with the responses. But there is a simple solution.....the friend can always book and pay for an Executive Level room. One doesn't have to have Elite status to book and pay for Executive rooms, it's a choice available to all.

If you are well known to the hotel, as a favor to you they may do something for your friend based on the volume of bucks (or euros) you drop off there on your stays. But that would be based on the volume you bring to them, not your status. If that was the case you would have probably already spoken with the manager who you would know by name.

Other then that, I don't see much of a chance of it happening.

People here always complain about “delusion” of benefits.

i think you meant "dilution". on second thought, in light of my recent stay at hilton brussels, "delusion" is more like it. :D

i think you meant "dilution". on second thought, in light of my recent stay at hilton brussels, "delusion" is more like it. :D


DOH! :( :( thats what I get for not spell checking. Thanks for catching that.^

DOH! :( :( thats what I get for not spell checking. Thanks for catching that.^

I think you are having delusions if you think spell check would have caught that. Grammar check, well, that is much more likely. ;)

But back to the OP. No matter how the rest of us feel about this occuring, I think Cordelli has hit the nail on the head. You are more likely to get this "courtesy" granted if you are a friend of the GM at the property due to either a personal or business relationship than just some random Diamond calling looking for a favor.

I have friends going to Paris for valentines day, staying at the Hilton near the tower.

I would like for them to get the VIP treatment while they are there, is there any way to contact Hilton and ask they treat this couple like they are me (Diamond)? As I understand it, a non HHonors member in this hotel is treated pretty poorly and a Gold or Diamond is treated very well.

i assume your friend already has a reservation??
if so, you could probably have your name (and HHonors Number) added to the reservation, and your friend could just check in saying you're coming later...give them your diamond card, and have them say Akulashark is on another flight and told me to give you this card. i'd say its worth a shot. i'm sure the other posters are probably going to hate that i said that, not that i blame them.

i assume your friend already has a reservation??
if so, you could probably have your name (and HHonors Number) added to the reservation, and your friend could just check in saying you're coming later...give them your diamond card, and have them say Akulashark is on another flight and told me to give you this card. i'd say its worth a shot. i'm sure the other posters are probably going to hate that i said that, not that i blame them.

You're right, I do hate it. I've said it before, but why should someone with no loyalty to Hilton, be able to reap the benefits????

If you were at the hotel and there was one upgrade available and this person was in front of you line, wouldn't you be upset they got the upgrade and you got stuck on a non executive floor with no access to the lounge?

I don't know why people continue to suggest this yet complain about category changes or other benefit reductions.

Its foul. If people want to take advantage of benefits, join the Hilton hhonors loyalty program and earn it!

Your best chance is a reward cert. I gave them away to my parents twice and without asking they got BF certs and a better room. Similarly I booked a ticket for my wife using my miles and at check-in they gave her a lounge access pass. Sure this doesn't work all the time and it's not ok to demand a benefit ... but if they give it w/o being asked ...

You're right, I do hate it. I've said it before, but why should someone with no loyalty to Hilton, be able to reap the benefits????

If you were at the hotel and there was one upgrade available and this person was in front of you line, wouldn't you be upset they got the upgrade and you got stuck on a non executive floor with no access to the lounge?

I don't know why people continue to suggest this yet complain about category changes or other benefit reductions.

Its foul. If people want to take advantage of benefits, join the Hilton hhonors loyalty program and earn it!

i sure as hell wouldn't like it...but, imagine you're the non-status person. how cool would it be for you? it's a two way street. i see you're a CO Gold. imagine if CO had a policy that only Plats got upgraded. If the GA or TA, for no real reason, offered to upgrade you on your CLE-EWR route, would you turn it down, because only plats deserve upgrades? i doubt it (nothing against you, i'm just assuming, i wouldn't turn it down).
in fact, i don't recall the OP even talking about an upgrade, he's just looking for the hotel to treat his friends well.

I can see why people get touchy about this - I often check in late to a hotel and all the upgrades have gone to Golds. Not that there is anything wrong with Golds but I would think there would be a priority with upgrades - and some do upgrade by status the day before.

Often if my wife is staying on her own then I will put my name on the reservation and see no problem with this - the programme is basically to look after people who are loyal to the programme - and I would expect a hilton hotel to look after my wife considering we generally stay in hiltons.

If it is just a friend then it is very difficult to exicute this as they will have a different surname and it is generaly obvious what the game is.

In the past, now and again, if a relative or friend is staying at a Hilton then I send a nice email to someone at the hotel, probably reservation department will do the trick - no need for the manager unless you know him, just mentioing that your good friend is staying and you would be greatful if they would be well looked after. This often works well and I usually get an email back saying yes and if there is space after all the gold and diamonds have been taken care of then they will try and upgrade them. This seams fair enough to me.

I have friends going to Paris for valentines day, staying at the Hilton near the tower.

I would like for them to get the VIP treatment while they are there, is there any way to contact Hilton and ask they treat this couple like they are me (Diamond)?

i sure as hell wouldn't like it...but, imagine you're the non-status person. how cool would it be for you? it's a two way street. i see you're a CO Gold. imagine if CO had a policy that only Plats got upgraded. If the GA or TA, for no real reason, offered to upgrade you on your CLE-EWR route, would you turn it down, because only plats deserve upgrades? i doubt it (nothing against you, i'm just assuming, i wouldn't turn it down).
in fact, i don't recall the OP even talking about an upgrade, he's just looking for the hotel to treat his friends well.


The OP asked for Diamond VIP Treatment. The airline analogy does not apply.

For those who think its OK or add your name to spouses friends reservations, remember this thread when you are not upgraded or denied lounge access and come here to "vent".

i could just see it now


e-bay

get treated like a vip, free upgrade, free breakfast, free drinks, etc for the duration of your stay

send $50 to mr.diamondvip

get upgraded or money is refunded.

;)

imagine all the new friends mr.diamondvip would make :D

i could just see it now


e-bay

get treated like a vip, free upgrade, free breakfast, free drinks, etc for the duration of your stay

send $50 to mr.diamondvip

get upgraded or money is refunded.

;)

imagine all the new friends mr.diamondvip would make :D

Nice summary and analogy.

MsterNice

On the other hand, I have heard of cases whereby the giftee was provided with certain Diamond benefits because the gift cert was in the name of a Diamond.

No guarantees, but depending on the elite load at the hotel at the time, they might luck out.

Does this happen often/always? As SPG platinum, when I book an award reservation for someone else, my SPG number and status stay with the reservation, so they get treated as if I were staying there.

Does this happen often/always? As SPG platinum, when I book an award reservation for someone else, my SPG number and status stay with the reservation, so they get treated as if I were staying there.

Yes, the few times I have done this for my son or daughter, the Award certificate has their name and my Diamond number on it and each time, without them asking, they have been upgraded and received Diamond benefits. However, I do understand Diamond member's frustrations, especially as I myself have sometimes been refused upgrades, but they are hardly going to refuse!!

The OP asked for Diamond VIP Treatment. The airline analogy does not apply.


Fine. I can re-phrase it if you want, and but I think you know what I'm getting at. If diamonds aren't supposed to get an upgrade at a certain hotel (like the franchises), and they give you one anyways, you're not going to turn it down because its against the rules. It was an analogy, and I think you understood the point I was trying to make.