Hilton HHonors - Blackstone Card????

I'm a Hilton Diamond who goes to SJU 12-15 days a month. Most often, I stay at the Caribe.

In addition to the Hilton, Blackstone now owns a number of properties (without flags) in the area. These include the El San Juan, Condado Plaza and El Conquistidor. It would be great to use these hotels too especially if I can continue to get points as well as take advantage of my status.

Has anybody heard of any plans for a Blackstone card similar to the Starwood Card?

No the only rumor I keep hearing is some of the more upscale hotels joining Hilton. Being a fan of EL San Juan I hoep it is sooner rather then later.

No the only rumor I keep hearing is some of the more upscale hotels joining Hilton. Being a fan of EL San Juan I hoep it is sooner rather then later.

As a matter of fact. I did hear that the El Conquistador is going Hilton. It's too far from work.

Blackstone's LXR properties will eventually join the Hilton system, many probably sub-branded as Waldorf=Astoria or W=A Collection. I believe they're working through all that now.

Has anybody heard of any plans for a Blackstone card similar to the Starwood Card?I think there's two key points you're missing:

1) All properties owned by Starwood do not participate in Starwood's loyalty program, and in fact, some particpate in other loyalty programs.

2) Although the investments in other hotels and Hilton are managed by Blackstone, it is entirely possible that they are not owned within the same investment pool, so really they would not be under the same ownership if that is the case.

So, to sum up, it's possible the hotels really are not under the same ownership (they just happen to both be owned by investment pools managed by Blackstone), and even if they were, under the Starwood example you mentioned it is by no means guaranteed they would all be combined under common brands.

Father-in-law recently stayed at the London in NY. Discussed situation with manager there and he confirmed that there are eventual plans to merge the LXR properties with the Waldorf Collection to form something that may be called "Waldorf LXR".

Father-in-law recently stayed at the London in NY. Discussed situation with manager there and he confirmed that there are eventual plans to merge the LXR properties with the Waldorf Collection to form something that may be called "Waldorf LXR".

That indeed could be a rumor.

Did anyone notice that this LXR property - Fort Lauderdale Grande Hotel and Yacht Club (http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/FLLGRHH-Fort-Lauderdale-Grande-Hotel-and-Yacht-Club-Florida/index.do;jsessionid=FD7510AF3E608DFA19FC7A1BEB0D16 3D.etc21?brand_id=HI&brand_directory=/en/hi/&xch=134266850,SP2ATGPVVFNKYCSGBI1MVCQ) - quietly joined the Hilton family right after the first of the year?

This definitely was not a "Hilton" prior to New Years'. When I was doing research on the Hilton Ft. Lauderdale resort (around Dec. 27/28) this hotel did not show in the list. However sometime after the first, it appeared.

> El Conquistador is going Hilton.

Egad. Hilton will have a real problem/project property on their hands. The
bride and I had a less than acceptable stay in early January.h

The El Conquistador advertises itself as a luxury resort. It's prices are
certainly in-line with luxury resort prices. The experience? Bad Best
Western.

Check-in was a disaster. At 10PM-ish they had one person working the
desk. She didn't seem to be trained for her job. We were the 5th in
line. She could not find reservations for any of us trying to check-in.
Confirmed resv numbers didn't seem to provide any help/relief for her.

We booked a king. We were provided a double. We asked for a king
and were told that none were avail ... that they would move us the
next day. Eight days later, they were still saying "tomorrow."

Restaurants & bars were *freq* out of stock of multiple items. At dinner
one night the waitress returned four different times about being out of
stock on two different drink orders, one entree and one dessert.

No wash cloths in the room. Had to call *every* day.

They were painting, but not posting WET PAINT signs. Bellman got paint
on our luggage. Bride and I both got paint on ourselves somewhere on the
property. Front Desk offered dry cleaning, but that didn't work. They then
offered a pittance ($5-$7) reimbursement for the damaged garments.

I am convinced that that swim-up bar at the upper pool was shorting the
alcohol or watering down mixed drinks. Bartender refused to make the drinks
in plain sight - always working in a pit that was out of view. The "top shelf"
liquor bottles on the shelf were display only - never used, not once.

No wait staff working the pool areas.

1:2 of the jacuzzis in the upper pool area was virtually unheated.

The mens locker room at the spa was very poorly kempt. Towel baskets
were so over-full that it was difficult to place another towel on the pile.
Out of disposable razors, but cases & cases of shaving creme. Cold-towel
caddy wasn't cold and didn't have towels. One of the doors on the vanity
had a broken hinge, would not close and was hanging open at an awkward
angle.

Bathroom sink plunger was not connected to the handle. Called for maint.
Rather than fix the thing, he showed me how-to crawl under the vanity and
operate it myself.

Only 1:4 PCs in the internet cafe worked.

Resort really insisted on using resort/room charge ... but there were some
venues on the property where the point-of-sale system would not not take
cards for some of the guest rooms. Do you feel lucky today?

Starbucks bar had two *small* coffee pots, one decaf, one caf ... there was
frequently a line waiting while they brewed more coffee. No in-room coffee
makers.

When we checked out, the clerk asked, "how was your stay?" I politely told
her. She was utterly unresponsive. A follow-up email/survey ... got no reply
whatsoever.

-doug