Hilton HHonors - Change in smoking policy after making a prepaid reservation in Dublin

Hi, I'd appreciate some advice from the more experienced here, please.

I have a prepaid reservation for end April at the Hilton Dublin, made after I stayed several weeks ago at the Hilton Kilmainham. I chose to book stay #2 at the "closer to the centre" location, after finding out that there's not much around the Kilmainham area for the evenings.

My reservation was made and accepted for a smoking room; however, on checking this and several other reservations for May, I note that the Hilton Dublin has recently changed to be completely non-smoking. I've called the hotel this morning, spoken initially to a reservations agent, then to a manager and have been promised a call-back (or email) tomorrow.

I've also called the Diamond desk, who have given me an email address to use for Glasgow if I don't get a satisfactory answer from the hotel tomorrow.

I can understand the reasoning as explained to me by the reservations manager in Dublin paraphrased thus "we've just refurbished all rooms and therefore we don't want people making the rooms smell". However, I'm there on business, I need to work in the evenings, I like to smoke whilst I work and I had planned on doing that during this stay.

Although this is a pre-paid and non-cancelleable reservation, I may want to get a refund on the assumption that the hotel wants to stick to it's new policy.

What are my options/chances of this?

Has anyone experienced a need to ask for a refund on a pre-paid rate when the hotel has changed their policy?

Is there still a customer service team in Glasgow, that respond to emails sent to 'hrccglasgow@hilton.com'?

Thanks for any advice

Jeremy Russell

I am certain you will get a full refund if you state the change of policy as the reason for the cancellation.

I am certain you will get a full refund if you state the change of policy as the reason for the cancellation. I would have to agree, if they will not give you a refund I would demand the smokeing room that was prepaid for.

Another in agreement here.

I booked a smoking room at the Hilton Washington Embassy Row last year but when I checked-in, I was informed that there was no smoking room available and in fact there were only a few smoking rooms at the hotel and they were all being renovated so in fact, there was no smoking rooms at all. This was after 9pm. I called the Diamond Desk and was offered a waiver of the cancellation policy and immediately booked into a smoking room at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue. I think Hilton will be very accommodating if you explain the situation.

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Is there still a customer service team in Glasgow, that respond to emails sent to 'hrccglasgow@hilton.com'?

Yes, there is still a customer service team at Glasgow but they don't seem to have a Diamond Desk there now. However the e-mail address you quote is correct. I have just recently used that e-mail address and had a successful outcome.

I called the Diamond Desk and was offered a waiver of the cancellation policy and immediately booked into a smoking room at the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Avenue. I think Hilton will be very accommodating if you explain the situation.

The hotel's reservation manager was indeed most helpful, offering to switch my reservation to the other Hilton at Kilmainham. Problem is I stayed at the Kilmainham location several weeks ago and it was a little too far from the city for convenience.

I've completely cancelled the reservation (at least, that's what was promised) and will regretfully have to stay in a non-Hilton property. It's a shame, cos I was going for my monthly record, 3 nights Dublin, 5 nights Copenhagen, 5 nights Glasgow and 7 nights in New York, all before end of May.

Anyways, the matter will be dealt with, I'm sure and I'll just keep checking for the refund ...

Thanks for the advice.