Programs: AA plat,VS/BA/SK gold, IC RA, Hyatt/HH diamond, Accor plat, CC gold
Posts: 3,279
Quote:
Originally Posted by Time traveller
Update: Just talked to someone from the Hilton Executive Office. This property leaves Hilton as of midnight tonight. Existing reservations are "supposed" to get elite benefits but no points. What really happens at the property will be determined though...
After planning to stay at the Doubletree Oslo next summer, I was wondering why I kept getting failures in trying to book it. Forgot that the first place I should have checked is here as there is no explanation on the Hilton or third-party sites...it is just gone.
Oh well, off to the Grand Hotel. No doubt a better experience, but I was hoping to burn some points.
Pity, I never got to stay there. Had a booking next month which I will now cancel. Good location, but not perfect for the objection of my visit (a performance at the opera). The price for a week-end stay is too high when no points. Will probably find a Nordic Choice property instead.
As for the very sudden exit, there has not been much in the Norwegian media. Found this today in Aftenposten (Norwegian only):
Kjeden, som har vært representert med varemerket Doubletree by Hilton, har besluttet å trekke seg ut av det norske markedet og har sagt opp en mangeårig franchiseavtale med Key Hotels Group. Hotelldriften ble stanset mandag.
Nedleggelsen bekreftes overfor Aftenposten av kjedens europeiske informasjonsdirektør, Jules Kerby.
- Vi kan bekrefte at Hilton-kjenden har sagt opp franchiseavtalen for Oslo-hotellet og hotellet er fjernet fra alle Hiltons verdensomspennende reservasjonssystemer. Ut over dette betrakter vi bakgrunnen for oppsigelsen via-à-vis Key Hotels som et konfidensielt anliggende, sier Kerby
Hos Key Hotels, som står for driften av hotellbygget i Oslo sentrum, vil man heller ikke kommentere saken, men sier at driften av hotell i bygningen skal fortsette også etter at Hilton har trukket seg ut med sitt hotell som offisielt het Doubletree by Hilton Oslo City Centre. Hotellet har åpnet som Teateret hotell, uten kjedetilknytning.
Hilton has decided to cancel a long-term franchise deal. The hotel operation was stopped on Monday. The cancellation was confirmed by Hilton's European Director of Communications Jules Kerby
We are able to confirm that Hilton has terminated the franchise agreement for the Oslo hotel, and that the hotel has been removed from all of Hilton's worldwide reservation systems. Any other information about the background for the termination, we consider a confidential matter vis-a vis Key Hotels, says Kerby.
The operator of the hotel, Kerby hotels, do not want to comment on the issue either, but confirms that the hotel will continue in business, as the "Teateret hotell", with no chain affiliation.
The way the insistence on confidentiality on the part of Hilton is phrased (at least in the Norwegian text, could there be an original Hilton press release in English somewhere?), and the suddenness of the termination implies fishy business to my ears...
As for people having booked stays this or the next week, in the good faith that they would get points and benefits, this is bait-and-switch. A word with the Norwegian Consumers Authority might be in order...
The hotel is described by the newspaper as having "an exclusive style" and being priced rather high in the market, A local market analyst regrets the disappearance of a strong international chain in Norway (Neither *wood, Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt or IHG have ANY presence in Norway now), and suggests that "Doubletree" is not strong enough a brand in Norway to give sufficient recognition in the local market. He is probably right. Hilton (as in Germany, Sweden and Denmark) would be a better branding.
Programs: Scandic, Accor, HHonors, Diners, SAS EB, 1W, BalticMiles
Posts: 2,410
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksu
the market analyst regrets the disappearance of a strong international chain in Norway (Neither *wood, Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt or IHG have ANY presence in Norway now), and suggests that "Doubletree" is not strong enough a brand in Norway to give sufficient recognition in the local market. He is probably right. Hilton (as in Germany, Sweden and Denmark) would be a better branding.
I completely agree. "Doubletree" probably isn't a very strong brand anywhere (although the one in Istanbul is a nice hotel!). But there can't be a Hilton in every village (although there could be one in Oslo).
"Hampton" doesn't sound like a quality hotel brand name either, at least in my Nordic ears. "Scandic" would be nice! Oh well, a missed chance..
Hilton has decided to cancel a long-term franchise deal. The hotel operation was stopped on Monday. The cancellation was confirmed by Hilton's European Director of Communications Jules Kerby
We are able to confirm that Hilton has terminated the franchise agreement for the Oslo hotel, and that the hotel has been removed from all of Hilton's worldwide reservation systems. Any other information about the background for the termination, we consider a confidential matter vis-a vis Key Hotels, says Kerby.
The operator of the hotel, Kerby hotels, do not want to comment on the issue either, but confirms that the hotel will continue in business, as the "Teateret hotell", with no chain affiliation.
The way the insistence on confidentiality on the part of Hilton is phrased (at least in the Norwegian text, could there be an original Hilton press release in English somewhere?), and the suddenness of the termination implies fishy business to my ears...
As for people having booked stays this or the next week, in the good faith that they would get points and benefits, this is bait-and-switch. A word with the Norwegian Consumers Authority might be in order...
The hotel is described by the newspaper as having "an exclusive style" and being priced rather high in the market, A local market analyst regrets the disappearance of a strong international chain in Norway (Neither *wood, Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt or IHG have ANY presence in Norway now), and suggests that "Doubletree" is not strong enough a brand in Norway to give sufficient recognition in the local market. He is probably right. Hilton (as in Germany, Sweden and Denmark) would be a better branding.
I'm saving my Club Carlson points for a future trip to Norway as they have a nice presence....even Tromso!
we finished a four night stay 7/8-12 -- the rogue disco made it unbearable in combination with no ac but we couldnt open the windows due to the disco, the clock bells and the birds. the manager defended the restaurant being closed for "low" season and other inadequacies. We got half our 145k points back this week from HH thanks to your alert FT that this hotel was de-flagged.
Programs: LH Sen, AF/KL gold, AB platinum, BA silver, HHonors diamond, SPG gold, ...
Posts: 234
thanks for the warning!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Time traveller
This property is leaving the Hilton family. Does anyone know when that is happening and if it is becoming independent or becoming part of another chain? What happens to those with reservations via Hilton already? Will one get elite benefits like free wifi and breakfast?
Update: Just talked to someone from the Hilton Executive Office. This property leaves Hilton as of midnight tonight. Existing reservations are "supposed" to get elite benefits but no points. What really happens at the property will be determined though...
Thanks for the warning just in time!
Got a pre-paid reservation (made by Hilton website) for that hotel for next week and counted on it for my 2013 status.
Only after I had contacted Hilton (should that not have been the other way round?) to get confirmation my reservation will be honored and the night, stay and points did I get your information confirmed. And whilst they are trying to clear up the situation for my reservation, the rates for the other hotels in Oslo keep rising to my disadvantage.
I guess that will spoil my attempt to reach platinum with the limited number of stays still possible for me in 2012.
Programs: UA - Global Services - Hilton & Hyatt Diamond - Avis First
Posts: 344
Just checked in - Aug 17 2012
So a week after this hotel left the Hilton Family, hard to tell they are not a DoubleTree any more. The flags hanging out front are gone, but many gold plaque like signs are still out front with the DoubleTree logo. Hilton worldwide and Doubletree logos all around the front desk.
I did pop out my Diamond card and the agent thanked me for being a Diamond, told me I was upgraded to a Jr. Suite (front a single room), given an internet code and told I would get Breakfast.
The room was mostly striped but the "Sweet Dreams" pillow, DoubleTree paper glass covers and "Hilton Hotel" on the fire escape plan. There is no room service menu, no "about this hotel" book, also no welcome gift or bottled water.
I asked the front desk how long they will offer Hilton VIP benefits, she said "Not to long I'm sure"
I'm saving my Club Carlson points for a future trip to Norway as they have a nice presence....even Tromso!
That's true. As the former SAS hotel chain now operates as Radisson Blu, they have a good presence in the larger and middle sized cities of Norway (and Choice even better, but that franchise appears to be somewhat independent of the international chain)
Programs: LH Sen, AF/KL gold, AB platinum, BA silver, HHonors diamond, SPG gold, ...
Posts: 234
48 hours to stay - no decission on Hilton's side
I feel a bit let down by Hilton:
After I contacted Hhonors they themselves on their own accord started a process to get my pre-paid reservation released and refunded. But since then I can get no reply from hhonors on the status of this.
So now I am in the middle of nowhere:
- don't know if the hotel will honor my reservation or if I will receive a re-payment
- so don't know if I can or should make a reservation elsewhere before rates increase even further or if I will then end up with paying for two hotels
- asking if the points will still be creditted to my Hhonors account and if the stay and night will still be counted for my status I received the answer that I would receive "no hhonors benefits" at this hotel. Does that apply to late check-out, upgrade and internet or does it apply to the credits? Since I made the reservation with Hilton in good faith this is a Doubletree and since the information that this is no longer the case came from flyertalk and not from Hilton I guess I would stand good chances with consumer authorities.
I will be en route from tomorrow onwards which slightly limits my possibilities to search for alternatives, so I guess I will check right into the Radisson Plaza and send the invoice to Hilton.
Programs: LH Sen, AF/KL gold, AB platinum, BA silver, HHonors diamond, SPG gold, ...
Posts: 234
Warning - Hilton let me down
After not receiving a reply from Hilton reservations or hhonors to my several mails to all known addresses until this morning, I led three long phonecalls to hhonors and Hilton reservations from abroad, totally over 35minutes, to finally get the information that the hotel would honor my reservation, but I would not receive and points for my stay, nor would my stay and night be creditted to status (which I've got written confirmation of on my reservation confirmation send to me by Hilton, after I made my reservation with Hilton exactly for this reason, when they had offered the hotel as theirs).
I am now at the hotel, I got exactly the room I booked plus my free internet as gold member, only the cookies are missing. But the hotel now claims they never received my advance payment from Hilton (that's the one Hilton is trying to find a way to re-fund it on their own accord since 10 days which caused all this chaos) and will have to charge me again upon check-out. Certainly I have informed Hilton about this and asked once again for a reaction but till now received none.
