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Edinburgh Caledonian going from Hilton to W=A
First posting on Hilton website and hope you can help. We have a stay in the Edinburgh Caledonian Waldorf coming up. When we booked it was a Hilton and booked using points (that for some reason was not refundable). As Diamond members we would have been eligible for a free breakfast in the Hilton but this isn't a benefit for the Waldorf.
Grateful for advice on whether the hotel should honour the free breakfast. We are staying for two nights and reckon the breakfasts will be about $160!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cme17
First posting on Hilton website and hope you can help. We have a stay in the Edinburgh Caledonian Waldorf coming up. When we booked it was a Hilton and booked using points (that for some reason was not refundable). As Diamond members we would have been eligible for a free breakfast in the Hilton but this isn't a benefit for the Waldorf.
Grateful for advice on whether the hotel should honour the free breakfast. We are staying for two nights and reckon the breakfasts will be about $160!
Send an e-mail to the hotel now explaining what occured; they won't be surprised. Ask them to annotate your account for check-in that you should have comp breakfast since you booked Hilton as Diamond prior to the hotel switching. I seriously doubt they will fight you on this as long as you raise the issue sooner rather than later. I'm staying here in early September, so I plan on shooting off an e-mail too.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fozziedoggie
Send an e-mail to the hotel now explaining what occured; they won't be surprised. Ask them to annotate your account for check-in that you should have comp breakfast since you booked Hilton as Diamond prior to the hotel switching. I seriously doubt they will fight you on this as long as you raise the issue sooner rather than later. I'm staying here in early September, so I plan on shooting off an e-mail too.
Thanks - have emailed them. Also noticed that I had booked a king classic room but the new hotel only has queen rooms. Anybody know what happens when you are 'downgraded' on an awards booking?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cme17
Thanks - have emailed them. Also noticed that I had booked a king classic room but the new hotel only has queen rooms. Anybody know what happens when you are 'downgraded' on an awards booking?
There's not much you can do if you booked a standard award. Your award entitles you to a standard room only (unless you booked a premium with a specific room type). If the standard room at the Edinburgh Waldof is now a queen, that is all your award entitles you to. However, as a Diamond, you will probably get some sort of an upgrade. Last time I was there, I was upgraded to a Castle View room. Very nice room.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by travelinfoo
There's not much you can do if you booked a standard award. Your award entitles you to a standard room only (unless you booked a premium with a specific room type). If the standard room at the Edinburgh Waldof is now a queen, that is all your award entitles you to. However, as a Diamond, you will probably get some sort of an upgrade. Last time I was there, I was upgraded to a Castle View room. Very nice room.
But since it is no longer a Hilton property, I wouldn't expect much in the way of Diamond benefits. You might be able to contact HH to change your booking since you have a "significant" change to your reservation. Can't hurt to call.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerD408
But since it is no longer a Hilton property, I wouldn't expect much in the way of Diamond benefits. You might be able to contact HH to change your booking since you have a "significant" change to your reservation. Can't hurt to call.
It's still a Hilton property, just a different brand. (See their web site, which has a Hilton HHonors link right next to the Waldorf Astoria link.)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sethb
It's still a Hilton property, just a different brand. (See their web site, which has a Hilton HHonors link right next to the Waldorf Astoria link.)
I'm pretty sure he understands that the Caledonian is still part of Hilton Worldwide, and was simply pointing out that Diamond elites receive fewer benefits at Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts than at Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
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Just at the hotel as we speak. The breakfast benefit will definitely be an issue with the switch of brand, so hopefully they will look after you and sort this for you after your email.
I only booked the property recently as a WA, so no such luck for me for breakfast. In my Diamond welcome letter, we do get a reduced breakfast cost of £15 per person (down from £20) if we want it. Not bad value by UK standards, but we have decided not to go for it after a Christmas period of eating a bit too well.
The hotel does still try to look after Diamonds with upgrades, but it will always be hit and miss as it will be pretty busy a lot of the time. We are only here for one night, but we were upgraded to a King Junior Suite which is a rather nice room, so no complaints at all.
Good luck to the OP and I hope they get their breakfast issue sorted.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RAPC
Just at the hotel as we speak. The breakfast benefit will definitely be an issue with the switch of brand, so hopefully they will look after you and sort this for you after your email.
I only booked the property recently as a WA, so no such luck for me for breakfast. In my Diamond welcome letter, we do get a reduced breakfast cost of £15 per person (down from £20) if we want it. Not bad value by UK standards, but we have decided not to go for it after a Christmas period of eating a bit too well.
The hotel does still try to look after Diamonds with upgrades, but it will always be hit and miss as it will be pretty busy a lot of the time. We are only here for one night, but we were upgraded to a King Junior Suite which is a rather nice room, so no complaints at all.
Good luck to the OP and I hope they get their breakfast issue sorted.
Thank you -£15 isn't too bad. We check in later today so hopefully we will get your room!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cme17
Thank you -£15 isn't too bad. We check in later today so hopefully we will get your room!
If there are any issues, show them the date of your booking to verify that you made the booking when it was still a Hilton. There should be no problem.
This happened to me at another hotel that was rebranded a Waldorf. They apparently already had a notation that I was to get breakfast due to the timing of my booking.
The Caledonian is a wonderful hotel. I was there when it was pretty crowded but I still got a nice Castle View room (regular King). I also got surprised with a basket of fruit, a bottle of wine and some little desserts to make up for not being able to upgrade me further!
The hotel will Likely take care of you regarding breakfast, however in their defense they announced to the world well over a year ago that they will switch to a wf and had renovations scheduled for the hotel prior to the brand change... since you can only book rooms one year out you would have been aware at booking that you would stay at a wf not a Hilton.
Again, the service level at the Daley is top notch and I would guess they will take care of you... With that said if yo read the read print on their booking screen when you booked your room you were told about the switch so this isn't or at least shouldn't be a surprise
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbearbuck
The hotel will Likely take care of you regarding breakfast, however in their defense they announced to the world well over a year ago that they will switch to a wf and had renovations scheduled for the hotel prior to the brand change... since you can only book rooms one year out you would have been aware at booking that you would stay at a wf not a Hilton.
Again, the service level at the Daley is top notch and I would guess they will take care of you... With that said if yo read the read print on their booking screen when you booked your room you were told about the switch so this isn't or at least shouldn't be a surprise
Have checked in. No upgrade and no mention of breakfast - will ask at checkout. I had assumed that Diamonds got free breakfast at all properties - it is our first stay at a WA. Will remember that for the next booking!
Have checked in. No upgrade and no mention of breakfast - will ask at checkout. I had assumed that Diamonds got free breakfast at all properties - it is our first stay at a WA. Will remember that for the next booking!
Ask for alister the conceirge, explain your predicament and see if he can help... Andrew one of the servers who works the morning breakfast shift will also go out of his way to help if he can (hence the reason I remember both of their names). I haven't been to the caley in the last nine months so not sure either are still There
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sethb
It's still a Hilton property, just a different brand. (See their web site, which has a Hilton HHonors link right next to the Waldorf Astoria link.)
My mistake. Keeping up with all the brands and which direction they salute in the morning is tough to keep up with. I have read many posts where the property gets reflagged and the guest is left guessing what's going to happen.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cme17
Have checked in. No upgrade and no mention of breakfast - will ask at checkout. I had assumed that Diamonds got free breakfast at all properties - it is our first stay at a WA. Will remember that for the next booking!
Breakfast is NOT a Diamond benefit for WA except where the hotel specifies (e.g., Rome Cavalieri).
Actually WA don't really offer too much in terms of benefits.
Since you booked a Hilton, you can show the confirmation of your booking to verify that it really was still a Hilton at the time of your booking.
