Hilton Auckland {NZL}

Old Feb 27, 2010, 2:50 pm
  #166  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: EWR - Jersey Shore
Programs: UA Gold, *A Gold, HH Dia, Hertz #1 5*
Posts: 630
Originally Posted by 777 global mile hound
I agree you beat me to posting.However there are other programs without a major devaluation that do it all.Glad to see Swiss Global was taken care of
Wonder how others are faring and if is any indicator the property is working harder to exceed expectations.As a Diamond paying for two rooms I received
the basic harbor view room some time ago.
I just stayed at the Auckland Hilton 19-23 Feb on an award stay. Noticed the tarps and the work being done on the harbor side of the hotel, the side where the cruise ships come in. Looked like the Bow Suites were unaffected but those Deluxe Harbour Rooms were the ones being worked on. I am a Diamond VIP. I did not receive an upgraded room. I had two twin beds on the pool/parking side of the hotel. I had noticed that about 5-6 days prior to arrival that no King rooms were being offered for sale on the website. I'm guessing the hotel was offering the remaining King rooms for sale and changing those who had King rooms reserved for an award stay to Twin rooms. I did not ask when the renovation work was going to be completed.

I was given the continental breakfast in White for free and was given two complimentary waters each day. I was also presented with a bottle of wine in my room because of the upgrade that wasn't to be.

My MyWay selection was the room upgrade so I would get the upgrade and/or the breakfast. I paid for the one hour of internet (NZD14.50). Anything over one hour is charged the 24 hour rate of NZD29.00. Parking at the Hilton is valet only at NZD30.00/day.

I noticed no mold in my room, especially the bathroom. Between regular housekeeping and the evening turn-down service, the room was always immaculate. Having stayed there twice before (the last being four years ago), I noticed the touch-sensitive minibar was gone and replaced with a decent size fridge with all of your normal minibar stuff inside. The front desk told when me, after I asked, that it would be no problem removing (not consuming, just removing) something out of the fridge in order to make room for something I bought and wanted kept cold.

My previous stays resulted in upgrades to the harbor side. I'm guessing since the hotel was soldout and some rooms were out of service, upgrades were not available. Anyone upgraded to a Bow Suite must have been there during a slower period where those rooms were not sold. The rules for upgrades usually preclude upgrade to suites. Anyone who ever got a Bow Suite and the breakfast should consider themselves extremely lucky.
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Old Feb 27, 2010, 11:10 pm
  #167  
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Originally Posted by JerseySlime


I was given the continental breakfast in White for free and was given two complimentary waters each day. I was also presented with a bottle of wine in my room because of the upgrade that wasn't to be.


I noticed no mold in my room, especially the bathroom. Between regular housekeeping and the evening turn-down service, the room was always immaculate. Having stayed there twice before (the last being four years ago), I noticed the touch-sensitive minibar was gone and replaced with a decent size fridge with all of your normal minibar stuff inside. The front desk told when me, after I asked, that it would be no problem removing (not consuming, just removing) something out of the fridge in order to make room for something I bought and wanted kept cold.

My previous stays resulted in upgrades to the harbor side. I'm guessing since the hotel was soldout and some rooms were out of service, upgrades were not available. Anyone upgraded to a Bow Suite must have been there during a slower period where those rooms were not sold. The rules for upgrades usually preclude upgrade to suites. Anyone who ever got a Bow Suite and the breakfast should consider themselves extremely lucky.
Appreciate you sharing your experience.
Keep in mind that any time one requests or books twin bedded rooms the chances of a great upgrade diminishes substantially in my own experience

Regarding mold it is a serious issue with any building that has experienced any kind of water or moisture damage/entry.You typically can not see mold it grows under floors and in walls.From there it can get into a ventilation system or in the air of a guest room/building.It is not the surface kind of minor mold that one sees growing in between the cracks of grouting and seen on the surface.Every year it causes deaths due to exposure and shortens lives airborne and invisible.
I am no expert but I had it in my house after flooding from a next door neighbors home and was very fortunate to have an insistent friend who argued with the recovery team and insurance company to open up my living room walls and yes there it was rows of it.........Was shocked as you could see nothing in the room.My floors were moisture damaged too and had been to be replaced yet there again looked fine visually.

I would rather stay in a hotel cleaned up after a bed bug infestation which is more easily seen by professionals then be exposed to a water damaged property.Most companies don't do extensive searches for mold becuase it is a costly search and nobody wants to pay typically........
Once it is dry and they do their testing frequently they just hope for the best and move on
For further info google if interested.I only became interested after having the problem
In a word more scary then it looks from the surface
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Old Mar 5, 2010, 7:55 pm
  #168  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
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Originally Posted by 777 global mile hound
Appreciate you sharing your experience.
Keep in mind that any time one requests or books twin bedded rooms the chances of a great upgrade diminishes substantially in my own experience
I never booked a twin room. I had booked a king room with my award. About 6 days out from my stay I had noticed it had changed from a king to a twin room. I'm guessing they wanted to sell the king rooms and substituted a twin room. The twin bed is way too narrow.
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Old Mar 5, 2010, 8:34 pm
  #169  
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Originally Posted by JerseySlime
I never booked a twin room. I had booked a king room with my award. About 6 days out from my stay I had noticed it had changed from a king to a twin room. I'm guessing they wanted to sell the king rooms and substituted a twin room. The twin bed is way too narrow.
I am feeling great now having canceled my booking with them thanks for the heads up
wow thats evil on the hotels part
If the shoes were reversed I would be all over that situation
If the hotel didn't make good as a Diamond guest I would take it up with Hilton Guest Assistance
Unacceptable IMO They should have stuck you in a king suite if they needed your room type that badly
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Old Mar 9, 2010, 9:28 pm
  #170  
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
Some of the best view rooms are currently unavailable due to leaks.

NZ Herald
Hmm. I'll be visiting AKL late May and was contemplating staying at the Hilton. Unfortunately, the linked NZ Herald article doesn't stipulate when the works will finish.

Do we have any FTers currently in AKL who can confirm that the scaffolding is still there? What are the chances the repairs will be ongoing in May?
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Old May 11, 2010, 2:58 pm
  #171  
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It appears that the hotel is again offering Diamonds free continental breakfast...are the drink coupons in the bar still provided as well? Is Internet expensive at this hotel?
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Old May 11, 2010, 3:16 pm
  #172  
 
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Good news about breakfast. ^

If I remember to do so, I'll let you know about the drink coupons and Internet charges in a couple of weeks; I'm staying one night there later this month.
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Old Sep 8, 2010, 6:46 pm
  #173  
 
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stayed here a few years ago as Diamond and got the basics. thinking or staying there again this month

has there been any improvement since feb?

or do they have a givem the basics attitude still.
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Old Nov 2, 2011, 1:10 am
  #174  
 
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View Rooms

Any recent experience of this property? Is any type of harbor view room now verboten for Diamonds on reward stays because Hilton wants more than double the points for those rooms?

Granted the view from parts of the hotel is excellent, this place is very expensive on either cash or points stays. There is no executive lounge, and only continental breakfast is included in the room rate.
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Old Nov 5, 2011, 12:03 am
  #175  
 
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We're in the middle of a two-night stay here at the Hilton Auckland.

Hotel is is great shape -- rooms look new and I don't see any construction going on. Received a letter that spells out the Diamond benefits:
  • Complimentary Full Breakfast for two in FISH restaurant
  • Complimentary Drink voucher for two in Bellini Bar per night of stay
  • Coplimentary in-room high speed internet access
  • Complimentary Turndown service including two bottles of Waiwera water
  • Complimentary local Newspaper
  • Complimentary Late Checkout at request [and subject to availability]

The breakfast is a lot nicer then the Hilton Lake Taupo that we stayed at a few days ago -- a good selection of hot items are included as well. The turndown service is nice to get a few bottled waters -- there is also water available at breakfast in a small fridge -- sparkling water is available there too.
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Old Dec 9, 2011, 9:56 pm
  #176  
 
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Thanks for this recent update. We will be there next month so up to date information is always good. What kind of room did you have? What transportation did you take from the airport?
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Old Dec 10, 2011, 7:26 pm
  #177  
 
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Originally Posted by worldiswide
Thanks for this recent update. We will be there next month so up to date information is always good. What kind of room did you have? What transportation did you take from the airport?
We just had a King Harborview room -- it was a pretty busy weekend so no upgrades were available (besides being a harborview). Room was perfectly fine though.

We rented a car since we were driving to Rotorua, Waitomo, etc. It was actually nice to have the car in Auckland as well to get to some of the restaurants in the surrounding neighborhoods.
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Old Dec 10, 2011, 10:07 pm
  #178  
 
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Originally Posted by bworrell
We just had a King Harborview room -- it was a pretty busy weekend so no upgrades were available (besides being a harborview). Room was perfectly fine though.

We rented a car since we were driving to Rotorua, Waitomo, etc. It was actually nice to have the car in Auckland as well to get to some of the restaurants in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Thanks for the response. King harbor view isnt bad. We were thinking of renting a car as there are some places we wanted to o outside of CBd. Any good restaurant suggestions?
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Old Dec 11, 2011, 2:43 pm
  #179  
 
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Originally Posted by worldiswide
Thanks for the response. King harbor view isnt bad. We were thinking of renting a car as there are some places we wanted to o outside of CBd. Any good restaurant suggestions?
Try a restaurant called degree (yes, a lower case 'd'). As you exit the Princes Wharf, make a right and head into Viaduct Harbour. You'll see the huge NZ1 Americas Cup boat in front of you. degree is at the corner to the left. Try preparing your own steak on a super heated stone brick and wash it down with a couple of Monteith's Golds.
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Old Dec 12, 2011, 8:28 pm
  #180  
 
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Thanks for the suggestion. Sounds like a good plan and easy to find. Did you park at the hotel. Is it valet or self park?
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