Hilton London Metropole {GBR}

Old Sep 28, 1999, 8:23 am
  #1  
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Arrow Hilton London Metropole {GBR}

Hey all,

I will be staying at the Hilton Metropole in London next month. Has anyone stayed there and can give a report?

Thanks,
Baze
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 6:16 am
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Not first hand, but a friend stay there a couple of months ago, and was a bit disappointed. The property is a four star (I think) but this is only because it has the neccessary trouser press etc in the rooms.

Remember, this is actually a Stakis hotel.

Tim
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 8:41 am
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Adam or John,

I am confused about this hotel, is it a Stakis or a Hilton? Will it count as a stay? On the Hilton site it mentions nothing about it being a Stakis. It is too late for me to change my reservation but I would like to know if this property counts for HHonors as Stakis hotels are listed as not eligible for HHonors points accrual. And if it is not eligible then the Hilton web site needs to be fixed to show this as a Stakis property.

Thanks for any help on this.

Baze
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 9:21 am
  #4  
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Just out of curiosity, why is it too late to change?
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 9:49 am
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It is only 2 weeks away from my visit and this is the only property I could find that had rooms available for all the days I will be there. I could probably go to another brand but I got a good price here. 3 free nights on an award and 110 GBP for the remaining 4 nights. Even the Holiday Inn Express was the same price for all 7 nights as the Hilton is for 4 so if I am going to pay the same money I would rather stay at the Hilton. I just hope I can get a stay for the 4 paid nights. It is also very close to the people I am visiting. I was also told that paid nights count as stays even if in conjunction with an award stay. Just the award nights not eligible.
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 11:57 am
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I see. Sorry I don't know when the Stakis will be fully absrbed but Adam will likely help on that. In the worst case, you could move for one day (eg first day/night on way in or out at the Hilton airport. It'll get you a stay. If this is on a weekend you could make out with a pretty decent rate. Best of luck.
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 1:35 pm
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Hello all -- Couple points of clarification:

1) The Hilton Metropole has been converted from a Stakis to a Hilton property and, as such, is already available for HHonors earning and redemption.

2) We are putting together a conversion plan for Stakis properties, and our current understanding is that they will be available for HHonors earning and redemption early next Spring.

Best regards,

Adam
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 1:38 pm
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Sorry...accidentally submitted the above twice.

Adam

[This message has been edited by Adam Burke (edited 09-29-1999).]
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Old Sep 29, 1999, 1:54 pm
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Adam, thank you for your quick response. And to make it even better you gave the answer I wanted to hear.

Baze
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Old May 21, 2001, 11:26 am
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Hilton London Metropole hotel Trip Reports and Reviews

Seeing as I posted very complimentary comments about the Hilton Metropole Birmingham (great hotel), I thought I would try the Hilton Metropole London - I haven't stayed there since it became a Hilton - what a dissapointment!

I stayed there last night.

Gripe 1: I specifically wanted to have dinner in the Aspects of London restaurant with Sim. I checked that it was open on the Hilton website, I checked by telephone and I even confirmed that I wanted a table there in my confirmation fax.

When I arrived, no record of the fax and guess what? The restaurant doesn't open on a Sunday.


Gripe 2: Ok, the restaurant isn't open - I thought, we will get a nice suite and have room service. I asked an check-in if I could pay extra for a suite. I was told "but you have a nice room", I knew that as I booked the room in the first place!

I ask again. They don't get it and I give up - talk about throwing money away!

But hang-on... as I am leaving reception I am told that there is a suprise (honest she actually said a suprise) for me in the room "a lovely gift". It was a nice thought, and I am grateful, but two bottles of mineral water didn't really deserve that level of build-up.

Gripe 3: I want to extend my stay by a night so we could go to the Aspects of London restaurant tonight instead (I am at home now). But no, they are full (1,000 rooms remember). What about waitlisting? They tell me they don't do that. I have a diamond card does that make any different? No.

Ok, I accept that if they are full they are full - but they didn't even try.


Gripe 4: I have a lunch with colleagues (in the very same restaurant which Simone is angry with me about, because we can't go there at lunch). Simone wants to keep the room a little longer. I ask reception, they so no. I offer to pay more, they so no. I please for an extension from 11am to noon, they say no.

Again, OK if they can't accomodate the request fine, but they could at least try.


Gripe 4: OK, they can't extend the room past 11am. I ask for them to keep the bill open past 11am so Simone can drown her sorrows at the bar (they sent me a very kind letter saying that they would charge my credit-card at 11am unless I contacted reception). They say they can't do that. I tell them they can have the room back, I just want the account keeping open. Are you ready for this... they tell me "if we do that we will have to charge you for an extra night". Honestly, I am not making it up. They want to charge me a hundred and seventy quid, for the privilidge of spending money at their bar for an extra couple of hours.

Gripe 5: When I PAY for an Executive Room (no upgrade), is it too much to ask that they actually place something in your room telling me that the only benefit this extra payment grants me is access to the Executive Lounge? As an added bonus perhaps a small comment about where the Lounge is and the opening hours?


OK, I have had my gripes - let me find some positive things. They guy in the Executive Lounge was charming (and overworked!), he even let us have a drink after hours (a lock-in in the Exec Lounge, fancy!).


No sorry, nothing else positive. The signage to the rooms was dreadful. The signage to the Executive Lounge even worse and the concierge sent us to the wrong past of the building. The lifts involved the longest wait I have ever know. The YUCK restaurant staff decided that squeezing past Simon's chair was a suitable short-cut to the kitchen. The YUCK restaurant Manager was as ignorant as you can get, although the waiter we had was delightful.


Oh I could go on and on... this place is a great building in a good location. The rooms are good, but by god does the General Manager need to get of his rear and upgrade the service.

My verdict: If you get a cheap deal, give it a try. But don't expect good service - you will be dissapointed.

Will I be staying there again? No way.


Nick


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Old May 21, 2001, 11:34 am
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I am staying there on Wednesday this week and it will be my first stay as a Diamond. I have to say I was looking forward to it...until I read this post. Never mind at least it is my company paying for it.
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Old May 21, 2001, 12:30 pm
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I stayed at the Metropole during the first weekend in May. As a Hilton Gold, and paying a 65.53 per night rate, I was upgraded to an executive room. Never ate at any of the hotel restaurants, never do.

The only problem I encountered was with room service. The guest services directory indicates that room service is 24-hours. As I was checking out at 6:00 a.m. to catch an 8:00 a.m. flight out of LHR, I wanted a room service breakfast at 5:00 a.m. since the restaurant didn't open until 6:30 or 7:00 a.m.

I called up room service at 4:00 a.m. and the phone rang forever. I gave up and called the front desk who re-connected me to room service and someone finally answered. I asked for breakfast and they said the chef doesn't come in until 6:00 a.m. Fine. I wanted a continental breakfast with croissants. They said the bakery doesn't deliver them until 5:30. Fine, forget the croissants and give me toast. Called the front desk and they credited my account so there was no charge for the continental breakfast.

Some properties advertise limited after-hours room service. The Metropole should do likewise.
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Old May 21, 2001, 1:33 pm
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I hope you send your complaints up the chain and they do something about it. I'm spending a week there (no choice) later this summer so I hope I can get the time of day from them. I'm paying for an Executive room (125 GBP) so I won't have to worry about an upgrade.

I'm really surprised about not allowing late check out. Isn't that mandatory for Diamonds? I've never had a problem with any Hilton, Starwood or Hyatt doing late check-out. And I'm only Hilton Gold!
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Old May 21, 2001, 5:37 pm
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My wife and I have stayed at both properties as a Diamond. We think it would be great to get the Birmingham Metropole manager transferred to London. In Birmingham you're greeted with clocks, pen sets, bears...in London you get sneers...no bears.
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Old May 21, 2001, 7:40 pm
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Wow! Just goes to show it really depends on the personnel at a hotel during one's stay.

Every stay at the Metropole has been wonderful, the people, upgrades (for non-Hilton friends)

Can't comment on the food, never eat in the hotel.
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