JohnnyColombia

Wifi fine
I was not Gold when I stayed via an OTA but I got bonus points and incidentals credited to my account.
Hilton is on the edge of Rosales. Probably the safest neighbourhood in Bogotá

JohnnyColombia

Hilton Bogotá now has Hacienda Venecia coffee pods in the rooms. Probably means little to most people but alongside San Alberto, Hacienda Combia and Devotion (that they have on the ground floor), this is an insanely cool place to source your in-room coffee from.

tezzer

Just stayed here for a 15 night business trip, hotel was great, front of house staff pleasant, and a very good lounge. However.

During my first week, my wallet, left on the work desk presumably when I was in the lounge was "lightened", by £30 GBP and $100,000 Colombian pesos.

Rather than make a great big fuss, I had a quiet word with the team leader on reception, just to let them know they had an "issue".

A check of who had access to the room from the card swipes narrowed it down, and 2 people were dismissed according to the security manager.

During my 2nd week, a mobile phone (HTC Desire) was left on the side to fully discharge. This too made it's way out of the room, so I went to advise the security manager, once again, and emailed the General manager's PA.

Despite numerous promises that someone would contact me, copied to HHonors customer service department, no one has contacted me at all, except a week ago, Hilton asking for my Name, Address, phone number, date of birth, confirmation number and dates of stay, all of which are of course available on my profile.

To lose the money was careless, to lose the phone unfortunate,but to not contact a loyal (till now) customer is very poor, and I for certain won't be back, as despite it being a good hotel, they don't seem able to follow up on a complaint.

JohnnyColombia

Bear in mind that also

1) You were probably charged VAT which is not applicable to foreigners
2) When they converted your folio from USD to COP they use a completely bogus exchange rate thus robbing you a fourth time.

Bogotá Hilton is certainly a very nice place as you point out but they do indeed have some issues and a bullish attitude.

I have only contacted Hhonors CS once (also related to the Bogotá Hilton) and I agree they are worse than useless.

Kacee

Wow that really sucks. In many many trips to Colombia I've never had anything taken from a room. What is it with this hotel?

My single experience here was not at all pleasant, very similar to JohnnyColombia's comments. One of only two hotels in Colombia that has ever flat-out refused to refund VAT.

The two Marriott Bogota properties are much preferred.

fozziedoggie

Whatever you do, don't let them offer you a "necktie" as an apology.

JohnnyColombia

Bogotá Hilton claims that foreigners are only exempt from VAT if they purchase breakfast. It's a wilful misinterpretation or article 481 of regulation 1607 of Colombian tax law. As a Gold member it is cheaper to book a B&B rate than have your free breakfast.

It also contradicts the published tax policy of Hilton Cartagena which appears on the booking page.

Makes a mockery of the Hilton brand somewhat.

more4less

Thanks for the info re VAT Johnny Colombia.

I stayed a couple of years ago and I paid tax. Also when the Hilton was not opened yet I stayed at the Embassy Suites and I also remember paying tax and mentioning at the reception that should be tax-free and they told me no way.

In my next trip I will book B&B and try to enforce it.

Perú, together with Chile, was one of the few countries were hotels were tax free for foreigners, but a few years ago they "invented" the 10% service charge, so what you save in one side you pay it in the other. Probably Colombia will follow.

JohnnyColombia

Sorry to take tezzer's thread a bit off topic

I don't know any other hotel in Colombia that cheat's the VAT. Clearly Kacee knows at least one other one. It's neither here nor there. If you are adding VAT as a line item then you have to pay it on, surely its in a hotel's interest to make the rates more attractive. For the same reason I'd not expect to see a service charge as in Peru and Chile. Maybe Hilton Bogotá uses the hooky exchange rate and unfairly applied VAT to pay their Hilton franchise fees? The exchange rate scam is itself another 6% on the room cost (at least it was for my last stay)

On the bright side its midweek rate is $269. It can be had for 30000 points. So use your Hhonors points and avoid both scams.

JDiver

¡Que canijos!

At EZE I experienced an employee ripoff (my credit card data was used for a multi-thousand dollar purchase in Miami, and this was the only time and place I'd used the card in months - use was because of a bonus offer) and was basically ignored - until I chatted with the Assistant Manager and reminded him human behavior is generally consistent, and if he had a dishonest desk employee it might pay to think how the hotel might be getting ripped off as well. Duh! then they got into the investigatory mode, and mildly and offhandedly apologized. (My consulting with law enforcement pays off again... )

Kacee

Alfiz in Cartagena also refused to refund VAT. I had a lengthy e-mail exchange with the owner, and while he stuck to his position, I concluded he was acting based on a good faith but obviously mistaken interpretation of the applicable statute.

Hilton CTG is great about VAT refunds. Every Marriott I've stayed at in Colombia (both BOG properties plus Cali), they've acted as if it's a huge inconvenience to drop the VAT, but they've eventually done it.

shonamac

FWIW, I stayed at the DoubleTree CTG last year and was not charged VAT

pricesquire

Interesting experience, thanks for the heads up.

FWIW, I had a great experience with the 'higher-ups' at this property in December.

They managed to track down a friend that we hadn't seen in 30 years for us. I'll never forget that.

Interesting response to a serious security breach, though.

tezzer

Trip advisor reponse.

Dear Guest

One more time we want to apologize for the inconvenience with your valuables; the safety of our guests and customers are our priority, for that reason we have control systems in all common areas and safety deposit boxes in guest rooms.

As you already know, our security manager conducted the investigation and took appropriates correctives. However the inconsistencies of the information provided as mentioned during the period of your stay does not allow further conclusions.

You were contacted during your stay and at check out and we are available in the Hotel to any additional information request.

We hope that this situation does not happen again, and we can have you in our Hotel in a near future.

Sincerely,

Klaus Ziller

JohnnyColombia

Was it Karl? He tends to know his onions. I'd be very surprised if he were not right