diver858

We had a leisure stay Saturday at the HGI Times Square NYC (790 8th Ave), checked in during normal hours, was given a basic room on the third floor, was told nothing else was available - NONSENSE.

Based on information from someone in the industry, this appears to be an issue with franchise properties, who care only about filling rooms and revenue, little concern for elites. She went on to explain that SPG has allowed franchisees to create separate categories for premium rooms (I do not recall the jargon), allowing them to comply with policy without providing elites complementary access to available space.

Until / unless Hilton decides to hold franchisees feet to the fire, enforce upgrade policies, they will continues to become more difficult. I for one am not optimistic, this will likely be the last year I go out of my way to earn Diamond with stays, "buy" Gold with the Citi Reserve Card.

How do we fight back? Assuming this is indeed the case, your best response is to simply avoid properties that are not owned by Hilton. Unfortunately, this is not as easy as said and done, with the recent flood of Chinese investors putting down serious cash to buy landmark properties, such as the Waldorf Astoria in NYC.

3Cforme

If it were as simple as Hilton-owned vs. franchises, you would see the problem pretty much everywhere because the fraction of Hilton-owned properties is small - less than 1 in 4 for the Hilton brand itself. So it's not strictly a matter of franchises, however much you are inclined to simplify things.

smmrfld

IME, this has absolutely no basis in fact. I consistently receive the best customer service and upgrades at non-Hilton owned properties. As noted above, HH actually owns relatively few.

jerry a. laska

I agree that I usually receive better service and upgrades at the non-Hilton owned properties. The Hilton corporate owned properties are the ones that seem to squeeze breakfast benefits, upgrades, and other perks (other than points) the most. Starwood's policies are a different matter.

The HGI TS hotel doesn't have suites. How do you know that they had a "better" room available?

stanj

If that's the plan, you'd end up staying at non-Hiltons most of the time. As someone mentioned, corporate-owned or leased properties are <4 percent, so you're looking at <200 properties worldwide.

IME, HGI's rarely upgrade and it's not one of the stated perks for that brand. Also, I believe all HGI's are franchised.

That being said, there is a big difference in how accommodating various properties are, some are great at giving upgrades or better breakfast options, while others are downright stingy. It would be great if Hilton would enforce more consistent policies, but the risk (and probability) is that if they enforce consistent policies we'll end up getting less everywhere.

loomis

Upgrades are not a stated benefit at HGI for any HH status level, so OP was asking for something he/she was not entitled to in the first place. How do you fight back? Lower your expectations for benefits that you are not entitled to.

I seriously doubt that Hilton owns many, if any HGI's. Hilton almost exclusively franchises hotels.

Sisosig

A franchise document from 2014 (you'll be able to find it on the internet) says two HGI's were company owned in 2013 (out of 500 in N-A).

Hilton Garden Inn El Segundo, CA, next to LAX, is most likely one of them, because it's not on the list of franchises - active on December 31, 2013. This property helped develop the HGI and other Hilton brand standards. I wouldn't know which HGI is the other, it probably opened somewhere around 1996-98 East of the Mississippi, I would guess.

I don't stay at HGI that often, but have received multiple junior suite upgrades across the US, though never an upgrade to an experimental suite at the HGI El Segundo.

Chang11

I have and only stayed there because a colleague (Diamond also) regurlarly got upgraded to the "experimental suite".

Miesque

This is my sentiments exactly. I only occasionally get upgraded at HGI, but as has been stated multiple times, it is not a benefit so its a complete waste of time to get riled up about not getting an upgrade there. Travel is stressful enough to get upset about stuff you have no reason to get upset about.