Hilton Guam Resort & Spa {GUM}

Old Dec 10, 2002, 11:19 pm
  #1  
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Arrow Hilton Guam Resort & Spa {GUM}

I've done a search and there is but one thread on this hotel.

Does anyone have any current experiences to report? Service, Rooms, Upgrades, Food Cost, cabs...etc????

I have a CO BF reward on hold to go there for 6 nights next week and wanted some input before I ticket it.

Thanks,
Gene
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Old Dec 10, 2002, 11:35 pm
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Can you still fly into Guam? They were hit hard by a supertyphoon a few days ago. Massive power, water, and sewer outages and gas shortage. Not a good time to go to Guam!
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Old Dec 11, 2002, 7:10 am
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www.guampdn.com

The Exec floor has a small breakfast in the morning, and cocktails in the afternoon with a small selection of snacks. The Exec floor is in the Magalahi tower. Bathrooms are quite nice with separated shower and tub. The staff is generally quite friendly and attentive.




[This message has been edited by unagi1 (edited 12-11-2002).]
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Old Dec 11, 2002, 10:14 am
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Stayed there for five nights in October. Was upgraded to the Executive floor (13 as I recall, I'm glad I'm not superstitious). It's an excellent property with a great staff. Echo the previous comments re the executive lounge and rooms on the executive floors.

I would echo the comments to not plan a trip for the forseeable future. I talked to our staff on island Sunday and the damage is substantial. No gas, water, or electricity. I may have to go back, but it won't be until island essential services are restored.
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Old Dec 11, 2002, 11:10 am
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Wow, I didn't realize how bad the damage was.

As much as I hate to cancel it, doesn't look like it will be prudent to go. Thanks everyone for the info and warnings.

Gene
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Old Dec 11, 2002, 3:56 pm
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A few other tips i've been given:

1. There may be a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel, u may want to check with the hotel. Many airline crews stay at the hilton so they provide a ferry of the crew back and forth, whether other guests can travel, i dunno.

2. The hotel is at the top of the strip and not as centrally located as others but nice nonetheless.

3. The pool is superb and huge.

4. Taxi's in guam are very very expensive, so beware. If you are there for more than a couple of days, rent a car perhaps...

Now one thing i'm really really curious about, is if i decide to go up to Saipan, will i be able to buy cheap GAP, Banana Republic and Old Navy clothes??? ;-)

[This message has been edited by kawoh (edited 12-11-2002).]
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Old Dec 11, 2002, 10:25 pm
  #7  
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See Supertyphoon Pongsona aftermath on GUM and ROP
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=263772

The Pacific Daily News (PDN) articles are not archived, though there is a special section on the storm.

This month is probably not the time to visit Guam unless you have to, but check the PDN online. The people of Guam and the hotels have every incentive to fix things quickly, and they do. This storm was much, much stronger than Hurricane Andrew that devastated Southern Florida or Hurricane Iniki in Kauai, HI in the early 90s, but such storms hit the Mariana Islands several times a decade, with over a dozen "smaller" typhoons. You have to be resilient living here.

Sorry, kawoh, the Saipan garment factories sell directly to distributors, not to the public.

There is a Guam Hilton hotel shuttle van, but it's not free. When I last stayed there on 20 Aug 02, it cost $5, which they will bill to your room if you ask. Still, that's much better than a taxi. It picks you up at the arrivals area to the left of the rental car zone.

I think the Hilton's location at the south end of Tumon Bay is one of its strongest selling points if you are going to leave Hotel Row, such as for business in Hagta (via rental car or having a colleague pick you up).

It is next to Ypao Beach park and just a short ride up the hill to Chalan San Antonio, St. Anthony's Church, Cost-U-Less (bulk food), Guam Premium Outlet (intersection of Chalan San Antonio and Marine Drive), etc.

I am only a Hilton Gold, and easy to please, but I have always been very impressed with the courteous service, though things tend to run on "island time" (the opposite of military punctuality and efficiency).

Because so many of the tourists on Guam come from Japan, if you want a non-smoking room, you have to so indicate when you make your reservation, and when you check in, and perhaps even after you get to your smoky room and return to the lobby for reassignment. So if that's as important to you as it is to me, be forewarned and careful, but polite. They just don't seem used to militant non-smokers.

I hope you eventually make the trip out here!

Last edited by SPN Lifer; Oct 23, 2004 at 1:42 am Reason: revise link in "new" bulletin board format
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Old Dec 12, 2002, 2:22 am
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SPN, thanks for all the helpful information. Regarding organising the shuttle, should I call the hotel directly? or email? or just inculde it in my reservation?

Or does the shuttle hang around at the airport for arriving flights like in LAX... somehow i don't think so!!

SPN - also,

1. how about food? is the food in the hotel nice? are there any other alternatives that are in walking distance that might be fun?

2. are the shops a walk away?

3. does the hotel also offer a shuttle to the infamous kmart and other shopping areas? (speaking of that, does the k-mart there still exist??)

[This message has been edited by kawoh (edited 12-12-2002).]
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Old Dec 12, 2002, 5:48 pm
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I called the Hilton from the President's Club, and was told where to pick up the shuttle.

(I thought it was free. If I had known it would have cost five dollars, I would have walked the hour down to Tumon Bay and the hotel! I only had a little gym bag with dress work clothes for the next day.)

There are several good restaurants at the hotel. One is a high-end place. I tend to be on the thrifty side and enjoyed the delicious all-you-can-eat buffet lunch in a glass-roofed terrace (I hope it survived the typhoon) toward the ocean below the lobby, at a very reasonable price.

I recall a good Italian restaurant within short walking distance north along hotel row, a small place on the right hand side, but can't say if it's still there. There are a lot more very good restaurants about a mile or two further up the road, where the greatest concentration of hotels are. You could also walk along the beach. I'm not the best resource for restuarants; there are several online sites.

But if you like jogging, and want to explore the jungles, I'd highly recommend the Agana Branch of the Hash House Harriers at 4:00 p.m. Saturday afternoons.

http://www.hashguam.com/

Tell them "Leave It" of the Saipan Hash sent you.

I'm not much of a shopper, either, and do like walking, so my answer might not mean much.

There is still a shuttle bus, not run by the hotel but by the stores (?) or a private company that makes a loop past all the stores. My wife took it while I was working.

The K-Mart is still the world's largest, and open 24 hours daily. The shuttle also goes to the Micronesia Mall, which I highly recommend for its huge variety. The Guam Premium Outlet has a Ross with very low clothing prices. The bus goes to all of these, plus Cost-U-Less (like Costco).

I generally rent a car because of business downtown in Hagta.

And if you do get to Saipan, our SH3 runs are sometimes quite interesting.

http://www.huffypuffy.com/
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Old Feb 1, 2003, 7:39 pm
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Hilton Guam -- Still in one piece?

I'm off to the Hilton Guam next week. Anyone been there recently? Has it recovered from the typhoon damage?
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Old Feb 4, 2003, 4:38 pm
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Not sure, but its a pretty sturdy building. They have their own diesel generators for power as well.

I would try calling or emailing them. The GM there is:

MANFRED PIEPER
General Manager
Hilton Guam Resort & Spa
P.O. Box 11199
Tamuning, Guam 96931
646-1835 Fax: 649-1190
[email protected]


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Old Feb 10, 2003, 12:04 am
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I'll answer my own question.

Quite a few parts are still out of action as of 10 Feb 2003 -- including the executive lounge and the Japanese Restaurant. A good number of rooms are boarded-up and they have blowers drying out other rooms. Looking along the beach, every other hotel was in similar shape.

Despite the damage, the hotel is operating well and I had a great stay. As a Diamond I got a fistfull of drink coupons and breakfast coupons to compensate for the lounge being shut. Very nice welcome amenities as well.
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Old Feb 10, 2003, 9:01 am
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Thanks for posting an update. I may be making a trip to Guam in a couple of months.
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Old Feb 10, 2003, 2:38 pm
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If you ever have to call internationally, like I presume ACORD did, you can save loads of money with 1010 dial around codes.

I have no affiliation with this website and have no interest in it other than I love the cheap options and enjoy sharing it.

www.1010phonerates.com

shows

9 cents per minute to Guam with 101-6868, which is a no monthly fee service I've used quite a bit. 10-15-335 is only 4.4 cents per minute, no monthly fee, but they have a 10 minute minimum.

Happy dialing!

[This message has been edited by Rut Dog (edited 02-10-2003).]
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Old Feb 10, 2003, 7:05 pm
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Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, since 1 July 1997 Guam and the CNMI have been part of the North American Numbering Plan and treated by law as a domestic part of the United States, as well they should be.

Rate integration applies here, similar to Hawaii and Alaska.

Some American telecommunications companies and calling plans still treat Guam and the CNMI as "international" destinations requiring the "011" prefix from the rest of the U.S., but they are violating the law.

Most likely it is inadvertent failure to update their software, just like the mailing companies that don't include the "GU" and "MP" atate/ territory codes on their mailing address software pull-down menus.
http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/abb...ns.html#states

Whenever I have found such a company, I sent them a polite letter notifying them of their omission, and asking that they comply with the law so I do not need to contact the Federal Communications Commission about the matter.



[Paragraph separation.]

[This message has been edited by SPN Lifer (edited 02-12-2003).]
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