Check-in agent can see your lifetime no. of nights

You know the way when you check back in to a property previously visited, they'll often say "Welcome back"?

Well, I checked in to a certain Airport Hilton tonight, as I often do when I have early departures and I was greeted with a "welcome back" by a staff member I'd not met before now. So, I decided to ask him what his system had prompted him to do. So, he turned his screen round to show me.

Status was prominantly displayed at the top along with my membership number and personal details.

There was a big box, top left, on this hotel's system indicating a standard greeting for me - and he mentioned that he had addressed me by my first name, as I had previously indicated that was my preference. In bright red it read "Welcome BACK GoldCircle - it's nice to have you back with us once again. I hope you'll have a pleasant stay."

I could clearly see 3 boxes displaying the number of nights I had spent in three categories: property (this hotel), chain (Hilton) and <forget word> but it indicated Hilton family nights i.e. Doubletree, Conrad, HGI etc.

Below that were a whole bunch of prefs - the stuff in your profile: smoking, bed size, distance from elevator, floor height, earning prefs, MyWay prefs etc. etc.

All obvious enough, but I'd never seen it before.

I find this very interesting, but not surprising.


Does anyone else have any more details that they can add to this?

Has anyone worked at HH properties that can verify this?

Yes, we can see everything!

I work at a Hilton in San Diego. Hilton's system is truly advanced compared to other hotel companies. We can see all of your past and future stays, personal info, "service recoveries" from our property (and other as well). We can also add prefences and special requests. For instance we have a guest who loves Cheez-its, so that is in his profile and someone buys cheez-its for him before he arrives every time. It is a great tool that allows us to personalize your stay and know how often you do stay with us. We run a report of all golds and diamonds that will be arriving the next day and get everything set up for thei arrival...upgrades, breakfasts...etc. Really helps make guests feel special.

This is NOT Hilton approved behavior. Are you sure you don't work at a Starwood property?

It is approved behavior and it's encouraged at our hotel...Starwood is a neophyte...they can't touch our service!

Wow. I guess I will have to put Cheez-It on my profile.

When you say Welcome Back, aren't you supposed to call me by name? That is what usually happens.

Very Cool.


I actually like this process.

As a Diamond I believe this access to information helps HHonors to better know us as customers. Good for HHonors.

#1 I would assume this includes being able to see upcoming award reservations as well - correct?

#2 Does Hyatt have access to this type of information (For Hyatt members of course)?

We can see upcoming stays at our hotel only, not others in the family.

Me too! No, wait, Oreos.

Can they leave other comments about the guest? Like for example:
PITA, demands upgrades, angry little man, easily excitable, etc.

I never get upset but have, once or twice, asked a manager to intervene which has invited the original desk staff to a little humility - as in today. Hate to think I could get "tainted".

We can leave notes on your profile but they are property specific and won't show up at other hotels. My place has never put negative comments into the profile since there is no need; we tend to remember angry little men

Wonderful source of information for US government agencies. If your Hilton profile meets their profilers you might end up at a certain Cuban Hilton.

Beside that: Not a bad idea at all, however, this transfer of information between indepentantly owned hotels is certainly not in line with data protection rules in several countries.

Didn't we agree to send our data outside the EU at signing up? Anyway, not to get sidetracked, I was surprised that they system was so advanced - I was kinda expecting a DOS or unix screen. I guess things move on.

I was surprised by my total lifetime nights at Hilton family properties - and even more surprised by the number of non-Hiltons in that figure (remember till now it's only been Hilton and Conrad in Europe).

Now if only the airlines could get it together in this way.