I had some business stays in the nineties in some Hilton hotels like Berlin, Vienna, Barcelona. After a stay at Hilton Vienna Plaza - I had joined accidentally HH program before - around 10 or 11 years ago, I got a mail from the London Hilton Headquarters how I liked the stay. Well, I openly told them the room I had got was very dated, the furniture in the restaurant at that time where I had breakfast needs renovation, and that the hotel "does not deserve", I hope you understand what I mean ("too much honour for a hotel like this one") being located at famous Ringstrasse in Vienna (it has become better meanwhile).

Well I received some days later a personal letter from a Hilton Vice President in London, apologizing very much that I did not like the stay, and he included a HHonors Gold Card issued on my name (which practically meant better rooms, free breakfast, lounge access and more points). That reaction impressed me, so I started to inform myself more intensively about Hilton hotels and history (Conrad Hilton, Waldorf Astoria and so on) and the benefits of the program.

During the 90s and after our company has invested in several factories in Thailand. As cofounder I travelled many times there, first staying in the Landmark hotel and others, also in a Hilton near airport which had been reflagged long time ago, and one time, I think 2003, we booked the newly opened Conrad Bangkok, and thenafter many times till today. I have loved the hotel, the location and its luxury definition, the interiour, rooms and public spaces, the restaurants and bars, expecially for a business traveller who leaves early morning in Asia for a some hours drive to pampa and back visiting ugly smelling and hot manufacturing plants. This experience finally convinced me to chose Hilton Hotels and Hilton HHonors as my no. 1 chain/program that time, and going for Diamond, which I have been for some years, interrupted with Gold, and now again going for Diamond with a 21 nights challenge during 3 months.

All the devaluation of HH program and the loss of coverage in my home territory Germany and the neighbour country France has not finally stopped me from believing in the company and the program, although I needed to go for PC also for coverage reasons. Hilton still has the name as no. 1 hotel chain for business travellers in Germany. The potential is there and the better times yet to come for guests and members, if I see they are going public now again and the investorīs job to turn the business to the positive is done. I am convinced without the investor the group wouldnīt exist anymore, filetted or broken up. That does not mean I can understand all management decisions for their European operations in the recent years.

I choose Hilton last but not least because of the service. Always I have been treated very well and correctly as guest and member, being nice with them, and they with me. I feel the team spirit of the young men and women working there, "living" the vision of the famous founder, given a chance to show what they can and come forward in their live. Good luck to them all.