Originally Posted by
spleuchan
I'm a credit card diamond, and I prefer homewood suites to Hiltons. They have a huge area, where everyone can enjoy drinks in the evening and a light meal. They also have a better breakfast selection in the morning than in the executive lounge with Hilton.
Asia doesn't have Homewood or Embassy Suites (although Doubletrees are springing up). It's a US thing. The biggest advantage of Diamond is when travelling in Asia (and to a lesser extent Europe). Spend a few evenings in the Conrad Singapore or Hong Kong and you will maybe adjust your view. As far as the US goes you have a very valid point.
Originally Posted by
jsmith50
One of these days, I hope I figure out what the big deal with US domestic hotel lounges is all about anyway. I've stayed at most of the properties that people have mentioned in this thread (Palmer House, Atlanta Hilton, LAX Hilton, etc.) to be great or strict with admission and I'll tell you, they really stink in comparison to what they could be!
I don't see anything elite about a cramped space with a Coke machine, some bottled water, a few bagels, a pot of oatmeal and some boxes of cereal. Unless it's wanting to stroke your ego because you're having your breakfast in the "executive lounge," I'd rather have a hot breakfast in a decent hotel restaurant, a meal that I would actually pay for out of pocket because it is so good and/or memorable. For example, diamond breakfast at the Hilton Waterfront Resort in Huntington Beach, CA gave me breakfast outside near the pool deck overlooking the ocean, I'll take that any day of the week compared to an EL with a view of the trash dumpster, a water-treatment plant (Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue) or no windows at all. That, to me, is a breakfast or evening snack/drink that makes a good Diamond benefit.
Now, overseas lounges that have historically had better quality snacks, happy hours with drinks, etc...those I wish were more strictly controlled and often they are because the paucity of overseas Hiltons makes it much more difficult for Europeans, Asians and Australians to make Diamond than a business traveler in the US who has a huge variety of Hilton properties to stay in at a wide range of price points. When Hilton can step up to the plate and offer a high quality product, then I also want to see them crack down on who has access to the lounge. Until then, if a hotel lets Golds in, I could care less (and my wife who is a gold appreciates it when she's not traveling with me!).
^