Originally Posted by
gtp4all
I have been staying at one the the Hilton's Middle East properties for 5 months and plan to stay a lot longer. I have also referred them 4 work colleagues who have stayed at the hotel for stays of 1-2 months on the same deal.
I negotiated a reasonable deal for a standard room and as a Diamond HHonors member, I get automatically upgraded to a deluxe room.
I am keen to move to a suite but they are asking for a rate that is unaffordable (almost 75% extra of what I am currently paying).
My negotiations have been directly with the hotel but I was wondering if there was any merit in asking the HHonors Diamond desk to intervene. They may, for instance give me a decent rate if I use some of my points.
I would have thought that my loyalty would have been rewarded with a better room by now, but I am prepared to pay a bit more if that's what it takes.
Any ideas /suggestions would be warmly appreciated.
You have no volume clout here, hotel also considers you a captive guest and unlikely to move. As such only chance of better rate or treatment is to move out and re-negotiate from a position of strength, ie they now need your nights and have to up their game to WIN YOUR NIGHTS BACK !
1. Neither the local hotel revenue manager or Hilton corporate will be interested in 4-6 people per year, and good company rates are set to rooms excluding suites. If a small number of people are making lengthy stays, then you could create a local deal with hotel. But you have done that already, and now want to renegotiate, but seemingly on a personal level as thinking as the lead booker you deserve more.
3. I would count up the total number o nights you yourself and colleagues you brought along have used to date and ask for a personal meeting with the revenue manager.
3. Find other convenient local hotel, try and speak 1-1 with their revenue manager and present evidence of your and colleagues stay nights history, and ask if he can do some deal for you. Don't say what current deal is else itwill only just be bettered.
4. Now when you meet with existing revenue manager, you have a fall back hotel and rate. Don't make any demands, as that only puts them on defensive, but ask if he is aware how many nights you have brought the hotel in the last 6months, chances are he will have no idea.
You can then provide the count, and mention you are hoping that as you are staying long term and bringing in other colleagues as long term guests, you are hoping he could reward you with an ex-gratia upgrade not just the minimum HHD upgrade.
3. If answer is in the negative, as I would expect, then move you and colleagues to the other hotel immediately. The hotel has no loyalty to you, so don't give any loyalty back. You move your stays to the best deal for you. Maybe on principle it is best to divide stays over two hotels anyway.
4. Follow up with an email to the GM of hotel you move out of, explaining you are moving all stays as you don't feel appreciated, and detail just how many total nights you brought in over last 6month that are now moving to your new hotel choice.