Fraser

I'm staying here next week, booked a regular el cheapo room and logged on to print off my confirmation yesterday and found the room type had changed to 'Double Junior Suite' ^

Hilton.com is still taking reservations and 'My Way' preferences are set in favour of HH points. I'll let you know when I return if it was a bus stop view room or one over the back of the hotel

Matt1

Some time last year I phoned HH reservations and got the glasgow office. I said I wanted the Caley for one night and the agent gave me some options - I always ask for the cheapest rate and he said the cheapest was something like you mention. it was something along the line of a double room caladonian suite. He said there was a comment that it could not be booked at that rate but was confussed. I was awear of the caledonian suite sign over the door on the 2nd floor from previous visits and wanted to slice of the action. I asked him if I booked the room, would the hotel upgrade me to the rest of the suite with me being a diamond? - he called the hotel - he said that the reservation manager said yes but was checking with the duty manager. A few minutes later - after getting excited, he came back and said the DM has said no. I was then so confused and put out by the bad attitude that I decided to stay at the Sheraton instead where I always get a suite as a plat.

Selling a room as a suite when it is simply a room is false advertising. If you look at other room catogries as comparisons, you have a clear case. A suite is either a large room with a lounge area or a suite of rooms including a lounge room. This is universaly the correct discription and they know it. The hotel should retract any mention of the word suite for the room in question and appologise for the confusion in the first place.

One other point is that the hotels Executive Studeos or Executive Suites as they are somethins refered to are only large rooms and not worth the big bucks. The hotels Full Suites or Hilton Suites are certainly not worth Ł700 a night. They are quite spacous but have little furniture and imagination and at the end of the day - This is Edinburgh - not London, Paris or Rome and the hotel is not an Internationaly recognised 5 star - only a 5 star by the Scotish Tourist Board - who cannot be trusted!

Hotel is one of the better ones in Edinburgh though and usually a good hotel experience on the plus side.

Wudy15

Got a reply from the GM yesterday.

Usual humble apologies and looking forward to my next visit to his hotel!!

cheers

alan

Fraser

Stayed a couple of nights ago and had a rather pleasant stay, as mentioned in the previous post were upgraded to a Double Junior Suite with a slightly odd arrangement. This was Room 250 and had a rather nice, although not especially roomy bedroom and bathroom area. It was connected to a separate living room which was actually room 252 which acted as the living area. A few seats, a sofa, TV and coffee maker. There was no bathroom or bed in Room 252 so I'm not quite sure why it was had a room number on the door...Had a bottle of red wine, box of chocolates and some tangerines (I think) waiting for us in the room. Not bad for HH Gold ^

Either way the staff seemed switched on, room was nice and comfortable and the breakfast was plentiful and varied...Didn't see any caviar though (post #7)

PhilH

I'm trying to book the Caledonian for a couple of nights in May and I'm getting some quite strange rates on the Hhonors website. The following three in particular (rate quoted is average for Fri-Sun stay):

£129.50
AP DINNER 1ST NIGHT
BREAKFAST. MIN 2 NT. DINNER ON 1ST NIGHT
FULL CC DEPOSIT. NO REFUND OR CHANGES

£148.00
ADVANCE PCHASE BFAST
INCL BUFFET BFAST. FULL CC DEPOSIT ON BOOKING
NON REFUNDABLE. NON CHANGEABLE

£140.00
ADVANCE PURCHASE
FULL CREDITCARD PREPAYMENT ON BOOKING
BOOKING IS NON REFUNDABLE AND NON CHANGEABLE

So all are advance purchased. The first (cheapest) rate includes dinner on first night and breakfast both mornings. The Breakfast only rate is considerably more?!? Then the non-breakfast rate is only £8 per night less than that.

So, am I missing something here? Is the Breakfast in the cheap rate something different to the "Buffet Breakfast" mentioned in the more expensive rate?

Given the above, I'll obviously go with the cheapest rate, but I just wanted to check I'm not missing anything obvious?

Bondiboy

It would seem that the first rate is for a MINIMUM of two nights. It seems a great deal if you are planning to stay for at least two nights

Matt1

The breakfast will be the same - the dinner on the first night is a special promotion rate that they advertise in newspapers and in the mail.

It is strange however as you say the other rates with less are more expensive. It makes little sense really.

One thing though (not that relevant). If you are booking on the "spouse stays free" where if you a Hhonors member, your spouse can stay free so you put 1 adult in the reservation so it is cheaper HOWEVER - it will not include 2 breakfasts or dinners if that is in the package.

PhilH

Thanks for the quick replies! My flight arrives at 9pm so I probably won't get to the hotel until nearer 10pm, I assume this will be OK for the free dinner? Has anyone experienced this before? Can I have room service, or is it just a free dinner buffet (in which case I guess 10pm would be too late)?

Xyzzy

Why not ring the hotel and ask?

cjd

In my experience of these "dinner on first night" special rates, the dinner is always in the restaurant. I would imagine your 10pm arrival would be too late for the restaurant dinner on the first night. I have read on this board where people have contacted the hotel direct and have sometimes been able to take the dinner on the second night. Could be worth a try.

Flying Lawyer

This rate are a great deal. They offer it for places all over the UK and I always got asked "Do you want you dinner tonight or tomorrow?" - Should be no problem. Anyway: Even without the dinner, the rate is good...

BAGoldBoy

Stayed here recently. Upgraded to Executive Suite as Diamond. Nice room with great views but fairly small and noisy as busy streets below. Got usual perks - wine, water, chocolates and fruit but no breakfast voucher. At least the rooms have AC which is often missing in older UK hotels. Ate in the Chisholms which was quite. Fairly boring and expensive menu - wine very expensive. Food and service only average

Shuttle-Bored

Apols if this is old news (did a search - promise!), but was in the Caley yesterday discussing a possible event in 2010, and our event co-ordinator mentioned that the public areas of the hotel are due to be refurbished over Autumn/Winter 2009/10, with the intention being to re-brand the hotel as a Waldorf Astoria property. They're apparently also building over the small courtyard area, and will be taking part of the car park up as a new luxury spa offering (all to work towards the re-brand and meet the Waldorf Astoria standards).

Rates are apparently expected to head north when the re-brand is announced....

SanDiego1K

Oh, my. I just don't see this property being the calibre of a Waldorf Astoria.

ConciergeMike

I don't see the Waldorf=Astoria name being done any favors with this collection attitude...am I the only one who thinks that there's only one?