jamesteroh

That poster thouigh said all his existing reservations, not just his one for tomorrow.

On US properties if I do OLCI, I can see an upgraded room that morning. Seems like if I wait until the morning of check in instead of the day before, often times better rooms open up. Will be interesting to see if Suites will show up now if you do an OLCI or if they will wait until you arrive to assign those.

It would be nice if they would email you stating your upgraded room went through the way airlines email you when your upgrade goes through.

lewende

Happened to me many times when traveled to China.

lewende

I would say do it. Most diamond members are road warriors, and they merely stay in hotel rooms during weekends. So I would say your upgrade probability is very high in Wit in weekends, unless you are travelling in major holidays or spring break week.

BTW, your colleague must be jealous of your benefits...

Beckles

Did I miss something, while I haven't seen anything posted that explicitly says Diamonds still get lounge access no matter what room or suite they get, I also haven't seen anything that leads me to believe that rule has been changed.

belynch

Interesting development.

As both a Hilton Diamond and an SPG Plat I've often lamented that the weakest part of the HHonors program, on a competitive level, is the lack of upgrades. Now that it (appears) to be here for FS properties, I don't think I'm going to change my booking habits.

Here's why --

At my go-to program, SPG, I only get upgrades about 20% of the time (compared to never at Hilton. Honestly, never.).

When upgrades happen, they're nice, but I don't expect them and don't really need them. This move makes Hilton in-line with SPG, but doesn't pass them, when it comes to top tier benefits. Hilton is still very deficient in many other categories that mean a heck of a lot more to me than suite upgrades. Namely:

• Inconsistent customer service. This is honestly the deal killer for me.
• HHonors points are about as valuable as the Zimbabwe dollar.
• Crud website. Good to see they recognize it and are (finally) investing in it, but it's still about a decade behind most other travel websites.
• Lack of aspirational properties that I'd want to redeem my HHonors points at (everyone is different, this is a personal thing. Hilton has a nice portfolio of inter-city properties, but I rarely vacation in places I travel to for work).
• The HHonors program is too complex. Even the Diamond Desk agents don't fully understand it (reference point 1).
• Benefits that aren't. The HHonors program sounds pretty good on paper, until you actually try and work with it. Prior to this pseudo-announcement HIlton had jedi mindtrick language on their website about upgrades for Diamonds. If you read the fine print it says upgrades exclude suites. What does that mean? Practical application, for me, means -- if you're lucky you won't get the room over the dumpster. And then there's the Diamond Force Guarantee garbage that excludes "extraordinary demand days" which aren't published and some properties like to say are every day that ends in Y.
• Inconsistent quality of Hilton branded properties. I generally shy away from Marriotts because I hate that they are all the same (and remind me of retirement homes), but it drives me bananas that Hiltons are so inconsistent. I've stayed at Hampton Inns that are nicer than FS Hiltons and have been in ES' that haven't seen a dollar invested in them in probably 20 years. Then there's hotels like the Palmer House in Chicago, which is marketed as a "flagship" Hilton property that wouldn't meet the acceptance standards of a Best Western. I have three very simple criteria-sets that determine whether or not a hotel works for me: 1) clean. 2) quiet. 3) comfortable. I honestly never know if I'm going to get that at Hilton properties and I hate playing hotel roulette.

So while I'm glad to see that Hilton is trying to be competitive, this move is still short of some very necessary things that I'd like to see them implement to make them a competitive global hospitality provider.

stifle

That's lucky. None of mine have. Would you be good enough to specify some of the properties concerned so I can book them more often?

jamesteroh

I probably will. Need to make the decission today though since it's a 7-day advance purchase rate. I figure not many people will be travelling to chicago in January and seeing how low the rates are my upgrade chances should be good. They need something like expertflyer.com for hotels

I think she is more jealous that I get lounge privledges than suite upgrades

lewende

Really? Gold will be denied lounge access if not in Executive Floor in theWit? I know this is black and white on T&C but many hotels make exceptions to Gold on that.

dmodemd

Agreed! Free water every day is what I want! I got the same at Conrad Hong Kong and also at Park Hyatt Shanghai. At the Park Hyatt, as soon as we arrived and found our huge VOSS bottles, we called the "butler" and asked for more. She showed up at the door 3 minutes later with an armful of about 6 bottles!! (and still 2 more came each day).... that is service and benefits.... and was a free stay.

Same here. I never see a suite upgrade, same with Hyatt, never had a chance to use a suite upgrade as I stay usually at non-suite properties.

AB-SO-LUTELY. I find it incredible they won't offer a full hot breakfast when it is free to EVERYONE at Homewood Suites and Embassy Suites and they are less expensive properties. Full breakfast for Diamonds at Garden Inn! I know some "full-service" Hiltons are nice enough to grant you full breakfast but then others like Hilton Waikoloa Village give you a $10 voucher that isn't even enough to get a continental breakfast!! (unless you call the cereal bowl with no drink at the cereal shack a continental breakfast)

Agreed. Still have to pay for drinks out the lounge but at Homewood Suites and Embassy Suites the house wine and beer are free at happy hour. Thats all I ask for at a "full service" Hilton!

They have a much higher definition of VIP. US should learn.

So, yes, I try to stay at the native "Suites" properties and pay less for more benefits. I consider the over priced Hiltons to be way insufficient on the benefits. This new enhancement doesn't do enough to address that.

To summarize, what I want to see:
- Free bottle of water every day for every person in the room.
- Free full breakfast every day for every person in the room.
- Free parking on hotel-owned lots.
- Free beer/wine (or even just one glass per day).

Most of this is offered standard at lower end properties...

jamesteroh

Unfortunately the Wit doesn't have a lounge but the Palmer house where she stays does. However the Wit does have a great breakfast and I would take that over the plamer houses exec lounge breakfast anyday

Golds used to have access to the lounge until maybe 7 years ago, and seeing how crowded that lounge is (thanks in part to Nor-1) it makes sense at properties with coverrowded lounges.

The Drake in Chicago doesn't even offer lounge access to diamonds who aren't on the exec level which really iritates me (and the Drake would be getting my business next weekend instead of the Wit if they did honor it) even though the T&C say otherwise.

Wit is my favorite DT property I have stayed at though. Even if I don't get upgraded to a suite next weekend and get a SPA room I will be happy with my rate. That trip I won't be able to enjoy the free appetizers even if they had a lounge and love the properties hot breakfast. And their fitness center which I WILL use is 24/7 as well (even though it isn't as nice as Palmer house, which IMO is the best domestic Hilton Fitness center out there even though it isn't 24/7 and is only free to diamonds).

GJS - yow

I just checked a European reservation for April, and no change from the basic room I reserved.

jamesteroh

Just booked the WIT in chicago for next weekend and not only did the nor-1 upgrades come up, it is even more. Used show me the option of the spa room at $9 a night in the past, now it is up to $20 a night.

As always I refuse to feed the monster and will take my chances. Of course this could be a good thing, if Nor 1 is asking for a lot more, it means the kettles are going to be less likely to take the bait, meaning the possilibility of more upgrades being available.

GJS - yow

Why should we have to make a choice? I say yes to both EL and Suite upgrades!

+1 ^

ben1233

Hi all, just got off the phone with a Waldorf Astoria in Florida. The reservation specialist seemed very sure that Gold and Diamonds would now receive full breakfast as a benefit at W=A properties. Is this also a change for 2012?

She said a memo had been sent out to gold/diamonds, but I have yet to see anything. Please say it is so, as this would be an outstanding benefit/value given the cost of W=A breakfasts! ($70 for two at this particular resort).

allga

My, but you people do go on, don't you?

I read the OP and not very many of the replies, but I can contribute an actual experience that seems to be on point.

I'm Diamond and stayed at the HGI in NYC over the weekend. At check-in the clerk asked if I wanted breakfast or points, which I thought was odd since breakfast is in my preferences and they usually don't ask. Anyway, I said breakfast and got the coupons.

I now see online that my account has also been credited with 750 my way choice points as well.

So the new deal may have kicked in already, at least at some properties.