xenole

Is this hotel ever cheap?
Always seems to be in the high $200s when I'm in Boston and there's no way I'm paying something like £260 for a night in an airport hotel ($295 + taxes when I'm next flying in in October. $220 Is the lowest I've seen).
I tend to slum it at the hostel across from Tufts medical centre. About a 6th of the price, next to China Town, Boston Common etc. Perfectly fine for a nights sleep and easy enough to use the silver line to South station (5 min or so walk) or $15 for an Uber that takes 10-15 mins.

stc

It is a very nice airport hotel and the first new hotel Hilton Corporate built in a number of years.

In addition, Boston has gotten to be a very expensive city, almost as expensive as NYC.

While I would probably never stay in a hostel, I certainly wouldn't stay in one around Tuft Medical Centre as that is one of the sketchyist areas of Boston. Don't leave anything there while you aren't in your room would be my advice.

Terence.Hill

I was at the Boston Logan Hilton recently and got access to the Executive Lounge as a Diamond. I had two glasses of Chardonnay and was charged $16 per glass if I remember correctly (retail value of the bottle is less than $10).

If I had gone to the public on-site restaurant instead I could have gotten a dinner along with those two glasses of wine for similar cost. In a Marriott lounge the wine would have cost half and in an SPG lounge it would have been complimentary.

What am I missing? Why should I re-qualify as a Diamond if there is little benefit from getting lounge access ?

Points Scrounger

Usually, I have stayed there on weekends where one gets the complimentary breakfast in the restaurant downstairs, which is actually very generous. The one time I went to the lounge for breakfast, I was underwhelmed.

$16 per glass is extortionate "let's see what we can get away with" pricing. I believe most Hilton lounge pricing is more . . . competitive.

Often1

Just like room service, there are people who don't care about the cost either because they are wealthy enough that they don't care or because someone else is picking up the tab. Those few people make this well worth it.

If OP was told that the wine was $8/glass and got charged $16, he ought to complain. Otherwise, if it's a bad deal, don't do it.

storewanderer

I am a little troubled by Hilton doing what I see as "taking advantage" of Honors Gold/Diamond Members.

Charging an absurd price for liquor in the executive lounge is unacceptable. The liquor price in the executive lounge should be the same price as whatever the lobby bar charges, at the most. Otherwise they are flat out taking advantage of the Gold/Diamond Members charging them more for something than a non "elite" member would pay downstairs.

The same goes for the breakfast upcharges. If the Continental costs $14 and the Hot costs $19, the upcharge for Gold/Diamond to "upgrade" to Hot should be $5. Yet many properties put some random higher upcharge to get hot items, like $10 or something, that is more than the difference between the menu price for Continental vs. Hot. Again this is not the right way to handle Gold/Diamond members.

I am not saying Hilton needs to give free liquor in the executive lounge to Gold/Diamond Members or give us all free hot breakfasts but at least be fair to us and do not penalize us with higher costs than non-elite members would pay for the same thing.

Terence.Hill

I agree with that and I won't do that again - however no charges were posted or communicated at all. The pricing in other properties is more transparent to make sure there are no surprises.

Amelorn

Allow me to add this to my list of "Reasons why I avoid US properties with an Exec Lounge."

mbluecpa

The Palmer House in Chicago is guilty of this too, though prices aren't as high as what you experienced: their $11-12 for a glass of wine that retails for $20 or so a bottle seems like typical bar pricing.

Lack of disclosure aside, are prices high because of the airport location? While not an Executive Lounge, the bar at the Hilton O'Hare has some of the most ridiculous pricing I've seen.

MP001

I found the habit of charging for wine or any extra in lounges to be an issue impacting the US market.
Lounges i visited in Europe, Asia and Australia never charged for any extra. Some of those lounges are better than others and have great selection, but all had at least wine/beer and basic selection of spirits available.
Some are manned -bar style- some self service but all free of charge.

wantan

when in the US I tend to go for HGI's (all new) so no lounges. But curious what's the rationale for charging for (certain?) booze in the lounge ? or is this outside cocktail hour ?

DJ_Iceman

I definitely agree that the wine is WAY overpriced in this lounge, but disagree that they're not transparent about it. As I recall, there are little menu tents on the tables that list the choices and prices, and the little slip of paper you fill out to indicate how many glasses of what you've had has prices on it as well. When I looked those over, I decided it was a good night to drink a diet soda instead of wine!

ptownca

Blame the "Happy Hour" law in Mass. which basically makes it illegal to give any kind of alcohol free no matter the circumstances. Not the Hilton's fault. No business of any kind can offer free drinks.

Points Scrounger

Yeah, that one really makes the Logan ES "reception" into a dismal affair.

ptownca

It's important to keep things in perspective.

In my four stays there i have been treated very well with no real issues and the walk to the terminal location is convenient, while downtown is not so far away via Uber or public transport.