khabah

My first Hilton stay was at what was then the Nile Hilton [now the Nile Ritz-Carlton, in name more than anything else] in Cairo, Egypt, during a family trip in the summer of 2004. I was fifteen, on a glorious trip with my brothers and cousins, a hotel nerd to the nth degree, staying at a storied property that I’d read up about and stayed in a spacious room with Nokia-branded TV sets and unbeatable Nile view, so it all made for an experience I won’t forget.

Now that’s a first time to remember.

khabah

Chang11

The San Diego Mission Bay Resort November 1992. When checking out there was a Honors application holder on the desk, a coworker recommended I join. I still have the detachable membership card. The following year made Diamond (then the top 2.5 % frequent stayers were recognized, Diamond may not have been coined yet). I maintained Diamond Status every year until Lifetime Diamond Status was created. Just in time for me, I retired the next year. For many years I did not use my points and had nearly 4 million points.

Catskilltraveller

Lifetime Diamond. It looks like my first stay was in Salt Lake City at a full service Hilton. Perhaps it was at the Drake in Chicago

keisari

I was a teen and we stayed at the Hilton in Las Vegas. It was probably the best hotel I have ever stayed. Large windows, several pools, so much food. I remember we paid $29 a night and there were 4 of us in a room with 3 beds. This was in the late 70's

Winniesbestfriend

I need to correct myself, I was going through my travels paperwork today and by chance I stumbled apon a stay from 2004 Hilton Wembley, the old one which was rubbish. It then took me 3 years for the next Hilton stay so I don’t think I was impressed.

domtarlsq

In February 2003, the former Hilton Montreal-Dorval Airport . It is now a Sheraton.

Dan72

Hilton Las Vegas back in the early 90s. It must have been cheap, I was a student. I also had no knowledge of HH. I knew: it was huge; it had been in a James Bond film 'Diamonds Are Forever'; and that Elvis had had a residency there. All of this added to my considerable excitement of visiting on one of my earliest trips to the States.

I also recall that Barry Manilow was performing at the hotel at the time. His music was being pumped out at a few locations, including the lifts/elevators and can still remember some American quipping 'that's hard to take', which amused me greatly, particularly as the vernacular was quite American, not that it required any translation.

crownedking

My first stay at a Hilton was theWit Chicago. I wanted to take my first solo vacation to celebrate my 24th birthday in a city I've never visited. I had a great experience, they really went out of their way to make my stay special. They even brought a cupcake and fruit basket to my room after I checked in. complimentary! Overall great experience at theWit, and fun time visiting Chicago

demue

Hmm, first one ... Well the first one I recall was the Conrad Singapore in 1996 on the way to Bali. I was quite impressed by the hotel and we had a nice room that had a bathroom with a view (and a rubber duck). Who knew I would be back 10 years later to the country to make it my home base for the last 15+ years.

SPLP007

First for me - St. Louis-Statler Hilton - 1963-first time was ever sent on biz trip "out of town"- also first time ever stayed at a "real" hotel --bellman was older than my father -lol

bearkatt

it was at a Hilton in hartford, conn. in October 1980. my first trip from texas to new England to see the fall foliage. most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

Stephan54

Early 1990s: Flamingo, Las Vegas.

Penguinmoon

Hilton Columbia, MO., right off I-70. Early 80's, Lived in Kansas City, but did swim meets once or twice a year in Columbia. I remember thinking it was such a fancy hotel.

Ryanardo_daVinci

My first stay was New Year’s Eve 2016 at Hilton Manchester Deansgate.

The stay was awful, the AC did not work, the bed was tiny, the pool closed at 4pm (1 hour after check-in) and didn’t open again until 11am (1 hour before check-out), the shower was broken, the bathroom made such a loud noise when you turned the tap on that if you tried washing your hands you would wake up anyone in the room and the adjacent ones.

After the stay, I wrote a lengthy complaint, and expected to get a 10% discount off a future stay or something.

Instead, I received a very personal, very apologetic e-mail detailing the steps they had gone to to investigate and correct the problems I had detailed in my e-mail, a free stay at that hotel, an additional “be my guest voucher”, and. Diamond Fast-Track challenge.

I’ve been on 60+ Hilton nights for four years since...

DELee

Have you been back? Did you use that free stay?

David