I stay at multiple properties weekly and LTD status is mentioned frequently at check-in, resulting in some nice but unrequested perks. As I’ve noticed previously, a high points balance results in even more frequent perks - seems to impress FD agents for some reason.

+1

It depends on which operating system the property in question is using. Hilton is currently transitioning all properties away from there longtime PMS system OnQ to their new system PEP. In OnQ, if you are looking at the arrivals list, LTD doesn't exist. It's just B, S, G and D. There is a particular report which can be run which would show you if someone is LTD but IME, for the most part, that's not happening every shift-everyday-ever at all properties. In PEP, you can click the top left quadrant of the arrivals, departures or in house box and it shows you the breakdown of all guest levels from LTD to non-member all the time. In an obvious aside, don't assume that managers are the ones doing or not doing the upgrading on a day to day basis. Plenty of properties are run where the rank and file are doing as they see fit shift by shift.

Correct. There is no separate level of benefits, secret sauce or anything else.

In fact, from a hotel perspective, many Lifers are "has beens", whereas it is the current actively qualifying Diamond members who are providing them today's revenue.

"The past is prologue."

This is not accurate, IME, and there are plenty of us with LTD status that are quite active HH guests.

I have stopped massive travel and do maybe 1 or 2 stays a year now. I still get great service and recognition for my lifetime status. More than most of my pre lifetime diamond stays when I was still traveling a lot. And stays now are all domestic USA (mainly Hawaii).

We ..and I say we because we have an old joint account from when that was allowed and agree that in Europe and Asia LTD is recognized at FD and in room upgrades. Had some great suites and rooms with a view. Also there are hotel managers who have instructed their staff that the Ltd have shown loyalty to the chain and should be treated well whether on paid or award stays. Domestic not so much love. We're in ellsworth Maine today at a Hampton Inn (that costs more than a full service city hilton I might add) where there was recognition at checkin. And 2 bags of Swedish fish to boot.

You are quite right. Numerous Lifers continue to contribute significantly to current hotel revenue. That is why I said "many" do not, as opposed to "most" or "all" or without an adjective.

I am not justifying lackadaisical treatment, just pointing to a possible motive.

And you deserve whatever recognition the hotel provides, whether it deigns to do so or does so enthusiastically, as a Diamond or lifetime Diamond.

You've earned it! :tu: :cool:

Perhaps not considered "separate level of benefits" but automated upgrades are supposed to be better as LTD. For example, see reported "upgrade order" here:
https://loyaltylobby.com/2021/10/20/...amond-members/
Also reported by others.

Anecdotal evidence seems to indicate that in some markets upgrades at check-in are also better, in addition to the automated upgrades 72 hours before.

So while we might not consider it "separate level of benefits", nonetheless the bottom line result can be quite good for people who value upgrades.

Was recognised as LTD at Sydney last week, received apology that they couldn't upgrade me as hotel was full (SXSW Sydney)
They did leave me a fruit plate and juices in my room, not typical.

That's a big word there with supposed. The auto upgrade process is vague at best with no real way to quantify the metrics from the HH side, let alone the property side when they can exclude room types and the number of rooms in a room type that are available to be auto upgraded. Let alone day of arrival at check in where the desk agent (IME, being on the other side of the desk for a long time at two Hilton properties) has full discretion to do as they see fit, or as they are told, in regards to upgrade or to do nothing with zero fallback if they don't. Not trying to be a wet blanket, but that sounds more like a wish upon a star crapshoot to me then anything you can expect or rely on.

A good sign as to whether they know/understand/recognize your LTD is whether they ask you to run your card for incidentals at check in. If they know/understand/recognize it, they will never ask you for this, if not they will. What I find funny is when there are multiple properties in a country/city, and when one is familiar and does not ask and the other is not familiar and asks, and when this is pointed out gives some excuse like "legally we have to do this", and you question and ask, "so property x, y and z are all breaking the law", which follows with a blank look and the front desk manager being called.

This is not LTD specific.
At several hotels I regularly stay at in the UK, I (as a standard Diamond) am never asked for a pre-auth on the card.
At other hotels I also stay at regularly in the UK, they pre-auth GBP 50 or whatever per night.

That's great, but not what I am saying at all. It is a brand standard that LTD's are NOT supposed to EVER be asked for such pre-auth anywhere for any reason as long as they intend to pay with the same card that they have made the reservation with. So the proper question is, "are you using the same (Amex, Visa, whatever) that you made the reservation with", and that is it.

and obviously I am referring to direct bookings =, not TA bookings, or OTA bookings.

At 106 nights so far this year (and no light at the end of the tunnel yet) I think I may be close to if not breaking a personal record for me...

Brand standards (at least above the HI/HGI level, I seem to remember those were a little different) have specified this for Gold and above for well over a decade -- I remember shortly after it became a thing an Embassy front desk started to ask and then caught himself with "er... I'm not supposed to ask you that anymore" though lately (presumably to counter CC fraud concerns from owners) hotels have a bit of latitude to opt out of this... Fortunately relatively few do so.

Can you point to the brand standard section that specifies this for LTD? The BS that I've read/familiarized myself with make no differentiation but I'd love to see it if I've overlooked it.