oranjemakker

Hmmmm.... wonder if any of those who have blasted the OP unnecessarily rudely, night apologize. it seems that indeed in many cases Lifetime Diamond members are being treated that little bit specially!

i dont think the OPs point was ever about any extra published benefits, simply being thanked, or recognised, for the loyalty shown to Hilton.

This post seems this in indeed the case.

Seems fair enough to me, if you've racked up that many nights at Hilton without using a credit card to get status, thats quite impressive.

^^ to the OP on reaching this threshold! And to the snarky replies!

Baze

Anything beyond specified Diamond benefits would be hotel specific and should not be expected. But enjoyed when you do get them.

hugolover

But actually, this post suggests that they don't see anything in OnQ and it was only when you showed the card you got these upgrades (clearly after some kind of explanation of what LTD is about) and otherwise they would not have offered such treatment. All three of your examples state that you showed the card. It sounds very client driven.

arlflyer

Exactly. As one of the folks who was "blasting" the OP, this is all my original point ever was. The assertion that the OP was acting like a DYKWIA was just an offshoot of this - based on the fact that hhonors had not created any additional benefits for his level.

And the good experiences that the LTDs have mentioned above just come back to the main issue with hhonors - and this has been my main pet peeve forever - lack of consistency and clarity in benefits. Maybe you'll get a suite, maybe you won't. WAs don't give free breakfast, except for that awesome one in Shanghai which does. Does this count as an "on property" fitness club so I get free admission? Does this Hilton have an EL - better check the property thread to find out. Oh it has an EL, but as Diamond I'm being denied anyhow (cough Drake cough)? Wifi is now free - except most properties haven't gotten the memo. Diamond parking at some Hamptons except the ones that don't feel like it. Etc, etc, etc. I'm not being negative to properties that go above and beyond - but above and beyond what? There isn't a single term or condition in the hhonors program that isn't loaded with weasel words.

Hhonors is a crapshoot 7 days a week! Every time I walk into a property it is like I am pulling the lever on a slot machine.

So the point is - IF Hilton wants LTD to have extra benefits, the should publish them. And why wouldn't they? It would work in their favor, no? Would there not be a marketing advantage to "stay 1000 nights and get awesome extra perks" versus "stay 1000 nights and get what you've become used to getting"? The fact that Hilton hasn't added extra stated perks leads one to believe that this is not the intent of the program.


So really, this is the same issue for LTDs that has been for regular HHDs all along - the squeaky wheel gets the grease. How many regular diamonds have to ask for that upgrade at the desk, or email the GM beforehand begging, or fight to have breakfast/spa access/wifi taken off of their folio? This is my main issue with hhonors across the board - lack of transparency and consistency in quantifying and implementing benefits. It would behoove Hilton to just make it clear to guests what they should expect, and not have them be playing property roulette with every stay.

IcHot

And good for him or anyone else if they are treated well!

What is not so worthy of praise is to whine when he doesn't get fawned over. The idea that hotels need to be trained to fawn is a bit sad.

Treat all customers respectfully and give them what is agreed upon.

moeser

+1

nachosdelux

Marriott does in fact provide a Lifetime Platinum card (says "Lifetime" on it)

Marriott will send you a "Lifetime Platinum" card if/when you fail to qualify for Platinum status.

writetorich

Perhaps because the FT'er places a greater significance on status and milestones than the typical traveler, we might be working from mistaken assumptions.

What verification do we have that front desk, individual hotel manager , knows if the diamond status is good for that year or for "life" --- not your lifetime, until HHonors changes the program------

Do hotels know if a Diamond is from $40k Surpass amex spend , stays, or mufti year threshold loyalty ( i.e. lifetime)????

I doubt it.

Information technology is definitely not one of Hinton's strong suits. I perennially have to reenter my AAA membership number , even though its in my profile and even when asked to re enter it that I ask the website to "remember me"

Does anyone even have verification that the IT system differentiate between methods of attaining diamond?
I doubt they even know unless you show the lifetime card at check it.

I have NEVER shown my diamond card -- its lost I could not find it to save my life---( this thread got into "cultural differences"--- I am American-)-- at check in. I feel I would look like a jerk "flashing" my card in an act of "self importance. The hotel already knows I am Diamond. Its in my profile. ( and yes typically I get a smile and a thank you for my loyalty-- to which I reply " I enjoy my stays , nice to be here and thank them).

It would be gratuitous to show the card at check in. Similarly when checking in at AA airlines first class line, ( if flying) coach , I dont show my AA 2 million miler card and have never been questioned why as a coach passenger I am in the first class check in line.

As a lifetime 2 million miler, I doubt that the typical AA employee knows "lifetime" plat from Plat and AA info. Tech. is light years ahead of hilton.
I don't expect better treatment than another plat because I transferred a lot of starwood points , via Amex Mr.R purchases during a promo ( yes and a fair amount of BIS , about 500K miles). Although I won't lie , I do save the million miler card in my draw, but its not in my wallet

san888

+1

Matthew_22

Same here. I've never even considered handing over my diamond card at check in. As you say, the status is always noted in my booking via my profile, so there is absolutely nothing to achieve through doing it other than a bit of ego stroking. I'm actually a little curious now to see if anybody does this? To me, it seems right up there on the DYKWIA scale with emailing the GM about upcoming stays...

(although to be fair, If I had just been given a new Lifetime Diamond card, right when they were first launched, I might do it a couple of times for novelty value, but certainly never with just a garden variety diamond)

smmrfld

Not at all. Just appropriately calling out DYKWIA behavior that reflects badly on others and leads to the behind-the-desk ridiculing that has been noted in the past.

oranjemakker

What exactly, in your opinion, is DYKWIA about emailing a GM about an upcoming stay if there is a reason to do so?

I have on a few occasions in my travel had cause to email GMs, whether i have status or not. Sometimes it has been about service issues I have encountered. In general i have found most GMs I have interacted with to be very proactive and in fact keen to hear from guests, and when it involves a service issue are usually quite pleased to have it brought to their attention. They are after all in the guest service business.

Further, if i am in a hotel and I notice the GM wandering around I might introduce myself if he she is not busy and have a chat, and (usually) compliment them on their hotel/ service etc. Again, I have found them more than happy to engage with guests.

IcHot

I would never personally contact the GM. I have my people do that for me. At that time they can schedule an appointment for the GM to visit with me briefly to hear my thoughts on the job they are doing at the property.
Since I am an active diamond and not diamond emeritus, I don't have as much time to grace them with, although I do like to be charitable with my time and wisdom to aid in improving their operations.

Matthew_22

Well nothing, if there's a reason to do so. Although in all of my maybe 400+ nights in Hilton hotels, I've never had a valid reason to do so, but of course YMMV.

However, if you're merely emailing him to announce your presence in an upcoming stay (read: hint/beg for an upgrade or special treatment), then I think its incredibly DYKWIA like behaviour.

The GM's job is to manage the operation of the hotel - usually a multimillion dollar business employing 100s of staff. I cant even begin to imagine I'm anywhere near important enough to waste his valuable time with trivial details like my arrival. He's probably got upwards of 10 diamonds staying in his hotel at any given time, goodness knows how many golds.

Of course he's going to sound pleased to receive your email, he's in the guest services business after all, like you say. Physically introducing yourself to a GM that's on the floor wandering around is a slightly different matter. He's out there actually inspecting the interaction with guests, so this would seem fair game to me, although it's still not something I would probably ever do.

But sending him unsolicited messages is bizarre and stunningly self important IMHO. There is pretty much nothing that should require his attention over and above any of the countless other customer facing points of contact for the hotel, except for the most serious of service issues.

If I stay at a particular hotel frequently enough to perhaps warrant that little bit of extra attention and care, then I will be recognised visually when I arrive or when my name is spotted amongst day's arrival list. If not, then I accept I'm not significant enough to be brought to the hotel's attention, and just fold back into the sea of other golds and diamonds they get every day.

Miesque

Ditto. The problem is the ones doing don't seem to think they are DYKWIA. In addition, I have a big problem with the fact that the squeaky wheel diamonds are getting more than their fair share of suites et al. While someone like myself only seems to get them at certain hotels.