slidergirl

paladin963 - remember, the ability to potentially receive an upgrade to a suite for Diamonds just came online Feb. 1 this year. Before that it was the 1-category upgrade. Keep traveling this year and see what results you get. You most likely also need to pick and choose which properties you stay at to maximize your changes of a suite. Look at the posts on this thread to see where they are happening for starters. Also - it is still up to the individual hotels for what they do. If you book a basic Queen room, there is nothing that says they must jump you over Deluxe Queen and Junior Suite rooms and put you in the genuine suite with separate master bedroom and living room. They can still keep you in the same room, but at a better location, up to the next level that is not a suite, etc. Remember - it's not a guaranteed entitlement for a Diamond to get a suite, but an amenity based on availability for the duration of your stay

paladin963

Thanks Slidegirl. I'll see what happens in the coming months. I hope my post didn't sound entitled. I realize the upgrade is availability-based and not a guarantee. Its just that with my poor track record, I'm starting to question whether this is a meaningful benefit. I have been "upgraded" in the sense that in some cases I was given an executive floor room when what I booked was a standard King room. However, if the only difference between the room I booked and the room I receive is that it happens to be on a floor with a plaque identifying it as the executive floor, I don't consider that a meaningful upgrade. In my experience, at properties without ELs there really is no difference, and at properties with ELs this type of upgrade is kind of meaningless since I would get EL access anyway as a Diamond. To me, a meaningful upgrade would be getting a room that is substantially bigger, has more desirable view, or has some type of nonstandard amenity, eg a jacuzzi tub vs the regular bathroom setup. My coworkers always seem to have fantastic upgrade experiences, and I realize some of what they tell me may be hyperbole, but I do wonder. I'm also disappointed to hear that upgrades are something we have to request. I would hope that the hotel staff would recognize our elite status with Hilton and would grant us the benefits we earn without us specifically having to request them.

The staff at the SF Union Square Hilton must hate me. I spend on average about five weeks a year there, and never received I room I considered substantially better than the one I booked, and never even so much as a "welcome back" from the front desk attendants.

naroowal

Received a great upgrade to a suite at the British Colonial Hilton. Had a rum cake waiting for us with water bottles in the room. This room had a great view and was an amazing treat for us. Thank you Hilton .

- naroowal

jamesteroh

I have had no luck with upgrades at the SF hilton and try to stay at the Parc 55 instead when I am in SF.

Seems like in Chicago I have a lot of luck with upgrades and it helps to call. When suite upgrades were first introduced as a benefit in January, I called the Wit about a week before my stay asking if they upgraded to suites and they weren't busy that weekend and blocked me in a nice spa suite. I had similar luck with the Washsington Hilton. In those cases when I looked at my reservatoin it showed my room type as a suite. If you don't want to call the hotel or they can't help you out, I wouldn't hesitate at all to ask at check in. Worse they can do is say no.

mandc2000

Free night cert used for Hilton Canary Wharf for trmw night - hotel sold out and already confirmed to Junior Suite

JohnMacWW

Booked exec king and was upgraded to Senator Suite, big spacious luxury suite that had two corners (whole end of building)

kempis

Just checked in at Hilton Stockholm. Uppgraded to a junior suite with amning view over gamla stan.

This time I choosed a junior suite over a king executive room. I actually think that the king executive room is better, its bigger and is closer to the lounge. However you cant go wrong at this hotel, my favorite within the Hilton chain and a hotel I almost call home now

Smaug

Doubletree Amsterdam Centraal
3 nights booked with Q4FNs and points
Upgraded to Dockside Suite overlooking the city

DaChief

Hilton Sydney. Upgraded to a King Relaxation Suite on the 27th floor. Great view of the city. Kicked back in the huge spa tub that had its own TV. Very nice stay! Sushi in the EL!

pvs001d

Hilton Bentley Miami.
Got a very nice oceanview suite plus a bottle of red wine plus a bottle of "champagne" ( sparkling wine) on ice was awaiting us in the room.

cblaisd

Hilton Garden Inn (remember, HGIs don't have suite upgrades as one of the stated benefits), Northwest Indianapolis, upgraded to a nice junior suite.

HenryE1005

Good morning,

I have always been upgraded to at least a jr. suite or a 1 bedroom suite simply by asking...sometimes I've had to ask for the manager; however ultimately an upgrade is granted. This was before 2/1/12.

HenryE1005

We were upgraded to the "Presidential Suite" at the Fremont Hilton and to a 1 bedroom suite at the Hilton Santa Clara...neither were outstanding; however both were very nice for the rate that I paid.

more4less

Doubletree Unirii Square - Bucharest

Booked single room upgraded to a nice Junior Suite

jamesteroh

Anyone stayed there since suite upgrades have been introduced?