dranz

What happens when a HH Diamond books via
priceline.com???

It seems that the San Francisco Hilton and
Towers property has been dropped from my
list of employer approved hotels. The best
"Hilton" rate that I can find is $219/nite.
Priceline.com is putting folks into this
property for the same dates at < $60/nite ...
but I have been somewhat reluctant to ever
even try priceline.com. Wondering if HHonor
Diamond rewards do [not?] apply???

Given that my corp rate for the nearby Wyndham, Radisson & CrownePlaza properties
is approx $135/nite ... I thought I'd try
negotiating directly with the hotel.
Amazingly; they said to book via Priceline
rather than take my offer $135/nite for
three nites.

If I go with the corp list; Hilton gets
exactly $0. If I go with priceline.com,
Hilton gets something less than $180 for my
three nights. If Hilton took my offer, they
would earn a guaranteed $405+ for the three
nites.

Q1: Do HHonors Diamond rewards apply to
priceline.com resv/rates?

Q2: Anyone else seeing such rate nonsense?

Q3: Is the San Fran Hilton & Towers a Hilton
corp or franchise property?

-doug


[This message has been edited by dranz (edited 04-21-2001).]

mountain flyer

I believe you would get breakfast and a room upgrade, but don't think you would get points or miles for the room charge. You may get points for your incidentals. The reason for this is that Hilton bills Priceline, not you, for the room.

Chris

TropicalFlyer

Staying at the hotel right this minute using a priceline bid which is much lower than the approved government rate. As a HH Gold, I received an upgraded room and access to the lounge (free continental breakfast and afternoon pupus).

BTW, make sure you call before you arrive and have your HH number and status put in the system so you get your upgrade.
TF

[This message has been edited by TropicalFlyer (edited 04-21-2001).]

dmendlow

What should I expect/request as a Diamond at the SF Hilton & Towers?

I have done a search and only turned up the following advice... anything else?

"Request I high room away from hospitality suites."

"got an upgraded junior suite without asking - it was a fairly large room in the non-towers portion of the hotel...but i asked about towers lounge access and was told no"

dshafiee

I have stayed there many times, and have always received lounge access. Out of the last 10 times I was there, I was upgraded to a larger room 4 times. All other times, I was put on a towers floor.

CLTFlyer

Aparently as they've had a slow week or 2 recently - they've closed the Towers Lounge, meaning while the Towers section was open, as the lounge was closed I had the coupon for breakfast in The Cafe on this past Friday morning (further meaning I should have asked for a junior suite).

But normally, as a Gold, I've received the upgrade to the Towers section of the hotel with lounge access (slightly bigger room than some I've seen in the old sections, plus a couple of robes in the closet, and an umbrella). You should always receive Towers Lounge access as a Gold or Diamond (see the HHonors membership benefits for that info) as you're in a US Hilton.

A note, they've just put in a new internet and movie system in the hotel. Meaning they're still working the kinks out which meant that mine froze up 10 minutes after starting to use it - plus the system somehow ordered for me the J.Lo film The Wedding Planner - not something I'd order, not in this lifetime, unless the gf wanted it - and then only after much gritting of teeth. Of course, getting the good folks at check-out to take those charges off took about 15 minutes with a surly agent (of course, as time wore on and her attitude hacked me off more - I started to bare my fangs). Only way to finally get her to knock the charges off was to politely tell her that it was fine if she wouldn't take the charges off, I would just have AMEX dispute that part of the bill later on. Seemed to work.

Otherwise, check-in is very quick and the agent was very cordial and thanked me for my business. Bellman are quick to respond - and room service did a quick turn around on dinner from the Hilton's Japanese restaurant.

And remember to take a sweater - on Thursday and Friday had a good bit of wind, highs in the low 70s with lows in the 50s. A bit chillier than Vegas was the day before.

MIKEM

I had a business trip scheduled for 9/16-9/19 at the San Francisco Hilton with a rate of $169/night. My clients rescheduled me for any time in mid October to early November. When I tried to move my reservation to the same days in that time-frame the best I could get was $269/night.

Ouch!!!

Any suggestions for this VIP Gold.

clayman

I just checked hilton.com for the first week in October, and they are offering $189/night rates, as well as e-saver rates with a 10% discount.

MIKEM

The esaver price is $242 for the first week in November.

Thanks though.

username

I am staying at the SF Hilton right now. I can't believe what a terribly run hotel it is. Just want to vent a little here.

When I checked-in, the clerk said my recently-obtained Gold status did not show up on their system. He refused to upgrade me. He said it will take a long time for him to look up on his computer and suggested that I come back the next day for an upgrade room. I called the 800 number from my cell phone. The agent on the phone told the clerk I was gold. The clerk said "I guess if they said you are, then you are." and upgraded me. At least he was very nice.

When I got to my room, both phones were dead (no dial tone). I went down to tell the front desk. The clerk there called the phone people and the phone people called back and said "it's working - I just left him a voice mail". I said that did not make sense. The clerk said it is fixed. Of course it was not.

So, I requested another room. This time I got a nice and quiet room - at least I thought. The room is one room away from the service elevator ¡V I did not think that would be a problem. It really vibrates when the elevators go by. I talked to the guy next door (the room right next to the elevator). He said he was so scared the first night when he heard the sound. (It sounds like a mix of thunder or airplanes flying by.)

So, I requested a change (since I am staying 2 weeks) for the next day. I got an even noisier room (street side) without high speed Internet access. I went to the front desk telling the clerk my story, nicely, and she said "I guess you will have to stay in your room!" She said she put in a request and someone will call me when a room becomes available the next day and ¡§pack up your bag and move when we call you¡¨. It went downhill from there due to her attitude. (I was too tired to have an attitude :-()

I would describe the hotel operations there as incompetent, insincere and inefficient. I know it is a mega hotel that is mediocre but this is down-right terrible. Now I know why it is so much cheaper compared to other hotels in SF. (I knew about the location before I booked - not a big problem for me.)

The bright side is the HH VIP room is big compared to the W and the VIP Lounge has very good breakfast.

Steven

kevino

Hi Steven,

Sorry to hear about your problems. Obviously, just because someone can leave a voice mail message doesn't mean the phone is actually ringing in the room!

I would ask each day if a better room has opened up. If they can't provide good service with you staying for an extended period, and with low occupancy rates, when are they likely to provide good service?

I would avoid walking west from your hotel; that area of the Tenderloin is extremely bad; it's like a war zone.

username

Hi Kevino,

I got a room 2 doors down but I can still hear the elevator. It is a lot better so I will not ask for more changes. I think they need to get some new elevators installed.

I think this hotel routinely accepts Priceline/Hotwire bids that are very low ($60-70). Even though I am not paying that rate, I think their staff are used to treating people as if they paid very little. I am not saying those people who pay less should not be treated well. I think the hotel is suffering from a bad cycle of low yield and degrading quality.

Yesterday, the concierge kept yaking away with her friend on the phone while I was waiting for her help. There are just so many employees there that don't seem care or don't seem to have the proper training. I believe there is a serious management problem with this hotel.

As far as the neighborhood goes, since I grew up in NY, it does not bother me that much :-)

Steven

kevino

I think you are correct that there is a management problem. My own theory is that its big size is a problem, similar to the poor service at the NY Rockefeller Hilton.

Re: the bad neighborhood, it just seems to have gotten worse over the last decade. When Feinstein was running for mayor 20 years ago, she said she was going to clean up the area around Market Street and 8th Street.

It's too bad that Union Square is under renovation. A good place to visit and eat outside is Yerba Buena Gardens between 4th and 5th and between Mission and Howard Streets. It's across the street from MOMA, which is showing an Ansel Adams exhibit. There is an Ansel Adams Museum nearby on Mission Street that announced today that it is closing due to lack of money. It might be worth checking out.

username

Yes Kevino. Y* B* was a nice area to visit. I stay at the W a few weeks ago - that was great although the rooms are tiny. Another plus for the Hilton is the policy for 800 number is quite reasonable - no charge unless you exceed 1 hour.

Steven

MIKEM

Username,
My limited experience with the SF Hilton is not good either. I was supose to stay their a week after the bombing, at a rate of $159/night (great rate). However, I had to posepone the trip for the following month. I called the manager at the hotel and was told they would not honor the rate I had and quoted me the $289/night price. The attitude was completely apathetic, she did not give-a-****. My stay there is a week away and I think I'm going to cancel and stay elswhere. There is no good reason to pay that kind of rate now. Thanks for the input.