NYScot

OP - did you do check-in at the EL ?

When we stayed here in May I asked about breakfast in Glass (as Diamond)and after some consultation with a manager was told yes. I don't know why they have to consult someone every time.

As other posters have mentioned they check your room number at reception in Glass.

Agree about cocktails in the EL - unless you get there before 6PM you can forget it. They need to thin the herd a little. Too many executive floor rooms ? Or too many +1/2/3s...

jsmith50

So, the whole reason I asked the question in the first place on this board is because this was vastly different than before. I travel to Sydney now 1-3 trips/year but in the past made this trip as many as 5-6 times/year. I bet I've accumulated well over 100 nights at the Sydney Hilton and have ALWAYS gotten breakfast at Glass without incident in the past (with the exception of 1 trip when they were renovating). I've spent so much time there that I know this property inside and out..which is why I pushed the issue this time. I did check in at the EL and had breakfast there. I even asked in the EL and got a very non-direct answer regarding why I wasn't getting the Glass option. I have to go back to Sydney in December and with the bizarre rate increases and this experience, I simply don't know that I will even try to book the Hilton. My Marriott experience this time was outstanding and I love the proximity to Circular Quay...maybe they get my business from now on while in Sydney.

troyhouse

Planning for a trip in Dec 2014, and wanted to know the benefits for Gold members. Do Gold members get access to executive lounge or it is only for Diamond?

everywhere

I once had them attempt to pull a fast one and not give me executive lounge as Gold (and yes I know they don't have to, but then I don't have to stay in their hotel particularly given how small their rooms are even when you get upgraded from the smallest). I got stuck into the duty manager about that.

I now always check-in in the Executive Lounge - don't need a key card to go to that floor in the lift - and haven't had a problem again.

(I would note that if you don't get Executive Lounge then you get breakfast in the restaurant, which I find one of the best breakfast buffet spreads in Sydney - runs to A$50 a head normally I think).

shillard

As a Gold I always get Exec Lounge access and at least one room level upgrade, but I'm a pretty frequent guest.

55 stays so far, 17 stays this year.

danger

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1226723127307

teemuflyer

Thanks for sharing. Can't believe I didn't even know about this bar when I visited in June! Next time I'll be sure to check it out..

trm2

Yes, thanks for posting. I'm in the executive lounge now, guess where I'm headed

llamaesque

Am a Hilton Gold member and had a pretty lacklustre stay at the Hilton Syd this week, mainly due to the service.

The hotel itself is very nice but the service was below average, especially after coming from the Hilton Singapore where I was treated like a star. Ok, there's nothing amazingly special about being a Gold member, but there was zero acknowledgement of that while checking in, not even a 'thanks for staying with us again' or 'welcome back'. Also, no room upgrade, no executive lounge access, no welcome gift like I received in Singapore and Barcelona earlier this month. The only Gold perks were free wifi and breakfast.

I hate to expect anything as I know the upgrades are conditional on availability, but I have no idea why Exec Lounge access was out of the question. Am I expecting too much? I had a pretty fantastic stay in Singapore so maybe that skewed my perspective somewhat. I was going to book a few nights at the Hilton Surfers next month but if this is indicative of the Hilton service standard Australia-wide I might give it a miss.

worldiswide

You can not compare service standards in Singapore and Australia in any way shape or form. Night and day. Reduce your expectations for Australia. Not in this hotel but at the Hilton in Melbourne we had a staff member ask if we could help him makeup the sofa bed as he wasn't sure how to do it. This hotel has a lot of business travelers and airline crew and service varies from stay to stay.

m0hamed

That's rubbish. It's just this property. Australia has some stellar examples of customer service, but it depends on the property.

worldiswide

Not that I want to go off topic here but I'd love some examples of stellar service in Australia. We have stayed in sone nice properties including Hayman Island and the voyages properties and found them to be lacking in every respect with regards to customer service especially for the price.

m0hamed

Park Hyatt Melbourne, Park Hyatt Canberra, Park Hyatt Sydney, Four Seasons Sydney, Emirates Wolgan Valley, Quaalia....

worldiswide

Interesting that that these are not Australian chains. And since this is a thread on Hilton, these properties certainly are several steps above Hilton sydney in price so would expect service and customer experience to be better. Hayman Island for instance was probably our single biggest travel disaapointment for the money Very second rate full of small children and you g inexperienced staff parading as luxury The point made several posts earlier is a differing level of Hilton service quality between Asia and Australia and I believe that to be true.

wheresmybagba

Well I stayed on the weekend of 20-22 Sep as a Diamond. I went up to the lounge at about 6:45PM on the Saturday night and it was like a zoo! There was not a single chair free to sit on, and people were standing despite there not being a good spot to do so. There was a long queue for drinks. Needless to say I gave up and left. Went back at about 7:30PM and there was one 2 seat table free which I grabbed.

So perhaps the lounge is over capacity, particularly at weekends.