MrHilton

there are two lounges the check in lounge, and the platinium lounge. ..

At first she said that diamond members had acces to that platinium lounge.

And now it is only a desk to do the check in and out.

Youpaiyou

+ 1

cjd

For stays at the Tropicana Doubletree between Jan 22 and April 23 2013, register for a chance to win 1 million Hhonors points. For details, see:
http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/offers/100041913.htm

flyingzzzd's

So I have to ask, what about the Terms and Conditions of loyalty benefits listed on the Hilton site that state:
"‡ Executive Floor Lounge Access Policy: The following policy applies at all Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and DoubleTree by Hilton™ hotels with Executive Floor Lounges. Executive Floor Lounges are available only at select properties.

• If you are an HHonors guest with Diamond status, you and up to one additional registered guest in the same room will always enjoy complimentary access to the Executive Floor Lounge, even if you do not receive a room upgrade to the Executive Floor."
(Bolding is mine).

Nicole is access to the 'real' lounge being denied to Diamonds because this is seen as a guest incentive rather than linked to room type? It just seems like a deliberate breach of terms. Guaranteed lounge access for Diamonds is the primary reason we give so many stays to Hilton.

A check-in area, although a separate room, with, as you have clearly stated, no amenities, is not an Executive Lounge. I'd know you are just the messenger here but would appreciate you sourcing an explanation as to why Diamond members are being denied Lounge access at your property.

Did you see how positively everyone reacted (and started booking) with news that Diamonds would have full Lounge access? And how the mood has turned since it appears this was merely a play on words?

Dovster

The problem here is not a conflict between the Diamonds' interests and the Tropicana -- it is the conflict between HHonors' interests and the hotel's.

Vegas casino/hotels work on a completely different economic basis than any other hotels. They do not care at all about how loyal you are to Hilton. They do not even care about how much they are charging you for a room each night. What is important to a Vegas hotel/casino is how much you are going to gamble during your stay.

(No, it does not even matter to them if you win or lose. If they know how much all the players at their tables/slots are going to bet in a particular week, they know how much they are going to win -- no matter what happens with one particular player.)

Hence, the Tropicana does not care at all if you are a Diamond or have no status. That is no indication to the hotel that you are going to bet large amounts or not bet at all. It is saving its Platinum Lounge for people who have a history of betting big time.

The Tropicana's only advantage in being part of HHonors is getting on its website and attracting players to stay there. It knows, as does every other Vegas hotel/casino, that people tend to play much more in their own hotel than elsewhere.

Of course, this is in conflict with HHonor's interests. It does not matter to HHonors if you drop a bundle at the Tropicana or go to the MGM to play. It only wants you to stay at HHonors' hotels. This means that HHonors should be upset with the Tropicana reserving entry to the Platinum Lounge to large players. When one hotel does not live up to its obligations under its agreement with HHonors, it weakens the lure of every other HHonors hotel as it becomes known that what HHonors advertises is not always true.

Complaints about the Tropicana's policy should not be addressed to the hotel, but rather to HHonors itself.

jamesteroh

Agree totally with the last paragraph. I have been denied lounge access as a diamond and I immediately complained to the Diamond Desk. Drake in Chicago told me the only give lounge access to those staying on the exec level due to how small the lounge was. The thing that REALLY ticked me off though was they told me that I would have lounge access only for breakfast because that is where they serve the continential breakfast at for GOLDS and diamonds (the lounge is too small for access that I am entitled to other times yet they are able to accomodate all golds and diamonds during the busiest lounge time). I immediately called the diamond desk and they contacted the property and the Drake gave me two full breakfast buffets and coupons for bar appetizers which I would have rather had over lounge access anyway but only way I got those was complaining to the DD. If Tropicana would offer diamonds even a full buffet for breakfast like the LV Hilton had, I would be happy with no lounge access.

I am thinking Tropicana can get away with this though, if it is a CASINO lounge and not a HOTEL lounge. Harrah's lounges are usually part of the casino and not the hotel and you don't have to be staying at the hotel to access the lounge as long as you are a diamond or seven seas TR member.

Seeing how easy it is to get diamond with Hilton, I can see why they don't want to give diamonds lounge access. I get irritated when Hilton lounges that are so crowded that I can't even find a place to sit give golds and sometimes silvers not on the exec floor lounge access that shouldn't have it creating to the overcrowding. To be diamond with Harrah's I think you have to be putting $100K a year in video poker machines or $50K a year in slot machines, that's a lot of money to be giving a casino. I can understand why those guests wouldn't want their lounge being overcrowded with people that aren't gambling and getting status with a very easy credit spend or some type of promo.

teemuflyer

I think the response is simple, although not really satisfying. This DT doesn't offer Executive Rooms, thus no Executive Floors, thus no Executive Lounge.

Now, it appears that all Hiltons and DTs are going to be required to have an Executive Lounge by July (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...nd-2013-a.html), it would make sense for the Trop to be proactive and just allow Diamonds access to the VIP Lounge for the time being..

jamesteroh

If they are going to be required to have a lounge by July or December, I am sure they will build a smaller hotel lounge instead of giving us access to the VIP lounge. They aren't going to want to tick off their high rollers by having a crowded lounge, the free alcohol alone would cost them a lot. And while I don't have kids, and would prefer a lounge with people 21 and over, I can see families complaining their kids can't get in the lounge because you have to be 21 to enter.

Points Scrounger

I don't know all that much about casino high rollers, but if that lounge is going to have a lot of Do You Know Who I Am! types, do we want to hang out there?

ILovetheReds

It appears that the resort fee is waived only for diamonds. In the past when a property has tried charging my wife a resort fee as a gold she has been able to get the fee reduced by 50 percent but she has only done that at two properties. I am not sure if the Tropicana will reduce the fee for golds or not. And when my wife managed to do it, it was before gold was so easy to achieve.

Breakfast is suppose to be the same for gold and diamonds, a voucher for the cafe. I wish they would give diamonds a buffet like the old LV Hilton, or at least a hot breakfast but it is the best breakfast choice in HH members on the strip right now (only one actually).

The T&C of the HH program say golds are to receive the next room upgrade (excluding suites) at DT's. Providing there are upgradeable rooms you should expect to get a least the next level up room from what you booked if it is available per the T&C.

TR7_DFW

I hope they serve cheese in the lounge. No need for w(h)ine since there is plenty of that already.

ILovetheReds

Seeing Diamond status requires spending over two months a year in Hilton properties, and that lounge access for all Diamonds is in the T&C of the HH program, expecting access and complaining about being denied is far from whining.

Dovster

Or, like me, simply spending $40,000 on your HHonors Surpass card, even if you don't stay a single night in a Hilton property.

mcgahat

I dont get all this dicussion around the lounge. This is not a club/executive club floor lounge IMO. This is a players lounge. Two seperate things. Try to book a room at the Tropicana and you will see that there is not executive/club floor to book. To me, not having access to the players club lounge is a non-issue.

mikeef

I think the issue relates to how the lounges are defined. It now sounds like Diamonds will have access to the check-in/out lounge but not the Platinum casino lounge. When Nicole originally referred to being able to access the VIP lounge, she meant the check-in/out lounge, although many interpreted it as the players' lounge.

Mike