It's an unsecured (ie open) WiFi network but if you access an SSL secured site with a padlock in the URL window then your traffic across this is secured.

If you access non SSL sites then it's possible for somebody to capture your data.

I understand what you're saying but what I unsuccessfully communicated before was that I don't see any way of verifying the https when I'm logging onto wifi with my tablet. The page that comes up to log in on does not, I believe, show the web address. Maybe I just haven't looked carefully. However I'll be logging on both with a tablet and laptop later today at a Hilton and will watch for signs of https. (This hotel always gives me a code so that's what I use there.) If the https is visible somehow I'll report back my mea culpa. :)

The non-US portals are very different than the US (AT&T managed) -- in the US, you (or at least I) log in with Honors, password and room and then get prompted to select from the available options --of which, as a Diamond, there is only one: "Complimentary"... I've always wondered which tier this actually provides.

If you cancel out of the automatic wifi login, and try accessig a webpage in a browser (I always use unitedwifi.com mainly because it's a non HTTPS redirect) you should be able to confirm status

Was able to confirm that the Hilton wifi login page on my laptop is http, not https.

Most of my stays are outside the US and every login page I've paid attention to (and I've got a few screenshots here I've just checked) outside the US has been HTTPS. I'm pretty sure US ones are as well, but I'm back over in the US this weekend with a number of different Hilton stays for a week so I'll have to keep an eye on it.

Hotel networks and WiFi is part of my day job so it's something I tend to keep an eye on.

Confirming it is pretty easy - you either have a padlock or you don't.

I've got a screenshot of the Hilton wifi login page and it shows http and no padlock. Can't post it now (off to the airport) but anyone who logs in on a laptop in at a hotel can see it.

Thanks for the responses and happy travels!

In my case, logging in with my HHonors # and password has never worked, for some reason.

Assuming you're referring to US hotels (and I would assume others as well but no relevant personal experience) -- In my experience the name in your reservation must EXACTLY match the name in your HHonors profile or it doesn't work.

For example my last name is hyphenated (let's say SMITH-DOE). My HHonors profile is also SMITH-DOE, but one of the non-profits we do pro-bono work for has a travel agent that books my rooms when working with them via GDS. GDSes don't support the hyphen, so my name becomes Lincoln SMITHDOE on the reservation (same thing for every airline ticket I've ever booked).

If I don't have the front desk correct that to SMITH-DOE on check-in, the username/password wifi login won't work.

I'm certain it is because of something like this (I have two surnames, they always get messed up), but I always book myself with the HHonors app or website, so there's no good reason for a mismatch.