Your definition of privilege is different from mine.

The only upgrade I've ever received from Hilton this past year was just a room with better view. I was always told that they were fully booked. I guess Hilton is doing really well.

What?

It literally lists in the benefits upgrades are things you receive as an elite member.

They are an entitlement not a privilege, this is especially true when they tell you personally at check in that Diamonds normally get upgraded to this, but they are full.

I cannot speak for lyndonmaxewell, but perhaps he is speaking about the room/category "type" of upgrade, not the upgrade itself.

As often discussed across the FT universe, when looking online or at the app, do you know if the systems are synced in real time? What does each hotel consider an "upgrade" or "in the upgrade pool"? Is that room type are available for your entire stay?

In the absence of those definitions i assume everything offered for sale is an upgrade pool as long as elite benefits support this claim.
Any room of course can be potentially upsold to someone checking in right after you therefore you are not getting it now for free..

Yes, I know they are synced in real time. At least for Hilton, whatever stock showing up online is what they are able to allocate in their system. This works at every Hilton hotel, there is no such thing as a preallocated room, once it is preallocated to that room that stock is removed from the system. If you book that room online you will at least get that room or higher, they only usually overstock standard or exec rooms. On the day of check in especially and since rooms are no longer refundable and they have a much better idea of arrival volume, its always in real time.

The hotel obviously considers what an upgrade is in the upgrade pool as the room they said was full but the room you 'would' have been upgraded to. So the hotel themselves have told you that it is in the upgrade pool for Diamonds, or they insinuate that the hotel is full that's why they can't move you to a suite.

Yes that room type is available for the entire stay and that is a separate issue. This is for the situations in which the agent is lying, not whether the guest is incorrect and didn't input the same dates of their stay.

You would do well not validate bad impressions (whether deserved or not) of Diamond members because hotel staff have a million and one ways to make your stay a nightmare. Withholding an upgrade is just the beginning. And, since Diamond Desk reps are prohibited from accepting member complaints while members are checked into a property, you really are at the mercy of the staff.

As far as upgrades go, the relevant part of the Honors Terms and Conditions is as follows: " At Waldorf Astoria® Hotels & Resorts, Conrad® Hotels & Resorts, Canopy™ by Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Curio - A Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton™ properties, Diamond Hilton Honors Members will receive upgrades to preferred rooms, based on availability at the time of arrival (excludes Napua Tower at Grand Wailea and Imperial Floor at Rome Cavalieri). "

Owners and managers have been left in no doubt that they and their designees have wide latitude in determining what is available. And they have been specifically told that empty - even for the length of member's stay - needn't mean 'available'.

Sometimes you will find one who lies just out of nastiness.

On Christmas Eve, 2014, I had an award reservation at the Millenium Hilton in NYC for one night. As my plane was scheduled to arrive at JFK at 6 am, and I wanted to be certain I could go straight to my room, I called the hotel's reservations department and asked if I should make it a two-night stay (meaning the nights of the 23rd and 24th).

I was told that the hotel is mostly for business travelers and should have many available rooms at Christmas time so not to waste the points -- however to call back a week before arrival to double check the situation.

I did that, was told there would be no problem, but was asked to phone again when I got to JFK so they could have my room ready. I called as soon as I got into the taxi and was told it was already available.

I got to the hotel and the desk clerk told me that I have to wait until the afternoon as there are no empty rooms. I told her about my call from the taxi. She demanded to know who I spoke with and I gave her his name. She went into a room right behind the desk, he came out with her, and said there was no problem.

She was not happy at all but gave me the room key and then said, "It is this time only. Don't make a habit of doing this."

You were on a roll there. You should have kept going.

'Upgrades for Diamond Hilton Honors Members may include upgrades up to “junior”, “standard” or “one-bedroom” suites. '

So if they have such suite availability, you are entitled to at least make them justify why such upgrades are not extended when available.

I guess it's a good thing for us that you're retired. :)

Could a general definition of upgrade be something costing more money?

This could remover those pretend upgrades?

Until we remove humans from the equation this conversation will never end. I'd be very loyal to a chain that had 100% algorithmic upgrades even if I didn't often get upgraded, simply because the removal of the personal element would be so good.

However, most consumers don't worry about upgrades and are simply grateful when they happen. The fact that the upgrade lottery annoys a small minority of frequent guests won't worry the chains in the least, since they can always take care of true regulars at properties, regardless of whether they've signed up for the loyalty programme. Hence, there's no incentive for chains to improve this.

The best way to deal with this is to be as politely persistent as possible at every check in (e.g. polite enough not to impact treatment the rest of the stay), but to play it as a numbers game. E.g., if you know that, long term, 2 in 5 stays will be upgraded and the upgrade will be about 20% nicer on average than the room booked, and you're comfortable with this, you can go to your unupgraded room happy that in the long run you're better off than if you'd booked through an OTA.

Holy cow.
Is a suite or other upgraded room that important to you.

Don't begrudge those who do just seems like a lot of work and a pain.

I rarely ever make a fuss. Usually there a night or two anyway and the room I booked is usually more than sufficient.

I find these upgrade complaints mainly come from lower-end Diamonds...those that barely make Diamond, but because they are Diamond, they feel they are way above everyone else.

If a hotel is expecting numerous Diamonds in one night, most of whom have stayed at the hotel numerous times during the past month, not to mention all over the world over the past year, and you're the Diamond that became Diamond because of a status match and you barely stay at a Hilton hotel, guess who they're going to give the upgrades to?

I would've asked the clerk to go directly to that back room, pull out that person again, and have him/her say her exactly quote again, this time with that person right there.

You have way too much time on your hands. The GM has way more important matters than your room assignment. No doubt you are probably one of those people they have notes on in your file as a problem customer.

Just be nice to people, be friendly to the FDA and they will give you the world. Before you get there, they have been given attitude and rudeness by countless other "entitled" guests that day, so to speak with an understanding and friendly guest, these days, is a bonus, and they will often want to say thank you.

The FDA's in general just do not care about your upgrade. The brand does, the owners do, the managers do, but they are not the ones enacting the policy, it is most often the FDA at the time. If you give them attitude, or "I'm entitled to" you will end up by the ice machine.