sbams

Or grandparents

robnc35

Conrad Bangkok has a place in another room for parents and kids works out quite well

navelfluff

Thanks everyone for some interesting perspectives. TBH I'm pretty clear now that my objection is to inconsiderate behaviour (by anyone, not just children) and that it's not about restricting access, rather about ensuring good standards of behaviour and sensitivity/respect for fellow lounge guests.

Amelorn

Oddly enough, this has never been an issue at any Hilton or non-Hilton EL I have utilized in Asia. Lounges are larger, and I don't recall being disturbed by, well, anything.

The US on the other hand...most ELs are the size of a junior suite holding 40 people and a TV blaring (a corporate decision). It does not take much noise to make it seem like a hell-horn's cacophony - a loud commercial or a moderately fussy toddler.

jeffandnicole

The Exec Room at the Hilton Newark Penn Station in NJ has a self-service fridge with beer and wine. There were slips of paper that you were to fill out indicating what you got, and you were to bring it to the employee who seemed very unhappy to have to babysit the room. Being the beers were $6 - $7 each (no complimentary drinks), I passed on them and just got a few sodas/waters.

pinniped

No, I'm fine with them allowing senior citizens in as long as they don't move too slowly while they're between me and the open bar. @:-)

whimsey21

I was there with my kids last summer, and found that an excellent compromise between keeping the lounge adults-only in the evenings, but still letting families partake of the food/drink offerings. Of course, I did get a bit annoyed when I went to the main lounge to get some food and saw a couple of parents happily ensconced at a table while their unruly child ran about touching all of the food... Apparently the staff only enforces the rule for some people and not others...

The Sheraton on the Park in Sydney has a similar approach, in which the lounge is off limits to kids after 5pm, but families are given a voucher for the cafe, which entitles you to unlimited drinks and several large platters of hors d'oeuvres during the same time period that the lounge is serving cocktails and snacks. It doesn't have the great view that the lounge does, but is actually a more comfortable setting for families, so everyone ends up happy.

jamesteroh

The only US Hilton I've been at with comped adult beverages was happy hour at the Seattle Downtown hilton and it was only crappy wine (cna't remember if there was beer or not since I don't drink beer). International Hiltons are a lot better with the comped booze.

At least the Hyatt's I've been to have reasonable lounge drink prices ($5 and is self serve).

Points Scrounger

Yes, the Seattle Hilton lounge does offer beer, usually at least three choices: the featured local one recently was Rainier. For wine, at least there was a selection, rather than white = chardonnay. Don't know if it's a new policy, but instead of roving servers they had a bartender set up at the entrance.

kb9522

^ Not a real FT thread without a pedantic post mixed with a healthy dose of sarcasm!