Does a Property Know How You Received Your Diamond Status?
Aug 7, 2018, 12:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Programs: United Global Services, Lifetime Hilton Diamond
Posts: 350
Does a Property Know How You Received Your Diamond Status?
I was thinking of getting the new Hilton Amex Aspire card for the Diamond status since the cost alone will be worth not having to do a mattress run for any year that I have not already requalified for Diamond. If you have Diamond status from this card, do the properties know you have the status from the card and not from the usual qualification options? I just want to make sure that someone with the card is not thought of as a second-class Diamond upon check in. Thanks!
Aug 7, 2018, 1:05 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: HH Lifetime Diamond, DL PM, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 920
The hotel has access to a ton of information about your preferences and stay history in addition to your status. The hotel can view data points such as your lifetime stays/nights by hotel/brand/enterprise and your stay activity within the year for hotel/brand/enterprise. They can also see history of service recovery and other items. They can't clearly see how you earned your status that I know of. They may be able to figure out if you have no stay/history and are diamond, but I doubt it will lead to any different treatment. My experience is that the majority of hotels never look at that information. For example, I often get asked at check in "have you stayed here before?" when I am back for the 5th time. Your stay history is literally right in front of them at the computer when they check you in.
Aug 7, 2018, 1:24 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL/EWR
Programs: AA, US, WN, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 1,528
I can't say I ever felt like I was slighted because someone surmised Diamond Status was from my credit card. I do have 100+ nights at Hilton properties and it seems like my loyalty to a particular hotel is rewarded more than anything.
Aug 7, 2018, 1:49 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,343
I once checked into a DoubleTree in North Carolina and the front desk agent said I must travel a lot. He said it with a knowing smirk, as if he knew I didn't have "real" status. (It was my first stay at any Hilton property in 8 months.) I was not amused. But I didn't care -- the property was all-suites and I got my free breakfast.
The very first time I stayed in a Hilton, I was greeted with "As a Diamond member, welcome back to Hilton!" And I think it was genuine, there was no "smirk"
Aug 8, 2018, 5:52 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland / Estonia
Programs: AY+ Platinum, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, HH Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 6,524
This is an interesting point. I've wondered before too why I wasn't greeted with a "welcome back". If it is really in front of them then I find it even more disappointing..
Aug 8, 2018, 8:33 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP/LTP, BA GGL/CCR/GfL, HH D/LTD, SPG/MR Plat/LTP
Posts: 10,075
There are, of course, Hilton Family properties, where they follow your stay history very carefully. One hotel where the "welcome back" greeting is followed by an invitation to a dinner, a more substantial upgrade than expected, due to the stay being the 10th, 15th etc, is the Conrad BKK. IME there are few hotels I've stayed in the last couple of years, where I'm not welcomed back.
Aug 8, 2018, 10:46 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,457
Like all service industries, it might simply be an honest oversight. Perhaps the agent misread their screen, is at the end of a 12 hour shift and was just plain tired, or was trying to serve a long line of people as quickly as possible -- not excuses but just reasons why a greeting might be overlooked. If I haven't been greeted properly, I will ask "Is my Honors Gold number in the reservation? Then, the agent must respond and acknowledge your status.
Aug 8, 2018, 6:24 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,862
You do this just for the self-satisfaction of hearing FD staff acknowledge your status and provide you with what you deem to be the proper greeting? SMH.
Aug 8, 2018, 7:02 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
It's not about the greeting but about tangible status benefits. I've had FD fail to provide bottled water, breakfast vouchers, etc. until I brought up HHonors.
Aug 8, 2018, 8:54 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,418
Aug 8, 2018, 9:12 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,862
As a Lifetime Diamond, I agree that these are at the top of the list, with point balance more frequently resulting in upgrades, perks, freebies, etc. than LD status. Frequency at a given property also is up there. This is based on +/- 100 stays annually over many years; balance shouldn’t be a factor but it unquestionably gets attention and positive results.
Aug 8, 2018, 11:56 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Switzerland / Estonia
Programs: AY+ Platinum, BAEC Silver, airbaltic VIP, HH Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 6,524
As a Lifetime Diamond, I agree that these are at the top of the list, with point balance more frequently resulting in upgrades, perks, freebies, etc. than LD status. Frequency at a given property also is up there. This is based on +/- 100 stays annually over many years; balance shouldn’t be a factor but it unquestionably gets attention and positive results.
