Rumor: Hilton to Phase Out All Executive Lounges at Hiltons in the United States?
May 17, 2018, 1:20 am
#61
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I too agree the US based lounges are the most pathetic. Seriously, chips, soda, and pretzels? Asian properties are the best WW IMO and I hope if there is a standard set that that is it.
May 17, 2018, 7:07 am
#62
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Others have likened the decline and elimination of lounges to declining comforts/services of airlines. IMHO both are manifestations of what I call the Walmartization of America. Generally speaking, Americans want the best of everything free and if free isn't possible, at the lowest possible price. So, if there are 2 Hiltons in the same market where one has a EL and one does not, would many of us pay extra for the one with the EL? No - we'll take it for free but not if we have to pay more for it.
Still, if the "Executive Lounge" is a cramped, unattended room on a low floor with only chips, coffee and soda on offer, I'll pass.
May 17, 2018, 12:34 pm
#63
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When the economy is doing fine, like it is, many businesses are finding that they don't have to give anything away as they are already busy. Especially not expensive snacks and alcohol that people will over consume. I know everyone is an expert on how businesses should be ran. If you feel there is a huge lack of service and freebies across the travel industry, by all means, start your own business, and fill that gap.
May 17, 2018, 12:52 pm
#64
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I don't understand why so many haters of US lounges on this thread. What do you have to gain by demanding that EL's be closed? I doubt it's going to lower the rates or drive the management to enhance Diamond benefits in other ways. As it is, I feel like Diamonds get full (not continental) complimentary breakfast at probably ~half of all Hiltons/DT or more. And whether/not the Diamond gets free full breakfast downstairs does not seem to correlate with whether/not there's an EL there. PLEASE KEEP THE LOUNGES, AND OPEN MORE!
Quite frankly I'm getting tired of reading this argument. Diamond is not being given away. Aspire card is $450/year. Only way to make that really worthwhile is to stay at Hilton a lot. Last year (as a matched Diamond member who otherwise would've been Silver), I spent >$6000+tax on 25-30 nights as a leisure traveler. Even with that level of loyalty and spending, are you saying I shouldn't have a path to Diamond perks? Plus, US lounges are typically not overcrowded. I can't remember the last time I couldn't get a seat at a US EL. I don't know about Europe. But it's actually in Asia where I've most often encountered lack of seats.
In the case of Hilton, I've seen rates for "upgraded" rooms with access to the Executive Lounge at a higher price and on occasion have taken them up on the offer. Especially when traveling with my husband, it meant savings on breakfast, drinks and evening munchies for two people as well as a sane place to relax and maybe even a nice city view. I/we must not be the only people willing to pay extra for that or Hilton wouldn't offer it.
May 17, 2018, 1:27 pm
#65
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May 17, 2018, 5:16 pm
#66
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I am at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. I was told by an employee that their lounge closed about 2 years ago.
So even if it isn’t an official Hilton deal. Obvoiusly the owner/operators are seeing a better value by getting rid of them. Especially, domestic US hotels. This is all at the same time as Marriott is rolling out their M Club Lounges. I saw in one the other day, that’s a true lounge. It reminded me of an upscale airport lounge.
So even if it isn’t an official Hilton deal. Obvoiusly the owner/operators are seeing a better value by getting rid of them. Especially, domestic US hotels. This is all at the same time as Marriott is rolling out their M Club Lounges. I saw in one the other day, that’s a true lounge. It reminded me of an upscale airport lounge.
May 17, 2018, 5:38 pm
#67
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I am at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. I was told by an employee that their lounge closed about 2 years ago.
So even if it isn’t an official Hilton deal. Obvoiusly the owner/operators are seeing a better value by getting rid of them. Especially, domestic US hotels. This is all at the same time as Marriott is rolling out their M Club Lounges. I saw in one the other day, that’s a true lounge. It reminded me of an upscale airport lounge.
So even if it isn’t an official Hilton deal. Obvoiusly the owner/operators are seeing a better value by getting rid of them. Especially, domestic US hotels. This is all at the same time as Marriott is rolling out their M Club Lounges. I saw in one the other day, that’s a true lounge. It reminded me of an upscale airport lounge.
May 17, 2018, 5:49 pm
#68
Join Date: Jan 2015
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Um, ok? So since I am sitting in the hotel right now, I just text the virtual concierge... no lounge. No lounge on the map, no lounge showing on my digital key.
May 17, 2018, 6:48 pm
#69
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club lounges are such a big deal in asia that Four Seasons has them at almost all of their asian city hotels..
this kind of thing (just one example) is hugely dependent on owners, contrary to many FTer perceptions
hmm
was this thread referring to hilton hotels & resorts brand ?
hotel counts for that brand >
U.S. managed - average room count
733 - hilton hotels & resorts
454 - waldorf
surprisingly high to me
this kind of thing (just one example) is hugely dependent on owners, contrary to many FTer perceptions
hmm
hotel counts for that brand >
owned managed franchised
_ 66 178 U.S.
1 25 17 americas (excluding U.S.)
53 48 40 europe
5 43 2 middle east & africa
7 83 7 asia pacific
_ 66 178 U.S.
1 25 17 americas (excluding U.S.)
53 48 40 europe
5 43 2 middle east & africa
7 83 7 asia pacific
733 - hilton hotels & resorts
454 - waldorf
surprisingly high to me
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 17, 2018 at 8:16 pm
May 17, 2018, 8:11 pm
#70
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The lounge in the Hilton SF Union Square had been closed for around 7 years when I was last there in December 2015. I had been staying there annually for a conference since around 2005. It used to be a terrific lounge on the top floor with a beautiful view of the city. It appears that there is a bar/lounge open again on the top floor ("Cityscape", according to a web page I found), but I don't think it's an executive lounge.
May 17, 2018, 9:23 pm
#71
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: stuck with AA in PHL
Posts: 112
yep, Capitol Hilton sells rates w/ lounge access for $10 extra, and the lounge has no windows...but its open for breakfast and evening snacks 7 days per week! hard to hate that. anyone know of other lounges w/ food on Friday & Saturday nights?
May 18, 2018, 6:48 pm
#74
Join Date: Feb 2013
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I wouldn't say I hate the lounges; more that the existence of ELs will adjust to the market for them, like any good and service. The thing is there's a lot of growth in the US towards limited service properties. That plus AirBnB indicates that it might not be something in demand for a bunch of folks, and hotel chains have to do cost/benefit analysis just like they do for room service.
But their decisions will also be influenced to some extent by customer feedbacks. And to read all these comments here minimizing Hilton EL is frustrating, because they do nothing to motivate Hilton (and its franchisees) to open new properties with EL or try to keep open existing EL's. N.American properties will never elevate their EL quality to match Asia's, no matter how much we critique them. If anything, these types of comments will help fuel EL phase-out. EL's in N.America are good enough as they are, at least the ones I've been to.
May 19, 2018, 11:29 am
#75
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Yes, of course it's all business so the hotel industry will do what makes sense business-wise.
But their decisions will also be influenced to some extent by customer feedbacks. And to read all these comments here minimizing Hilton EL is frustrating, because they do nothing to motivate Hilton (and its franchisees) to open new properties with EL or try to keep open existing EL's. N.American properties will never elevate their EL quality to match Asia's, no matter how much we critique them. If anything, these types of comments will help fuel EL phase-out. EL's in N.America are good enough as they are, at least the ones I've been to.
But their decisions will also be influenced to some extent by customer feedbacks. And to read all these comments here minimizing Hilton EL is frustrating, because they do nothing to motivate Hilton (and its franchisees) to open new properties with EL or try to keep open existing EL's. N.American properties will never elevate their EL quality to match Asia's, no matter how much we critique them. If anything, these types of comments will help fuel EL phase-out. EL's in N.America are good enough as they are, at least the ones I've been to.
While I don't expect the lounges to go to Asian standards anytime soon (although if service industry wages remain this depressed for long enough, who knows once the labor becomes relatively cheap...), I am not going to lobby for a crappy product's preservation. Enforcing a minimum standard would be nice, in addition to giving elites (golds and diamonds or just diamonds, take your pick) the option to dine in the main restaurant. I'll take a guaranteed seat in the main restaurant rather than endure an overcrowded "lounge."