pinniped

9. Hilton has many motel/hotel categories covered in the USA, whereas in most places in the world they're a resort or business hotel brand.

Contributes to 6 (the raw number of Hiltons), but it's the fact that you can actually use a Hilton for pretty much everything except camping if you so choose. That probably enables people to reach status even if they rarely/never stay at a full-service Hilton or above.

I've always argued that the credit card impact is less than what we make it out to be on FT, although now that they mass-market the cards like never before I'm not as sure. My take was always that the people likeliest to get hotel credit cards were already staying in the hotels, especially for the non-Starwood cards where general spend elsewhere wasn't very lucrative. Sure, you can get an Aspire card and *be* Diamond, but unless you start doing a bunch of actual stays it's pretty much irrelevant. (In other words, CC holders were already revenue guests, so in terms of magnitude of revenue-elite-room-nights, it's back to reason 6 above, not reason 3.

arlflyer

Everything related to frequent travel is less than we make it out to be on FT. Despite the blogs, the USA-Today-type articles, the pushes from the CC companies, all of it, most people just don't bite on this stuff. They like their Chase or Capital One cards with their cash back, and they feel special when they get a "good deal" buying airline tickets through a portal. My job consists of working with teams of people who travel 150 nights a year, and when I start talking about transfer partners and fare classes they look at me like I'm either a prophet speaking some new unheard-of gospel or a crazy person yelling at inanimate objects.

By every measure I've ever been able to tell, we're the noise on the signal or the drop in the bucket. And I'm fine if it stays that way.

ozztraveller

They can see how many nights you have stayed at their hotel and in fact any hotel in the chain.

ehallison

Here's a new one (for us anyway): For some reason my husband had selected a 2-queen room during the reservation process. I think it was the cheapest room and he wasn't paying attention. When we checked in to the Seattle airport Hilton, he asked to be moved to a King room. With a smile the agent informed him that he'd already been upgraded to a 2-queen garden view (vs a street-facing room) and a King street-facing room would be a 2-category upgrade but she was happy to do that even though he isn't technically eligible for a 2-category upgrade. When asked about a garden view King she said there weren't any available. Not sure if that's true or she couldn't bring herself to offer a 3-category upgrade to a Diamond member.

It's really unfair of these programs to put travelers into a position of explaining the T&C to their employees. (which we did not do in this case)

Cat88L3

I'm finishing up a stay at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale. I booked a 2 bedroom Oceanview/Intercoastal suite. I was given a comp upgrade to a 2 bedroom Oceanfront suite.

Points Scrounger

I could swear that I've had Garden View upgrades at that property before. On the other hand, I find they have a bit of a bean counter mentality regarding the breakfast co-payment, as well as having played switch-a-roo with my online check in selected room once or twice.

ehallison

We were actually pleased with the continental breakfast offerings (included yogurt and meat & cheese) but maybe that's just because we've stayed in too many Marriotts which define the continental as coffee, juice, and a pastry.

sharkbait2514

I'm a Diamond and just arrived at the Rome, Waldorf Astoria. No upgrade available, zippo, nada, zero. No other comps offered. Isn't there some sort of Diamond guarantee? Am I on the way to being 'bonvoyed' ?

thbe

I*ve staid there and have got upgraded and I've staid there and haven't got upgraded. So it depends on whatever.

No, there ist no upgrade guarantee for DIAs. At least the (quite good) breakfast is for free.

Jaimito Cartero

ThatT1Feeling

I've just finished a tour of Western Canada and been impressed with the Hilton brand where I had 4 stays with my family, including 3 upgrades. Special praise to Hilton Whistler and Hampton Inn Vancouver Downtown who went above and beyond with room upgrades, early checkin and late checkout. I also very much liked the Diamond parking spaces at Hampton Inn, Kamloops, right by the hotel entrance!

thbe

DIAs don't get free lounge access (Imperial Club) at the WA Cavalieri Rome.

BLTraveler

I've stayed in many Hilton hotels in Europe with no upgrades. However, I recently stayed at both Mauritius and Seychelles and got upgrades. Could be because it was off season and probably not many diamond members at those locations.

Jaimito Cartero

Land-of-Miles

Isn't there an alternative though, I am sure there used to be, there is also a discounted upsell to the Imperial Club.