dougbroda

I think we will all find substantial amenity variances among Hilton (and other) properties. I am not a complainer by nature re things like this... *but* I think that any property should try to make some efforts even in these trying times to say thanks for loyal customers -- in their self-interest, if for no other reason.

My experience was at the HGI Melville NY. I didn't expect the Gold breakfast benefit to be available, and in fact it would have been totally unreasonable on my part to expect it. However, this is a facility with a snack shop in the lobby, complete with coffee machine, all for a charge. It certainly would have been a nice, simple idea -- and affordable, and not violative of any social distancing guidelines -- to send a text offering Gold and above members who select the breakfast benefit coffee and a snack from the snack bar in lieu of the complimentary breakfast. Little things like that are the things that help brand loyalty remain.

Sterlingguy

Thanks for understanding. I didn't expect much-- I know the governor shut down most every business in the entire state and I was forced out of my house by a flood- but I did expect something in lieu of no pool, no beach access, no breakfast, and no food options on property. Would have been nice for them to at least apologize and offer a minor snack from their fully stocked and open snack area.

iknowthings

Regarding the text, it is against Hilton policy for properties text guests prior to arrival. They are only allowed to text via the approved application once you have checked in and confirmed you are willing to be communicated with via text, or unless you initiate a conversation with the property first.

Regarding the snack - the Shop inventory is much higher priced than the snacks you would be given at, for example, a Hampton. The Shop budget is also a completely different budget than what is called "guest relations", which is where free amenities are billed to. On paper, the hotel would be bleeding money from the Shop for compensating guests for a disruption in F&B, which is a different department.

This is not to say it's impossible to accommodate, but it's not as simple as it may seem to the guest. Considering most of us have now been given a guest relations budget of exactly $0, it is very likely the property's hands are tied. The compensation in the form of a very reduced rate than you'd normally see at this time of year is all we have to offer.

Edit: To be very clear, I am not an official spokesperson for Hilton in any capacity.

smmrfld

If texting ahead of arrival is against policy, then almost every property I visit is ignoring this theoretical restriction.

lcohen999

I don't understand this self entitlement

The world has shut down due to a global pandemic and you can't get your free gold breakfast.

DELee

Not quite. Some are travelling again. If Hilton wants to serve its elites who are back to travel, then it should identify what services are to be provided. As default, the elites are comparing to the standard benefits. If nothing is offered then Hilton and its franchisees need to inform what is the transition path to resumption of benefits.

Or, if no benefits are to be offered, be clear that they will not resume.

David

lcohen999

Well, considering no one should be traveling yet, I commend Hilton for protecting its employees. I think it is very safe to assume that things are not regular and to complain about not getting a free breakfast is a bit much

DELee

Just because specific populations are not on travel yet, hate to say it but there are folks travelling - health care workers, folks doing service repairs, etc.

Sooner would be better for Hilton to define what their hotels' services recovery/resumption plans are.

David

pinniped

OK, there are a bunch of totally valid supply-chain and labor-related reasons for limited services during this time, but this particular one is incredibly weak. If the answer is "we're taking away this benefit", then communicate it clearly on the property page and I won't complain about it. (I'll just factor it in to my decision on what I think the room is worth.) But this accounting mumbo jumbo is the lamest of excuses, and I really hope no property would ever actually use that.

I get it about a quarter of the time. A text or an email...occasionally both. I assume I've set permission for this somewhere, and as long as it's infrequent and strictly about my stay, I'm good with it.

"The world" isn't shut down and I don't see any real self-entitlement or grandiose demands here. Just good communication and common sense from the hotels.

This sums it up well. Just post clear information and I'll align my expectations to that.

Lots of people are traveling. No one is suggesting Hilton do anything unsafe for its employees.

storewanderer

I commend Hilton for protecting its employees finances.
I commend Hilton for protecting closing F&B and sending all the F&B employees to the unemployment office.

Not saying they should offer the full buffet or service but they need to do something. McDonalds in the parking lot can serve food. They need to figure something out. Even if means giving you a coupon to McDonalds.

iknowthings

​​​​​​I got an email today from higher ups, acknowledging that the website does not reflect our current offered amenities, and that it is to remain that way. The point is, you can think it should be this way all you want. It's not, it won't be.


You may have, but properties do not have a way of knowing. As my previous statement implies, every property decides which rules they want to follow and which they do not. Short of posting internal documents I'm not allowed to post here, I assure you that everything I say is correct and backed by operation standards.

The worst kind of guest is one who recently stayed at a property that bends or completely breaks the rules. "Well, the last (hotel brand) I stayed in did this for me" is nails on a chalkboard. That's great. You were in a different market, under a different management company. The Hilton flag is very, very loose these days. There is no one policing the hotels (again, straight from internal documents), so each hotel will be a gamble and everyone should expect nothing and be pleasantly surprised when more than nothing is provided.

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pinniped

That says a lot about Hilton's culture and relationship with its guests. All we're talking about here is being transparent and honest with people. Some guests, like me, will just assume the worst and only book an extremely cheap hotel room - or go to a brand that is honoring its commitments to its members. Others will do the opposite: assume that Hilton is truthful in its advertising and show up at the hotels, only to be disappointed when they are not delivered what is promised.

In this thread, I was pretty happy with my $70 Hampton Inn room. Other guests here have been unhappy with their more-expensive full-service hotel rooms. Is this what Hilton really wants? All we're talking about is sharing information.

That is a huge fundamental flaw in the brand, but thank you for confirming it. I guess...

It depends. Is it a guest saying "the last hotel gave me the Presidential suite because I'm Diamond, why won't you?" Or is it a guest saying "the last hotel actually provided the standard elite benefits you advertise on your website"? I don't have sympathy for the overentitled guests, but on the other hand Hilton itself does make commitments to its members, and many members go out of their way to choose Hilton because of that.

This isn't the guests problem. What you're basically saying is that every incremental dollar we spend at Hilton over the Motel 6 rate is a gamble. Our relationship is with the Hilton brand, not some nameless contractor who manages hotels. Hilton's entire existence depends on this relationship meaning something.

Reality is likely not nearly as bad as this - most hotels seem to abide by most rules, in practice - but it's pretty telling if someone like you is saying "well, it's all a gamble...we can do anything we want." Great brand messaging there.

iknowthings

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I'm not proud of it nor do I condone it, but every management company (and the one I work for is large, and even in the news recently if you're paying attention to the PPP loans) is just trying to survive. We're doing a lot of things we're not supposed to, and not doing a lot of things we are supposed to. I'm being more honest with you than anyone at the hotel will ever be with you.

For example, every HGI is *required* to give, at the bare minimum, grab and go breakfast right now (per the updated COVID temporary brand standards). From the several posts on this thread, that's clearly not happening.

Oh, you'll call the Diamond Desk? They won't do anything. The most they'll do is generate a file... And guess where that goes? To the property you complained about. You'll get an apology, maybe. You still won't have breakfast

You'll leave a poor survey? When is the last time you got one? Surveys have been paused until further notice. And believe me, we actually do care about the surveys, because we have to to remain a Hilton hotel. But right now... 🤷🏻‍♂️

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storewanderer

That is kind of the whole thing that is going on with this virus situation is it is causing a lot of "fat" to be re-evaluated by the consumer. Did you really need Macy's, you lived without it for two months while it was closed; maybe Wal Mart and Target were good enough. Did you really need the restaurant with full service? Maybe take out or the open fast food drive throughs were enough while the full service restaurants were closed? Do you really need the Hilton, maybe the Hampton is enough? Obviously many consumers will say yes they really need Macy's and yes they really need the Hilton but how many will decide otherwise? If even 10% of Macy's and Hilton's customers, those two brands are in trouble.

iknowthings

My opinion, informed but uninvited as it may be, is that people pay higher rates for "nicer" hotels to be around other people who can afford to pay those rates (or to be more direct, to not be around those that can't). The same reason you don't look for houses or apartments at the bottom of the barrel when finding somewhere to live. You pay for a nice, clean neighborhood in a convenient area that makes you feel safe enough to walk to the store at night. This will always come at a higher price tag, regardless of if they're giving you a cookie when you check in.

I think this would also to apply to your Target/Walmart/Macy's example.