starharbour

All,

I recently obtained HH Diamond status, and i'm trying to get to grips with what "space available" truly means in practice at hotels regarding upgrades.

My question is fairly simple, and i'm purposely not using the word "expect" here because I've learned that expecting anything is setting yourself up for being disappointed. Question: what can you usually rely on as a Diamond HH member in terms of upgrades?

I 100% absolutely appreciate that every hotel is different, but my question can probably be broken down into two parts:

- If I book the basic, cheapest room available in the hotel, what can I hope on being upgraded to? Next best room or "up to one-bedroom suite"? If there are say 5 room types between the basic and a one-bed suite, is it realistic to hope to get a one-bed suite, should one be available, if I book a basic room? Are the chances increased if I book a mid-tier room?

- If I am pre-upgraded before arrival to a mid-tier room, does this affect my chances of being upgraded to a suite? Scenario here is I book an entry-level room, a week before arrival i'm upgraded to a King Deluxe room (i can see that on the Hilton Honors app in "my stay"), does that mean the hotel has already actioned by upgrade and i'm unlikely to get anything further or does it mean that's what i'm "at least" going to get, and it doesn't impact my chances of being upgraded again on the day of arrival?

Lastly, if i've booked an entry level room, and there is availability of a one-bed suite on arrival (i can see what's for sale on the app), what grounds do the hotel have to deny upgrading me into it? I understand if they think they can sell it, i may not get upgraded, but I'm thinking i've arrived quite late in the day, for a one-night stay, and its still showing as selling. Can they really say no?

Thanks all!

AlwaysAisle

My expectation when I stay at Hilton branded hotels as a DIamond is that there is nothing I can rely on in terms of upgrades. The Diamond upgrade is a space available basis and same time I do think each hotel does set up its own criteria regarding the availability of a diamond upgrade, and I also feel as if it is up to each employee I face when checking in at the front desk.

If I want a specific room type, then I always book that room type, and I never hope for the Diamond upgrade to a better room because the hotel does not look busy the day I am staying. Also, technically the Diamond upgrade is one rank upgrade so the Diamond upgrade can be from a regular room to an executive room whereas for a specific hotel it can be exactly the same room, the difference is a higher floor and any other amenities come with an executive room I get as a Diamond anyway. Also, I never stay at one specific hotel frequently enough to know if there is any difference between my booked room and the room I got. Sometimes the hotel's definition of an upgrade and my definition of an upgrade may not be on the same level. Once I was told that I was upgraded to the larger room, but because of the location of that room in the building the room was slightly larger (by not that much) than other rooms and everything else was the same, the hotel seems to consider that as an upgrade whereas I did not feel that as an upgrade.

When I book a room as a Diamond member, I do expect to stay in the room I booked. I really do not have an expectation before arrival at the hotel that I will get a better room. You mentioned a suite upgrade, if I did not book a room one category below the suite then I will never expect an upgrade to the suite. I am not saying suite upgrades never happen, I have gotten a suite upgrade from the cheapest room available. But if you did not book one category room below the suite, then I do not think there is anything you can rely on for a suite upgrade because I feel as if the DIamond upgrade is more arbitrary rather than there is a proper system in place. If I get an upgrade to a better room then it is a pleasant surprise.

aww3583

You can't.

Book what you need and be happy with anything else.

I've had better luck with suite upgrades at Hampton Inns and Hilton Garden Inns (which are excluded from the upgrade benefit T&Cs) than at larger resort or full-service properties. There are so many different types of rooms that you may book a 1K standard room and get upgraded to a 1K standard room on a higher floor.

In my experience, true upgrades to suites happen rarely, but are usually at properties where I've stayed multiple times in the past.

Schwann

It depends on where you wish to stay in the world more than anything.

Jaimito Cartero

US and Canada are going to be minimal upgrades. Europe and Asia are different critters, and you get much better upgrades. I have a property I stay at frequently that when I book any room, revenue or award, and I get a suite 95% of the time. Only when they are truly fully booked do we only get a standard exec floor room.

craigthemif

You can rely on nothing.

You can hope for an upgrade, with your best chances coming in Asia.

Miesque

My perspective exactly. Any Diamond booking the lowest category of room thinking they might get a suite since its still listed as available on the website is frankly delusional. First, do they have any idea how many other Diamonds are in the hotel with them on a particular night? Second, the hotel is under no obligation to give that suite to anyone as an upgrade. If you are lucky you will get a category upgrade (aka higher floor room, room with a slightly better view, etc) I will also agree with the sentiment that I have better strike rate with the Hampton and HGIs. I will also comment that the best upgrades is when I have reserved a premium room because the next level up is more pronounced. For example - reserved a Junior Suite and getting an upgrade to a proper 1 Bedroom Suite or reserved a regular 1 Bedroom Suite and upgraded to a bigger corner sutie or expansive Hospitality Suite. In all my years as Diamond there is exactly one time when I reserved an entry level room and got an upgrade to a proper 1 Bedroom Suite and that was the Hilton Times Square and it was not asked for but given by the front desk clerk as I was checking in for my one night stay.

tobegold

It is luck of the draw at many hotels when it comes to upgrades. I usually book the cheapest room type and occasionally get upgraded to a real suite (twice this year), sometimes to executive level, other times corner room or larger room, or no upgrade. I do not book a stay expecting an upgrade to a suite, I check for reviews here and on Tripadvisor looking at breakfast, executive lounge, location and other comments. I book the room type that I will be satisfied with, sometimes a higher level if my wife is with me or a negligible additional cost.

starharbour

thanks for the responses everyone.

If there is a "suite" available for sale on the day of checkin, and the hotel doesn't wish to issue a diamond upgrade to this room, what are people's experiences being successful in securing it by paying for it?

I'm checking in to a hotel today, been pre-upgraded to a mid tier room, but have my eyes on the 1 bed suite. I'd be happy to pay for it (within reason). Going to attempt to get it as a diamond upgrade first and if they refuse, ask to pay. That sound reasonable?

Baze

I have a simple rule when it comes to upgrades. Book the lowest type of room you will be happy with and meets your needs then any upgrade from there is a bonus. I "expect" not to get an upgrade but when I do it is a nice thing. I am a lifetime Diamond for reference.

DJ_Iceman

Yes, completely reasonable. The worst they can do is offer to sell it to you for the published difference in rates between your current room and the suite; best they can do is make it a free diamond upgrade. And if they offer a discounted upgrade that matches what you think the suite is worth, then you've still come out ahead.

igor82j

I can't speak about US and Canada, however outside of these markets, it's nearly almost a suite upgrade.
If they don't upgrade you proactively, just ask. Usually it's enough. If not, insist.
If there is still no suite upgrade (suites being available, of course), complain to HH support. They will issue a points compensation. But that's rarely necessary, really.
Once again, this applies outside of North America.
If someone says that Hilton doesn't upgrade Diamonds to suites, it just means that that person travels exclusively within North America. I genuinely feel sorry for North American travelers.

smmrfld

This is an inaccurate statement. Bolding mine. Define "available". Unless you have visibility into a given property's occupancy level, along with other metrics not transparent to you as a guest, you cannot determine whether an upgrade is required. This has been discussed in numerous other posts in this forum.

s777bg

Agree with Igor .

The other day I checked
in at 10.40pm for one night at HGI NY Roslyn and was denied an upgrade . Complained later that HH is slowly but surely turning into Bonvoy for lack of recognition and received 10 000points which showed to me that there is someone out there that actually cares !

Checking in tomorrow at Hilton Fiji which looks sold out in terms of entry rooms , I bid on a heavily discounted paid upgrade to 1 bedroom ocean front , curious if we would be upgraded to a two bedroom residence after the paid 1 bedroom upgrade clears.

smmrfld

Tossing nominal points at those who whine is nothing new and is completely independent from property upgrade requirements.