mfirst

I am currently staying at a non-Hilton property that is next to Hampton Inn and the hotels have a shared parking lot
As others have noticed, parking lots are getting more full and space is hard to find
The parking signs say "Reserved for Hilton Diamond Members"...but they do not inherent imply that you actually need to be a guest of the specific hotel?

as a diamond member, how bad would it be to park in one of those spots even if I am not staying at the specific property - especially if between the 2 hotels, there are no other 'reasonably' available spots

.... just asking for a friend

The Road Goes On Forever

Unless the property has some type of parking pass/placard system (few do) that delineates Diamond members specifically and/or have security or extra staff (lol) that patrol their lot 24/7 looking for parking violations you're fine. Aside from the HIS Daytona Shores, no HIS that I've ever stayed at or the one that I work at now cares enough to patrol or enforce this.

smmrfld

Nobody ever checks…go ahead and park in them.

Sisosig

Don't be offended, but I think your friend is an idiot for doing such a thing. The place is obviously intended for people in the Hilton franchise.

hotscot

The expectation is that you'll be staying at the Hilton.
Otherwise you could be denying the space to a Diamond Member who is contributing to that Hilton.
I know if it was me i wouldn't take it.
I don't think there's any risk. YMMV

(I didn't know parking was getting scarce.)

Baze

It's true that those spaces are on the honor system. If you (your friend?) are not staying at that hotel why would you (your friend?) potentially take away a space from a Diamond who is?

mfirst

no offense taken - and that's why I am posting here....for a general discussion of the topic.
it was something that entered my mind as I returned one night to no parking spots anywhere..... including the Diamond spots
... and needed to park at the nearby Starbucks (with permission) overnight...not something I was excited about

or is it any better, as some seem to do routinely, is park anywhere they can - including on sidewalks, right in front of the hotel, or in areas that are clearly not appropriate for parking?

TIGA31328

Those spots are reserved for guests, i.e., staying at that brands hotel. People are so entitled anymore.]

mfirst

Tiga
not to disagree too much - but the signs don’t say specifically for guests and when properties don’t provide enough reasonable parking options then why is unreasonable to feel entitled to a parking spot?

hence, the point of this post - if you are a diamond member, and the sign says reserved for diamond members, then why is that an unreasonable entitlement?

I know I might be poking a bear here - but just trying to keep this conversation lively and hopefully friendly.

this is very different than parking in a handicap space

but what about using an airline lounge if you are not flying them?

smmrfld

If your cc allows you access, or you have valid access through some other source, what’s the issue?

mfirst

exactly, if your status (something you have earned or paid for) allows you to park there, what’s the issue?

Athena53

I'm a Diamond and I might if I were desperate. I'm very mobile and travel light so if there were any reasonable way to park and walk to the place where I'm actually staying, I'd do it.

Having said that- Hilton doesn't seem to police the use of these spaces at all. The first time I checked in as a Diamond I offered to give them my License plate number. They didn't want it. No one has ever asked. Not much of a perk if the "reserved" spaces depend on people following the rules.

mfirst

so, what is worse parking in one of the spots as a diamond and not being a guest or being a guest and not being a diamond?

twitch76

My first thought was that I probably wouldn't do that. I tend to be a rule follower, and am frustrated when other people don't do the same. Having said that, I know that the Hilton property is not likely enforcing their reserved spaces, and your friend's not going to get into any real trouble by parking in that space -- whether they are diamond or not.

My second thought is that if the parking lot is shared between the two hotels, then the hotels are probably owned by the same developer. They have probably attempted to save some money by sharing the lot and reducing the number of available spaces. That's on them, not on your friend. If your friend were arriving late at night and there were no other spots available, I think your friend should take the vacant diamond spot before parking at the Starbucks (with permission) next door. The lack of sufficient spaces should not be your friend's problem.

But I still don't know if I would actually park there.

(Edit to add: I would never park in a Blue Handicap space. But if all the toilet stalls are in use, I won't hesitate to use the larger stall intended for people with disabilities. If all other parking spaces were taken, I might park in a "clean air vehicle" space (although, not if it were an electric charger and I didn't have an EV). I also might park in a "compact car" space, even if my car were an intermediate. But I would probably not park in the "expectant mother" space or the "employee of the month" space. So... if all the spaces were taken and the only space available was a "Diamond" space and I wasn't a diamond but staying at that hotel -- I wouldn't hesitate to take it. Staying at the next door hotel? Still not sure... but if it's a shared lot, maybe.)

206driver

Certain Hiltons, one Hampton I stayed at regularly, issue parking permit so they can collect a parking fee not published with the advertised rate when you book. Mildly infuriating, especially since this one has a regular parking lot with lots of room (not a parking garage where they need to recoup costs ect.) I made a copy of the permit and changed the date and just said I arrived by Uber and parked the rental in the mostly empty lot.