Consolidated "Goodbye to Hilton" thread
Sep 21, 1999, 6:07 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 1999
Posts: 3,065
Consolidated "Goodbye to Hilton" thread
I have had it with Hilton, tomorrow night at the Amsterdam Hilton will be my last...
Why am I so angry (I must be really angry to break my excile and post here!)?
Hilton announced their 48 hour room guarantee for Diamonds and I was really pleased. But not ONCE have I been able to take advantage of it, and I have tried plenty of times.
I tried again today. I wanted to book a night at the Zurich Airport Hilton for Thursday 23rd. I get told they are full. I mention the guarantee. They make it quite clear they do not wish to honour the guarantee, but as I persist they say I can have a suite, at the FULL RATE of $700 per night. I can't have a room under the guarantee, it has to be a full-price suite.
Now I know that with the guarantees you end up paying full-rate, but to be expected to pay for a suite is ridiculous.
The Zurich Hilton have made it quite clear they do not want my business and I will graciously accept, Hilton will not get any more of my business.
If Hilton is going to offer a 48hr room guarantee the least they can do is make it avialable, I do not expect to have to beg for a facility which I have been offered. Come on Hilton, honour your promises or come clean and admit you offer an inferior product to Marriott or Starwood.
Nick Merry
Why am I so angry (I must be really angry to break my excile and post here!)?
Hilton announced their 48 hour room guarantee for Diamonds and I was really pleased. But not ONCE have I been able to take advantage of it, and I have tried plenty of times.
I tried again today. I wanted to book a night at the Zurich Airport Hilton for Thursday 23rd. I get told they are full. I mention the guarantee. They make it quite clear they do not wish to honour the guarantee, but as I persist they say I can have a suite, at the FULL RATE of $700 per night. I can't have a room under the guarantee, it has to be a full-price suite.
Now I know that with the guarantees you end up paying full-rate, but to be expected to pay for a suite is ridiculous.
The Zurich Hilton have made it quite clear they do not want my business and I will graciously accept, Hilton will not get any more of my business.
If Hilton is going to offer a 48hr room guarantee the least they can do is make it avialable, I do not expect to have to beg for a facility which I have been offered. Come on Hilton, honour your promises or come clean and admit you offer an inferior product to Marriott or Starwood.
Nick Merry
Sep 21, 1999, 4:43 pm
#5
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Ormond Beach, FL USA
Programs: Delta Flying Colonel, Lifetime Silver Medallion, Million Miler
Posts: 621
Agree with Merry as Hilton has lost my business this year when they downgraded me to Silver. I missed the qualifying status by 2 nights/stays. The upsetting thing is they offer gold to new comers for two stays if they get a credit card-which I have!
Sep 22, 1999, 5:47 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Beverly Hills, CA, USA
Posts: 180
Nick,
First of all, let me offer my apologies for the frustration you've experienced. We've forwarded your message to the appropriate parties, and I believe that you've already spoken with the Vice President of Marketing for Hilton International.
Let me reiterate that we stand behind the 48 Hour Reservations Guarantee policy for Diamond VIPs. I would honestly have to characterize your experiences as growing pains as we've tried to roll out this new policy on a global basis. While I'm certainly disappointed that we haven't done a better job to date, I can assure you that we're committed to consistently applying the policy at all HHonors hotels.
So...to you and to all FlyerTalkers who are Diamond VIPs -- if you encounter difficulties in utilizing the 48 Hour Reservations Guarantee, please send me an e-mail so we can take it up with the hotel as appropriate.
flyguy -- Could you please provide me with some additional information on the credit card offer you described? Individuals who apply and are approved for the Hilton Credit Card from American Express receive complimentary Silver VIP status for their first year of HHonors membership, not Gold VIP. Any additional information you could provide would be appreciated.
Best regards,
Adam Burke
[email protected]
First of all, let me offer my apologies for the frustration you've experienced. We've forwarded your message to the appropriate parties, and I believe that you've already spoken with the Vice President of Marketing for Hilton International.
Let me reiterate that we stand behind the 48 Hour Reservations Guarantee policy for Diamond VIPs. I would honestly have to characterize your experiences as growing pains as we've tried to roll out this new policy on a global basis. While I'm certainly disappointed that we haven't done a better job to date, I can assure you that we're committed to consistently applying the policy at all HHonors hotels.
So...to you and to all FlyerTalkers who are Diamond VIPs -- if you encounter difficulties in utilizing the 48 Hour Reservations Guarantee, please send me an e-mail so we can take it up with the hotel as appropriate.
flyguy -- Could you please provide me with some additional information on the credit card offer you described? Individuals who apply and are approved for the Hilton Credit Card from American Express receive complimentary Silver VIP status for their first year of HHonors membership, not Gold VIP. Any additional information you could provide would be appreciated.
Best regards,
Adam Burke
[email protected]
Sep 23, 1999, 8:05 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 1999
Posts: 3,065
Adam,
Thanks for your comments. Your Vice-President Marketing did indeed track me down to the Amsterdam Hilton last night. Following his comments (and you own) it sounds to me as if you a genuinely trying to get the 48hr Room Guarantee to work.
It would be churlish of me to be anyting other than grateful for the interest you and your colleagues have shown.
So I will stick with Hilton, I have already booked a room for Saturday night at the Heathrow Hilton, I am sure the service there will be up to their normal high standards.
Regards,
Nick Merry
Thanks for your comments. Your Vice-President Marketing did indeed track me down to the Amsterdam Hilton last night. Following his comments (and you own) it sounds to me as if you a genuinely trying to get the 48hr Room Guarantee to work.
It would be churlish of me to be anyting other than grateful for the interest you and your colleagues have shown.
So I will stick with Hilton, I have already booked a room for Saturday night at the Heathrow Hilton, I am sure the service there will be up to their normal high standards.
Regards,
Nick Merry
Sep 23, 1999, 2:59 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Beverly Hills, CA, USA
Posts: 180
Nick -- Thanks very much for your understanding and for giving us the opportunity to get it right! Look forward to your continued business.
doc -- Thanks for the warm welcome. Had a wonderful time, though the post-vacation glow faded after the first couple hundred e-mails.
Best regards,
Adam
doc -- Thanks for the warm welcome. Had a wonderful time, though the post-vacation glow faded after the first couple hundred e-mails.
Best regards,
Adam
Sep 23, 1999, 3:22 pm
#13
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Ormond Beach, FL USA
Programs: Delta Flying Colonel, Lifetime Silver Medallion, Million Miler
Posts: 621
Adam, You are correct about new AX members being granted silver status. I have an AX Hilton Optima card and a regular AX corporate card. My feeble complaint is that new users get the silver right away and achieve gold status after a minimal number of stays in this offer. I tossed the offer but I tend to recall after that may be as little as two-four stays. Since I stayed many more times that last year, I guess I feel my loyality is not being appreciated.
[This message has been edited by flyguy (edited 09-23-1999).]
[This message has been edited by flyguy (edited 09-23-1999).]
Sep 24, 1999, 3:39 am
#14
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: In protest of Flyertalk's uncalledfor censoring of my point of view, I cancelled my InsideFlyer subscription. So long, and thanks for everything.
Posts: 3,325
Yes. Even I have to admit that I have seen recent improvements in areas that were a problem some months ago.
The front desk people are taking the VIP status more seriously, and are going out of their way to accommodate reasonable requests(no more begging for upgrades - just ask). We need to try to get that extended to the people who answer the phones. Also, I've noticed some of the properties pull-back on silly phone charges. (I was able to pay a flat $5 per day for all local and 800 calls at one property).
Now, If we could get some of those other suggestions implimented (Like reward stays counting toward status, and the VIP card being "admission" to the towers lounge) we'd really have made a significant improvement.
[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 09-24-1999).]
The front desk people are taking the VIP status more seriously, and are going out of their way to accommodate reasonable requests(no more begging for upgrades - just ask). We need to try to get that extended to the people who answer the phones. Also, I've noticed some of the properties pull-back on silly phone charges. (I was able to pay a flat $5 per day for all local and 800 calls at one property).
Now, If we could get some of those other suggestions implimented (Like reward stays counting toward status, and the VIP card being "admission" to the towers lounge) we'd really have made a significant improvement.
[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 09-24-1999).]