Hilton Brussels City {BEL}
Dec 5, 2014, 3:09 am
#136
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: BA Gold, HH Gold, whatever is saved on the Sky box
Posts: 161
But that then leads to wider debate about vastly different levels of treatment within the same properties for people of the same status, depending on the success of being upgraded or not, which is a topic for another thread, not here.
Dec 5, 2014, 6:46 am
#137
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Priority Club Plat, Accor Gold, Flying Blue, Exec Club.
Posts: 963
If the hotel was sold out. no exec upgrade or lounge access is understandable, it is upon availability (sure you know that). The issue is when these rooms are available but the hotel wont upgrade IMO.
Dec 5, 2014, 7:15 am
#138
Join Date: Jul 2008
Programs: BA Gold, HH Gold, whatever is saved on the Sky box
Posts: 161
Dec 6, 2014, 4:52 am
#139
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Paris, France
Programs: HHonor Diamond, SPG Plat100, HGP Plat, AF Plat, *A G (A3)
Posts: 155
Don't count on upgrades here
I stayed in Stockholm the weekend of the ITU World Triathlon Series and the hotel was completely booked out. I received no upgrade to an executive level room and by definition lounge access. Therefore IMO, I personally think it is a comparison as for me, both stays were staying in a property as HH Gold with, as far as at least I was concerned, no lounge.
But that then leads to wider debate about vastly different levels of treatment within the same properties for people of the same status, depending on the success of being upgraded or not, which is a topic for another thread, not here.
But that then leads to wider debate about vastly different levels of treatment within the same properties for people of the same status, depending on the success of being upgraded or not, which is a topic for another thread, not here.
You can never get a room bigger than that in this hotel, barring a suite.
The truth is, this property (like most hotels in downtown Brussels) has a very uneven occupancy as a function of conferences etc in town. So some nights it is rock bottom rate (and you get an upgrade), some nights you can only get a room via Diamond Guarantee. Add to that, as a very old hotel building, the rooms are VASTLY different in size and layout, so upgrades changes A LOT your satisfaction on this hotel, regardless of the price you pay. BUT DO EXPECT A SHOEBOX (18m² to be precise) IF YOU PAY LOW RATE, or risk being very disappointed especially on weekdays, as this property has a lot of Diamond guests (due to certain corporate clients). Not a sure thing to get upgraded as a Diamond here, as a side note.
No lounge is a key pain point for this property, as breakfast is always a hassle. Why can't management add a second coffee machine, given how long the queue is in front of it every morning?
Dec 6, 2014, 4:55 am
#140
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Overijse( location 50.75 °N, 4.52 °E ) ; Belgium
Programs: HH diamond(yr 16, >922 nights ), AA Gld for life (1MM),M&M FTL , Sixt platinum; IATA DTTF
Posts: 161
"newer" hilton close to Grande Place
Good to see some positive reports on this property. Thank you both for taking the time to review in some detail. We've given it a miss for the past couple of years, based on our own experiences and reviews by others, but it seems we should restore it to our list of hotels to price when we next visit Brussels. 
Dec 6, 2014, 5:13 pm
#141
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: Previously top-tier everything, now a happy free agent
Posts: 1,003
Can definitely confirm that the #709 you had was one of the biggest Deluxe room on this property (marked either, x07 x08 and x09 or x09, x10 and x11, depending on the floor), so you were very lucky to get upgraded to that on Gold - was that a weekend?
You can never get a room bigger than that in this hotel, barring a suite.
The truth is, this property (like most hotels in downtown Brussels) has a very uneven occupancy as a function of conferences etc in town. So some nights it is rock bottom rate (and you get an upgrade), some nights you can only get a room via Diamond Guarantee. Add to that, as a very old hotel building, the rooms are VASTLY different in size and layout, so upgrades changes A LOT your satisfaction on this hotel, regardless of the price you pay. BUT DO EXPECT A SHOEBOX (18m² to be precise) IF YOU PAY LOW RATE, or risk being very disappointed especially on weekdays, as this property has a lot of Diamond guests (due to certain corporate clients). Not a sure thing to get upgraded as a Diamond here, as a side note.
No lounge is a key pain point for this property, as breakfast is always a hassle. Why can't management add a second coffee machine, given how long the queue is in front of it every morning?
You can never get a room bigger than that in this hotel, barring a suite.
The truth is, this property (like most hotels in downtown Brussels) has a very uneven occupancy as a function of conferences etc in town. So some nights it is rock bottom rate (and you get an upgrade), some nights you can only get a room via Diamond Guarantee. Add to that, as a very old hotel building, the rooms are VASTLY different in size and layout, so upgrades changes A LOT your satisfaction on this hotel, regardless of the price you pay. BUT DO EXPECT A SHOEBOX (18m² to be precise) IF YOU PAY LOW RATE, or risk being very disappointed especially on weekdays, as this property has a lot of Diamond guests (due to certain corporate clients). Not a sure thing to get upgraded as a Diamond here, as a side note.
No lounge is a key pain point for this property, as breakfast is always a hassle. Why can't management add a second coffee machine, given how long the queue is in front of it every morning?
I was upgraded to a deluxe room on a weekend as Gold. Don't know what it is like on weekdays.
But yes, standard rooms are TEENY.
Jan 13, 2015, 8:54 am
#142
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Antwerpen - Belgium
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Melia Silver, NH silver, H10 Class
Posts: 659
I think I had 611 or 613? Can't remember exactly, but it was a large deluxe room. I'm surprised I was upgraded given the full occupancy on my nights there, though I believe the rest of the guests there who took up the hotel were tour guests on TA rates.
I was upgraded to a deluxe room on a weekend as Gold. Don't know what it is like on weekdays.
But yes, standard rooms are TEENY.
I was upgraded to a deluxe room on a weekend as Gold. Don't know what it is like on weekdays.
But yes, standard rooms are TEENY.
On the positive side: free drink vouchers, as much as we wanted (and some nice wines to choose from) that you can use when it suits you (instead of the usual 5-7 or 6-8 executive lounge hours of most hotels).
Breakfast was in the main restaurant but very hectic and nothing re-filled in time.
Will be there again in a few days time (I find it too early for booking the new Hilton) and very curious...
Jan 13, 2015, 2:28 pm
#144
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Antwerpen - Belgium
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Melia Silver, NH silver, H10 Class
Posts: 659
Talking about the deluxe rooms, the information on their own website must be wrong... copied this from the website:
KING HILTON DELUXE ROOM
TV, sofa, air-conditioning, bathrobe
Relax in this deluxe room which features 1 king bed and a separate sofa. Catch up with work at the desk, or check your emails with WiFi access (fees apply). After a long day pamper yourself in the marble bathroom. Some rooms overlook Rogier Square.
Jan 13, 2015, 3:00 pm
#145
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Programs: HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Priority Club Plat, Accor Gold, Flying Blue, Exec Club.
Posts: 963
I have been told that all rooms overlooking Place Rogier are deluxe rooms. I was given a corner room, which was a deluxe, but it was small and it did not have a sofa. We moved part way through the stay to a much larger deluxe room which had a chaise long, but no sofa. This was a nice room.
Overall I quite like the hotel, its good value for money, but there is some variance in the rooms and I have never been given more than a deluxe room as an upgrade.
Overall I quite like the hotel, its good value for money, but there is some variance in the rooms and I have never been given more than a deluxe room as an upgrade.
Jan 19, 2015, 5:24 am
#146
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Antwerpen - Belgium
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Melia Silver, NH silver, H10 Class
Posts: 659
Just returned from another 1 night stay, didn't receive an upgrade but we do prefer a small room with a kingsize bed over a large room with a smaller bed...
Was given free full breakfast (hotel wasn't busy so it was rather nice) and as many drink vouchers as we wanted (had to ask them though) and free wifi.
For 66€ a night we can't complain :-))
We will have another stay in a few weeks time.
Was given free full breakfast (hotel wasn't busy so it was rather nice) and as many drink vouchers as we wanted (had to ask them though) and free wifi.
For 66€ a night we can't complain :-))
We will have another stay in a few weeks time.
Jan 19, 2015, 12:53 pm
#148
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: Previously top-tier everything, now a happy free agent
Posts: 1,003
They did this with my party as well too. It was nice.
While I don't think our party was the main culprit, the FD did run out of drink vouchers on our second night... And so the agent just wrote on a slip of paper "Complimentary drinks -- (agent's name here)" and the date. I thought it was funny.
While I don't think our party was the main culprit, the FD did run out of drink vouchers on our second night... And so the agent just wrote on a slip of paper "Complimentary drinks -- (agent's name here)" and the date. I thought it was funny.
Feb 7, 2015, 5:31 am
#149
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: HH D
Posts: 1,641
Thirty people of the room cleaning staff at the Brussels Hilton City hotel refused work for some time about ten days ago in protest of their high workload. Work was resumed at the end of the morning, after their employer agreed to reduce the number of rooms they have to clean.
On January 1, EW facility services took over the cleaning contract for the Hilton hotel in Brussels Rogier, according to socialist trade unionist Christian Bouchat of FGTB Horval. The staff were supposed to clean 20 to 21 rooms in six hours, while the people next door at the Crowne Plaza got eight hours of time to clean 16 rooms'. EW would agree to reduce the workload for the chambermaids.
More details on a Flemish language Brussels newsite.
On January 1, EW facility services took over the cleaning contract for the Hilton hotel in Brussels Rogier, according to socialist trade unionist Christian Bouchat of FGTB Horval. The staff were supposed to clean 20 to 21 rooms in six hours, while the people next door at the Crowne Plaza got eight hours of time to clean 16 rooms'. EW would agree to reduce the workload for the chambermaids.
More details on a Flemish language Brussels newsite.
Feb 7, 2015, 5:56 am
#150
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 695
Thirty people of the room cleaning staff at the Brussels Hilton City hotel refused work for some time about ten days ago in protest of their high workload. Work was resumed at the end of the morning, after their employer agreed to reduce the number of rooms they have to clean.
On January 1, EW facility services took over the cleaning contract for the Hilton hotel in Brussels Rogier, according to socialist trade unionist Christian Bouchat of FGTB Horval. The staff were supposed to clean 20 to 21 rooms in six hours, while the people next door at the Crowne Plaza got eight hours of time to clean 16 rooms'. EW would agree to reduce the workload for the chambermaids.
More details on a Flemish language Brussels newsite.
On January 1, EW facility services took over the cleaning contract for the Hilton hotel in Brussels Rogier, according to socialist trade unionist Christian Bouchat of FGTB Horval. The staff were supposed to clean 20 to 21 rooms in six hours, while the people next door at the Crowne Plaza got eight hours of time to clean 16 rooms'. EW would agree to reduce the workload for the chambermaids.
More details on a Flemish language Brussels newsite.
Thanks for sharing. What happens with room maids is pretty disillussioning throughout various countries and chains. Whilst I am all for good pricing, I am not surprised to often find glasses/cups not properly cleaned in rooms. Motivation=0 for cleaning staff.