Aviatrix

It now turns out that there ARE non-smoking suites at this hotel... and, moreoever, that the one that had been reserved for us should have been a non-smoking one which had been turned into a smoking one by the previous guest.... and they didn't have any other non-smoking suites left for the period that we had booked.

We both took "all our suites are smoking" to mean that the hotel does not have any non-smoking suites, but it now looks like this may have been a linguistic misunderstanding.

Following a meeting with a senior manager I am pleased to report that we have been adequately compensated, and that I am satisfied that the various comments we have made have been taken on board. Once our complaint had been brought to the attention of this senior manager we were treated with the utmost courtesy and professionalism, and I can say I am now 100% happy!

bigjim

This is the perfect example of what "being prepared" and "dealing with the issue while you are there" is all about.

Great job to both the OP and Hilton.

Gasman

At the end of a 10 day journey around Scandinavia I stayed at Hilton Stockholm on Fri/Sat (6/7 Aug).

I had booked about 3 months in advance and the Reservation Info contained my Gold HHonors details.

On check in I was advised that no upgrades were available or no rooms with a view over the Stockholm lakes and was given a room with a view of the office block opposite. Having stayed in this hotel many times previously I am sure that this room was not 'best available'.

I asked about access to Exec Lounge and was told that as I wasnt upgraded I couldnt go in there. No other amenity/service was provided.

The duty manager was unavailable to speak to me, so I relayed my concerns to a member of the Front desk staff who promised to pass them onto the manager. No one got back to me.

Is this the normal way for Golds to be treated?

Should I raise it with anyone else at Hilton?

ALthough this didnt ruin my holiday, I felt shabbily treated, especially as Radission had given me excellent service and upgrades all over Norway, Sweden and Denmark in the preceeding week, despite only having Silver status and staying on 'ultra-cheap' deals.

Your considered advice and opinions would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance

MisterNice

Did you dod not receive a free breakfast? You did not mention if you did. Reread the HH T&C for Gold bennies. Unfortunately not all hotels upgrade Golds do to limited lounge space or limited executive level rooms. They generally upgrade Diamonds to at least the lounge. Good luck.

MisterNice

Gasman

Thanks for comments.

Breakfast was already included in my Room Rate.

My key gripe is that the room provided wasn't a 'best available' - i.e. no view.

Also no other amenity/service offered as per HH Gold Benefits list and no response form Duty Manager about my 'concerns'.

ermdjdsj

Do you know if the hotel was booked or not, i.e., WERE there nicer rooms available?

If not, seems the least they could have done was get back to you about your concerns or let you into the lounge or provide some other little token of appreciation -- especially since you'd stayed there before. You may want to send a letter to the manager and Hilton.

jhpark

Are you sure there were available rooms on the view side?

I just reviewed the description of benefits online, and the description is incredibly vague for international hotels...

fromYXU

The only benefit you may not have received was lounge access. Lounge access was denied but since breakfast was included that was covered.

If you wanted a room with a better view you should have paid for it. Better views are not a benefit given to members. Their way out is the "subject to availability" statement. Sorry about that. My only advice is not to return to that property.

jhpark

I dunno, my skeptical self reads that bit about 'which vary by property' as saying that if an international Hilton really wants to, they can give you nothing for being diamond or gold.

From other posts it seems that a lot of hotels stiff golds and treat diamonds well.

ChrisAtlanta

You are very correct -- elite members shouldn't confuse themselves with some feeling of entitlement. However, on the flip side, how Hilton treats me is directly reflected in my image of them, and where I will choose to spend the dollars.

If I am consistently given upgrades, ammenities, and if they take the consideration to try and put me in rooms with good views (like the one I'm in in the Hilton Amsterdam right now!), I will favor Hilton properties even if they aren't the top on the location or price scales.

If, on the other hand, despite being given all my business, I end up with situations like I had this weekend in Berlin (see my rant in that thread!), I'll see how quickly I can hit top tier in another hotel's program

Just my view of things...

Chris

Eugene

This is really hard to prove, unless you have a solid data that they indeed had better rooms available.

Personally, I'd be much more disappointed with having no response from the manager on duty. Also, while there is a substantial room to wiggle, in particular for the international Hilton properties, when it comes to Gold/Diamond benefits and special amenities, providing none is not an option. I would express my displeasure to the GM and HH (without demanding or even expecting a compensation).

GUWonder

The Stockholm Hilton Slussen is notorious fór not caring about HHonors status. In any regard, I am not a big fan of the hotel's low ceilings, especially in the lobby.

MisterNice

Thanks for the info. I will avoid booking there.

MisterNice

JDiver

Two things: EVERY hotel chain has its non-participating, or at least less than enthusiastic, members, in my experience so far. Quirks in service, lackadaisical management, and more. Less likely to happen in the very high priced luxury hotels.

I balance the occasional slights provided by hotels in a chain with the good service, upgrades, exceptional treatment, etc. before I decide if I am walking on the entire chain. With HHonors, I have had a couple of experiences no hotel chain would brag about - Hilton Seattle (not to be confused with the Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center) is a poor exemplar of anything remotely resembling service, for example. But these bozos don't come close to overpowering the Presidential suites, the honemoon suites, the upgrades, bottles of wine and welcome gifts, brilliant views, etc. many hotels in the Hilton family have given me. But you can bet I will avoid H Seattle in my future plans.

And secondly, Stockholm Hilton Slussen is on my stay-away list - certainly after Gasman's post, but also after reading about it previously here in FT. A little research goes a long way to help my travel plans be good ones.

Eugene

Found in a recent issue of Newsweek:

"We like the Hotel Rival better." Hotel heiress Paris Hilton, on staying at the Hotel Rival in Stockholm during a recent trip instead of at her father's Hilton around the corner.