Hilton Helsinki Strand {FIN}

Old Dec 17, 2018, 11:06 am
  #226  
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Hi all,

I have had a read through the thread but have a quick question. I am looking to book a weekend in March 2019. If I book a King Canal view might they offer me a HH Gold upgrade to a King River View? To hopefully get an upgrade to an Exec Room would I need to book a King River room to start with?

Have many people who are Gold NOT had an upgrade as the club lounge is only about 34GBP more per night.

Thanks! Richard
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 3:00 pm
  #227  
mtn
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Rely on upgrade

I would book the cheapest room. As a Gold VIP you have good chances to get upgraded to an execuyive room. Even if you dont receive the upgrade you can buy lounge access at check in
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Old Dec 17, 2018, 5:07 pm
  #228  
 
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Originally Posted by pauleeepaul
I had ~150 nights here in 2007-9 but have not been back since 2010. I will be in town next month, looking forward to the renovations and seeing if any of the truly fine staff i encountered during that time when it was my second home are still around.
And a great stay it was. One of the guys I was friendly with behind the desk is still there and on a two room booking got us a sweet suite. Not at all a transactional HH benefit- but a measure of true hospitality.. Renovations were nice. The overall footprint hasn't changed except the ground floor bar is now next to the elevators, and there is single elevator to the car park.
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Old Dec 27, 2018, 6:00 pm
  #229  
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I just completed my stay last week. I had booked a king sea view room and that's what I got since they didn't have any suites available to upgrade me to. I did get lounge access being diamond and breakfast was good. I would stay again.
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Old Feb 1, 2019, 6:15 pm
  #230  
brp
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Originally Posted by mtn
I would book the cheapest room. As a Gold VIP you have good chances to get upgraded to an execuyive room. Even if you dont receive the upgrade you can buy lounge access at check in
Related: We booked a points stay some time ago for a couple of weeks from now. Prices were high. Now they have quite good cash rates (like EUR 120) for non-refundable bookings. This is a Twin and we have a King. As Diamond, I'm thinking a good bet to just book the cheaper Twin and count on an upgrade (Executive rooms are available).

Sound like a good plan?

Cheers.
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Old Feb 1, 2019, 7:46 pm
  #231  
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Originally Posted by brp
Related: We booked a points stay some time ago for a couple of weeks from now. Prices were high. Now they have quite good cash rates (like EUR 120) for non-refundable bookings. This is a Twin and we have a King. As Diamond, I'm thinking a good bet to just book the cheaper Twin and count on an upgrade (Executive rooms are available).

Sound like a good plan?
Unless the hotel is near capacity for the dates on which you plan on staying, I would consider doing it.

This is a good hotel property at which to stay. I recommend it.
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 3:33 am
  #232  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
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Originally Posted by brp
Related: We booked a points stay some time ago for a couple of weeks from now. Prices were high. Now they have quite good cash rates (like EUR 120) for non-refundable bookings. This is a Twin and we have a King. As Diamond, I'm thinking a good bet to just book the cheaper Twin and count on an upgrade (Executive rooms are available).

Sound like a good plan?

Cheers.
I would take the twin. I have been here around 20 times and always booked twin, single or what ever is cheapest. Every time I have got upgraded to sea view king (I`am diamond also). Really nice hotel and can highly recommend it.
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 9:47 am
  #233  
 
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Originally Posted by Leo123
I would take the twin. I have been here around 20 times and always booked twin, single or what ever is cheapest. Every time I have got upgraded to sea view king (I`am diamond also). Really nice hotel and can highly recommend it.
Be cautious if you're getting there late.

I arrived late one night (probably around midnight but I don't remember exactly) and all they had available was the single room that I'd booked. To their credit they told me to come down the next morning and they would move me, which they did.
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 10:16 am
  #234  
 
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Originally Posted by Canarsie
Unless the hotel is near capacity for the dates on which you plan on staying, I would consider doing it.

This is a good hotel property at which to stay. I recommend it.
I echo that. I, without status was being treated very well. Always mid-floor canal view room!
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Old Feb 2, 2019, 5:37 pm
  #235  
brp
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Originally Posted by docbert
Be cautious if you're getting there late.

I arrived late one night (probably around midnight but I don't remember exactly) and all they had available was the single room that I'd booked. To their credit they told me to come down the next morning and they would move me, which they did.
Our flight gets to HEL at 11PM, so this will be us

Cheers.
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Old Feb 3, 2019, 7:47 am
  #236  
 
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Originally Posted by brp
Our flight gets to HEL at 11PM, so this will be us

Cheers.
IME the upgrade clears before check-in time and you can see your new room on-line. YMMV
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Old Feb 3, 2019, 1:10 pm
  #237  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
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Originally Posted by tsastor
IME the upgrade clears before check-in time and you can see your new room on-line. YMMV
Can confirm this also. Always around 10-11 AM I can see my upgraded room in the app.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 3:42 pm
  #238  
brp
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Writing back to update. This worked out better than I could have expected. The upgrade did clear in advance and it was to a King Sea View suite. There is 1 room like this per floor, and sits in-line with the EL (so no room on 7rh floor). If one is familiar with the EL here, then the room is very much like that. Entering the EL brings one into the main "larger" seating area. For our room, that same space was our "sitting room." Off to the left in the EL is another smaller seating area with computer. That was our bedroom. Finally, the other side- where the food lives, was another room that was locked-off to us. So, we had a room equal to a large fraction of the EL

And I agree with all who said "highly recommended." Breakfast was very nice, and the EL in the evening was fine. Even though small,didn't get particularly crowded. And the food offerings were not bad.

The only odd part was that we had paid EUR120/night advance rate (so EUR 480 total). When I looked in the app after the upgrade, it showed a rate of over EUR 500/night with a total of EUR 2211! They indicated that the system just did odd things, but the original prepaid rate was still the same.

Cheers.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 3:57 pm
  #239  
 
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Originally Posted by brp
Writing back to update. This worked out better than I could have expected. The upgrade did clear in advance and it was to a King Sea View suite. There is 1 room like this per floor, and sits in-line with the EL (so no room on 7rh floor). If one is familiar with the EL here, then the room is very much like that. Entering the EL brings one into the main "larger" seating area. For our room, that same space was our "sitting room." Off to the left in the EL is another smaller seating area with computer. That was our bedroom. Finally, the other side- where the food lives, was another room that was locked-off to us. So, we had a room equal to a large fraction of the EL
The upgrade I mention upthread was to this suite on the 8th floor, with both bedrooms available. Quite nice.
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Old Feb 19, 2019, 4:05 pm
  #240  
brp
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Originally Posted by pauleeepaul
The upgrade I mention upthread was to this suite on the 8th floor, with both bedrooms available. Quite nice.
You got top floor and the second bedroom! OK, now I feel humbled! Pays to know people there

Cheers.
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