Eujeanie

You get wristbands when you go to the pool, not when you first check in.

You should put everyone's names on the reservations...there should be a place (can't think of the exact wording now) but it's around the credit card info area.

Hmmmm.....if you "use" your parents' ID's, what are they going to use to travel with? Makes me wonder if they are really coming or are you just using their FNC's? That could change everything.

Uh oh, rereading your post sounds like they aren't coming...I'm pretty sure FNC's are non-transferable.

drekin

Thanks. My parents are not coming. I am aware certs are not transferable, yet they are routinely sold on Reddit and often to be used at this hotel, but I have not done something like this so just wondering about the best logistics to pull this off.

msp3

ethw

I can confirm that the $50 daily credit is now more strict, at least for me, for my stay from last week. One of my days' F&B spend was below $50, and the credit was shown to be the exact spend $4X.XX. So it was not a lump sum credit, but was calculated daily. I was also told the same at check in that it is a use it or lose it amount per day.

Eujeanie

That's a very unfortunate change.

Was there any additional rigamarole about when/where you could use it?

ethw

Nothing special that I noticed, was good to offset all F&B charges. Not Omotenashi lounge access fee though.

dlaue

In my opinion this hotel is only worth ANY extra room rate if you have kids and if the unique-in-the-world water elevator feature is in operation, which it is now not.

drekin

Just a data point, I called the diamond desk to convert a 5 night stay booked with points to a 4 nights stay booked to using FNCs. Typically the agent calls the hotel, they open up inventory temporarily and cancel / rebook the reservation. I have done this before a few months ago, it is not easy and you need to get a willing agent, but this is the first time it was denied. The agent did call the hotel and spent about 20 minutes with them, including talking to a supervisor, but it was denied citing low inventory and construction. They even had to unofficially cancel the 1 night I did not want to stay (the reservation still has the 5 nights, but due to a note on the account I should get a points refund for 1 night (ironically, even though this was a 5th night free booking)).

The reason I book with points to "hold" the nights is because my FNCs are not yet available and the inventory at this hotel is very limited. The Hilton reservation system is frustrating due to inability to change points bookings, and the "Terrace" rooms at GW are just fake inventory control room types; when you cancel a night they never go back to the "inventory". Frustrating. If anyone has any recent tips, please share.

Eujeanie

I don't think the hotel did anything wrong. The FNC's are to be used when there is "standard room availability", which it seems there was not for you at this point in time. The fact that other hotels have done it for you in the past should be considered a favor, not a right. And I'm also surprised you're getting one night's points back.

drekin

I am simply frustrated and GW was the hotel that let me do it a few months back ( in fact its for a second room for the same dates ). I am not saying hotel needs to do this for me, but Hilton should get their act together on the reservation system (i mean you can't even reduce the number of award nights booked without finagling).

Also providing a data point to the community.

Eujeanie

Don't get me wrong, I've had lots of hotels do me very nice favors. But I know they are bending the rules and I appreciate it, I don't expect it to happen every time.

The first time for you the occupancy might have been different, you had a good story/reason, who knows why...but it has nothing to do with the current situation. If you had not been able to do it the first time, would you have been happier because they followed their own rules and were consistent?

Cryptoprophet

Hawaii travel demand is very high right now, so I am not surprised they would at their discretion deny it.

brodielayne

That is a terrible shortsighted approach to running a business.

Cryptoprophet

Everything travel related is extremely in demand right now whether flights or hotels. Whether everything will work out in the end for brand loyalty or not is another question. I do try to set my expectations pretty low right now so I dont just spend my vacations frustrated lol. I see major lack in quality of service in every facet of hospitality.

vnfilm1

To update:
I complete 6 nights stay at GW (using 4 certificates and points). I am able to get my ocean view room in ground floor (Room 0035) using the Hilton app to do check in.

1) To choose my room, it seems to me, when I first open the Hilton app, around 10pm , it only shows me all available (Terrance view ) room in Molokini wing. And all rooms are facing the parking garage at different floor. I can not find any other availability room in other building.

I do not like the room showing on the app , and decide not to select my room. Around mid night, I open the Hilton app again . I see more room available at other building. I decide to choose a room facing the Chapel garden, at the ground floor ( room 0035) . When I arrive to GW, I check in at 11:00am and front desk let me keep that room . No room upgraded is mentioned at check in. I still do not know, if I am lucky that room shows up on the app ,at that time, or that is the way the hotel system works, (the hotel system will randomly to rotate to show available room at other building during the night).

2) The construction noise is very loud. But the great view somehow help a little. The room is dated but very clean.

3) GW does not provide shuttle service, but hotel guest can request a drop off / pick up within Wailea ( using driver service at valet desk). We use driver service to go to Island Gourmet market and Monkeypod a few times, during our stay.

4) We eat at food truck the first 2 days. And we buy food outside of GW for the rest of our trip.

Taxi from airport to GW cost $60+tip / one way and vice versa.

Thank you ALL again for your help .