I've never had a significant problem during any of my hotel stays with the Hilton family of hotel properties (or at least nothing that couldn't be resolved easily).

Unfortunately I had a pretty bad experience at Doubletree in Windsor Locks, CT. I filled out a care card and put the following (in shorter sentences due to limited space) on it:

No working heat (it's 32 degrees outside), no working telephone, wireless internet spotty. I asked very politely if we could get the heat repaired or move rooms and the Front Desk girl said "I'm having a really bad day and I could care less!" My jaw almost hit the counter. She tossed a new room card at me.

Walked away figuring you pay peanuts you get monkeys, but the world moves on. Turned on the heat in the second room and started to move all of my stuff (5-night business stay). Second room heat won't go above 62 degrees!

Went down to front desk again and told the Front Desk girl to try moving me to another floor. She did, tossed another card at me. I tested the heat and it worked (thank goodness!). But the wireless internet did not reach the new room (at least I could stop freezing).

Also the gym was closed but no notice posted on web site or option to use another Hilton hotel's facilities across the street (I asked). They did move their rusty cycling machine into a conference room and suggested guests use that for their workout.

Small stuff: No bottled water in room, no arrival cookie, staff did not refer to me by name (all of these are no biggie).

Anyway I filled out a care card with this stuff, my contact info and added my HHonors # (silver about to be gold again) and will drop it off when I get back to the hotel tonight. Does it make any difference doing this? Should I have communicated to someone else? I'm willing to give them a chance to re-earn our business, but it honestly depends on how they handle this.

Try emailing [email protected] AND [email protected].

I filled out a card while at a DT in Tulsa and it never got anywhere.

I had lesser problems recently at a Conrad and filled out a comment card with the details. When I heard nothing from the hotel, I contacted, in my case, the Diamond Desk at hilton honors, outlining the problems. Within a few days I received an email from the general manager saying he would look into the problems and offering me one night in a suite when I return.

I think the issue with the comment cards is in most cases you have to give themto the staff (usually no separate boxes) so whether or not they go anywhere depends on the staff who received it. In my case that same staff was part of the problem.

I've never had luck with the cards. I always follow up in person -- or worst case, over the phone -- with the local management team until I'm satisfied.

Haven't had any problems yet by going that route. In fairness, I haven't had many issues, either, and the ones that have come up are fairly minor.

Believe it or not, my biggest problem has been getting the "I forgot" toothpaste -- the DTs I've been at run out a lot more often, they say, because regular flyers don't pack it anymore knowing they can get a free one at the DT.

No stones flung from me on that point. I ask for the toothpaste -- and request shaving cream as well -- when I'm flying with a carry-on bag, so I don't have to bother with the bag-o-liquids hassle.