Molinelaw

I'm a Gold (who isn't?) and stayed at the Bentley about two weeks ago. I got the room on a Friday night for 50,000 points. It was nice, the room was nice, but it really wasn't anything to write home about. The staff was pleasant but gave me a distinct feeling that they thought they were cooler than me. They are, but it's impolite to let the (points) paying guests know that. It was OK but really nothing special. It was probably just an off day for me. Others clearly found it perfect for their expectations. YMMV

fjfv19

I think it may have just been an off day. I recently completed another stay at the Hilton Bentley (probably my 10th) and it was tremendous as usual. The Guest Relations Manager (won't cite names, but if you deal with her, you'll know) is, simply put, one of the most fantastic hotel employees I've ever dealt with at any hotel. I'm HHonors Gold, and upon arriving, she thanked me for my loyalty. I was heading there with a special woman in my life, and had requested an upgrade (something I almost never do). Due to the art expo Art Basel, they could not accommodate my request the first night due to capacity. When I went down to breakfast, the Guest Relations Manager flagged me down, and said she could upgrade me to an oceanview room as soon as a guest checked out. She took my number, called me when the room was ready, and sent somebody with me to move my luggage. The breakfast coupons get you a continental breakfast which, for $5, may be upgraded to the hot items as well. The free mojito at check-in was great, and the empanadas from De Rodriguez were quite tasty. The hotel is a bit south of the club action on South Beach but I love the tranquility. Retreat to tranquility during the day, and have a nice walk in the beautiful Miami weather to dinner / clubs at night.

The Hilton Bentley is one of my favourite Hiltons in the world. I always look forward to my next stay there.

MtlFire

Just back from a multiple day award stay, only rooms for 50,000 base points were handicap accessible. Called the room on the day of check-in and mentioned I didn't need a HA room and it would be great if they had something else. Was told not to worry as a Diamond member I would be upgraded.

Checked in later that night, upgrade consisted of one handicap accessible room as booked. Returned to the desk to inquire and was told only handicap accessible rooms available. I suspect they assign rooms on check-in and not ahead of time because of status.

Handwritten welcome letter and bottle of wine waiting in the room. Breakfast certs for continental breakfast, 5$ upgrade for full buffet (10$ for gold). Expresso's weren't charged most days, otherwise they added 6.75$ to the bill.

Dinner at the Cuban restaurant was great, service and staff were pleasant. 10$ per chair and umbrella at the beach adds up quick. They have a list of your status, clearly saw I was diamond, no fee's waived. Two bottles of water and a glass of "champagne" offered at the beach for free.

Still a great experience and I'll return.

100,000miler

It is always booked up fully whenever I have tried to book it for either paid or rewards travel. I have given up on it.

The Hilton in Sunny Isles is very impressive and you can often get it for $180 per night but not at prime season when it goes for $400 or so.

The only disadvantage is that the sun is removed by the high rises after noon and the pool and beach become shaded very quickly so what is the point of staying on the beach at inflated rates?

I am staying next week at the FLL Hilton on Griffin Rd for only $94 a night. That rate is too low to waste points on. I think the hotel is a dump but at that rate I wil put up with its inconveniences.

snugglening

I'm here now til 1/25/13. I was told I was upgraded to a suite on the 6th floor. I walked in to a nice dining room table, full size couch that doubles as a pullout, bathroom has a stand in shower and a large bathtub,king bed with LCD tv, also nice little kitchen.I'm just a gold and booked this as axon in Dec.

Oh I also have a bidet in the bathroom not sure if that is standard.
I was charged $5 per person to upgrade from a continental breakfast. The upgraded spread included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns with extra veggies, ham croquettes, smoked salmon, pancakes.

GINZ

Would you happen to be in 611?
I also just completed a stay here and was upgraded as Gold into suite 611.
Awesome room!
Big thank you to the wonderful staff, especially Luis the conceirge.

snugglening

Oh I meant 706 (Im sure of the room.) The breakfast upgrade was great for $5 a person and is a great way to start the day. **As a friendly warning I would ask for a room away from the club next door if you are light sleeper or not a party animal.*** I stayed Mon and left Fri but I did hear some music Thurs night but a free room on points is a hard to beat.

The only thing worth eating for $5 happy hour is the pork skewers which is delicious but if you are asian it is the same pork you get from asian town with the crisp skin and maybe the shrimp skewers. Although for $5 a plate I would go somewhere else to eat it is pricey to me. Also I feel very fortunate I was upgraded to suite as a lowly gold,but figured my timing had more to do with it than anything.

jamesteroh

The full breakfast is great. It just p**ses me off they charge an upgrade of $5 for it now. In the past diamonds (and possibly golds) received the fll breakfast for free. What REALLY sucks is they charge diamonds for umbrellas and chairson the beach now. that used to be a nice feature.

I know the bottle of red wine is a nice touch, but not a big fan of red wine.

PedroNY

We just spent 4 nights at this hotel on the AXON7 Award (4 nights for 145,000 points). We enjoyed our time here.

We were upgraded to a 1-Bedroom Suite, 10th floor, wrap-around balcony with both Ocean/City view. We also received a welcome gift of a bottle of wine and some chocolates/fruit, that was a nice touch.

I tried the gym here, it had a couple of treadmills, some light free weights and a hand full machines. What surprised me is that they have a very nice sauna room in the health club, that was a nice option to have.

The pool and pool cabanas were nice, towels everywhere, free sunscreen lotion, and aloe lotion, service was prompt. Prices for beer/wine/drinks is about the same as you pay anywhere else in South Beach hotel, $5-6 for beer, $8-10 for wine, $10-14 for mixed drinks.

We received free breakfast, if you wanted hot options, you could upgrade for $5, I think that is reasonable, but I do understand that it used to be free.

The location is close to a few great restaurants, I would recommend to make reservations if you are there during a weekend as all of them get filled up.

We plan to stay here again, we enjoyed our time, hotel was nice, people ware friendly, no complaints here.

Cheers,

PedroNY

jamesteroh

If the rumors are true that all Hiltons/DT's will have to have lounges by July or year end, I wonder where the Bentley would put theirs at. Doesn't seem like they have any room to spare for a lounge.

Instead of a lounge, I would rather they just bring back the full breakfast and free beach chairs/umbrellas for diamonds instead.

MilesTalk

Is this hotel getting ready to leave HHonors? The Bentley website makes no mention of it and I just won a room on PL for it this coming weekend despite them not offering rooms for sale on Hilton.com and offering discounted rooms on their own site at the same time.

That said, anyone have any luck getting HHonors bennies on a PL rate?

ILovetheReds

I would make sure it's the HILTON bentley and not The Bentley on Ocean and 5th or 6th down the road. If Hilton.com is showing the hotel sold out, I would be surprised if they released rooms to priceline.

I wouldn't expect the wine and fruit tray. In the past they always have had the breakfast vouchers preprinted with my keypack but you may be able to get them to give you some at check in along with the internet.

If Hilton is showing the hotel sold out I wouldn't expect an upgrade. They will probably have already preupgraded diamonds and golds ahead of time if there are any suites available for upgrade.

MilesTalk

Well that's embarrassing!! ;-) Never realized there were two Bentley's. Indeed, we're at the Bentley on 5th. Thanks for clarifying

ILovetheReds

No prob Glad you caught it before getting dropped off at the wrong hotel and having to walk with your luggage down to the right hotel or valeting at the Hilton Bentley only to have to retrieve your car and pay for parking to go to the other Bentley.

I have never stayed there but noticed their rates are a lot cheaper than the Hilton bentley (I got on the other Bentley site on time in error thinking it was the Hilton Bentleys). It looks decent from the outside but it is the opposite side of the street from the beach You are closer to the Ocean Drive Restaurants and Lincoln Mall however.

PedroNY

What I just learned (two weeks ago), by talking to the front desk. This hotel, Hilton Bentley (1st/Ocean), was actually built by the other Bentley (5th/Ocean) about 7 years ago. It was sold off, or re-branded as Hilton Bentley 5+ years ago and is no longer affiliated with the other Bentley hotel. They are 5 blocks apart, on the same street, so that is where the confusion arises.

As for executive lounge location, maybe they would put it on the 4th floor? Or just take 1 room and convert it into a lounge, I can see that happening as well, that would give them 700-800 square foot place for a lounge if 1Bedroom Suite is converted to one.

Cheers,

PedroNY