spstx

Help a new member out (gold after 5 months). When offered lounge or club access, it that what is its... just access or do they include complimentary beverages?

Counsellor

Some (apparently depending on the local laws) offer complementary alcoholic drinks. All offer complementary snacks and soft drinks/coffee. All are not open all the time, though (different places have different hours).

wharvey

Adam,

There have been a couple of posts by people who have indicated they have not received "perks" that are promised to Gold members... I know this happened to me at a Hampton Inn in San Diego... nothing for my Gold Status... actually got a worse room than a colleague who checked in at the same time.. with no status.

Can you provide an official take on what each of the hotels in the Hilton family should be providing to Gold members?

Also, how do we go about ensuring we get these benefits when travelling?

William

CameraGuy

wharvey,

I would say that one on the biggest misconceptions among elite members is that they are entitled to a room upgrade at Hampton properties. According to the HHonors web site, the only amenity we are entitled to is the "The Hampton Touch". In my experience, this has been a bag of cookies and a bottle of water.

As I understand it, Hampton Inn's are not obligated to upgrade HHonors Gold/Diamond members. If the do so, it is out of courtesy.

I grabbed this off of the HHonors web site.

Upgraded Accommodations/Amenities: HHonors Gold VIP members are offered upgraded accommodations or amenities at HHonors hotels. The type of upgraded accommodation or amenity varies by type of hotel, as follows:


At US Hiltons, and at Conrad and Doubletree hotels with Towers or Executive Levels, Gold VIPs will be provided with a guest room on the Towers or Executive Level floor, whenever possible. In cases when Towers or Executive Level accommodations have been fully booked, Gold VIP members will be offered the use of the Towers or Executive Level lounge, including complimentary continental breakfast each morning. At hotels without a Towers or Executive Level, Gold VIPs will receive complimentary continental breakfast each day of the stay. And in hotels at which a complimentary breakfast is a benefit for all guests, Gold VIPs will be offered a special amenity as an expression of our appreciation.

At Hilton hotels outside the U.S. with Executive Floors, Gold VIPs will be provided with a guest room on the Executive Floor, whenever possible. In cases when there are no Executive Floors or where Executive Floor accommodations have been fully booked, Gold VIP members will be offered a complimentary continental breakfast each morning or an alternative special amenity.

At Embassy Suites hotels, Gold VIP members will be offered "The Embassy Touch", including a light snack on night of arrival.

At Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites hotels, Gold VIP members will be offered "The Hampton Touch", including a light snack on night of arrival.

At Homewood Suites by Hilton, Gold VIP members will receive a welcome gift of tempting Homewood truffles.

DOC 2 BE

CG --

I agree with you, however, I would like Adam to write something that we could all print out as there is another post by another FTer who was denied lounge access at the Alexandria Mark Center despite her Gold status. The manager lied and said that the Rules were wrong!!! and decided to interpret them as he saw fit, restricting access to only Diamonds.

That is intolerable and requires Adam to write a "global" explanation that we may present to recalcitrant hotel staff.

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 02-25-2001).]

thezipper

I guess my concern is that when I have arrived and asked for an upgrade the front desk says that there is none available, which I can accept. When I get to my room, I call 1-800-Hiltons and I find there are rooms on the exec. floor, which are available. When I call back down to the front desk, they say, "Oh we dont have any rooms, that must be a glitch in the computer". Adam, what rights/resolution to this type of problem do I have? This has happened to me three times in the last month.

PointJunkie

thezipper,

Wouldn't that be similar to an airline upgrade, where there are seats available for sale, but the available inventory for upgrades and comps is depleted?

DOC 2 BE

I don't think so, for the HHonors rules are quite clear on this, if there is an available room, an upgrade shall follow.

rachel

At the embassy suites hotel in Indianapolis which I stay at several times a month said that since gold members raise a stink when they are not upgraded every time they check in they upgrade NONE of them (you have to be kidding me was my response). The only reason I asked about this today is that I have stayed there 10 times in the last 3 months and have only been upgraded once--before a lot of the fast track gold people were out there. There is only one person in the hotel who is allowed to do upgrades to the 18th floor--2 level suites. If you don't know him forget about it! I think that this is a horrible policy and way to run a business--I have better luck with upgrades at Starwood properties. I don't have the time when I am on a business trip to track down a hotel manager to get an upgraded room. I DO understand that I am not going to get upgraded every time I check into the hotel but I do think that 1 out every 5 times might be reasonable.

Sorry for the venting--but the girl at the front desk really aggravated me this morning!

PS--I have never received a light snack on arrival at an Embassy Suites hotel

[This message has been edited by rachel (edited 02-26-2001).]

DOC 2 BE

A suite upgrade is NOT REQUIRED!!! A snack IS!!

wharvey

CameraGuy,

I understand the rules... what I was indicating that it appeared as though I was treated worse as a Gold member than my colleague who was on the same rate... and without status.

I was expecting something from the Hampton Inn... even a bottle of water would have been nice.

But nothing!

William

CameraGuy

wharvey,

I found out something about the HHonors Reservations system recently. It seems that they lag behind the HHonors system by a cople of months.

So, if you recently made Gold, Hampton may still have you listed as Silver.

I am surprised that you have not gotten the water and cookies at the Hampton Inn's. I have over 20 stays since I made Gold and I can think of maybe one or two instances where I have not gotten that amenity.

DOC 2 BE

That would probably explain why my FF preference on the Hampton reservation was listed as CO instead of NW. I changed it recently so that I would qualilfy for the NW 10,000 miles promo!

wharvey

CameraGuy,

They knew my newly obtained status prior to check-in. I had called them directly to let them know... and it was also on my check-in information I had to initial.

So, not sure why they would not know.

Does seem like a lot of discrepencies in what Gold members are afforded.

William

hreamer

I checked in to the Danbury Hilton last night and asked to be upgraded to the Concierge level as a gold memeber. I was told the Concierge level was for Diamond members only, and that no rooms were available anyway. I then asked for a pass to the Concierge floor, and was told again that the Concierge level was for Diamond members only. At this point I pulled out a printout from Hilton web page describing Gold level benefits, and was grudgingly given my pass. (Funny thing was, she never even looked at the printout. As soon as I showed her the page, she forked over the pass. I think she knew, she just didn't think I knew!)

I was just too tired to call and see if any rooms actually were available on the Concierge floor.

That kind of stuff really eats my gritter.