Hilton has been talking for years about improving its elite benefits. Hyatt allows their top elites to confirm suites at booking several times a year. Marriott at least offers suites if available at check-in with most brands, and lets members staying 50 nights or more each year to designate some nights where they want priority for those upgrades (‘suite night awards’).
In contrast Hilton doesn’t even guarantee late check-out, and while hotels are permitted to offer suite upgrades none is required to do so. They’ve been considering doing something in this space, though, since at least 2014 if not before.
Finally Hilton is testing confirmed suite upgrades as an elite benefit. Brendan Dorsey reports that they launched a pilot program this past Monday with a small group of high revenue customers.
- Each received one confirmed upgrade certificate
- Upgrades are confirmed at time of booking, and valid up to 7 nights
- Has to be redeemed by end of March, for travel any time through end of Hilton’s booking schedule
Conrad New York
They’re going to evaluate the test and evaluate how to move forward with a suite benefit.
There’s no word at this point whether a benefit like this would be offered to all Diamond members, or just those hitting certain night thresholds (as opposed to, say, earning Diamond status through a credit card). And there’s no word how many confirmed suites would be offered.
If Hilton introduces guaranteed late check-out (one could only hope for early check-in, too) and a confirmed suite benefit their heaviest stay guests could finally see meaningful elite benefits from the program.
Good God
How much longer do we have to wait for late checkout as a Diamond
without a lawyer present for negotiations? 🙁
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh
After 25 years they lost much potential business to everyone else
Was in a 5 star Waldorf 2 days ago and they asked me to go at Noon 🙁 after requesting 1:30 pm
Hilton is a points scheme and the rest is at your own risk
Saddest program of all next to IHG Rewards who is even worse
and Accor at the bottom of the river buried in mud
Why would you even need this, when DCS tells us that Diamonds always get suites anyway?
Breakfasts for Golds is a meaningful mid-tier benefit that Marriott/SPG and Hyatt no longer offer. Hilton Gold is easy to get via credit card or status match/challenge. The upgrades would be nice nice but apply to a very small segment of elite customers.
@THF – sadly DCS is coughbannedcough from this site, so we won’t get any comment from him
@Boraxo – I’m no defender of Marriott by any means, but Marriott Plat is 50 nights and solidly mid-tier and includes lounge or breakfast
@UA-NYC DCS is not banned from this site. DCS has chosen not to comment here any longer. That is entirely his decision, and he could reverse it at any time.
I just want guaranteed 4pm late checkout. I’m tired of properties calling 1 or 2pm a diamond benefit.
Hilton should reward Diamonds a suite upgrade after each 10 to 20k spend on their credit cards.
@G50 – I disagree. These upgrade should be based solely on spending nights in a bed. While I have no problem with Hilton giving away status with credit cards, I am really not competing with them as they stay so infrequently. These high valuations upgrade should only be available for someone using the hard product ….. Just my two cents ….
I totally agree with you , that the credit card spending must have nothing to do with the elite benefits .. Overall i see hilton honor programm is losing ground to others spicaily marriott .. the p[oints redumption is a BIG JOKE .. most hotels required sum of points more expensive bt 2 -3 times cash rate !!!
onother thing .. hilton hotels is not respecting the Max points required for upgrade as set by hiton as per this web address .. http://pointsexplorer.hiltonhonors.com/list
Late checkout would be nice.