Tag Archives for hilton.
This month we lost ‘Eskimo Pies’ in a renaming to Edy’s Pie. So, too, the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort which is being renamed Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak because they’ve decided ‘Squaw Peak’ is racist.
Hilton says that their hotels shouldn’t be used to house children detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after it was revealed several franchised properties near the U.S.-Mexico border were housing children and their private contractor chaperones prior to deportation. These properties have hosted over 200 bookings of this nature.
Here’s a challenge for you: If you think an airline or hotel chain ought to decide whom they’ll do business with on the basis of their values, wouldn’t you also have to support bakeries choosing to provide wedding cakes only to heterosexual couples if that’s what’s dictated by their values? Or should businesses only make decisions about whom to serve based on your values?
IHG hotels has announced a face mask policy for guests in the U.S. and Canada. This follows similar moves by Marriott and Hyatt. Hilton says they’re going to get their act together and follow suit, while Hyatt says if you don’t have a mask they’ll give you one. But what will enforcement look like?
Within hours of the story hitting several media sources, a Homewood Suites by Hilton has reversed course and will refund $10,000 owed to a 5th grade class in Florida.
In a rather bizarre story the Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington DC Downtown wanted to charge an elementary school $20,612 when they weren’t able to travel to D.C. in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hotel eventually agreed to take just $10,000, withheld from the group’s deposit. In an unexpected twist, the kids are getting the money back thanks to intervention by an incarcerated rap artist.
Incarcerated rapper Kodak Black, in prison until October on gun charges, grew up near the school and has offered to pay for a future trip if Hilton refuses a refund. Black’s attorney is representing the school PTA as it seeks a full refund from the hotel.
Hilton has published the DoubleTree hotels cookie recipe. Normally more than 30 million of these cookies are baked annually. They’ve even been baked on the space station. But since you’re grounded Hilton is giving out the recipe.
Hilton has offered status matches and fast tracks to elite for years. They’ve just extended their latest offer. Hilton will give you 90 days of Gold status which largely means free breakfast or lounge access and avoiding the bad rooms at the hotel.
As China recovers from COVID-19, and hopes to stave off a second wave of infections, they’re testing people entering the country. Even with a low volume of international flights that’s led to long delays and frustrations entering the country. As a result there’s a strong fear of foreigners.
Hyatt was first out of the gate offering compensation to people cancelling non-refundable bookings. Hilton and IHG both have come out with even greater flexibility, and both say they’re making changes to elite status requirements.
There are ways to benefit even if you plan to keep your current stays – but should you?
When hotels aren’t making the award space available to members that they should I’ve had good success getting the loyalty program to intervene. I’ve had especially good success with Hilton, such as with the Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem and the Waldorf Astoria Grand Wailea on Maui.
Readers reach out to me all the time with award redemption problems and I do my best to get them solved, week after week.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
