Hilton downgrades UK executive lounge offering

Back in July, Hilton issued a group-wide edict to its hotels that it was no longer necessary to serve spirits or port in the Executive Lounge.  All that was necessary to meet brand standards was to offer beer and a red and white wine.

To be fair, some hotels have pushed back on this.  Not surprising, since we’re hardly talking about a massive expense here.  What is the total value of the spirits on offer in a typical lounge? £100?  I assume the annual cost can’t be much more than £500.

There also appears to be a move against the ‘free breakfast’ that you are obliged to receive as a Gold or Diamond member.  More and more properties are following the example of the Conrad New York which I visited in February, and restricting elite guests to something along the lines of ‘coffee, juice, muffin’ with the option of paying for a full breakfast.

This following story may or may not be true, but it comes from a staff member working in the Executive Lounge of a UK Hilton property.

Apparently, Hilton has is also reducing the recommended level of lounge catering from the Autumn.  What is not clear is whether this change will be mandatory or optional on individual hotels.

The current recommendation of ‘two hot and three cold’ food options will be reduced to ‘one hot and two cold’.

I don’t have any further information on this at present, although the source is reliable.  Hopefully individual hotels know what is good for them and keep a broader range of options – cutting hot food as we move into the Winter does not seem incredibly smart …

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How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (April 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

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