Did you know eight Hilton brands don’t offer upgrades to Gold and Diamond members?

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• Lou says:

  15 Oct15 October 04:57

  Tbh I rarely get upgrades even at the ones that allegedly give them.

  I remember they last time I stayed at DT Greenwich, it felt like they had gone out of their way to give me the worst room available.

  These days I just set my expectations really low, and am pleasantly surprised if anything turns up.

  • Peggerz says:

    15 Oct15 October 12:08

    Completely the opposite for me.
    A couple of years ago my daughter was a student at Goldsmiths and I stayed several times at DT Greenwich during visits. I started with no status and ended with Diamond – after stays elsewhere too! – and it was interesting to see the quality of room get better as time went on. Last time I ended up with one of the big rooftop rooms.

• BJ says:

  15 Oct15 October 05:02

  I’ve had upgrades at HGI, Homewood and Grand Vacations so I don’t think most hotels are too fussy about these rules. I’ve stayed at quite a few Hamptons but cannot recall if any ever claimed I was upgraded, they probably only have a few room types anyway so upgrades could be little more than high floors or rooms with views.

• Mike says:

  15 Oct15 October 05:07

  A good Hampton by Hilton will acknowledge your status, apologise that there aren’t any better rooms as they are all the same but ask if you would like a higher floor, which my “local” Hampton often does, I never ask for upgrades anywhere anyway. My biggest gripe with Hamptons lately is the increasing number of times I’ve had negotiate a late checkout with them trying to negotiate me down from a 2pm to 1pm even though I’m diamond. Marriott are much better in that respect (I’m Titanium). A late checkout isn’t the most useful thing if not guaranteed. Worst has been IHG were as was asked the come down early on checkout day to see if a late checkout could be accommodated which considering I like late checkouts so my hungover ass can stay in bad isn’t useful. Though the Kimpton I stayed in last week was fine with a late checkout booked at check-in.

  • BJ says:

    15 Oct15 October 05:49

    What I find disappointing about Hamptons is that though they are nice when new the state of the rooms seem to deteriorate quite quickly. I am not sure whether this is mainly the result of poor materials, shoddy workmanship, inadequate maintenance or poor housekeeping. Probably a combination of all of them to varying degrees. The rooms are not disastrous but it’s a pity they don’t age better.

    • John says:

      15 Oct15 October 06:48

      I agree. It may be all of those factors and also perhaps, to be blunt, the quality of some of the typical guests. I don’t know why because it’s not like Hamptons are priced lower than more upscale hotels, they just go with the market price for their location

      • BJ says:

        15 Oct15 October 06:58

        The thought also crossed my mind but I thought I better not say 🙂

  • Harry T says:

    15 Oct15 October 09:50

    Hilton and IHG are both terrible for late checkouts.

    • David says:

      15 Oct15 October 12:44

      Not my experience at all.

    • Tom says:

      15 Oct15 October 15:17

      They can be operationally hard to do for the hotel. After all they might be full that night and need the room for 2 pm checkins, and it has to be cleaned first.

• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  15 Oct15 October 06:47

  I never really noticed the no upgrades ‘rule’ at HGI until someone pointed it out to me a few years ago. I tend to be treated there the same as any other Hilton. I occasionally get a junior suite at T2, failing that a high floor room. In Hatton Cross they have no suites but you usually get a superior room. I’ve had some sort of upgrade in the HGI hotels I’ve stayed in Italy too.

  Hampton have no better types to upgrade you to (at least in Europe, I have no experience of ‘Hampton Inn and Suites’ in the US whose name suggests there’s better rooms) but they do tend to offer the best of what they have (for example in Newcastle I tend to get a high floor with view of the station).

  Diamond is so easy to get with the current reduced thresholds and promotions they really need to have a super tier with priority for upgrades. It’s made worse by the fact that in the US you can get credit cards that give you diamond. This means any hotel that’s frequented by Americans (I was in the Hilton Milan earlier this week) is likely to have overcrowded lounges.

  Does IHG Platinum count as mid tier after they launched Spire (now diamond)? They tend to give me some sort of upgrade too but the drawback is no free breakfast at that level

  • Tom says:

    15 Oct15 October 15:18

    But the Diamond status you get with a US credit card comes with a $500 annual fee. So in a sense you are buying that status and therefore deserve it.

  • WillPS says:

    16 Oct16 October 23:09

    Some Hamptons have better rooms, Blackpool for example has King rooms. Unfortunately it only has 3 (at least until the extension is completed next month) so you’ve very little chance of an upgrade.

• Nick says:

  15 Oct15 October 06:48

  Upgrades! Always fun! It’s something you maybe master over many decades of travel…As an elite member, before some pleasantry with the reception staff (basic stuff, like, when they ask you how you are, you ask them the same in reply), I then always ask, “Have you been able to upgrade me?”. This ensures that they appreciate (and often system check) that you’re an elite member, and not someone just looking to upgrade with no status. If it’s a hotel with several front office staff, then make sure you don’t get the trainee receptionist. Look out for the shift leader, or manager. Always be polite and maybe drop in a comment about your last stay. I’m sure that many other seasoned travellers have their own views.

  • Patrick Cold says:

    15 Oct15 October 08:20

    Hear hear.

  • Professor Calculus says:

    15 Oct15 October 09:47

    Loving it Nick !!
    I think the community needs to get together and create a separate chat on ‘Tips for upgrades’

• Mike says:

  15 Oct15 October 07:21

  I think it’s probably a mixture of both. The furnishings don’t seem of a high quality and the demographics of the guests.

• Patrick Cold says:

  15 Oct15 October 08:18

  I`m staying @ Conrad Maldives from on points in a week`s time (380,000 when booked) and they`ve upgraded me to an Overwater Pool Villa. I`ve been a few times before which might make a difference but it`s still a pretty decent perk.

• NorthernLass says:

  15 Oct15 October 08:32

  Not upgrades but I have noticed that some brands, especially Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites offer standard redemption rates on various room categories. This is mostly in US properties IME, but it means you can get a room which will sleep a family – i.e. 2 doubles, studio suite or 1 bedroom suite. I’ve booked a 5 for 4 redemption at a Homewood Suites in Connecticut for next summer and the standard 35k pn rate applied to the studio suite and also the more expensive 1 bedroom suite. As it’s in August, it’s an absolutely cracking deal, especially as who knows where the £ is going?!

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