vpFREE2 Forums

Re Bob Dancers recent column about hotel stays (breakfast)

#1

We recently stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn. We thought breakfast was included in the price, since I normally choose hotels with this feature. When we checked in we asked about the time for the free breakfast, and we’re told there was a breakfast, but we didn’t have it on our reservation and it would be about $10 pp extra. I said I thought It was I included (I’d prepaid for the room). The lady said, ok, here are coupons. I said, I can dig out the receipt to check. She said, don’t bother, so I didn’t. She handed us coupons. They did in fact collect coupons at breakfast, which was very good too. And later on when I went to website for HHonors, it turned out we had missed the part where you must buy a special “package” to get the breakfast. So we did get a free breakfast by mistake.

Note unlike Bob Dancer this was a mistake, not a deliberate attempt to deceive the hotel and get something we didn’t deserve.

Interestingly, the hotel also has this

“Our Promise. We promise to do whatever it takes to ensure you’re satisfied, or you don’t pay. You can count on us. GUARANTEED™. The Hilton Garden Inn Promise reflects our focus on hospitality and integrity. We are committed to providing an excellent hotel experience for every guest, every time.”

Which is one of the most general guarantees I’ve ever seen. We had a couple of problems at the hotel, including no (or spotty) heat in the room and no maintenance man upon reporting it. So I am now trying to get the “promised” refund. We will see…(the front desk said they needed to contact the manager about the refund, and of course he wasn’t at the hotel…does that qualify as a further dissatisfaction?)

Obviously someone like Bob who is trying to take advantage of every possible “freebie”, even freebies he is isn’t entitled to but is willing to knowingly try to get, should stay at hotels like this, because it is pretty easy to be dissatisfied over something, and this sort of guarantee seems strangely open ended. (assuming they honor it…but it is a Hilton Honors property…)

#2

They’ll get more future business off of you by giving a few freebies now. It’s smart business. The breakfast probably costs them little extra to add you guys to it and it may be creating a more loyal customer than just a 15% off coupon. They’re penny foolish, but dollar wise.

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—In vpf…@…com, <misscraps@…> wrote:

We recently stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn. We thought breakfast was included in the price, since I normally choose hotels with this feature. When we checked in we asked about the time for the free breakfast, and we’re told there was a breakfast, but we didn’t have it on our reservation and it would be about $10 pp extra. I said I thought It was I included (I’d prepaid for the room). The lady said, ok, here are coupons. I said, I can dig out the receipt to check. She said, don’t bother, so I didn’t. She handed us coupons. They did in fact collect coupons at breakfast, which was very good too. And later on when I went to website for HHonors, it turned out we had missed the part where you must buy a special “package” to get the breakfast. So we did get a free breakfast by mistake.

Note unlike Bob Dancer this was a mistake, not a deliberate attempt to deceive the hotel and get something we didn’t deserve.

Interestingly, the hotel also has this

“Our Promise. We promise to do whatever it takes to ensure you’re satisfied, or you don’t pay. You can count on us. GUARANTEED™. The Hilton Garden Inn Promise reflects our focus on hospitality and integrity. We are committed to providing an excellent hotel experience for every guest, every time.”

Which is one of the most general guarantees I’ve ever seen. We had a couple of problems at the hotel, including no (or spotty) heat in the room and no maintenance man upon reporting it. So I am now trying to get the “promised” refund. We will see…(the front desk said they needed to contact the manager about the refund, and of course he wasn’t at the hotel…does that qualify as a further dissatisfaction?)

Obviously someone like Bob who is trying to take advantage of every possible “freebie”, even freebies he is isn’t entitled to but is willing to knowingly try to get, should stay at hotels like this, because it is pretty easy to be dissatisfied over something, and this sort of guarantee seems strangely open ended. (assuming they honor it…but it is a Hilton Honors property…)

#3

I am pretty sure you will get something if not satisfied,even if it just a credit you can use for a future stay at a Hilton.
For any future trips keep in mind that another Hilton chain, Hampton Inn always includes a hot breakfast. I actually prefer the Hampton Inn compared to the Garden Inn,even without the breakfast difference.

#4

I’ve found that Hilton is one of the best hotel companies to deal with for customer service especially as a Hilton Honors member, let us know if you do get a refund.

#5

I like Hampton inns too

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Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 30, 2013, at 7:10 PM, neilgr…@…com wrote:

I am pretty sure you will get something if not satisfied,even if it just a credit you can use for a future stay at a Hilton.
For any future trips keep in mind that another Hilton chain, Hampton Inn always includes a hot breakfast. I actually prefer the Hampton Inn compared to the Garden Inn,even without the breakfast difference.

#6

Could have fooled me. 14years ago I had enough points for a two week stay anywhere in the world. Didn’t stay with them for a year and they wiped out all my points. I wasn’t even aware of the requirement back then. They told me I was SOL. Nothing they could do. I even wrote to a couple of executives and got no response. I haven’t stayed at a hilton owned property since.

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Sent from my iPad

On Nov 30, 2013, at 7:17 PM, <neilgr…@…com> wrote:

I’ve found that Hilton is one of the best hotel companies to deal with for customer service especially as a Hilton Honors member, let us know if you do get a refund.

#7

I was Hilton Gold and was booked for 3 comp nights at the Fontainebleau Miami . The room was about 1/4 mile walk (or so it seemed) from registration, and was so small it was not acceptable at a $10 a night motel. There was not even a shelf in the bathroom; we had to place our toiletries on the rim of the bathtub. Upon complaining, we were told there was not another room available. We checked out the next morning and were billed a substantial amount for Spa usage, which had not occurred. It was a Hell of a fight to get a very nasty clerk to reverse the charge.

I wrote a letter describing my experience to whichever Hilton (Barron or Conrad) was currently in charge, from whom I received no response, but who forwarded my letter to the GM of The Fontainebleau, who thanked me for my visit and hoped to see me back soon

That was more than 25 years ago, and except for tournaments in Las Vegas, haven’t visited a Hilton since

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On Sun, Dec 1, 2013 at 4:53 PM, Randy <ran…@…edu> wrote:

Could have fooled me. 14years ago I had enough points for a two week stay anywhere in the world. Didn’t stay with them for a year and they wiped out all my points. I wasn’t even aware of the requirement back then. They told me I was SOL. Nothing they could do. I even wrote to a couple of executives and got no response. I haven’t stayed at a hilton owned property since.

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 30, 2013, at 7:17 PM, <neilgr…@…com> wrote:

I’ve found that Hilton is one of the best hotel companies to deal with for customer service especially as a Hilton Honors member, let us know if you do get a refund.

#8

There have been a lot of negative comments about Hilton and I’d like to make a positive one from recent experience.

My wife and I travel extensively. Our hotels of choice are Holiday Inn Express and Hilton chains (mostly Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn). Both of these chains serve a free breakfast but the Hilton ones are better. Homewood suites even serves real plates and silver ware instead of plastic. Homewood suites even serves a dinner Monday – Thursday.

From time to time we have had room problems on both chains. I always send in our comments (positive and negative) through their web pages. Holiday Inn Express replies with canned responses that show they have not read my note. After several back and forths, they usually respond and say they have sent my comments to the hotel manager. I almost never hear from the manager. With Hilton I get a real reply rather quickly and in several cases, they have reversed the charges based on my comments under the terms of their guarantee. In no case have I ever asked for a refund.

I don’t know how they behaved 25 years ago, but in recent years, Hilton Is far superior to Holiday Inn and a few others we stay in from time to time (Best Western, La Quinta, Comfort Inn, Days Inn).

Barry

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From: Richard Gordon

Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2013 11:05 PM

To: vpF…@…com

Subject: Re: [vpFREE] RE: Re Bob Dancers recent column about hotel stays (breakfast)

I was Hilton Gold and was booked for 3 comp nights at the Fontainebleau Miami . The room was about 1/4 mile walk (or so it seemed) from registration, and was so small it was not acceptable at a $10 a night motel. There was not even a shelf in the bathroom; we had to place our toiletries on the rim of the bathtub. Upon complaining, we were told there was not another room available. We checked out the next morning and were billed a substantial amount for Spa usage, which had not occurred. It was a Hell of a fight to get a very nasty clerk to reverse the charge.

I wrote a letter describing my experience to whichever Hilton (Barron or Conrad) was currently in charge, from whom I received no response, but who forwarded my letter to the GM of The Fontainebleau, who thanked me for my visit and hoped to see me back soon

That was more than 25 years ago, and except for tournaments in Las Vegas, haven’t visited a Hilton since

On Sun, Dec 1, 2013 at 4:53 PM, Randy <ran…@…edu> wrote:

Could have fooled me. 14years ago I had enough points for a two week stay anywhere in the world. Didn’t stay with them for a year and they wiped out all my points. I wasn’t even aware of the requirement back then. They told me I was SOL. Nothing they could do. I even wrote to a couple of executives and got no response. I haven’t stayed at a hilton owned property since.

Sent from my iPad

On Nov 30, 2013, at 7:17 PM, <neilgr…@…com> wrote:

I've found that Hilton is one of the best hotel companies to deal with for customer service especially as a Hilton Honors member, let us know if you do get a refund.