I've just spent two nights in the Hilton Cologne which was OK but pretty high room rates (300+ Euros for a Deluxe Room - Didn't get any upgrade either despite being a Diamond Member) I had a customer with me for whom I booked a second room but still on my bill and all seemed fine until breakfast this morning. They insisted that I had to pay for my customer's breakfast stating "Hilton tell us we HAVE to charge for anyone who's not actually a diamond member themselves". So even though a Diamond member was paying the bill AND I was paying a room rate over 300Euros I have to fork out extra for a simple buffet breakfast. Went and spoke to the Duty Manager and they were still insistent. I phoned HHonors to question this and they were pretty understanding and said techically they're right but they can't believe that the hotel didn't apply some simple discretion and waive the charge bearing in mind the room rate and the fact I'm a Diamond HH holder. The overall attitude of the staff there was very poor I have to say - looks like it's a different hotel for me when I'm back in Cologne in two weeks.
That's one of the reasons why I recommend the Dom Hotel Cologne, part of the Le Meridien chain or the Excelsior Ernst Hotel, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.
Poor service is one thing ( you didnt provide any specifics in your post other the breakfast thingy ) but technically the property was correct. The rules quite clearly state that breakfast is a benefit for the occupants of member's room. Wonderful hotels the Dom and Excelsior may be... but if memory serves neither provides free breakfast even to SPG Platinums so referencing them might be pretty irrelevant to the OPs concern ... no?
You're partly right. The hotel would have been correct in saying that the Diamond breakfast amenity only applies to the cardholder. Saying that Hilton INSISTS that they make the Diamond pay for the second room is a bold-faced lie meant to deflect responsibility and give them an out for being less than gracious.
Really - just quoting from the post above by the OP. Here's the quote so you won't have to scroll up! "I had a customer with me for whom I booked a second room but still on my bill and all seemed fine until breakfast this morning. They insisted that I had to pay for my customer's breakfast stating "Hilton tell us we HAVE to charge for anyone who's not actually a diamond member themselves"."
Well you would be better served by carefully reading your own original post and which is what I responed to which said HYATT and which when I read it gave the clear impression that the Hilton personnel was telling the OP what happens at Hyatt... hence my question. (I do notice you have now changed it to Hilton ) but perhaps a little mea culpa is in order here. So it appears that thelling a patron that it is adhering to a specfically stated program rule is a "bold faced lie" ? That even after the OP stated that the HH service center confirmed that the hotel was "technically" correct.
That's unfortunate. I've stayed at the Hilton Cologne and actually liked it quite a bit. Got a big room and only payed about $120 a night (yes, $120, not EUR). I was planning to go back the next time I'm in the area.
First of all, mea culpa. You're right - I wrote Hyatt by mistake and then corrected it. But the facts remain the same. There is a difference between saying that they have no obligation, by the terms set by Hilton, to offer free breakfasts - and saying they are FORBIDDEN to offer it and that they HAVE to charge for it. Hotels can offer anything they choose to. Some are more generous, others less so but I cannot imagine Hilton mandating such a rule.
I was here for four nights in March and was disappointed with (a) housekeeping and (b) the front desk and duty manager at check out -- my card was charged before I'd approved the final invoice and it took more than 90 minutes and a lot of unpleasantness aimed at me before they rectified a simple but significant (more than 300 EUR) error. The room was nice, though, and breakfast was good. I wouldn't stay here again, despite having HH Diamond status -- Cologne offers so many alternatives.
I've stayed here twice and thought it was very nice. Nowhere near that price either, I was around $140 USD each time. One thing to remember on these trips is that if the hotel doesn't own the restaurant their choice, they are paying for you to eat there, not just comping it. That is why they have the list of guests and check it off when you go in.
