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Get 25% off UK and European Hilton hotels for public sector workers

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Whilst it disappeared for a year or so during the pandemic, Hilton has an attractive discount code for UK residents who work in the public sector.

If you work in a qualifying role then you will save 25% on the Best Flexible Rate at many Hilton Group properties. The only exception is the budget Hampton chain, where the discount is 15%.

The deal isn’t as good as it was pre-covid when you got 30% off, but it’s still not to be sniffed at.

Hilton hotels public sector discount

The discount isn’t a ‘true’ 25% because these rates are non-refundable. You should be comparing the price to the Advanced Purchase rate which is always lower than Best Flexible – but you should still be making a saving.

The rate is only meant to be used for ‘leisure stays’. You may find that some hotels restrict it to Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights although the rules have no date restrictions.

Here’s a pricing example from Hilton Bournemouth for 6th to 8th October:

  • Public sector rate (automatically includes breakfast at this hotel) – £141 per night
  • Advance Purchase Rate with Breakfast – £173 per night
  • Advance Purchase Rate (room only) – £150 per night

If you don’t have Gold or higher status in Hilton Honors, which gets you free breakfast, then this is a very good deal. You’re saving £32 per night on the next cheapest option.

If you do have Gold or higher status in Hilton Honors you are only saving £9, because you would get breakfast included even on a ‘room only’ rate.

What is a ‘public sector’ worker?

There used to be a complex definition of what counts as a ‘public sector’ worker but Hilton appears to have scrapped that for an easy life. All it now says is:

Offer is valid for leisure bookings by employees of the Government/Public Sector (Including Charitable and Non-For-Profit organisations) and is subject to availability at participating hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio. Offer is valid for up to two rooms per Government/Public Sector employee per stay only and must be booked directly through Hilton owned booking channels. Requests for additional rooms will not be granted. Government/Public Sector ID is required at check-in.

No idea why it says ‘airline’ identification, though ….

You can find further details at this website.

You can also book by going to the main Hilton website and – on the first booking page where it asks for a city – click the ‘Special Rates’ button and enter Hilton promotional code LHH1PN.  Not all UK and European hotels participate but many do.


How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards

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.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Did you know that the Virgin Atlantic credit cards are a great way of earning Hilton Honors points? Two Virgin Points can be converted into three Hilton Honors points. The Virgin Atlantic cards are the only Visa or Mastercard products in the UK which can indirectly earn Hilton Honors points. You can apply here.

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

and for small business owners:

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Comments (53)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Rob C says:

    Does the person making the booking have to be the government worker? I travel with my wife who works for the NHS but we tend to make booking in my name as i have the Hilton Honors account due to greater travel.

  • Nick G says:

    Blue Light Card holders also get a preferential IHG rate. I used it in March this year and it beat any rates I could find out there. Again no ID was asked at check in fyi

  • Peter Taysum says:

    I’ve been using this for years as a Dr in the NHS for leisure and work stays.

    I teach on several courses (mandated by the NHS for certain roles) and I think that there are TWO discounts:-

    1. One is for “on duty travel”
    2. One is for “leisure travel”

    One includes breakfast (not sure which and MAY change via individual hotel/brand) but as Gold I go for the cheapest and get free breakfast. It’s technically “continental breakfast” but I’ve always received a “full breakfast”…

    I can’t work out which is which but one you search under “govt rate” (mine is set up to apply this automatically in the app; you tick a box with options for AAA, travel agent etc) and the other is using a code that I’m PRETTY SURE I found on HfP (thanks AGAIN) which is PR11PN.

    This sometimes gives me TWO govt rates, and sometimes only one. Rarely it gives me none. Hilton at Luton Airport no discount offered for ski-ing holiday, so staying at IHG as I bought Ambassador Status (thanks AGAIN HfP!) and they ALSO do govt rate.

    I have been using both throughout the pandemic – clearly I have my NHS ID and given I do shift work/weekends/nights etc and teach can justify BOTH kinds of stay. I’m also a Charitable Trustee so can justify via that route.

    As MANY have stated I have NEVER been asked for ID on ANY govt rate stay. Though I ALWAYS have it with me and am prepared to show it.

    I’m not legally trained so have no idea as to not having ID… as to what might happen!

    I leveraged my bought IHG Ambassador Status to “get Gold Status Match” as per HfP because I didn’t make “one stay” to keep Diamond (idiot). Plus stayed in the Voco Surrey (thanks HfP) which was LOVELY! This hit me Gold until Mar 2025.

    Strangely whilst I get breakfast with Hilton Gold I’m finding IHG offering better options for locations so will probably be doing half my stays at Hilton and half at IHG.

    I also switched to a David Lloyd Gym/Spa National membership so don’t care about (generally not great) gym/spa and it’s easier to do more “stays” mixing between IHG and Hilton!

    • Rob Roy says:

      How interesting that a highly paid doctor gets cheaper hotels than me. I’m sure I work just as hard as you for my pay. Its a freaking disgrace actually. Hilton can do one. Non-longer my brand of choice now.

      Hilton this is wrong. Plain wrong.

  • Peter Taysum says:

    PS I’ve had some AMAZING last minute prices. Stayed at Brighton on Govt Rate (think Double Tree on the front! Lovely!)

    I paid half price of other rates (dynamic pricing) last minute and got upgraded with Gold status! Very lovely! Many bigger discounts on junior suites/suites too!

  • Errol says:

    It doesn’t seem to specify that it must be the UK government that one works for. Presumably this offer is valid for anyone contracting to a foreign government entity so long as an ID is provided

  • mark2 says:

    Anyone working on a government site will be issued with ID to get into the building. This includes consultants, both freelance and working for big consultancies as well as people visting to service equipment etc.

  • Tiberius says:

    Would I (Hilton Gold) be able to book on the Govt rate for myself and my wife (NHS Dr) to stay using the public sector discount and show her ID on check-in or would my Wifes need to make the booking on her non-Gold account so the ID and name on booking match?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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