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Hi all, I’d appreciate some advice on booking a Hilton stay in central London for my visiting family (a couple and their two teens, ages 17 and 19). My flat’s too small to host them, so I want to treat them to a hotel stay. My partner and I are both Diamond members, and I’ve found a Hilton with reasonable rates. However, I’m trying to navigate a few concerns and would love your input—no judgment, please, as I might be overthinking this!
Here’s the situation and my questions:
My sister’s family earns less than me, and I don’t want them to know the cost of the hotel (it might make them uncomfortable), but I still want them to enjoy a nice stay. I’m considering buying Hilton points to book two rooms and avoid any visible cash price.
If I book two rooms with points for them (two adults, two teens), I assume the rooms can’t be in my name since I won’t be staying there—does that mean no Diamond benefits like free breakfast?
Alternatively, could I book three rooms with points, adding my partner and myself to two of the bookings (without actually sleeping there) to secure Diamond benefits (e.g., breakfast for four)? We’d be present for check-in and check-out but stay at our flat overnight—does this work, or is it pushing the rules?
I’ve also noticed a cash rate that offers better value than points. If I book two rooms with cash, could I contact the hotel afterward and ask them not to disclose the rate to my family?
Another option: book three rooms at the cash rate—two under my name, one under my partner’s—to maximise Diamond benefits across at least two rooms. Would this make sense?
Lastly, if I book two rooms under my Diamond account, would benefits (free breakfast, upgrades) apply to both rooms or just one?
Any insights or suggestions would be great—I promise I’m not as complicated as this sounds! Thanks in advance.
Simply book one room in your name and one name in your partner’s name.
Add your sister and husband/partner or 19 year old as other person on the two rooms (one on each) to allow them to check in.
Diamond benefits won’t be questioned in my experience.
They may want to check in separately.
Points would mean they wouldn’t see price. Cash complicates things.
Others may have stronger morals than me.
Forgetting about @Swiss-Jim’s morals point…
If you book these rooms on a cash rate then there is a very high chance that your sister and family will find out what the rate is. And even if they don’t get told then what do you say to a direct question along the lines of “very nice hotel, was it not expensive?”
Whereas if you buy the points and book using them, then you have the standard response “I actually managed to use my Hilton points which is brilliant as I never seem able to use them otherwise”.
In terms of any amount of subterfuge undertaken to obtain a free breakfast etc, you should also make sure that your sister and her family are very comfortable with your plans. It might make sense to you but they could end up feeling very uncomfortable with the whole thing.
As I have discovered on many an occasion, families are weird. Don’t let a nice thing become a not-nice thing because of differing expectations. Have a clear conversation with you sister. If it turns out that she would genuinely be happier in a family room at a Premier Inn then this would probably be cheaper. If she loves the idea of two rooms at a Hilton on points then great.
If you pay a non-refundable cash rate up front, IME they’ll just email the folio to you after the stay and not say anything to your family apart from confirming there’s nothing to pay at checkout.
I second what @Froggee says about the benefits not being worth any awkwardness. Your family won’t necessarily understand about points/status/etc (if they’re anything like ours!)
You seem to have lost track of logic a bit and become fixated on status benefits. At one point you suggest buying 3 rooms for cash when you only need 2 – just in order to secure a “free” diamond breakfast. Would it not be far simpler and cheaper to just buy 2 rooms with a breakfast inclusive rate?
If there was a “like” button then I would hit it many times for Froggee’s post. Take note.
That said, just adding two people who are staying to the reservations for the 2 rooms and letting them check in solves the problem neatly as long as your family are on board.
You don’t say how far away you live, but in any large hotel, one other alternative is just checking in yourselves at, say, 3PM then agreeing to meet your relatives at the hotel at 3.30 for a drink (or any similar excuse works fine). Let them know that you’ve sorted rooms so no need to check in. You simply hand the room keycards to your relatives, and they needn’t interact with reception at all. Nobody will notice (or care if they do).
Also – more and more London hotels are asking for ID at check in these days, so factor that in to your plans. The ID of a named guest may be sufficient but I wouldn’t assume anything.
Also – more and more London hotels are asking for ID at check in these days, so factor that in to your plans. The ID of a named guest may be sufficient but I wouldn’t assume anything.
ID of named guest must work. Named guest turns up at 3pm and checks in. Cardholder turns up at 2am p****d as a newt and leave at 6am for work (apparently 😉). What to do?
Also – more and more London hotels are asking for ID at check in these days, so factor that in to your plans. The ID of a named guest may be sufficient but I wouldn’t assume anything.
ID of named guest must work. Named guest turns up at 3pm and checks in. Cardholder turns up at 2am p****d as a newt and leave at 6am for work (apparently 😉). What to do?
The impersonation for the obtention of gain is one thing but it also doesn’t get round the very real issues identified by @Froggee. It sounds like a recipe for a big embarrassing mess.
If you are prepared to pay cash, why not just book in their name through Expedia or other OTA? This way, you avoid awkward situations at check in or breakfast etc. If the family ask, say you had some credit or voucher with the OTA, that was about to expire and you didnt want to waste it!
I booked and paid for rooms for my parents a couple of times and I added one of them as an additional guest so they could check in. On the most part it was fine, but in one hotel they were VERY funny with them and caused a bit of a scene about me not being there. They said that they couldn’t apply the status benefits because the HHonors member wasn’t there. However, when they realised the stay had been paid up-front they didn’t have a problem with it. I didn’t do it again after that because I didn’t want them to run the risk of that happening again to them.
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