If you go to the U.S. Hilton Honors confirms voucher instead of complimentary breakfast
Last July, Hilton Honors, the loyalty program of the well-known hotel chain, had tentatively announced and [...]
Last July, Hilton Honors, the loyalty program of the well-known hotel chain, had announced on a trial basis and only for U.S. hotels, the change of one of the most popular benefits: the complimentary breakfast.
In this article:
Who is entitled to the complimentary breakfast
The Honors Program provides that all members holding the Gold level, free of charge and included in the American Express Platinum fee or Diamond may enjoy of complimentary continental breakfast when they stay in the group's hotels. In many articles we have explained about how this benefit can be worth up to 30€ a day when traveling around the world. Due to the status all owners and a companion, but in my experience also any children, can enjoy free breakfast at no extra charge in the group's hotels that do not include breakfast in the basic rate, namely:
- Conrad
- Curio
- DoubleTree
- Hilton
- Hilton Garden Inn
- LXR
- Tapestry Collection
- Waldorf Astoria
With this change, expected only in the U.S. although I have Had a chance to "undergo it" in Canada as well., the guests receive a daily credit to use in F&B facilities Of hotels. It can then be used to pay for breakfast, room service, dinner or a cocktail. The value of the voucher changes depending on the facility and the number of guests.
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The first thing to understand is. in the U.S. they are very fiscal about the concept of "Continental Breakfast" compared to what happens in the rest of the world. Continental breakfast means a service that excludes all the savory/hot part, in fact it is like having breakfast at the bar with brioches and cappuccino and little more. This is not the case in Italy and almost nowhere else in the world where, if you have the status, you have access to the buffet without having added costs. Since the benefit stipulates that the complimentary portion is only the continental portion, it was common in hotels in North America to have access to the full buffet only for a fee.
What changes in 2022
The first, and only, positive news is that at the moment Hilton has ruled out extending this trial to the rest of the world. So if you have no plans to travel to non-U.S. facilities, you can be assured that nothing will change at the moment.
If you're going to the U.S. instead, here's what you need to know and what to watch out for:
After suggestions from a number of guests, Hilton has decided to implement a change that will take effect Jan. 1 and last until Dec. 31, viz. increase the value of the voucher, by as much as $3!!! E not even everywhere, but only for stays in Boston, Chicago, District of Columbia, Key Largo, Key West, New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Hawaii
It is important to understand that these vouchers cannot be combined, so it is not possible to use those not used in the previous days. In addition, the maximum discount is for only the two guests, even if there are one or more children in the room.
Because it is a bad system
Hilton says that this way travelers are more free to choose, in reality it is a way to just make cash. The motivation is simple to understand and I have experienced it a couple of times during my overseas travels this year.
Breakfast in these hotels costs considerably more than the voucher that is dispensed, not to mention that prices on the menus of hotels and restaurants in the U.S. are always net of taxes and service. For example, I recently stayed at the Millenium Hilton Downtown in Manhattan which not only had no restaurants open, but only had room service operating, forcing guests to order from a menu where a prepackaged orange juice cost 6$+tax.
The same happened to me in Canada, where the a "basic" breakfast with just scrambled eggs, a piece of toast and a cup of tea cost me 28$ compared to the 15$ voucher received.
The rating was negative in July, when this innovation was introduced; it does not change today that it is improved with an added value of 3$. Hilton had justified itself by saying that this change was a child of the post-pandemic times, with so many hotels still in half service and many travelers preferring flexibility. My guess is that it is just a way for Hilton to allow hotels to collect a few extra dollars in this restart phase.
We'll see what happens in 2023, what do you think? Write it in the comments.
