There are many reasons to like the Hilton Honors program, but consistency in providing elite benefits is not one of them. Gold members and higher get free breakfast abroad, but it’s replaced by a variable food and beverage credit within the US (that’s almost never enough to pay for breakfast). Room upgrades are listed as a benefit, but are “based on availability” and effectively at the discretion of each individual property.
Until now, late check-out has been a benefit for all Hilton Honors members, although it was also “based on availability,” and most properties tended to be very stingy with that availability. However, Loyalty Lobby has noticed that Hilton no longer lists it as a benefit on the Hilton website, at any level of status.
Quick Thoughts
First off, it should be noted that late check-out still appears on each level of member benefits when looking at them in the Hilton app. However, as Loyalty Lobby notes, it’s been removed from the benefits table on the website and replaced with “Free WiFi:”
Loyalty Lobby believes that it’s only a matter of time before it’s removed from the app as well, and I’d tend to agree. Hilton has been making it a point to standardize late check-out fees across brands in a push for additional revenue, so removing them as a member benefit seems like a logical next step.
Personally, I would be surprised if they removed it from all status levels. I think it’s more likely that they confine it to Gold and/or Diamond members. Regardless, the loss would be more symbolic than practical. I can’t remember the last time that I received more than a one-hour late checkout at any Hilton property, regardless of brand, location, or season…and it’s not uncommon that I’m told “no” outright.
That said, it does contribute to the continuing dilution of Hilton Honors elite benefits, especially within the US. Travelling internationally as a Diamond member still provides reasonable perks and meaningful room upgrades, but domestically, you really have to squint to see the benefits.
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It’s overly generous to give all members late checkout, and I can see how that would severely disrupt operations, especially at leisure/resort hotels where most want to stay a few hours more. However, if they take this benefit away from diamonds, then combined with the lack of upgrades and nerfed breakfast benefit, there is little reason to maintain diamond status. I think 3pm for diamond and 1pm for gold is reasonable.
You need to understand the hotel industry. People want early check-in and late check-out, but it’s almost impossible to accommodate all the wishes. A full hotel means no early check-ins as guest want to enjoy their time until check-out. Housekeeping has to prepare all the rooms and typically get 30-45 minutes to clean each room. Check-in is at 4 pm, if we extend late checkouts then guest arriving at 4 pm will not have a room ready for them to check-in to. A full hotel also means upgrades are not available or if you arrive at 7pm all available upgrades have been given out. Housekeeping is the hardest job in the hotel, but every guest takes for granted until something is missing from their rooms. I bet most of your readers don’t even tip the housekeepers – you should tip a minimum of $5 per day.
What I know about the hotel industry is that Hyatt gives me guaranteed 4pm checkout as a Globalist and it’s probably the single most important reason I go out of my way to requalify for Globalist every year.
It everyone wants or can even use a late checkout. Similarly, not everyone arrives early or even “on time”.
I agree with Tim that this is a monetization strategy.
You don’t know the struggles of the working hotel. Late check-outs are the cause and effect of guest not getting into a room when they arrive. So the next time you have a late check-out – 4pm – realize you are the cause of the next guests delay in getting in the room on time. It takes 30-45 minutes to clean – imagine having 20 late check-outs. The delays are real. We in the industry hate when guest request late check-out cause it puts a burden on housekeeping and front desk. Cause unhappy guests yell at the front desk for delays. We in the industry have to control the number of late check-outs or otherwise we will not have rooms ready until 7-8 pm. It’s selfish individuals who think the companies are cheaping out, instead of understanding the people working in the hotel.
So, then, why are Hyatt and Marriot able to provide guaranteed late checkout to elite tiers, but Hilton is not able to? Surely, Marriotts and Hyatts (and their front desk team + housekeeping team) across the country must be in total chaos constantly by guests asking for late checkout all the time and getting it granted successfully. It’s a wonder how Hyatt and Marriott are still alive today, despite the constant chaos they must be in.
Marriott grants me 4 pm each time without a problem, haven’t been denied once yet – I just politely ask and they say “sure”, and that’s the end of it. No hassle, no need to beg/grovel the front desk for it, etc. I don’t even have top tier status with Marriott, just their mid tier level (Platinum).
Yet, at Hiltons, even with top tier status, the most I have gotten is 1-2 hours and that requires a bit of haggling and/or begging.
And @Sco mentioned earlier in this thread that they get guaranteed 4 pm from Hyatt.
Having worked at both Marriott and Hiltons I can tell you that Marriott is able to offer this benefit by screwing over other guests. It’s a good strategy if you only care about customer service for your loyal guests but not for every customer. Also, higher fees to pay for the additional staff. The Marriott I worked at had service fees mandatory for all guests specifically to pay for extra housekeepers to turn over rooms faster, but we still had to make most of our lower tier guests wait until 5 or 6 to check in
The funny thing is that my husband doesn’t ever get told to delay his check in until 6 pm, even though he is a basic member during some years and a lowly Silver member other years. So, who are they screwing over then?
Also, I have never seen a Marriott property have a housekeeping service fee tacked onto the daily rate. Yes, I have seen ones that add a resort fee or a destination fee, but the purported reason for those is because they are in a resort area and/or offer benefits like free paddle board rentals, complimentary yoga classes, etc… not for “faster housekeeping”.
Can you share which Marriott location do you work at, that has such a fee “specific to paying for extra housekeepers”?
I’m an employee at one of the hilton hotels. We have to limit the amount of late check outs because the housekeepers need time to clean the rooms before new arrivals check in.
For many years I was a HH customer. Over the last 5 plus years I’ve seen a significant decrease in Hiltons service overall. I switched to Marriott and have been more satisfied overall. I travel 75-100 nights a year and having a good room and service makes it much easier. I still stay at Hilton properties 10-15 nights a year so I don’t lose the points I’ve built up over the years, but that’s all.
I switched to Marriott two years ago. I was HH Diamond for 10 years. My biggest issue is that they only have a lifetime diamond membership, and I’m closer to getting Bonvoy lifetime platinum so I switched.
Thanks, Hilton! Every time I get tempted by a Hilton credit card offer, they do something anti-customer (massive devaluation, eliminate benefits) and it smacks me right back to my senses. And to Hyatt.
Hilton’s elite program is in need of a overhaul. There really is no incentive to be loyal to these programs (like Hilton, Marriott, and IHG) when you can buy top-tier status for so little. And they have no incentive to reward our loyalty, because they understand how easy it is to get to elite status. I have top (or near top) elite status with the big four, but the only brand that I feel treats me as an elite is Hyatt, because this is the only one that I actually earned my status.
I agree I would appreciate if they made achieving higher tier status more difficult and lock in benefits across the board.
The hotel programs are at all-time revenue and earnings. Unless and until the revenue needle moves against them, they have no reason to not continue on the path they have been on. Expect more cuts. Expect SLH redemptions to devalue. Etc., etc.
I get that. AA and other airlines have made a killing with their non-flying loyalty programs. These hotel loyalty programs are not designed the same way. Loyalty is where the money is at. Sure, I pay $550 for a card that gives me diamond status (along with other more valuable perks). And then I proceed to put the card in my drawer and only stay a handful of nights at their hotels. This isn’t loyalty.
For every 1000 dissatisfied Hilton members that leave, there are 2000 new Hilton members signing up. And, they sell the notion of tier status to these 2000 new members. And, tier status makes them feel so good . . . like they are somebody. And, this shiny new credit card will get you there.
But, to those who know that it’s a mug’s game, let’s not kid ourselves by thinking we matter. Or say “what the program really needs to do is . . .” because they won’t. It’s just the way it is baby.