Hilton Breakfast Credits
Update 1/14/21: The Hilton PR department has walked by the claim by their social media team. They are only confirming this change through 2022 at this point. Full details here.
Last year Hilton made a change to their elite program that was received mostly negatively. It was supposed to help streamline things during the pandemic which was somewhat understandable at the time. But, many of us saw the writing on the wall and figured this would likely be a more permanent, cost cutting measure. Then late last year it was announced the credits were here to stay in 2022. Not surprising. Yesterday I shared a Hilton breakfast credits rumor that Doctor of Credit had posted in my Around the Web. One of our newest contributors John Ryan, the Vegas Teenager, reached out to them on Twitter about the change. At first he got the expected that is all we know right now response:
But a little while later, a new representative chimed in that it is a permanent change:
They also said that it will still be limited to the U.S. only, which is good news. The breakfast overseas, and lounges for the matter, are far superior and that would be a much bigger loss in my opinion.
I put a question mark as confirmed in the title because we know that social media teams can be wrong from time to time with their information. The fact that they came out and directly said it is interesting, and with the rumors swirling, have me leaning towards this being the case. Plus, it is what we all suspected would happen anyway.
A big thanks to John for hounding Hilton and getting to the bottom of this. Make sure to give him a follow on Twitter and look out for his upcoming reviews of the Dubai trip he took over the holidays here at Miles to Memories.
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I was opposed to this at first. But after using the credit and it covering the total expense of their most expensive breakfast on the menu I’m more receptive. I had to miss breakfast one day and used toward dinner that night so that was a plus. Another stay I had to fly out at 5 am one morning so couldn’t eat breakfast. They let me use it the night before at the pantry.
I’ll hate when staying in the US big cities but so far so good.
I still see it as a devaluation just not as much of one as I did initially. I did call in and told them this was a devaluation when the extension was announced. That’s what everyone should do if they agree. Complaining here only goes so far.
I do think the flexibility makes up for the loss in value some for sure. I don’t think people realize how often they have to skip breakfast because of an early flight etc. and can at least get something for it with the credit.
Of course it’ll stay. The hotels actually make money from this, since the credit usually doesn’t cover the entire cost of breakfast. Unless you’re satisfied with just a muffin and cup of coffee.
moving on from Hilton once I blow these last 2M points. tired of the b.s.
If you’re new to the game, welcome. Better that you learn how it really is after only two or so years than after years of working towards lifetime status. The property owners are petty. Breakfast is one disappointment. Suite upgrades are another. You’ll find that property owners will find excuses or lie in order to deny you a suite upgrade even though your tier status provides for such and a suite is available for the duration of your stay. Or, in one case for me, we’re simply not going to give you a suite for seven days. Find yourself a different path.
If someone is worried about the breakfast credit afforded from tier status, it means the person is still playing a rigged game. And, after all of the articles about what the programs and property owners are doing, anyone still playing that rigged game deserves what one gets. Move on.
I understand where you are coming from but when I signed up in 2019, I was looking forward to getting free breakfast as a benefit. But when that suddenly changed in July, it’s a big cut and doesn’t have the same value as it used to.
Breakfast as a benefit is the reason why I switched from staying at Airbnb’s and went with Hilton. Reason being that I’m almost always working remotely and like to start my mornings with a nice breakfast, but need it to be quick (and I am too cheap to pay hotel breakfast prices).
To Hilton’s credit, I will say that the breakfast credit fully covered the cost of breakfast in my last stay in San Francisco. And since 90% of my stays are international, it won’t affect me a ton — but I do see this as a devaluation.