A LoyaltytLobby reader sent us a report about extreme overcrowding at the Hilton Sydney’s new and “enhanced” lounge, where Diamond guests are being turned away due to space issues.
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You can access the Hilton Sydney webpage here.
READ MORE: Hilton Honors Rate & Bonus Points Offers
Reader’s Note:
I offer some information on the Sydney Hilton (Australia)
I am also a Lifetime Diamond HH member and stayed for 3 nights from Jan 11th.
Their executive lounge has been relocate to the first floor from (I think) level 36
During the 3 night stay a late flight in from BKK and check in meant I was not able to access the lounge first night.
On night 2 at 6pm the lounge was completely full and so I sat outside in the corridor where a few tables and chairs had been provided for the overspill.
On night 3 I was refused entry. The lounge was full and so was the overspill area.
This was our wedding anniversary trip for me and my wife so you can imagine I was not thrilled. We were offered 2 drinks vouchers for the basement bar and a discount voucher for dinner.
We already had our anniversary dinner booked elsewhere so that was useless.
At checkout the next morning I asked for the duty manager and calmly offered my thoughts and complained about the refusal of entry to a Lifetime Diamond member.
At first I had the usual apology and an explanation of the hotel having unprecedented amounts of Diamond HH members staying and then the fact the lounge is now smaller due to relocation slipped out.
I was promised an email with some HH points credit which duly arrived.
Note from the hotel:
I have seen similar reports about this hotel after they moved the lounge from the high-floor space with views of Sydney to a smaller first-floor bunker without any views.
The lounge space has been significantly reduced, and the outside corridor is used as an overflow area (how comfortable is this?).
Why would a hotel in Sydney with an ever-increasing number of Diamond members cut the lounge space in half?
Is there any other reason behind this besides making the lounge so uncomfortable or small that eligible guests don’t enter or those who would wish to enter are turned away?
There is no other way to correct this situation than to complain when at the hotel.
They could expand the lounge, offer Diamond members happy hour F&B benefits through in-room dining, or use an alternative F&B venue as an overflow space, which is quite common.
Conclusion
I wish that the ripping off and closing of lounges didn’t expand from North America to international locations, but some of these hotels, especially at desirable locations such as Sydney, are facing extremely high numbers of Diamond members.
We have shared some of the elite numbers that other chains sometimes display at their properties (mainly in Asia), and they are eye-opening.
It is understandable that Diamond members want to take advantage of elite benefits. I am glad the reader gave management feedback about this issue and received some points as compensation.
I have seen similar reports about lounge overcrowding at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour.
What have your experiences at the new executive lounge at the Hilton Sydney? Please leave a comment below.
