Hey Hilton … Deal Or No Deal ?

Over the last 2 years, I’ve spent about 50 nights in a hotel in Louisville, KY. Every one of those has been at a Hilton franchise, namely a Hampton Inn.

On the road in Knoxville, Hampton Inn. Nashville, Hampton Inn. Horse Cave, Hampton Inn. There have been other cities, but the one constant has been the franchise … Hampton Inn.

Over the last 2 years, my Hilton Honors account has gone to Diamond VIP, which is as high as it goes for their customers.

I’ve always enjoyed their cleanliness, their business services, the great, hot breakfasts and USA Today newspapers, the fine service, etc.

The one thing I haven’t enjoyed is their rates which fluctuate too much for my comfort.

Right now, 7:20 PM on Sunday nite, December 3rd, 2006, on their website there are 13 different hotels listed and there are 10 different rates. They range from $79 a nite to $179 a nite.

10 rates for 13 hotels is just plain crazy. Those hotels are blocks away from each other in some cases and on different ends of the same city in other cases.

I can drive for 20 minutes or less and save my company $100 a nite. That’s dumber than a box-o-rocks to make me make that choice.

Why can’t a diamond VIP get a rate that doesn’t fluctuate and consistently stay at the same hotel every week ?

3 weeks ago, I was waiting to check in and the young lady who was attempting to help me with that answered the phone, instead of finishing my check in, because she was the only one here, she said.

She told the caller that his rate would be $79 per nite. I was standing in front of her at the time. She never asked if he was a Hilton Honors customer or not, so he could have been a first time customer. It might be the only time he ever stays in one of their hotels.

She then proceeded to try to charge me $99, but I pointed out that she just gave the guy on the phone a better rate. She said that was because he was staying 5 straight nights.

I pointed out that I would stay in that very hotel for 26 to 50 times in a year, so she dropped my rate to $84.60.

This last week I called for a reservation and the same young lady wanted $109 for a room. That’s $30 more than a month ago. It amounts to a 38% increase in 30 days.

Does your industry raise it’s prices 1% a month ? Mine neither.

Same room. Same newspaper. Same bedspread. Same breakfast. Nothing new. 38% more.

No deal Hilton. No deal Hampton Inn. I won’t play.

I have a blog that reached over 40,691 visitors last month. Those people viewed 78,020 pages.

I work for a corporation that has 18 locations in 4 states. We have “several” sales people who stay in hotels each and every week.

We attend forums, seminars and training several times a year, nationwide, and spends thousands upon thousands of dollars in hotel bills.

I’m ready to make a deal and get a consistent rate for my stays … or I send out a memo and eliminate all stays at Hilton franchises.

What’s it gonna be Hilton/Hampton ?

Deal or no deal ?

I’m sending a link to this post to my Diamond rep and I’ll let you know what we agree on.

If we can’t work this out, I’ll be asking for recommendations on hotel chains.

Either way, you’ll know how it ends.