Reader Question: Can Hotel Outside The US Provide F&B Credit Instead Of Breakfast For Diamond Member?

A LoyaltyLobby reader sent us a Hilton Honors Diamond member breakfast benefit case from a Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Montreal. The hotel had only provided a credit instead of a complimentary continental breakfast for two.

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The message that the reader sent to Diamond Desk:

Dear Hilton Diamond Desk,

I am just staying at the Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Centre-Ville (booking no REMOVED) and they are not following your published T&C (https://www.hilton.com/en/hilton-honors/benefit-terms/) concerning complimentary breakfast for Diamond members – in fact, they are – sort of – using rules for hotel in United States and giving me and my wife 20 USD per day for breakfast, even if hotel is located in Canada and not in United States.

As we are staying for 4 nights, this is an issue for us, as 20 USD per day will not get us far at this hotel and I certainlly dont want to pay for something that should be complimenary according to your rules!!

Diamond Desk Opened Guest Assistance File:

Thank you for contacting Hilton Honors. It will be my pleasure to assist with your concern regarding complimentary breakfast at Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Centre-ville.

Please be informed that we have shared your concern to the hotel in the Hilton Guest Assistance File #REMOVED. The hotel will  get back to you as soon as possible.

We appreciate your business and loyalty towards Hilton and are hopeful that you will afford us the opportunity to provide lodging services in the future.

The hotel never got back to the reader:

hotel did not get back to me and did not address this issue or even tried to resolve it. Me and my wife had no complimentary breakfast during our 4-day stay, as we should have had according to the valid Hilton T&C (https://www.hilton.com/en/hilton-honors/benefit-terms/) concerning complimentary breakfast for Diamond members in non-US hotels.

Sadly, hotel decided to ignore the issue and play dumb (“no manager is on site”, “we dont know of any e-mail”).

Therefore, I would like to ask you for compensation of 52.000 HH points – this is the cost of one night in HGI Montreal Centre Ville. And let the hotel pay for the points.

I asked reader if they happen to have the menu and if this credit could theoretically cover a continental breakfast:

Taxes and charges are appx. 15%…. so we ordered bread toast and one croissant with no drink and this was 7 CAD per person, and final bill was 17 CAD. So basically, yes, is this is defined as continenetal breakfast and you drink water, sure, then its enough

Coffee latte is 5.25+tax, not on the menu.

At a minimum, the continental breakfast should be pastries, baked goods, fruits, toast, and coffee

Benefits Per App:

The hotel is NOT providing what could constitute a continental breakfast to the guest.

Guest Assistance Claims that the hotel is correct:

Post reviewing your case file, I see hotel addressed your concern and stated that the information we provided you is as it is the brand standard. We have contacted Hilton on multiple occasions so you can have the correct information provided to them. Hence I would like to inform you that no compensation will be given by the hotel. Kindly contact hotel directly for discrepancy.

The hotel can close the file, but they should resolve the issue before.

Statement From Hilton Spokesperson:

We value our Hilton Honors members and will have our team connect with the hotel about this incident.

Eligible elite members traveling internationally receive a Continental Breakfast as their dining benefit and the Daily Food & Beverage Credit is available at participating brands in the United States.

As a reminder, members should review their MyWay benefits in their Hilton Honors account and select the dining benefit to ensure they receive this benefit.

Honors Gold & Diamond Member F&B Credit:

Hilton Extends Gold & Diamond F&B Credit In The US Through The End Of 2022

Hilton Email About Much Hated US F&B Credit Extension

Hilton Daily Food & Beverage Credit: When It Begins & Ends?

Conclusion

I have witnessed the response from Guest Assistance associates degrade, not as eager to resolve issues, over the past couple of years, and it seems that the department has been farmed out to Asia.

Readers should ensure that properties outside the United States honor the Gold and Diamond member breakfast benefit. If they are not, send a note to Hilton and ask them to open a Guest Assistance file. The hotel must respond to it.

Most of the properties I have visited go above and beyond, but there are always some that try to do less than what is required.

I hope that the Hilton corporate can resolve this issue with this offending hotel now that they are aware of the non-compliance.