Hilton Honors Diamond member benefits and the differences from Gold membership
It’s been about a year and a half since I went from Gold to Diamond membership at the end of 2022. I’ve summarised what I like about becoming a Diamond member and what I think are the differences between Gold and Diamond. I hope this will be helpful for those who are considering becoming a Diamond member.
Contents
1. Being allowed to enter the Executive Lounge, even before check-in
2. Points keep accumulating quickly
3. Generous upgrades
4. Free breakfast
5. Late check-out
6. Lucky benefit
7. How not to be disappointed
1. Being allowed to enter the Executive Lounge, even before check-in
Even if you arrive at the airport early in the morning after a long flight due to time difference, you probably want to leave your large amount of luggage first. Usually, you can leave your luggage at the hotel even before check-in, but your room is almost always not ready, so you probably go out into the city to sightsee before returning to the hotel.
If you are a Diamond member, there have been several times when they have arranged for me to enter the lounge even early in the morning. Unlike a hotel lobby, the number of people entering and leaving is limited, and I really appreciate having a place to relax while drinking complimentary tea or coffee (Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, Conrad Tokyo).
In some cases, it was still breakfast time in the lounge when I arrived, so I was even able to enjoy an extra hotel breakfast right at the start of the trip (Hilton Paris Opera).
Some lounges also have showers, which is a facility you will definitely want to use after a long flight (Conrad London St. James).
2. Points keep accumulating quickly
You get 10 base points and 10 bonus points per dollar, plus 1000 MyWay benefit bonus points per stay for Diamond members (although this depends slightly on the brand as, for example, you receive only 750 points for Hilton Garden Inn). For those who stay a lot, you can get 10,000, 10,000, and 40,000 bonus points on your 40th, 50th, and 60th nights (I recently received bonus points for my 40th night).
3. Generous upgrades
The official website says, “If there are rooms available in higher categories, you can enjoy up to a one-bedroom suite.”
In the past, at the Hilton Sydney, I was upgraded from a guest room to a city view suite. The bathtub with jacuzzi function, the spacious living room with large sofa, and the generally luxurious feeling made this one of the best experiences I have had at a Hilton. I’ve only been able to receive such a big upgrade since becoming a Diamond member.
4. Free breakfast
Free breakfast is also available to Gold members, so if it’s difficult to become a Diamond member, it’s still a good idea to aim for Gold membership. In fact, I was a Gold member for a long time before becoming a Diamond member.
The following is an excerpt from the official website.
“The continental breakfast […] benefit is available to the member and one guest staying in the same room every day of your stay.”
Strictly speaking, it is specified that it is limited to two people, including your companion, but there have been several times when the hotel kindly provided breakfast for other companions too. I think this might be at the discretion of each hotel or the member of staff, and since it was such a kind gesture, it may not be available at all hotels all the time, so please be courteous and do not necessarily expect this.
Even if you cannot eat breakfast at the hotel because you have to catch a flight early in the morning, the hotel will sometimes pack bread, fruit, etc. for breakfast and bring it to you if you ask (both the Hilton London Canary Wharf and Doubletree London Excel did this when we had early flights from London City Airport).
5. Late check-out
If your flight or train time means there is not enough time to go sightseeing on your final day, you may just want to relax at the hotel until departure. If you can delay your check-out by an hour or two, you may be able to relax in the hotel’s spa, pool, or lounge.
When it’s busy, the hotel may not be able to accommodate the request, but otherwise they can be very flexible about extending your check-out time by a few hours.
Since I became a Diamond member, I have also been issued with an Executive Lounge even after checking out, when late check-out was not possible. The lounge is quiet during the day and is useful when you want to concentrate on work for example (Conrad London St. James)
6. Lucky benefit
As a Diamond member, I am sometimes given special benefits for free or at a special price depending on the hotel.
At the Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, I was able to use the spa and pool at no extra charge. At the Hilton Lake Como (Italy), I was given a free bicycle rental, and at the Conrad Algarve (Portugal), I was given a bottle of wine. I would be happy if you could tell me what Diamond benefits you received at the Hilton hotels you have stayed at.
7. How not to be disappointed
Not every Hilton property has an executive lounge. Generally speaking, Conrad and Hilton hotels tend to have one, but Hilton Mallorca Galatzo in Spain did not. Breakfast was already included in the room rate, so there was no complimentary breakfast benefit either. None of the usual perks mentioned earlier were available, so to be honest, the stay felt a bit disappointing.
That said, I was offered a glass of cava (Spanish sparkling wine) at check-in.
Once you reach Gold or Diamond status, you’ll often receive upgrade notifications from hotels before your stay. It’s one of those small moments that really builds excitement before checking in.
But I once had an experience that caught me off guard. I received an email saying I had been upgraded to a suite at a hotel in Japan where I was staying that very night. I was in transit at an airport outside Japan and thought, I’ll just check in later at the hotel; no rush. A few hours later, when I opened the app, the suite upgrade had vanished (cry).
I was still upgraded to a higher room category than originally booked, but since I had been expecting a suite, I couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Most likely, the suite was reassigned to a top-tier guest who checked in earlier.
Room upgrades are never guaranteed—they are always offered based on availability. To increase your chances, I recommend checking in early or confirming through the app. Try not to expect too much, but still enjoy the anticipation. That balance is just about right.
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