A Letter To Hilton's CEO

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

I have just finished my letter to Hilton's chairman and ceo, and thought I would share it with all of you.

Mr. Stephen F. Bollenbach Chairman and CEO Hilton Hotels Corporation 9336 Civic Center Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Sir,

Enclosed are the remains of my Hilton honors card, and notice of termination of my account (#redacted).

My cancellation comes as a result of the treatment of Fran O'Brien's at the Capital Hilton, and the callous disregard shown them and the disabled veterans whom they treat as family. Indeed, having read the latest spin campaign (http://getonthe.blogspot.com/2006/04/giving-credit-where-credit-is-due.html) wherein Matt Hard and Marc Grossman engage in the - to be polite - disingenuous smear of failure to pay rent, it is clear that honor is only word for the Hilton Corporation. Such disgusting and despicable tactics, sadly, are hardly surprising at this point given a response that has ranged from feeble to a general manager who greeted the wounded veterans for the first time only when the cameras were rolling and the heat was on.

Know that I plan to give my business to any competitor rather than stay in any Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Hampton Inn and/or Suites, Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Conrad, or other property owned or controlled by the Hilton Corporation. Know also that I am encouraging my employer, clients, family, friends, business colleagues, and any others I can influence to do the same.

Even were you to intercede and do what is right at the last minute, I would have no faith or confidence that such an action would be real, or would hold, given the abhorrent behavior shown to date.

If they don't like the language, they do not want to hear how I am phrasing it where I am not trying to behave for polite company...

My card did make a nice bit of statuary though...

LW

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crossposted at Blackfive I have just finished my letter to Hilton's chairman and ceo, and thought I would share it with all of you. Mr. Stephen F. Bollenbach Chairman and CEO Hilton Hotels Corporation 9336 Civic Center Drive Beverly Hills,... [Read More]

Comments

[TSgt Chuck]

Excellent letter LW! I hope others will follow suit. I have e-mail the Hilton Honours address and Lisa Cole from Hilton Corp. Comms.

[Subsunk]

Wolf,

That is truly artwork, dude. I like the text and the sculpture.

Subsunk

[AFSister]

Good on ya, LW!

[JarheadDad]

"it is clear that honor is only word for the Hilton Corporation"

Only "a" word.

OK, so I'm anal rententive. Better than being a hemorrhoid zealot like this Dean Berry pogue that's spamming everyone's comments! ;-)

Well said Wolf. I cancelled my card as well. Points or no! :-(

[Salmineo]

Why don't you go join a Lions or Kiwanis club and do something positive? Maybe traditional community service is outside your political wackery. However these vets now fall exactly into that "community service" category.

Why not find a solution instead of just attacking everybody that don't completely and utterly agree with every opinion or every possible spin on an opinion you can dream up?

We do our military service and then its over, gone, completed. Not forgotten but certainly dumped into the back pasture of our mind. The details rusting away over time into obscurity as they should. Dwelling and bringing them to the forefront of memory is unhealthy. Furthermore that is exactly why, and, how you are de-briefed.

You are not going to be with these wounded vets for the rest of their lives. You are only useing them now for what you consider political gain.

You are limited beyond your rhetoric. You cannot continue to help these people throughout their lives. You cannot support them and you cannot console them forever. This is a job for Governments and community service organizations. In the end you will have no choice but drop them one by one into the trash bin of your memory.

Unless you join and/or support a community service organization, you are just blowing smoke up people's arses.

peace.

[lucky]

Heyu there Salmineo, whats with the unbridled attack on these well minded mibloggers. They are just doing their part in an unjust situation. I happen to be a young veteran, and a few of my friends have passed through Fran O'briens doors. Hilton is still in the wrong. Why don't you do us all a favor and FUCK OFF!

[Theresa, MSgt, USAF (ret)]

salmineo

What lucky said.

[bruce]

As has been said over and over... peeps like salmineo just don't get it. Why waste breath on em? Ignore em unless they get in your face.

Then if/when they spout their nonsense, you can show discipline by trying to move around them. If they decide to initiate physical contact, then the fun can begin.

One of my buddies in law enforcement explained to me the premise of "fighting words". The loud left might do well to review this page http://americandefenseleague.com/fightwds.htm

[Jason O]

Sadly I spent about $12,000 with Hilton at the beginning of this year due to my travel. I feel a little sick after hearing this news.

I have since switched hotels and probably will not be going back. The veterans issue aside, while I thought the hotel was rather higher in quality than the place I am staying now, they wanted to charge you for every little thing while you were there, despite the fact the rates were higher than the place I am currently staying. That just kind of rubbed me the wrong way already. The vet issue is just another reason not to go back.

[jordan]

People are eager to show support for wounded vets because they know most are not the type to depend on outside groups or the government to deal with their own life crisis. These vets ultimately know it's their own character as men that'll help them cope, not the Kiwanis. There's just no other group of people more deserving of support from all quarters.

[ErikZ]

Salmineo: Carrot AND stick.

[Jim in Texas]

I'm a veteran business traveler (0n the road 75%) who uses--USED--Hilton 90% of the time.

More importantly, I'm also a veteran; retired USAF E-9 Airborne wienie. (bird s**t and Dumbass Rangers aren't the only things that fall from the sky!)

I'm trying to donate my accumulated miles, if I can, and will send a similar letter.

To be truthful, my wife is editing it. My original letter was "F**k you, strong letter follows!" She's a former officer and writes better than I.(sigh, another damn myth continues!!!)

Shameful

Jim in Texas
CMSGT, USAF, ret
P.S. Seriously, I'll email you a copy of the letter I finally send.

Sorry, I posted this letter in the item above first....

[CJ]

Guys and Matt,

I wouldn't give Salmineo (Salminio, Sal, and other names) the time of day. He's a troll. If you engage him you'll encourage him. The best bet is to ignore him or even ban him from posting. I'd tell ya to read the comments he's left on my site, but I deleted them all.

[Beth* A.]

Also, Guys and Matt,
Ditto what CJ said, except add the word 'malignant'. Research (what was it Bill the Cat used to say? "Aaack! Ffffttt!") proves him out. Just ask, if questions. I think Lt. Smash would also agree with him, if memory serves.

[BloodSpite]

And just what are Kiawanis and Rotary, or VFW anyway?

A group of like minded people who pick a cause and support it.

And what are MilBloggers?

A Group of like minded people who pick a cause and support it.

Forgive me Sal, if I don't really follow your argument here.

What do we need to build a MilBlogger Union Hall before you think we can support or protest a cause?

I'm sure the African Americans in the 1950's would have just LOVED you, for starters.

Give me a freaking break.

[Sean]

Oh damn, I really have enjoyed Homewood Suites in my travels...Too Bad. OK please list some decent places to stay (Chains) that aren't Hilton related. I will keep that list handy and never stay at a Hilton establishment again.

[Richmond]

Great letter, LW. Very well said.

[Dann]

One word of caution. Be careful where you stay.

Doubletree and Hampton Inns are both Hilton brands.

http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/brand/about.jhtml;jsessionid=J2WWLKSMDUG5GCSGBIVM22QKIYFC3UUC

[Lisa]

Marriott (Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn (my personal favorite), Fairfield, TownePlace, Springhill, Holiday Inn, Accor hotels (Red Roof Inn, Motel 6, Studio 6), Choice hotels (Clarion, Comfort Inns & Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Econolodge, Rodeway Inn; Choice Hotels even has a search option "by military installation"), Hyatt, La Quinta (Spanish for "next to Denny's"). Lots of option for lots of budgets.

I not longer travel on business, so I no longer rack up hotel points, and I've stayed at nice places (usually when attending trade shows) and places bordering on "roach motels" (small towns without too much choices on where to stay). Don't have any specific complaints. Except I won't pay to stay at Ramada after a bad experience with coming back to my room at 3 or 4 in the morning to find the beds stripped and the linens piled on the floor and the front desk asking what I expected them to do about it.... That was a trip to Mardi Gras 10 years ago, stayed in Slidell.