Ted Green, Ameri-CAN, is staying at the Hilton Dubai Creek.

Getting through the Dubai Airport was really quick and I arrived at my hotel yesterday morning at 3:45 a.m. Of course they told me it was too early to check-in.

The Night Manager made the strategic mistake of telling me they had empty rooms but the problem was their "system" wouldn't allow me to check-in until 5 a.m. I told him how disappointed I was that "bureaucracy" was preventing me from getting into a room when they had rooms sitting empty. I sat on a couch directly in front of the Front Desk, reading a book, and 15 minutes later the Night Manager said he had "reset the system" just for me and I could proceed to my room.

I really dislike Hilton's new "choose your benefit" policy. When they ask me if I want free internet access OR a room upgrade I just say, "yes." First of all, it's outrageous these hotels are charging in the neighborhood of $25 a day for internet access. And I stay at Hilton Hotels enough they shouldn't give me a crummy room.

In the case of the Hilton Dubai Creek I insisted on the free internet access (along with free water for the shower and bonus free electricity in the room) so they stuck me in a smoking room on the third floor. But at 4 a.m. even Ted Green, Ameri-CAN, was too tired to fight on.