Major upgrades to Starwood Preferred Guest starting March 1, 2012

[beardoc]

Just got this in the email

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Golds can choose on check-in from:

• 250 bonus Starpoints
• A Free Beverage
• Free Internet for the length of the stay (yes! finally!)

Platinums get the above plus:

• Free Continental Breakfast
• 10 Confirmed Suite Night Upgrades per 50 nights that you stay in a calendar year (subject to availability)

Plus after 75 Calendar Nights in the Year:

• 4 Starpoints per dollar
• Your24: this allows you to select a check in and a check-out time 24 hours later - so if you check in at 9pm, you can check out at 9pm the next day. Has to be requested two days in advance and confirmed.

And Lifetime Gold and Platinum:

• Lifetime Gold after 5 years continuous Gold Status and 250 eligible nights
• Lifetime Platinum after 10 years continuous Platinum and 500 eligible nights.

All in all, this is a good improvement - it's taking it up a notch to Hilton HHonors! It looks like hotel loyalty is getting a whole lot more interesting!

 

[k_sheep]

That all sounds like .... enhancements? Is that the word?

Very happy - free internet or points is a heck of a gift for a second level elite status.

 

[samh004]

That lifetime status looks quite attractive!

 

[futaris]

Yep, Lifetime status looks attractive, especially since award nights count towards status.

Lifetime Gold for 250 x Cat 1 nights, equals 500,000 points, on weekends...

 

[dfcatch]

Shame about the lack of SPG properties in Australia.

Alas, my Gold runs out in a few weeks

 

[drron]

An interesting comment in hotelsmag.com(free registration required).

The opportunity to cultivate what we call ‘loyalty beyond reason’ with the world’s most frequent travelers has never been greater,” said Starwood President and CEO Frits van Paasschen. “These are sophisticated consumers who have become jaded by generic points and perks. This is why we’ve invested in distinct new and personal benefits to truly reward those who reward us with a disproportionate amount of their business.”According to van Paasschen, just two percent of travelers drive 30% of Starwood’s profits. With that in mind, the company spent the last three years quietly piloting a one-on-one ambassador service to better understand the needs and desires of these guests. Across the small, select sample of travelers, Starwood saw a double-digit share shift compared to a control group. Starwood took insights from this pilot to develop new benefits aimed at its elite Members.
“What we heard loud and clear from travelers was that they wanted more choice, more control and more personal service,” said Mark Vondrasek, senior vice president, distribution, loyalty & partnership marketing. “Today, through high touch and high tech, we have a newfound ability to better understand our guests, their preferences and even the nature of each unique trip. By delivering a whole new definition of choice and personal services, we’re moving beyond a purely points arms race to instead build loyalty for life.”

 

[beardoc]

An interesting comment in hotelsmag.com(free registration required).

They're right - if you're staying that many nights a year with them, these benefits are attractive and are worth driving all your business with Starwood to obtain - and when you have obtained a level like that, they're too good to warrant sending your excess business elsewhere.

If Starwood had more coverage in Australia, I'd be with them - this would make me dump HHD and head back to Starwood.

 

[drron]

They're right - if you're staying that many nights a year with them, these benefits are attractive and are worth driving all your business with Starwood to obtain - and when you have obtained a level like that, they're too good to warrant sending your excess business elsewhere.

If Starwood had more coverage in Australia, I'd be with them - this would make me dump HHD and head back to Starwood.

Though for me the only city in Australia that i am likely to be spending any significant time in a hotel is Sydney-the one place SPG has more properties than Hilton.Our next most common stays are BKK where the SPG choice is way better than Hilton and Tokyo-although SPG has 4 hotels in the area realistically we would only stay at 1 of 2.
As a plat who makes it on nights not stays these enhancements are great.2 more years and lifetime gold.Only wish I had switched to SPG earlier.

 

[serfty]

SPG gold was really a nothing status compared to SPG platinum - they gave it to me back in 2005 merely for asking.

You did get a starpoint earn loading and guaranteed late checkout at most properties though.

Of the changes for gold the best new benny is the free internet option.

...
Alas, my Gold runs out in a few weeks

I promise you, you wont feel a thing.

The main reason my SPG account is still active is my use of it to launder points/miles.

 

[dfcatch]

SPG gold was really a nothing status compared to SPG platinum - they gave it to me back in 2005 merely for asking.

You did get a starpoint earn loading and guaranteed late checkout at most properties though.

Of the changes for gold the best new benny is the free internet option.I promise you, you wont feel a thing.

The main reason my SPG account is still active is my use of it to launder points/miles.

Well HHonors has won me over with Diamond

And I already had Gold through 2013 before the Velocity match.

That said - by choice i would love to have SPG Platinum as i do enjoy Westins.

 

[simongr]

I looked at Starwood when I was picking a program and earn burn rates seemed out of whack - earn 4 points per dollar compared to 10 at. Hilton but the redemption rates were the same.

 

[Alanslegal]

That lifetime status looks quite attractive!

Its still a long hard slog to get any form of LTG or LTP status. 10yrs continuous and min. 500nights is a fair bit. Its slightly easier with Award rooms now counted for status however still....

I am sitting at 4 years / 130 nights ... probably closer to 200 if award stays counted prior to 1/10/11.

Lifetime Gold for 250 x Cat 1 nights, equals 500,000 points, on weekends...

And where is the nearest Cat 1 property?

 

[futaris]

And where is the nearest Cat 1 property?

Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Starwood Hotels & Resorts

China, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Two Cat 1's in Jakarta, and one Cat 2.

 

[serfty]

I looked at Starwood when I was picking a program and earn burn rates seemed out of whack - earn 4 points per dollar compared to 10 at. Hilton but the redemption rates were the same.

I don't believe they are the same.

In fact the earn / redemption ratios are pretty similar.

Here's some reasonable analysis of status (although with recent changes may need revision):

How to select the best hotel loyalty program? - FlyerTalk Forums

Paris Hotel Rewards Case Study for Hilton, IHG and Marriott - Loyalty Traveler

Hilton, IHG, Marriott: Earning Base Points and Miles - Loyalty Traveler
(Opps, no SPG there)

 

[Keith009]

Won't be requalifying Plat this year due to reduced travel. So happy that Gold get free internet - easily worth over $500 pa (assume average internet cost of ~$15 per night and 30 nights spent in hotels) - AMEX Plat annual fee even better value now if you're getting SPG Gold only through AMEX.

For me SPG is the only hotel loyalty program I use due to W. Where Ws don't exist, it's the best available hotel based on personal preferences and costs rather than hotel program affiliation, and most of them are small boutique hotels with no loyalty programs anyway.

 

[k_sheep]

I find I get treated extremely well as SPG gold - upgrades more often than not (mainly to city view or corner rooms, very occassionally to suites), late checkout every time when requested, quite often a little present in the room (often chocolate, fruit, or mini liquor). This is mainly in SE Asia (especially Malaysia) though, and expect experiences are different in more "affluent" countries.

 

[drron]

I looked at Starwood when I was picking a program and earn burn rates seemed out of whack - earn 4 points per dollar compared to 10 at. Hilton but the redemption rates were the same.

Ah yes but initially I was churning points to AA to get my LTP.SPG beats Hhonors all ends up in that department.Now you cant even transfer from Hhonors to AA.
Then there are also the bonus points to consider.The 500 plat amenity points-especially if a 1 night stay this is a great multiplier.Often get a bonus booking online.And many of their promos,not just the quarterly ones involve bonus points-eg I got triple points for japan mid 2011.
Using points for hotel stays the Cash & points awards give a good burn rate.So all in all really doesn't lose by much with earn and burn rates.

 

[anat0l]

Just got this in the email

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Golds can choose on check-in from:

• 250 bonus Starpoints
• A Free Beverage
• Free Internet for the length of the stay (yes! finally!)

Platinums get the above plus:

• Free Continental Breakfast
• 10 Confirmed Suite Night Upgrades per 50 nights that you stay in a calendar year (subject to availability)

Just to be clear:

• Platinums already had complimentary internet, even before these changes. This is why it's not an "option" for Platinums.
• Platinums will be allowed to choose from bonus Starpoints, free beverage or free continental breakfast. The SPG website also mentions a "local amenity" - not sure what this means.
• Like Hilton, complimentary breakfast should be continental, however some properties may choose to offer the full spread anyway. Some properties will allow Platinum members who choose this amenity to elect to have a full breakfast at a rate representing the difference between continental and full options.
• To get the 10 confirmed suite night upgrades, you need to get 50 nights in the year.
  • Suite Nights apply to one room for one night.
  • If your stay exceeds the number of Suite Nights you have available, you can't request a Suite Night confirmation, not even for some days of your stay.
  • Suite Nights are not guaranteed - if a suite or premium room can't be secured by the time you check-in, the Suite Nights will be recredited to your account.
  • Suite Nights expire on the December of the next year after they are credited.
  • Not all suites are eligible for upgrade (e.g. presidential suites and the like).
  • Suite Nights can be used on multiple rooms booked under the same name, but they cannot be transferred or redeemed on behalf of others.

All very fascinating, really. It'll be interesting to see the benefit of the Platinum Suite Nights cf. Platinums getting upgrades (which is supposed to be a 2 level or best available room, and may include select Suites). My gut is that Platinums may not have been getting all the upgrades they wanted to suites and hence the confirmed upgrade benefit is supposed to address this.

Of course, benefits will be scarce if not booked through SPG portals (e.g. if you use Expedia, Orbitz etc.). Not a big deal per se since most of us do that and there are best price guarantees, but it's a passionate point of contention by some FTers, including gleff.

 

[Hawkeye]

So happy that Gold get free internet - easily worth over $500 pa (assume average internet cost of ~$15 per night and 30 nights spent in hotels)

<snip>

For me SPG is the only hotel loyalty program I use due to W. Where Ws don't exist, it's the best available hotel based on personal preferences and costs rather than hotel program affiliation, and most of them are small boutique hotels with no loyalty programs anyway.

This, to me, is a great addition to Gold status. For the last couple of years, I've been booking suites, or, at worst, club-level rooms, so the upgrade benefit of Platinum hasn't been missed as it once would have been. My only concern with the free internet is that Golds have to accept whatever speed the hotel is prepared to offer, whereas platinums are said to be guaranteed to get the fattest pipe.

I think this is a quite remarkable series of genuine enhancements by SPG, with something for nearly everyone.

I also put all my eggs in one basket. I don't stay in enough hotels to spread my love around, and find SPG works for me. It all dates back to a stay at the Sheraton on the Park Sydney back in it's glory days ... although, to be fair, it is on the up-and-up again.

 

[snoophound]

Pretty average really in terms of basic perks.I hope some managers do better indvidualy
I find club carlson quite good for the Radisson hotels in Sydney

Status is attainable and you cant beat the radisson in oconnel st sydney for location