Starwood 2007 offers

[Mal]

If i made a reservations & provided my details etc and if i dont check in yet they debit my card for the 1st night booking........ would I still be credited with the 2 stay? (as being on a double stay promotion) and spg point?

My understanding is it doesn't count as a folio isn't created, the stay doesn't occur etc. SPG and other chains are pretty wise to people trying to mattress run without spending any time at hotels!

 

[snufl]

If you are a no-show you are credited with points for the $ spent but not a "stay" for attaining status. Even if by error you are credited for a stay, if it is picked up later by an audit, it will be reversed. This is according to the T&C's of the program and by experience when I had to cancel a "non-cancel" rate at the last minute due to illness.

 

[snufl]

Starwood Privilege Offer

Saw this in the latest magazine and just received an email.
FREE HOTEL NIGHTS
Celebrate the arrival of 2008 in style! Enjoy any of the following Starwood Privilege participating hotels at 10% off the Lowest Retail Rate. Stay 3 nights for the price of 2 OR Stay 7 nights for the price of 5. The choice is yours. This exclusive promotion is valid from 1 December 2007 to 31 March 2008. It then lists participating properties, black-out dates etc. I didn't put them here but if you haven't got the magazine or email, let me know.
Looked at 3 nights over Easter at Sheraton On The Park online.
Rates came up as:
BAR = 290 pn
PRV = 261 pn
Then entered code for this promo, the nightly rate went up :shock:
So I phoned SPG, agent was terrific, even phoned the hotel to sort it out.
Now booked at 3 nights @ 261, but hotel will credit one night, so average 174 pn. Best part is this is not pre-payable and can be cancelled by 6pm night of arrival. So if the rate drops or I need to cancel there is no penalty.
So, if you are a member you can get the rate, but for some reason it isn't working properly online.

 

[snufl]

Privilege Offer Follow-up

"10% off the lowest retail rate for two nights, and get the third night free!"

Just a follow-up on my previous post about this offer. I contacted Starwood Privilege via their website a couple of days ago telling them about the problems trying to book this rate online. The rate was always coming up higher than PRV.

Today I was contacted by the Starwood Privilege Sydney office. I was told the best way to book the rate is to phone the hotel direct, during normal business hours, and speak to in-house reservations. They will book at the correct lower rate.

 

[mistado]

Hi could you forward me a copy of which hotels are involved in this or specifically is sheraton in honolulu eligible and what would be the promo code for this thanks.

 

[Keith009]

Just made Plat!!

 

[Hawkeye]

Congratulations, QF009! Believe you me, it makes a difference to the overall experience - upgrades to suites, personal phone calls from the manager etc.

Enjoy ... and good luck in requalification!

 

[Keith009]

Congratulations, QF009! Believe you me, it makes a difference to the overall experience - upgrades to suites, personal phone calls from the manager etc.

Oh yes, I saw the difference in service instantaneously. I was on a stay run in SHA - needed 4 stays to qualify. Because of an improperly credited stay (but I'm not taking chances - still doing all 4 stays in case they remove the wrongly credited stay at the last minute), I made PLT earlier than expected and so was PLT in time for my last stay at the Le Royal Meridien Shanghai. I called the hotel on the morning of my stay to refresh my status. When I arrived I was upgraded one category to a junior suite with nice L'occitaine bath amenities. The front desk was apologetic that they couldn't do better as occupancy was high and they'd already allocated all upgrades the night before. Offered a choice of PLT amenity - either credit for minibar and broadband, a local gift, or 500 pts - I went with points. I was then given a personal escort to the room - with a rather enthusiastic chick explaining every single feature of the hotel to me. This is despite me informing them that it's my 2nd stay at the hotel - I didn't have the heart to stop her. Big platter of fruits and chocolates were waiting for me in my room when I got in, along with personally signed welcome note from manager. The free access to lounge was handy - the LRM SHA lounge is noice - free broadband, free flow champers all day (Moet and some Italian sparkling). Canapes were enough for a good meal. Hopefully brekkies will be good tomo.

Compare this to my stay as a Gold earlier in the week - no upgrades (not even allocated a corner room or anything), nothing extra beyond 'hi' and 'bye' at check in. Though to their credit, they offered 4pm late check out without my asking. I had to bargain at the Westin and made them realised that it's non-negotiable no matter how high their occupancy is unless they've declared themselves as a convention or resort hotel prior (they haven't). Then again the Westin was more generous with upgrades, was given a 2 cat upgrade even as a mere Gold. Ah well - you win some you lose some. Makes me wonder what the Westin would've given me if I'd done my first stay as a PLT there.

I'm requalifying on nights next year. The RTW will give me 42 nights - so I need only 8 more nights march-dec 2008.

 

[snufl]

Starwood Privilege Offer

Hi could you forward me a copy of which hotels are involved in this or specifically is sheraton in honolulu eligible and what would be the promo code for this thanks.

Hi mistado. I'm sorry, I think I caused some confusion with my original post, but can't work out how to edit it. This promo is only available through Starwood Privilege (you pay an annual membership fee) not Starwood Preferred Guest program. If you book and don't have a swipeable card at check-in you will be charged the full daily rate. Anyway, the Sheraton in Honolulu is not part of the Privilege program.

SPG sometimes has a similar rate for hotels worldwide if you check here: Starwood Hotels & Resorts It's worth checking back from time to time as participating hotels change. The main difference is these rates are prepaid and cannot be cancelled, so make sure you read the T&C's.

 

[mistado]

Re: Starwood Privilege Offer

Hi mistado. I'm sorry, I think I caused some confusion with my original post, but can't work out how to edit it. This promo is only available through Starwood Privilege (you pay an annual membership fee) not Starwood Preferred Guest program. If you book and don't have a swipeable card at check-in you will be charged the full daily rate. Anyway, the Sheraton in Honolulu is not part of the Privilege program.

SPG sometimes has a similar rate for hotels worldwide if you check here: Starwood Hotels & Resorts It's worth checking back from time to time as participating hotels change. The main difference is these rates are prepaid and cannot be cancelled, so make sure you read the T&C's.

Thanks snufl is ther much difference between the 2 programs in particular compared to those with gold preferred guest status.

 

[snufl]

Re: Starwood Privilege Offer

Thanks snufl is ther much difference between the 2 programs in particular compared to those with gold preferred guest status.

I am a member of both programs. As you know SPG is free and is run by Starwood. Privilege is run by an outside marketing company and annual fee is around $275, however you get 2 cards, and can nominate anyone for the second card. So if you find someone else who wants to join you could split the cost. Their main selling point is dining discounts, but you also get vouchers for discounts, upgrades etc. There is also a 10% off Best Available Rate, but often this is still not as good as "package" rates on SPG, so don't expect to save 10% on every stay. This link gives information :: Starwood Privilege Asia Pacific ::

Whether the Privilege program is worth the cost really depends on your travel habits. I worked out that next year the worst I could do was break even, so I decided to try it, but I spend a lot of nights at participating Starwood hotels. You really need to look very carefully at the benefits and T&Cs, then work out if the cost is value for you.

Privilege has no impact on status, if you manage to book at a reduced privilege rate, the nights/stays count as normal with SPG toward qualification and you earn SPG points. But you won't get any better treatment/perks than you normally get as SPG Gold.

 

[Keith009]

6000 bonus Starpoints

Registration required. Earn up to 6000 bonus Starpoints for stays between now and March 31 2008 at participating properties in the US, Canada and the Carribean.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts | Registration

 

[Keith009]

Look what I found in Shanghai!!

Opening in 2009.

 

[oz_mark]

Re: Starwood Privilege Offer

I am a member of both programs. As you know SPG is free and is run by Starwood. Privilege is run by an outside marketing company and annual fee is around $275, however you get 2 cards, and can nominate anyone for the second card. So if you find someone else who wants to join you could split the cost. Their main selling point is dining discounts, but you also get vouchers for discounts, upgrades etc. There is also a 10% off Best Available Rate, but often this is still not as good as "package" rates on SPG, so don't expect to save 10% on every stay. This link gives information :: Starwood Privilege Asia Pacific ::

Whether the Privilege program is worth the cost really depends on your travel habits. I worked out that next year the worst I could do was break even, so I decided to try it, but I spend a lot of nights at participating Starwood hotels. You really need to look very carefully at the benefits and T&Cs, then work out if the cost is value for you.

As I have just posted in the Amex forum, there is a current Amex selects promotion offering a six month trial of the Starwood Privilege program: Sheraton & American Express

 

[mistado]

Re: 6000 bonus Starpoints

Registration required. Earn up to 6000 bonus Starpoints for stays between now and March 31 2008 at participating properties in the US, Canada and the Carribean.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts | Registration

TTHHAANNKKSS
Just signed up for this, do stays count for consecutive nights or would i need to check in every alternate dayif i wanted to maximise this with my one week stay in sheraton waikiki:mrgreen:

 

[Keith009]

You need to swap hotels every couple of nights for them to count as separate 'stays.' Most effective if you change hotels every night of course.

An eligible stay is defined as one or more consecutive nights paying a qualifying rate at the same hotel and that posts to the member’s Starwood Preferred Guest account.

 

[moa999]

very optimal in major cities where there are multiple Starwoods

mattress run anyone

 

[mistado]

Hi guys I was at westin melbourne today having a drink and bite. Paid the bill with AMEX and handed over my SPG card, and I got a 50% discount on my meal similar to a SPG priviledge card holders..was surprised to receive this anyone heard of any special deal...meal was only 12$ so 6$ discount..should have ordered more

 

[oz_mark]

Maybe they thought you were on the trial program (although I thought that appled to Sheraton)!

 

[mistado]

Have organised my first ever matress run in HNL, will let you know how it goes..in 2 weeks time.