Starwood 2009 Promos

[Flashback]

Starwood Preferred Guest | Category Changes

We're excited to tell you that peak-season Starpoints® pricing at category 5–7 hotels has been eliminated for 2009.¹ That means your Starpoints will go further at the finest hotels and resorts, and you'll enjoy the ultimate flexibility when planning your 2009 getaways!

 

[Hawkeye]

Every time I see the SPG category lists, it really makes me appreciate the excellent value for money offered by SPG properties in Australia.

Properties like SOTP, Westins Sydney and Melbourne, and even the Sheraton Perth don't deserve comparison with a lot of the dross that is considered Cat 4 in the USA.

The drop in the Westins from Cat 5 to 4 makes them excellent redemption opportunities.

 

[futaris]

SPG Eliminates Most Peak Season Awards and Announces Hotel Categories for 2009 - FlyerTalk Forums

Additionally, Four Points Syd is dropping back to Cat 3.
And we now have a Cat 2, Four Points Geelong (from 7000/night to 3000/night - almost 60% reduction!). Likewise for Le Méridien Port Vila Resort & Casino.
And Sheraton Noosa is back to Cat 4.

Here is a spreadsheet of the changes from the FT thread.

 

[Febs]

These changes are great news - I've got a bit RTW trip coming up in Sept-Oct (when a lot of places I'll be would have been in "peak" season)! Thanks SPG!

 

[Alanslegal]

SPG's 2009 Q2 promo;

https://www.spgpromos.com/weekends/checkbacksoon.cfm

Stay twice and get a FREE weekend night, to be consumed before end September 2009 though.

Now this has me thinking of switching all my reservations around

 

[Keith009]

Wondering if i should do mattress runs on my trips... tempting, tempting...

 

[candyflip]

Remember to book separate stays for each property, as there is no limit to the accumulation of Free Weekends, and each separate stay credits you halfway there.

For those that don't understand: if you are staying 3 nights for example at any SPG property, book 3 x separate 1 night stays, giving you instantly One free weekend (to be used before September 27th 09) and you'll have 50% credit towards the next one, from the one property.

 

[Alanslegal]

For those that don't understand: if you are staying 3 nights for example at any SPG property, book 3 x separate 1 night stays, giving you instantly One free weekend (to be used before September 27th 09) and you'll have 50% credit towards the next one, from the one property.

No, this is misleading. IF you are staying in the same property for consecutive nights, this will only count as ONE stay - even IF you make multiple single night reservations.

To get 3 stays in 3 nights, you would have to Mattress Run between two or more hotels. Eg. Westin (first night), Sheraton (2nd night) and Westin (3rd night).

 

[candyflip]

No, this is misleading. IF you are staying in the same property for consecutive nights, this will only count as ONE stay - even IF you make multiple single night reservations.

To get 3 stays in 3 nights, you would have to Mattress Run between two or more hotels. Eg. Westin (first night), Sheraton (2nd night) and Westin (3rd night).

Ahh yes, I see this now in the T&C's Alan - apologies and thanks for the clarification.

"...An eligible stay to earn an Award is defined as one or more consecutive nights within the earning dates at any of the more than 890 participating Starwood Preferred Guest properties, paying a qualifying rate in the same hotel regardless of the number of check-ins or checkouts that occur and post to the member's Starwood Preferred Guest account. Multiple rooms charged to the same member during the same stay will only count as one stay.."

 

[drron]

Wondering if i should do mattress runs on my trips... tempting, tempting...

I always insist on a mattress in any hotel I stay at

 

[Alanslegal]

Ahh yes, I see this now in the T&C's Alan - apologies and thanks for the clarification.

No worries Starwood wouldn't want to make it too easy to earn free nights, would they?

 

[Keith009]

I always insist on a mattress in any hotel I stay at

Touche!

 

[borsa]

Thanks for the tip Alan. Had already booked at two separate hotels in Syria in May and now I will get the free night.

 

[drron]

And for the final quarter of 2009 SPG has something of great benefit for me-as a plat any nights between 1/10 and 31/12 will count for both 2009 and 2010 requalification so by the end of 2009 I will be 30% of the way to requalifying plat for 2010.
For golds the nights will count as double for requalification.
Here is the link to the Lurkers announcement on FT-
New SPG Promotional Opportunity for Gold and Platinum Members - FlyerTalk Forums
On top of that I will almost certainly be earning free weekend nights for those stays in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

[Hawkeye]

Oooh, that's a very nice promo! Thanks for the heads-up.

Unfortunately for me, I have exactly ZERO stays during the promo period, so neither option is benficial. And, given I have 4 stays / 12 nights thus far in the calendar year, it is SPG Gold here I come.

 

[anat0l]

Good promo indeed, but most of the places I go rarely have Starwood properties.

Plus, I am a nothing in the system, so it benefits me diddly squat.

 

[Alanslegal]

And for the final quarter of 2009 SPG has something of great benefit for me-as a plat any nights between 1/10 and 31/12 will count for both 2009 and 2010 requalification so by the end of 2009 I will be 30% of the way to requalifying plat for 2010.
For golds the nights will count as double for requalification.
Here is the link to the Lurkers announcement on FT-
New SPG Promotional Opportunity for Gold and Platinum Members - FlyerTalk Forums
On top of that I will almost certainly be earning free weekend nights for those stays in the Asia-Pacific region.

Also Platinum's which have not yet requal the 25stay/50nights for 2009 (that's me) can also elect to choose the Double Stay/Night promotion. As I have a whole series of bookings for September, it is a pain to have to cancel them and rebook them - why oh why can't they just apply the bookings retrospectively?!

 

[Keith009]

Hot stuff! I have quite a few stays lined up during the promo period so this works for me.

Given the coughpy SPG offerings in London I was going to stay at the Sanderson, but I am tempted to switch to the LM or Sheraton Park Tower now...... the Nights Adv promo is too good to refuse. :-|

 

[drron]

And the Asia Pacific 4th quarter promo should have details here sometime Monday 7/9-
Starwood Preferred Guest

 

[Febs]

Love these promos!

I wasn't sure which one to sign up for a while ago, as I didn't know what SPG bookings I had coming up. I chose double nights (rather than Nights Advance) and I'm glad I did!

I need 44 nights to re-qualify for Platinum and I should have exactly...22 nights before 15th December! Perfect! I have a few more nights, but they're after 15th December...so I should just make it. Very happy!

(I've had a heap of SPG stays this year, it's just that they've mostly been on points, or cash&points).

Cheers,
- Febs.