Starwood Preferred Guest - w/ pts Plat with kids. 2 adjoining rooms, suite upgrade reward, or gamble?

9 years platinum now (work travel) and it's always russian roulette on suite upgrades. For traveling with the family I'm always traveling with points and can proudly say I haven't paid cash for a hotel for the family for those 9 years that I can remember.

But now with 2 kids under 5, I realize having a separate room for them to sleep is a must, or else we're sitting in the same room in the dark watching tv at 8pm so they can sleep.

We have an upcoming e night St. Regis Monarch Beach stay, which is 20K points a night. I currently have 2 rooms booked with a request for connecting rooms.

Or should I book 1 room for 20K/night and do a suite upgrade at 20K pts/night? Does the Suite upgrade guarantee you to a big suite with a seperate room for the kids? (we usually request a crib and bring a pack and play so we don't need a seperate bed)

It seems suite upgrades with points are always equal to the amount for a seperate room.

Or should we gamble with 1 room and hope for a suite upgrade?

Just wondering what everyone else does with kids.

Or should we gamble with 1 room and hope for a suite upgrade?

With kids....don't gamble.

Haven't stayed at this hotel so I can't answer your other questions.

I've said this many many times - book what you need so you wont be disappointed or aggravated.

Use the points to book exactly what you need.

I am in the exact same situation and usually gamble and it's nearly always paid off.

Having said that, I do have an upcoming vacation for which I booked two rooms. If I get the upgrade I will ask for the second room to be adjoining or at least nearby.

As always, if you really, really need the room, book and pay for it.

Cheers,

I would not book a suite here if you are looking for a separate room. The standard suites here are the Executive Suites which are really just very large rooms.

Depending on the cancellation policy (before 4pm same day?) You could book 2 rooms then cancel the second if you score a suitable upgrade

Depending on the cancellation policy (before 4pm same day?) You could book 2 rooms then cancel the second if you score a suitable upgrade
I personally don't think that's ethical. Which is why, in my case, I would keep both and simply ask for the second room to be adjoining or nearby if we do get upgraded.

To each their own, I guess.

Cheers,

I would not book a suite here if you are looking for a separate room. The standard suites here are the Executive Suites which are really just very large rooms.

I had the same experience. If I were you, I'd call the hotel and find out very specifically what 40K would give you as a suite or as two connecting rooms. Then I'd make my decision.

I personally don't think that's ethical.

If you have a reservation with a 4PM cancellation, you can cancel up until 4PM. I don't think your reasons for cancelling that second reservation matter... you are paying more money for the right to cancel versus the a pre-paid rate.

I agree if you want to be guaranteed a room type or setup, book it. But if you are willing to gamble... that can sometimes be half the fun of travelling!

d.

Most Starwood reservations require cancellation more than 24 hours in advance. This particular hotel appears to have a 7 day advance cancellation property.

If you look at the list of room types (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/property/rooms/index.html?propertyID=1361) for St Regis Monarch Beach, it appears likely that only the Executive Suite is considered a standard suite. And the Executive Suite is not a suite, it's just a large room.

i would get 2 rooms....wouldn't take a risk with children....

Most Starwood reservations require cancellation more than 24 hours in advance.

I'd say that is quite a generalization! I find it can depend on geographic area, rate plan etc... and often book SPG hotels with day of arrival, 6PM cancellation rules.

I'd say that is quite a generalization! I find it can depend on geographic area, rate plan etc... and often book SPG hotels with day of arrival, 6PM cancellation rules.

sandiego1k is right....while i have had a number of reservations with a 6pm cancellation policy (or even midnight day of arrival cancellation policy at some airport hotels), the majority of my reservations have a 24 hour or before cancellation policy....

but coming back to the original question, the op should book 2 rooms if he really needs them....i would not take a chance with kids....

The expectation of getting "adjoining" rooms upon request is already a gamble... even more risky if you want "connecting" rooms. Such a request is not guaranteed in Starwood hotels; and I have once had the misfortune of having to arrange for one parent stay with each kid in each of the two rooms, since connecting rooms were not available despite an advance request. At least with the suite you are assured of having the kids nearby!!

I actually meant "connecting" rooms which i thought was the same as adjoining rooms.

But this question isn't necessarily just for the St. Regis it's for any stays with family. I'm just wondering what other folks do.

I always book 2 connecting rooms and try and check in early. That way, if there is a problem (and there often is) I end up in a suite.

Incidently I type this in a duplex suite at Sheraton Dubai Jumeira Beach, with my kids in the next room. Very nice suite indeed. However only got it after they offer 2 adjoining but not connecting rooms and I pointed out that this was not practical as my 3 kids are 2, 4 and years old.

Adjoining rooms are rooms next to each other without the connecting door that connecting rooms have. Starwood hotels are unable to guarantee connecting rooms nor adjoining rooms in advance. The PC cannot help with that either. You are better off reserving at a hotel (or hotel chain) that is able to offer such a guarantee. That is what I do now when traveling with the family.

I actually meant "connecting" rooms which i thought was the same as adjoining rooms.

But this question isn't necessarily just for the St. Regis it's for any stays with family. I'm just wondering what other folks do.

I have been traveling with my kids (27,25,22) forever and mostly during Christmas week, which is the busy season. I always booked two rooms, requested an upgrade but more importantly requested connecting rooms.I never had a problem getting a connecting room, but I also never left it to chance.

The week before I would phone the PLT conceirge, re-confirm my reservation and my need for a connecting room. I had also the PLT rep to phone the hotel and make sure the request was on the hotels reservation.

Then I would phone the hotel the day or so before to reconfirm that they knew I was PLT, and that the second room was for small children and that I really needed the rooms to connect. Like I said I never had a problem.

Now that my children are older and they bring partners with them, I have no need or desire for connecting rooms, but we still do request our PLT upgrade and most times get them.

Last Christmas at the PM in NY not only did we get the upgrade but so did my son and his girlfriend.

(we usually request a crib and bring a pack and play so we don't need a seperate bed)

Sorry, going slightly OT, but what do you bring for the kid to sleep on? Just interested as Micro DUF has outgrown the cot.

Sorry, going slightly OT, but what do you bring for the kid to sleep on? Just interested as Micro DUF has outgrown the cot.

This is an awesome travel crib.. http://www.philandteds.com/upload/index.php/push/54

super light, and kids actually loved it, even till 4 years old.

This is an awesome travel crib.. http://www.philandteds.com/upload/index.php/push/54

super light, and kids actually loved it, even till 4 years old.

Thanks! I will be in NZ next week and will check it out.

It is this exact dilemma that makes me wish Starwood had an offering along the lines of Embassy Suites

It is this exact dilemma that makes me wish Starwood had an offering along the lines of Embassy Suites

spg does have the sheraton suites but i do agree with you, they are very few of them....the embassy suites on the other hand get a lot of business from me when i am in places like dc....

I have stayed at this hotel with children. Forget the laws and rules... the age of your children imho require on pure parent responsibility code to be in the same room or connecting rooms. Monarch Beach upgrades techncally are to an executive suite which does not have double beds and will not be proper for your family . Monarch Beach does have quite a few St. Regis Suites that have a pull out couch that would be fantastic for your children. I would try and touch base with the hotel and tell them you are willing to take either the two connecting rooms or the st. regis suite which has a very very nice extra bath room with a shower.

Some Spg properties "sell" a connecting room guarantee for an additional charge (for expample, the Moana Surfrider will do this for $35).