Starwood Preferred Guest - Starwood Point Devaluation?

Has Starwood ever had a devaluation of their point program for award stays? Hilton is currently redoing their required points for stay awards and along with that comes a very serious point devaluation. Just wondering if this is common practice in the Hotel industry. I did a search for Starwood point devaluation but couldn't find anything. Thanks for any input.

Yes, Starwood use to require a maximum of 10,000 points for their highest tier hotels. Cat. 5 and 6 now requires significantly greater points depending upon the time of year. You use to be able to stay at the St. Regis NYC for only 10K. I could be wrong, but I sort of think that Starwood only had 4 categories at one time.

The Hilton program has become much worse with their new point structure. I am going to attempt to redeem all of my HHonors points before the new scheme goes into effect.

I recall 10k max. I don't think there was high/low season as there is now, and I do not remember if they had the 5 nights for 4 nights of points.

I think I paid 50k for the Danielli one year in Feb for 5 nights, and now it is 40k for 5 nights in Feb.

If they had it, I also do not recall the "no blackout" rule.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by slawecki:
I recall 10k max. I don't think there was high/low season as there is now, and I do not remember if they had the 5 nights for 4 nights of points.
</font>

This is a good point that I overlooked. No, Starwood did not have the 5th night free. Personally, I would prefer to have lower reward levels than the 5th night free becuase I do not always stay 5 nights. On the other hand, this helps to lower your actual point expenditure. It can also backfire on a hotel if you only stay four nights. Last year I had intended to stay at the Sheraton Steamboat for four nights. I definitely wanted a late check out because we were going to ski on the last day as we had a late flight. Instead of costing the hotel an additional night using the 5th night free award, I booked four nights and explained my situation to the hotel. They gave me the typical response that they can't guarantee a late checkout... I tried telling them that I could easily book the 5th night free at no additional cost to me, but at a cost to them becuase they would lose the room for the night. They didn't seem to care so I booked the 5th night.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TTT103:
They didn't seem to care so I booked the 5th night.</font>


They get a form of reimbursment from Corporate for that 5th night. Probably none for a late check-out

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by slawecki:

They get a form of reimbursment from Corporate for that 5th night. Probably none for a late check-out</font>

True, but the amount is minimal. Every once in a while I see the revenue postings for free night stays and they are very small. I thought I was helping the hotel out by freeing up the room for the night. I figured that they could charge $200 for the room rather than receive $45 or so from Starwood. I was trying to be kind, but the hotel didn't "get it."

Many years ago, the Amex Membership Rewards to Starwood (then Sheraton Club Intl.) was a one-to-one point ratio. When Starwood Preferred Guest came into existence and the program became one of the richest rewards programs in the marketplace, the point-to-point ratio between Amex MR and SPG was devalued to 3 to 1 respectively. Pretty sneeky sis!

Snowcap

Prior to May 15, 1996, 2 MR = 1 ITT Sheraton ClubMile. I never know that was a 1 to 1 conversion.

Prior to SPG, 1 MR = 1 Westin Premier but Westin had a different point structure.



[This message has been edited by OnePassLover (edited 12-10-2002).]

Just got offered a Jr Suite at the Danielli(sorry, but it is a standard for me) for 11.?k per night, or about 45k for 5 nights for Feb. I did that a few years back also in Feb for about 63k.

Travel in Feb. It's cheaper, and no tourists.

I did not take the Jr Suite. I am staying at the E&R for €250 a night. Have never stayed there before.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TTT103:
True, but the amount is minimal. Every once in a while I see the revenue postings for free night stays and they are very small. I thought I was helping the hotel out by freeing up the room for the night. I figured that they could charge $200 for the room rather than receive $45 or so from Starwood. I was trying to be kind, but the hotel didn't "get it."</font>


TTT103 -- Not always. If you were staying at a time when the hotel was not 90% or more booked, then the rate may have been a very low one; however, if the hotel is nearly booked full or even oversold, their contract with *wood allows for a major compensation increase for nights paid with starpoints. For example, as a Plat, I was squeezed into a hotel last fall using points. The agent advised that the hotel was already packed, but would get me in the door somehow.

When I arrived at the hotel, the rep told me that I was lucky to have a room. She also accidently let me see that Starwood was paying $385 for a category 2 hotel (Sheraton Nashua NH)! Unbelievable!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by sbtinme:

When I arrived at the hotel, the rep told me that I was lucky to have a room. She also accidently let me see that Starwood was paying $385 for a category 2 hotel (Sheraton Nashua NH)! Unbelievable!</font>

Wow!

Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the high occupancy differential.