Starwood Preferred Guest - meeting rates

This would be better answered by Starwood Lurker but any advise from any memebr would be appreciated.
I have been invited to attend an advisory board meeting at a Sheraton Hotel in canada. The sponsors will pay the bill. My questions are as follows:
1. Will I get Platinum benefits when I check-in?
2. Can I have the stay credited for my Status-- ( Hilton syas if I charge anything to the room and pay for it--even a telephone call--I can get the stay credited--is this true of Starwood?

1) maybe; probably even, unless the meeting group has some kind of restriction placed on this function.

2) nope. you must both pay and stay, which means the room has to be registered in your name and you have to personally settle the charges at check out.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

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