Starwood Preferred Guest - Are Free Calls A Platinum Benefit of Not?

I was at the front desk of a Westin this morning and overheard a rather vocal fellow Platinum guest complaining that "he has never paid for phone calls at any Starwood Hotel as a Platinum and he wasn't about to start here." I tried to talk to him after the incident but he wasn't really in a talking mood after the clerk refused to refund the calls.

Now I rarely use the phone in the room, so this doesn't really affect me. But have I missed a valuable benefit here? Do we really get free calls as Platinums, or has this guy managed to bluster his way to freebies?

[This message has been edited by Rolling Stone (edited 06-17-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Rolling Stone:
Do we really get free calls as Platinums</font>

absolutely not.

Few hotels offer this. The NY Sheraton and Towers was offering it last time I was there. But, generally, no. Corporate "Suggests" that their properties gouge the guests with $2 toll free and $1.50 local calls.

I love requesting credit for calls when my dial-up connection fails or is dropped repeatedly due to their antiquated wiring and poor connection speeds (the same access numbers work beautifully from other places)

Officially, no, it is not a benefit of being a Platinum member in Starwood Preferred Guest; however, if the hotels wish to allow it, we applaud their generosity.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Well, at the end of May, I was at the SI Eau Claire Suites in Calgary, and when asking about points earned on the stay, I was informed that my membership in SPG (one prior stay this year, three nights total) got me free local and 1-800 calls. I tested it by calling work's 800 number 3 times from the room, and no charge. I was most pleased.

Although it is harder for me to earn points at the hotels due to exceptional rates, I will always look for a SW property first.

MC

Some of the Sheraton properties don't charge for local/800 calls when staying in a Club Level room. Sheraton Gateway Toronto Airport and Sheraton Hamilton hotel come to mind.

Good point, FlyerAl. Wasn't a club level room, just a nice one, I guess. I don't have anything with SPG that would get me a club level room with the TAED rate. Just something nice from the hotel. That and they had the best concierge I've ever encountered.

MC

The Westin Diplomat-free 1 800 and 60 min a day free local

The W in San Diego 1 800 free and charge for local calls

San Diego Sheraton Marina 1 800 not sure and charge for local calls

My most recent stays!

I was at the Sheraton Towers in New York yesterday. Free calls. Very nice surprise when I checked out.

(Now if they put some sound-proofing in the rooms I would really be happy.)