Starwood Preferred Guest - Discounted Rate in BKK Through Agent Count as a Stay?

Asia Hotels, a reputable travel agency in Southeast Asia, is offering a pre-paid rate at the Westin Grande Sukhumvit through the end of September of US$75.00 a night, inclusive of tax and breakfast. Ignoring the breakfast, since the tax/service charge is 17.7%, the base rate is a very respectable US$64.00 a night.

http://www.asia-hotels.com/hotelinfo/Westin_Grande_Sukhumvit/

While that is not quite as good as the $56.00 rate that was available through spg.com a couple of weeks ago (which I was fortunate to score for an upcoming trip), it is still a lot better than the $86.00 rate presently at spg.com.

I don't want to shoot myself in the foot, however. If I book this rate, will I earn Starwood points and will the stay count toward calculating status for next year?

Probably not. This sounds like a pre-paid wholesale rate.

I probably write 20 letters/emails a week denying credit for stays that were wholesale rates.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

If it looks too good to be true...

Not surprised.

Thanks for the prompt response.

Always Flyin, I used Asia Hotels to book a room in a Chiang Mai hotel last April.

As others have mentioned, it is indeed a wholesale rate. When you make the booking with Asia Hotels, you supply your credit card number. Asia Hotels charges your credit card and displays an on-line voucher that you must print and present to the hotel.

At the hotel, you do not see the accommodation charges on your bill. The hotel charges Asia Hotels for the room portion of your stay.

I very much doubt you would be eligible for Starwood points.

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Latitudes.

For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more nearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilisation, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894)

I can confirm that you do not receive hotel stay credit nor points on the cash paid for the room charge. You do however get points for incidental charges like laundry, food and phone calls. You will also receive your platinum privileges.

For a multi-night stay, can I book 1 night at spg.com and the rest booked at the discounted/wholesale/priceline rate? Will the stay count towards status and earn points for the 1 night?

Only the portion of your stay booked at spg.com at a paid rate would be eligible for Starpoints and stay credit, but your eligible incidentals for the entire stay could earn points even if the remaining nights were ineligible.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited 06-19-2003).]

If the money for stay goes to agent you don't get points. You get points for money paid for stays that is actually paid directly to the hotel. Same as with priceline or hotwire.

Sorry Mr. Flyin. You just cannot have it both ways all the time.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mpclaw:
Sorry Mr. Flyin. You just cannot have it both ways all the time.</font>

Hello Mr. Claw:

Yes, I usually can (and do). I know it drives you crazy...