Starwood Preferred Guest - Best Suites in SF?

I'm thinking about using a combo free weekend/points to guarantee a suite in San Francisco. I've read a lot about upgrade chances at the W, St. Francis, and Palace...but my question is, which has the overall best suites if I'm paying points for it?

I'm looking for the best combo of luxury and space (will likely want to host drinks before dinner for 15 or so).

Would prefer the W or Palace location-wise, but would also like to hear about the rooms at the St. Francis.

Thanks in advance!

Palace is your best bet by far. The very nicest suite is in the St. Francis but wouldn't be available for points (it goes for something like USD 6000 per night). The mid-level suites at the Palace are quite luxurious and impressive and should be available for points. Presumably their presidential suite is not (but worth asking about). If you are having food catered the Palace has much better food than most SF hotels including St. Francis and W.

I had one of the presidential suites as a Platinum last summer at the Palace.
The livingroom was huge . I mean huge. Must have been 1000 sq. ft.

I'll be at the W later this month. if I get lucky, I'll post.

Suites at the W SF are rare. couscous recently reported that he was able to get one much to his surprise. From my experience upgrades at the W are usually to one of the Kool Korner Rooms.

The only way you would be able to use points in addition to a free weekend night award to get a suite would be to do it at check-in as an Instant Upgrade Award - provided the hotel has one in effect.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

So I can book a room with 10k points and then book an upgrade for an additional 10k points. I can book a room and pay cash and then pay 10k points but I can't book a room using the last free weekend proposal and then pay 10k points to upgrade? That sounds silly since it is pretty explicit that booking the room and paying for the upgrade are two separate transactions. So why does it matter how I pay for the initial room as long as I pay the additional 10k points for the upgrade?

Assuming my logic is shot down (which would be very disappointing unless there is a good rationale offered up), my next question is, of course, do either the palace or the W SF have said instant award program?

Sounds like i should shoot for the palace though if I can make it work.

So I can book a room with 10k points and then book an upgrade for an additional 10k points. I can book a room and pay cash and then pay 10k points but I can't book a room using the last free weekend proposal and then pay 10k points to upgrade? That sounds silly since it is pretty explicit that booking the room and paying for the upgrade are two separate transactions. So why does it matter how I pay for the initial room as long as I pay the additional 10k points for the upgrade?

Assuming my logic is shot down (which would be very disappointing unless there is a good rationale offered up), my next question is, of course, do either the palace or the W SF have said instant award program?

Sounds like i should shoot for the palace though if I can make it work.

It all has to do with the award id. The free weekend night awards have a unique award id that does not allow for additional Starpoints to be redeemed when using those awards. So, it has to be done at the property as an Instant Upgrade Award at check-in.

If you are using a paid rate, there is an award id for upgrading to a suite for that. If you are using Starpoints and want to upgrade to a suite using additional Starpoints, there is also an award id for that. However, there is no award id that can be generated at the Customer Contact Center that would allow you to tack on additional Starpoints to a free night award.

The Palace confirms that they would allow you to redeem 10,000 Starpoints per night as an Instant Upgrade Award on top of your free weekend award if you want to upgrade to a suite. It would, however, be subject to availability of the suite at check-in.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Suites at the W SF are rare. couscous recently reported that he was able to get one much to his surprise. From my experience upgrades at the W are usually to one of the Kool Korner Rooms.

I once had one of these rare suites (one of the original 3, I heard they were going to add a few more) - it was an absolutely outstanding room. I wanted to move in. I wish I had known in advance so I could have had 20 or so of my "closest friends" to come over for a party. There would have been plenty of room.