Starwood Preferred Guest - confusing marketing

[This question was brought on by my comments about the difference or inconsitent difference between Hilton and Doubletree over in the Hilton forums.]

Can anyone tell me the difference between St. Regis properties and Luxury Collection properties? It's not like all the St. Regis properties are corporate owned and all the Luxury Collection properties are managed, is it? (I thought the Phoenician was corporate owned which would kill that idea.)

-Curious

My hunch is that Lurker will say that each brand has its own standards, and that's the difference -- though I don't have any idea what those standards are 'officially'.

Several posters on this board can tell you anecdotal differences between the brands, although there are usually outliers (the occasional 4pts which is nicer than the Sheraton, for example).

The difference in brands can't be ownership.

1) The Bora Bora Nui either just changed from Luxury Collection to St. Regis or is in the process of changing and AFAIK ownership hasn't changed.

2) Broadening out beyond Luxury Collection/St. Regis, other switches happen without ownership changes as well (at least I haven't heard of ownership changes in these instances, but could be ill-informed): e.g. Westin/Sheraton switch in Bali, the Sheraton Hyannis becoming a 4pts post-renovation.

So I really do think it is "different brands have different standards" but I'd love to have more light shed on just what those standards are. :)

My hunch is that Lurker will say that each brand has its own standards, and that's the difference -- though I don't have any idea what those standards are 'officially'.

...

So I really do think it is "different brands have different standards" but I'd love to have more light shed on just what those standards are. :)

Oh, I'm pretty sure that's a large part of the storry too. For example, the 4Points Hyannis seems a pretty clear example of a hotel being downgraded. Although there might be an issue of not having too many of one brand in the area without having another brand. E.G. In Stamford CT, one of the two (IIRC) Sheratons was rebranded as a Westin. I'm not sure if there was any upgrade involved or just rebranding in this case.

But, my question really has more to do with the high end. What's the difference between the St. Regis Brand and the Luxury Collection Brand.

Thanks.

Oh, I'm pretty sure that's a large part of the storry too. For example, the 4Points Hyannis seems a pretty clear example of a hotel being downgraded. Although there might be an issue of not having too many of one brand in the area without having another brand. E.G. In Stamford CT, one of the two (IIRC) Sheratons was rebranded as a Westin. I'm not sure if there was any upgrade involved or just rebranding in this case.

But, my question really has more to do with the high end. What's the difference between the St. Regis Brand and the Luxury Collection Brand.

Thanks.

I've answered this before, but here goes again...

The best answer can be found at the following web site:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/about/index.html

...where it says: St. Regis hotels have a special place in The Luxury Collection. Situated in exclusive sections of the world's greatest cities, St. Regis' eight hotels are the last word in opulence. Whether conducting the highest levels of business, holding the most exquisite banquets or relaxing in splendor, St. Regis guests can expect service that anticipates their every need.

And then, there is this web site that explains the St. Regis branding concept on its own:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/about/index.html

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I've answered this before, but here goes again...

The best answer can be found at the following web site:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/about/index.html

...where it says: St. Regis hotels have a special place in The Luxury Collection. Situated in exclusive sections of the world's greatest cities, St. Regis' eight hotels are the last word in opulence. Whether conducting the highest levels of business, holding the most exquisite banquets or relaxing in splendor, St. Regis guests can expect service that anticipates their every need.

And then, there is this web site that explains the St. Regis branding concept on its own:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/about/index.html

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Thank you. I just recently became active in this group again after several years off ...

Identity Problem for Some of the Hotel Industry's Biggest Frequent Guest Programs: Members Cannot Correctly Identify all the Hotel Brands Within.

Somerset, NJ, June 24, 2004 - Results from Phoenix Marketing International's recently released Hotel SCORES study discovered some surprising results for some of the hospitality industry's biggest name frequent guest programs. Very few members of these programs can correctly identify all the hotel brands that participate in these programs.

Most dramatically, no member of the Hilton HHonors, Radisson Gold Rewards or the Starwood Preferred Guest programs could identify all the Hilton, Radisson or Starwood hotel brands participating in the respective programs. :eek:

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_2nd/June04_FrequentGuestPrgrms.html

...where it says: St. Regis hotels have a special place in The Luxury Collection. Situated in exclusive sections of the world's greatest cities, St. Regis' eight hotels are the last word in opulence. Whether conducting the highest levels of business, holding the most exquisite banquets or relaxing in splendor, St. Regis guests can expect service that anticipates their every need.



So.....all St. Regis' are Luxurious...but not all Luxury Collections are Saintly? :D

So.....all St. Regis' are Luxurious...but not all Luxury Collections are Saintly? :D

Yep. That would be the crux of the biscuit.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com