Starwood Preferred Guest - How much does FT save you? 26,000*wood points today!

In reading about a promotion on another board, I rummaged through my email box of "safe keeping" emails and found I signed up for the Stay 5 get 1 W/E night promotion last autumn which I had totally forgot about.
Another quick search of FT told me that *wood doesn't send certificates, you just have to "know" and keep up with those free nights or call them.

Well, I had a 4 night award booked in Cancun for later this month (40,000 point award) so I called, found out:
1. I could use 2 of my totally-forgotten free nights for 2 of those.
2. The hotel reduced from a Cat 4 to a Cat 3 so my last 2 night would only be 14,000 points.

The platinum desk was very helpful in rearranging everything and depositing 26,000 points back into my *wood account. (I wonder if I had never called, but showed up for my 40,000 point 4 night stay if they would have caught the Category reduction and credited me back some of those???)

What a nice surprise.....all because I read the FlyerTalk board yesterday.
Thanks once again Flyertalk!! How much have others saved/ earned from FT?

(I wonder if I had never called, but showed up for my 40,000 point 4 night stay if they would have caught the Category reduction and credited me back some of those???)Sadly, no.

Believe it or not, SPG adjusted one of my award stays on 1/31. I didn't even realize there was a category change and only noticed it because I mysteriously had more points.

I wonder if I had never called, but showed up for my 40,000 point 4 night stay if they would have caught the Category reduction and credited me back some of those?

Sadly, no.

Believe it or not, SPG adjusted one of my award stays on 1/31. I didn't even realize there was a category change and only noticed it because I mysteriously had more points.

Ye of little faith. ;)

Well, little faith or not, my stay is in 2 1/2 weeks and no points had been credited back to my account. Not complaining, mind you, just so glad I called today and happened to discover the category change. ....and of course having to use 14,000 miles for this trip rather than 40,000 makes my day!

I commiserate. I was signed up for the Westin PVR for a 40K for five nights. Caught the thread on the upgrades!/downgrades - called the plat desk and got 12K back. Would they have made me whole? - I would be surprised if I didn't call.

But, I'm taking a free weekend @ El Tamarindo and 2 rooms at El Careyes to round out the trip - Starwood rocks! (33 nights in 4 months counts a bit a guess)

I did get a BIG surprise tho - invited my sister & her husband to join us for a 'free' trip and found out that award nights are only good for 1 or 2 people. Kind of sucked to realize I just paid 400 $ for them to join us but an invite is an invite!

Make sure you ask - PVR is 40 per person per night & Careyes is 50.

II did get a BIG surprise tho - invited my sister & her husband to join us for a 'free' trip and found out that award nights are only good for 1 or 2 people. Kind of sucked to realize I just paid 400 $ for them to join us but an invite is an invite!
Make sure you ask - PVR is 40 per person per night & Careyes is 50.

I didn't know that. :( So my Mom and Sister couldn't join me in an award room? Must be 1 or 2 ADULT people - thank goodness it doesn't apply to children.