Starwood Preferred Guest - Pick Your Own Room Feature?

Hilton is testing a new online customer advance room blocking system (similar to picking an advance seat assignment on an airline) for it's top Diamond level members only at limited properties, that even addresses upgrades. See:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456265

They seem to indicate it's going to give quite a lot of info on each individual room that's available to block for your arrival.

I mention this here in the Starwood Forum as a competitive issue and would be interested to hear opinions of any interest or potential pitfalls such a program might foster for Starwood's Preferred Guests.

Give it a read. Should be interesting to follow along on the progress of this one.

Interesting concept, although I would have a lot of questions about the feasibility of it.

With room assignments being so fluid (a FOM may juggle many times per day), it seems this would cause problems.

Hilton is testing a new online customer advance room blocking system (similar to picking an advance seat assignment on an airline) for it's top Diamond level members only at limited properties, that even addresses upgrades. See:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=456265

They seem to indicate it's going to give quite a lot of info on each individual room that's available to block for your arrival.

I mention this here in the Starwood Forum as a competitive issue and would be interested to hear opinions of any interest or potential pitfalls such a program might foster for Starwood's Preferred Guests.

Give it a read. Should be interesting to follow along on the progress of this one.


This is a good idea. However there is one negative I can see, if you are a frequent guest of a hotel a room they may asign you all the time might be gone because someone else snatches it first. I must say, if I were Bollenbach I wouldn't worry about the frivolous things such as this but the more pressing issues like dumpy properties that need major work.

On a related note, I have often felt airlines should incorporate your height, weight, dimensions and a brief description into all seat maps. This would make choosing seats easy! I would far prefer to sit next to a 5'6", 105 lbs, 34D-26-34, blonde hair, blue eyed female who's itching to join the mile high club than a 6'2", 280 lbs male who snores when he sleeps.

On a related note, I have often felt airlines should incorporate your height, weight, dimensions and a brief description into all seat maps. This would make choosing seats easy! I would far prefer to sit next to a 5'6", 105 lbs, 34D-26-34, blonde hair, blue eyed female who's itching to join the mile high club than a 6'2", 280 lbs male who snores when he sleeps.

Hmmmm there is another side of this option I like, if you lie and say you are a 600 lb snorer with bad breath, shower once a year and have a propencity for swearing uncontrollably, you might have a shot at NO ONE picking the seat next to you and always having an empty seat there. I vote for this plan to be inacted IMMEDIATELY!

...a 6'2", 280 lbs male who snores when he sleeps.

Was that you sitting next to me on the way back from Chicago to Houston? ;)

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

From what I understand, this program doesn't allow you to pick a specific room. You are able to pick the floor but I think thats about it. It doesn't even show you a map of the floor. Anyways, I like the element of surprise :D

From what I understand, this program doesn't allow you to pick a specific room. You are able to pick the floor but I think thats about it. It doesn't even show you a map of the floor. Anyways, I like the element of surprise :D


If that's the case then what good is that? Most floor layouts are the same so picking the floor is no big deal unless its the one with the concierge lounge on it and they should know every Plat member in his/her right mind would choose that floor to begin with.

Interesting concept indeed. I certainly have my favorite rooms all around the board, however I am not dismayed when a nice view is blocked or have to hike from the elevator to my room.