Starwood Preferred Guest - 2 stays away from Platinum...should I go for it?

I am 2 stays away from Platinum with no more planned stays this year. Is it worth it to try to earn platinum status? Also I am assuming that stays have to be completed by 12/31...correct? Any insight is appreciated. thanks!

Seems like a no lose situation if you ask. By qualifying for platinum you are eligible to earn 500 points for each stay that offers a platinum amenity. Not to mention you'll increase your chances for getting some very nice rooms. Very happy with the benefits I've received as a result of being a Platinum member.

I am 2 stays away from Platinum with no more planned stays this year. Is it worth it to try to earn platinum status? Also I am assuming that stays have to be completed by 12/31...correct? Any insight is appreciated. thanks!

Is this post a joke?? If you DON'T make those 2 extra stays (not real hard, you do have almost 3 months to make them), you should be spanked by your mother.

I'd book those last 2 stays near the end of the year, assuming prices are reasonable.

You never know about last minute work travel. If it comes up, you can cancel those reservations.

Definitely go for it unless you dont foresee yourself staying in a Starwood hotel until after Feb 2007.

I was more than a couple of stays short earlier this year and went on several mattress runs to qualify; and I was not disappointed with my last few stays as Platinum :)

I am 2 stays away from Platinum with no more planned stays this year. Is it worth it to try to earn platinum status? Also I am assuming that stays have to be completed by 12/31...correct? Any insight is appreciated. thanks!

No, I don't think you should. You'd potentially interfere with my chance of an upgrade, and you'd decrease your likely hood for a targeted promo.

Yes, stays must be by 12/31.

Um, I'm 8 stays or 8 nights away... I'm going for it.

Sorry sc flier! :p

I am 2 stays away from Platinum with no more planned stays this year. Is it worth it to try to earn platinum status? Also I am assuming that stays have to be completed by 12/31...correct? Any insight is appreciated. thanks!

ABSOLUTELY. I was a PLAT for several years but now that I am retired I am a GOLD. I notice a HUGE difference in types and rate of upgrade. Also, the club lounge access itself is worth the PLAT status.
We are off on a one month vacation and will be spending 12 nights at various SPG properties. I know I am going to miss lounge access and the upgrades :(

I would find a way to make it happen. I keep it because of some of the hotel relationships I've developed, and for what I've found outside the US in terms of room upgrades. I've landed some pretty sweet, or should I say "suite" upgrades at absolutely spectacular hotels, even on award stays. Honestly, I think that the Platinum Concierge is overblown. I've never found them to be the type of service to "step out of the box", so that is not a big selling point for me. And, there is no doubt that upper management in the hotel properties themselves are very interested in pleasing SPGs top-level elites. I also like the 500 points amenity.

...and book well ahead of time and you should be able to qualify for under $150.00, just book 2 separate nights...I've done this just shown up at the hotel..tell them u are checking out early morning and you want the amount automatically put on your card, then u dont even have to bother to stay.

...and book well ahead of time and you should be able to qualify for under $150.00, just book 2 separate nights...I've done this just shown up at the hotel..tell them u are checking out early morning and you want the amount automatically put on your card, then u dont even have to bother to stay.

But make sure the 2 separate nights are not sequential nights. That is, book the 27th and 29th, but not separate reservations for the 27th and 28th, since sequential nights count as a single stay even if you reserve them separately and check in and check out twice.

Find a cheap 4 points near your place and stay one night each for 2 weekends and voila you have Plat. extension. Total cost to you can't be more than 200 bucks.
Just make sure whatever rate you use, it qualifies for stay credit. Some FTers had problems when they book discounted rates.

...and book well ahead of time and you should be able to qualify for under $150.00, just book 2 separate nights...I've done this just shown up at the hotel..tell them u are checking out early morning and you want the amount automatically put on your card, then u dont even have to bother to stay.

HomerJ Thats a great idea I did not realize you did not have to stay there.

To the OP ABSOLUTLY I just stayed last night at the Sheraton Gateway at LAX for the first time as a PLT and I was treated much better than my many stays there as a gold. I got a suite and acces to the club lounge and a choice of PLT amenities. Do It!

I am 2 stays away from Platinum with no more planned stays this year. Is it worth it to try to earn platinum status? Also I am assuming that stays have to be completed by 12/31...correct? Any insight is appreciated. thanks!

depends on how much you are planning to stay at SPG properties in 2006 and how much you value "platinum welcome gift" and distant possibility of upgrades to suites.

If you ask yourself this question then I'd answer no, probably is it not worth for you.

AX

depends on how much you are planning to stay at SPG properties in 2006 and how much you value "platinum welcome gift" and distant possibility of upgrades to suites.


AX's experience is apparently quite different from mine. I love my Plat status, and I don't consider my upgrade possibilities "distant." It depends on the individual hotels you stay in, though.

When I'm staying in resort areas, I almost always get a suite upgrade. When I'm staying at the Aladdin in Vegas, I always get a suite upgrade. When I'm staying at a Four Points, I rarely get a suite upgrade because most don't have suites. It generally just depends on whether the property even has many suites to offer.

I value my 500 Plat Welcome points a lot.

As I pointed out in my original sarcastic response, I am disappointed in not getting any worthwhile targetted offers this year. And that lack of targetted offers has definitely affected my stays in the latter half of 2005. I'm working my way toward Hilton HHonors Diamond as I'm writing this from the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Las Vegas Strip (AAA rate $107, and includes wireless HSIA at no additional cost) rather than from my usual Aladdin suite.

AX's experience is apparently quite different from mine. I love my Plat status, and I don't consider my upgrade possibilities "distant." It depends on the individual hotels you stay in, though.

When I'm staying in resort areas, I almost always get a suite upgrade. When I'm staying at the Aladdin in Vegas, I always get a suite upgrade. When I'm staying at a Four Points, I rarely get a suite upgrade because most don't have suites. It generally just depends on whether the property even has many suites to offer.

I value my 500 Plat Welcome points a lot.

As I pointed out in my original sarcastic response, I am disappointed in not getting any worthwhile targetted offers this year. And that lack of targetted offers has definitely affected my stays in the latter half of 2005. I'm working my way toward Hilton HHonors Diamond as I'm writing this from the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Las Vegas Strip (AAA rate $107, and includes wireless HSIA at no additional cost) rather than from my usual Aladdin suite.


I agree with practically everything said by sc flier, including my/his disappointment that there has not be any worthwhile targetted offer this year. I just requalified as Plat for 2006, and would never think about not doing it, as my upgrade experience is quite similar to that of sc flier.

However, ever since I made Diamond over at Hilton HHonors, they have been trying extra hard to win my business, and their "rolling qualification" makes it fun too ;-) It's funny, but I'm drawn more and more toward Hilton properties even though their loyalty program is not as good as Starwood (IMHO) for an award redemption point of view. As a result, it looks like I will have more Hilton nights than Starwood in 2005.

May be if Starwood start having Stay 3 or Stay 5 Get 1 Weekend Free again in 2006, I'll be a lot more motivated to give Starwood more nights.

I'm 13 stays for 16 nights YTD and I'm trying to make Plat (which isn't always easy in Australia, given we have less properties on offer and some capital cities don't have Starwood properties at all - Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide).

If I were you, I'd definitely be trying - if you have a SO, take them away for a weekend (as you obviously travel a lot, they'd love the time with you). You'll gain brownie points and a stay credit. As others mention, you have a while to earn it (2.5 months) and work travel plans can easily change...

May be if Starwood start having Stay 3 or Stay 5 Get 1 Weekend Free again in 2006, I'll be a lot more motivated to give Starwood more nights.

I guarantee that I would!