Starwood Preferred Guest - Question to Starwood Lurker: Are Poperties Allowed to Reduce Benefits on Award Stays?

I hope this is not a new trend in nickling-and-diming the customer but this thread on Sheraton Hong Kong (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=455366) has a discussion on reduced benefits during award stays. Specifically, when a guest stays in the Towers wing, he/she is given a list of benefits including free breakfast at a choice of location, free in-room HSIA, free laundry, discount on additional laundry, lounge access with afternoon tea and evening coktail hours. It turns out that when a guest is staying at the same wing of the hotel (Towers) on an award, the benefits are reduced, i.e. no more free laundry, free HSIA and laundry discount. In fact, upon checking-in on an award stay, the guest is given the option to pay for the same benefits at HK$250 (~US$32). Granted the big benefits (free breakfast, lounge access) are still offered free but who's to say this is not going to change?

Question to Starwood Lurker: Is a hotel allowed to willy-nilly reduce benefits on award stays? Isn't this a violation of SPG terms and conditions?

Edited to add: Just to clarify, I'm not talking about problem with Platinum benefits not being voluntarily given. That's amply covered in another thread. Rather I'm talking about diminution of benefits just because one is on an award stay rather than a paid stay, regardless of whether one is Platinum, Gold, Preferred or no status.

I won't presume to speak for William - and I'll be waiting for the official response..... however, I can say that time and again the only time I have been frustrated by the SPG system is when it involves hotels with Towers Rooms. Somewhere, hidden deep in the shadows of the *wood offices, there is a paragraph comprised of very small print that allows hotels with Towers Levels to essentially depart from much of what I consider the full intent of the overall Platinum Level guest benefits.

Just my thoughts. 'Twill be interesting to see if this hotel's having a Towers Level has anything to do with the issue.

Outside of this frustration, I can honestly say that I have really no complaints and find the overall SPG program to be fully rewarding. I would advise the seers at *wood, however, to take yet another look at Plat guest benefits at properties such as these. Most often noted for violations (at least in my mind) is the Sheraton Maria Isabel in Mexico City.

Award nights cover room and tax. Some hotels may choose to be more generous, but do not have to be.

For example, there are properties where paid rate plans include meals (eg Cala di Volpe). Award rate plans do not have to include meals.

Oddly, there have been properties where awards are treated BETTER than paid stays, e.g. when Bora Bora Nui first started charging for airport transfers they charged ONLY paid rates and NOT award stays (they may now be charging award guests too?).

And yes, 'towers' as a 'separate hotel within a hotel' and thus exempt from upgrades is quite bothersome.

If a hotel has a Towers section and they operate it as a hotel-within-a-hotel as the Sheraton Hong Kong does, then you have to book a Towers room in order to get all the benefits of that level in the hotel.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

If a hotel has a Towers section and they operate it as a hotel-within-a-hotel as the Sheraton Hong Kong does, then you have to book a Towers room in order to get all the benefits of that level in the hotel.



And my question is: can Towers guests have different sets of benefits based on whether theirs is a paid stay or an award stay?

In other words, both guests booked in the Towers section. Guest #1 paid HK$2450++ per night, while Guest #2 redeemed 11,500 points per night to book an award stay. Can the hotel give Guest #1 a long list of benefits and give Guest #2 a shorter list of benefits and extort, ahem, ask for HK$250 per night to make Guest #2's benefits equal Guest #1's?

And my question is: can Towers guests have different sets of benefits based on whether theirs is a paid stay or an award stay?

In other words, both guests booked in the Towers section. Guest #1 paid HK$2450++ per night, while Guest #2 redeemed 11,500 points per night to book an award stay. Can the hotel give Guest #1 a long list of benefits and give Guest #2 a shorter list of benefits and extort, ahem, ask for HK$250 per night to make Guest #2's benefits equal Guest #1's?
I would say that you would definitely be entitled to any standard benefits (ie, any benefits of rack rate). Any other rate plan may have more benefits (and often do) for a lower price, but those are part of those plans.

For the Sheraton Hong Kong "Towers Deluxe Room", those rack benefits are
"Garden Or Cityview, Towers Deluxe Room, Evening Cocktails, High Speed Internet Connection, Breakfast Included"

SPG T&C do say 2. Preferred Award Nights are for single and/or double standard room only occupancy and include the cost of your hotel room and room tax/service charge. All other hotel charges are the responsibility of the member and are not covered by the Preferred Award Night award. By the rules, you get room and tax. The situation described eats at me, I don't like it, but I don't see a violation of program rules if other guests in similar rooms are given a laundry discount but a guest paying with SPG points is not given the laundry discount. I'd love to be wrong! :)

And my question is: can Towers guests have different sets of benefits based on whether theirs is a paid stay or an award stay?

In other words, both guests booked in the Towers section. Guest #1 paid HK$2450++ per night, while Guest #2 redeemed 11,500 points per night to book an award stay. Can the hotel give Guest #1 a long list of benefits and give Guest #2 a shorter list of benefits and extort, ahem, ask for HK$250 per night to make Guest #2's benefits equal Guest #1's?

No. We expect that if you reserve a room on the Towers level, regardless of how you are paying for it ($$ or Starpoints), that you would get the benefits of the Tower level.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

No. We expect that if you reserve a room on the Towers level, regardless of how you are paying for it ($$ or Starpoints), that you would get the benefits of the Tower level.

Perfect answer. Just one of many reasons I love SPG. ^

No. We expect that if you reserve a room on the Towers level, regardless of how you are paying for it ($$ or Starpoints), that you would get the benefits of the Tower level.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Thank you, William, for making that definitive statement. I take it then that the hotel in question will be apprised of this discussion? As I will have an award stay in early January I'll report back to this thread whether the hotel has complied or not -- using the free :D in-room HSIA.

I personally will be watching Starwood very closely in regards to extending benefits for SPG award stays the same as paid stays.

As a Starwood Vacation Owner... many of my Starwood points come from my Vacation Time Share investment. In essence, I have prepaid Starwood for rights to use their hotels at an exchange rate with my SVO StarOptions.

These points are hardly "free". I get very sensitive when someone says... "you are staying for free"... and are not entitled to X or Y. I paid Starwood a lot of money for the timeshare and each year pay a great deal of money for the maintenance of said timeshare.

Thus far, Starwood has treated me as a paying guest, with a couple of exceptions. I hope that Starwood Lurker reinforces throughout the Starwood Executive Team... the fact that in order for there to be integrity with the SPG program & SVO program... the Starwood Points must be consistently treated as a currency on par with "cash".

These points are hardly "free". I get very sensitive when someone says... "you are staying for free"... and are not entitled to X or Y. I paid Starwood a lot of money for the timeshare and each year pay a great deal of money for the maintenance of said timeshare.

I completely agree...in fact, I believe that to be true of ALL points/miles/you name it. Companies want all the benefits of customer loyalty but often lose sight of the fact that loyalty is earned.

The last thing most companies in what is a commodity market want to do is have customers move to a purely economic decision model.

Steve

Not on topic but I wanted to post to let FTs and Starwood know that having a semi-official helper in William do what he does is a big reason I just decided to switch my main cc use from Delta Skymiles to Starwood Amex.

These points are hardly "free". I get very sensitive when someone says... "you are staying for free"... and are not entitled to X or Y.
I agree. Points and miles are not free. One way or another, we work to earn them! ^

And luckily, by and large I personally have not experienced such discrimination in benefits when redeeming awards with Starwood, or, for that matter, other loyalty programs. ^ Let's hope that such situations remain rare exceptions!

Moreover, a stay on points is not free -- the hotel is getting paid by SPG. Admittedly, it's a discounted rate that SPG pays... but I also understand that when a hotel hits 90% occupancy the rate that SPG pays goes up substantially. The hotel is NOT losing money on award stays. It's better for them to have an award stay when a room would otherwise have gone unsold, and when the award potentially squeezes out a paid room SPG makes them whole...

My wife and I are currently staying at the Sheraton Jerusalem Plaza hotel. My first night was paid, the next four nights are awards. I checked in Wednesday night. Thursday morning we received a newspaper and had breakfast in the breakfast room. As far as I can tell, every paid rate includes breakfast, except for a day rate (no overnight) which is sometimes available. I have checked a number of dates in the future on spg.com and breakfast always is included no matter what the rate plan.

This morning (Friday), there was no newspaper and I was told that breakfast is not included in the reward rate. I had trouble understanding whether or not the lack of newspaper is due to the reward stay, but every other room had one sitting outside the door.

Should we be entitled to the breakfast since that is a standard amenity with all paid rates?

...Should we be entitled to the breakfast since that is a standard amenity with all paid rates?

No. Preferred (free) Night Awards include your room and taxes only.

I would be interested to know if the lack of a newspaper is related to this being an award reservation, however.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I have earned and used substantial amounts of points in Starwood, Hilton, and Marriott programs. As we all know, it is easier for SPG members to actually redeem their points compared to the other programs. I have also observed that hotel staff at SPG properties work harder than competitiors in taking care of guests (e.g. finding suites or adjoining rooms), even on an award stay (Hilton Diamonds also get good service on peak-time reservations, but always through the diamond desk, not from the properties themselves).

SPG members get such good treatment from the properties themselves that I worry a bit that this comes at a high cost for SPG, and SPG corporate will some day dilute their support/reimbursement of properties when taking care of award reservations.

This is a point-of-difference that takes a while to notice, but is very significant compared to competitiors, if you've ever stayed at a few of them on awards.

UPDATE: Stayed at Sheraton Towers HKG in early January using points and I am dismayed to report that this property still discriminates against points users. They still have the 2 sets of benefits: a short list for award stays and and a longer list for paid stays... despite what Starwood Lurker said above.

Funny thing is when the Towers receptionist was checking me in, as she was confirming with me that I'll be using points for my stay and about to hand me the sheet that contains the longer list of benefits, she saw this "discrepancy" and very subtly reached for a different sheet from her drawer and tried to switch the sheets. I noticed this and ask for her to let me see both sheets. And true enough they were different.

I raised a stinker about this practice and insisted that I be accorded the same benefits. I spoke to a shift supervisor who reluctantly agreed to give me the same set of benefits and promised to take up this issue with "upper management." I don't know if my somewhat belligerent attitude had something to do with it but the first night I was given a really really small guest room albeit with a harbor view, clearly not an upgrade! They claim that all suites were taken for the night. I was too tired to check with SPG.com. The following morning I asked to be moved and made it a point to tell the shift supervisor that I was willing to wait all day for an upgraded room as I was entitled to. Well, I was given a junior suite all right but looking out to a building roof top! At least I got my HKD200 daily laundry quota and free HSIA.

As previously reported in this thread, the Towers wing is run separately from the Hotel wing... from housekeeping, bell service to room service. For all intents and purposes, they're two different hotels.

On the plus side: this property allows you to have your free breakfast delivered as room service. Nice!

I had an award stay at this hotel in Dec. If I wanted the tower, they would give me a non harbor view room. So I choose the non-tower room with a harbor view. It was well worth the trade off. The view was magnificent from my room on the 12th floor.

I was offered the breakfast but didn't use it. It's in Hong Kong and I much preferred to go out for the local food than the same same hotel breakfast. :)

The hote rate was running for US$300. It's good use of 10k points.

I also got the fruit basket ^ and 500 bonus points even for an award stay! :D

I also got the fruit basket ^ AFAIK, every room gets that fruit basket (& the packet of 2 cookies inside).

and 500 bonus points even for an award stay! :D
Platinum amenity is most certainly supposed to be offered on award stays according to the T&C's. :)

Hi William,

I recently "defected" to Starwood Platinum status after being a Hyatt Diamond member for many years and this is the numero-uno issue that could cause me to head right back to Hyatt.

I recently stayed at the Sheraton HK, first time there as a SPG Platunum, and fully expected to have lounge access in the Premium level, aka Towers, if not an upgrade to a Towers floor . After all the program benifits enscribed on the back of my card are quite specific: 1, Complementary Club/Executive level lounge access and 2, The best available room. Not only was I denied access, they were not particularly nice about it. I felt like a leper....like a coach pax trying to sneak into first class!! I was relegated to the "Platinum Lounge" on the interior of the 9th floor which has all of the amenities and charm of a snack bar in a bus station. To make matters worse, I was told by hotel management that this was a "seperate but equal" facility.

In my opinion, the "Hotel within a Hotel" arguement is without merit. It is a "product" within the hotel, no different than the Grand Club at the Grand Hyatt HK, where I have been staying for years, usually 30+ nights a year. I have never been denied lounge access at the GH/HK (and it is every bit as special a product as Sheraton Towers HK). In fact, I am often upgraded to a Club (aka Towers) room based on avilability.

The fact is that the "Towers" and "Main Hotel" are fuly integrated on Sheraton's web site, in all availability displays, and all airline GDS systems. In fact, when I called SPG Platinum Concierge back in the States after chack-in to advise what was happening at their property in HK, the SPG concrierge agent was genuinely amazed and promptly contacted the property and her boss for an explaination. We were both amazed by the outcome.

Consistency is the hallmark of a successful frequency/loyalty program. The "hotel within a hotel" logic is not used as a "fence" to keep top elites out of the premium floor lounge in any other programme. It would serve SPG well to end this practice and honoer the "spirit" as well as the letter of the Platinum benifits description.

I look forward to your comments and those of SPG management.

Best regards!!!










QUOTE=Starwood Lurker]If a hotel has a Towers section and they operate it as a hotel-within-a-hotel as the Sheraton Hong Kong does, then you have to book a Towers room in order to get all the benefits of that level in the hotel.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com[/QUOTE]

I had an award stay at this hotel in Dec. If I wanted the tower, they would give me a non harbor view room.


I was told by the Shift Leader that I spoke to as I mentioned in my previous post that the Towers and the Hotel are operated separately. So a guest booked in the Towers section did not have the option of staying in the Hotel section, and vice versa. But I guess just like anything else... YMMV.

The key point I wish to emphasize is that the Towers management persists in its discriminatory practice of having two sets of benefits based on whether you're paying for your stay with points or cash. Starwood Lurker's previous comment stated categorically that this practice is not acceptable. Nevertheless, there's an enforcement gap here. It shouldn't be the case but I'm afraid it requires a little bit of huffing and puffing before one gets what one deserves. To me this is a major downer to an otherwise satisfactory Starwood property in a major city. (Perhaps the other downer is the Towers Lounge that reeks of cigarette smoke. They need a better separation between the smoking and no-smoking sections.)

Hi William,

I recently "defected" to Starwood Platinum status after being a Hyatt Diamond member for many years and this is the numero-uno issue that could cause me to head right back to Hyatt.

I recently stayed at the Sheraton HK, first time there as a SPG Platunum, and fully expected to have lounge access in the Premium level, aka Towers, if not an upgrade to a Towers floor . After all the program benifits enscribed on the back of my card are quite specific: 1, Complementary Club/Executive level lounge access and 2, The best available room. Not only was I denied access, they were not particularly nice about it. I felt like a leper....like a coach pax trying to sneak into first class!! I was relegated to the "Platinum Lounge" on the interior of the 9th floor which has all of the amenities and charm of a snack bar in a bus station. To make matters worse, I was told by hotel management that this was a "seperate but equal" facility.

In my opinion, the "Hotel within a Hotel" arguement is without merit. It is a "product" within the hotel, no different than the Grand Club at the Grand Hyatt HK, where I have been staying for years, usually 30+ nights a year. I have never been denied lounge access at the GH/HK (and it is every bit as special a product as Sheraton Towers HK). In fact, I am often upgraded to a Club (aka Towers) room based on avilability.

The fact is that the "Towers" and "Main Hotel" are fuly integrated on Sheraton's web site, in all availability displays, and all airline GDS systems. In fact, when I called SPG Platinum Concierge back in the States after chack-in to advise what was happening at their property in HK, the SPG concrierge agent was genuinely amazed and promptly contacted the property and her boss for an explaination. We were both amazed by the outcome.

Consistency is the hallmark of a successful frequency/loyalty program. The "hotel within a hotel" logic is not used as a "fence" to keep top elites out of the premium floor lounge in any other programme. It would serve SPG well to end this practice and honoer the "spirit" as well as the letter of the Platinum benifits description.

I look forward to your comments and those of SPG management.

Best regards!!!

I'm sorry if you were made to feel like a leper by the hotel and will be subsequently heading back to Hyatt, but Towers benefits are nowhere mentioned or even implied in the Terms and Conditions of Membership for SPG. I am sure that the Sheraton Hong Kong would have been pleased to upgrade you to a room or suite in the regular portion of the hotel, subject to availability at the time of arrival, but they are not required by us to upgrade you to the Tower section. If you want a room in the Towers section of this hotel, you will have to book a room there.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Platinum amenity is most certainly supposed to be offered on award stays according to the T&C's. :)

Is this true? Damn I didn't think to query it.

Hotel Alfonso in Seville did not offer me any platinum amenity on my awards stay over the weekend. :td:

Is this true? Damn I didn't think to query it.

Hotel Alfonso in Seville did not offer me any platinum amenity on my awards stay over the weekend. :td:

They don't offer Starpoints as a choice. Hopefully, they delivered a nice local welcome amenity to your room shortly after check-out or had one waiting in it when you arrived. If they didn't, then I would report that to Corporate Customer Service.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

They don't offer Starpoints as a choice. Hopefully, they delivered a nice local welcome amenity to your room shortly after check-out or had one waiting in it when you arrived. If they didn't, then I would report that to Corporate Customer Service.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Nope no amenity was delivered. Perhaps as your typo suggests they did in fact deliver it after check-out ;)

P.S.

Just got the response from CS desk.

~~~~~~~~~~~
The Hotel Alfonso XIII, A Westin Hotel, Seville does not participate in the Platinum amenity program. Any hotel that does participate is required to provide an amenity even if the reservation is using Starpoints.
~~~~~~~~~~~

So how many other hotels don't participate in this Platinum feature?
Shouldn't any devation from state SPG benefits be disclosed on SPG when making a booking?

~~~~~~~~~~~
The Hotel Alfonso XIII, A Westin Hotel, Seville does not participate in the Platinum amenity program. Any hotel that does participate is required to provide an amenity even if the reservation is using Starpoints.
~~~~~~~~~~~
That's wrong info! You might want to forward that email to William.... :)

I (now) understand that your position is that the "Towers" is not an Executive or "Club" level but to say it is not "implied" seems to be a bit incorrect. Most folks would interpert the terms and conditions, IE: Best available room, Access to Club/ Executive level lounge to include the Towers product. Those who are confused by this distinction include many Platinum members to whom I have spoken with as well as SPG Concierge staff. If this is the way it is, a simple disclaimer in the Terms and Conditions ("Towers lounge and accomodations are excluded") appears to be in order. In that way members would know what to expect and book accordingly.





I'm sorry if you were made to feel like a leper by the hotel and will be subsequently heading back to Hyatt, but Towers benefits are nowhere mentioned or even implied in the Terms and Conditions of Membership for SPG. I am sure that the Sheraton Hong Kong would have been pleased to upgrade you to a room or suite in the regular portion of the hotel, subject to availability at the time of arrival, but they are not required by us to upgrade you to the Tower section. If you want a room in the Towers section of this hotel, you will have to book a room there.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I agree wholeheartedly with the last poster's suggestion that the note about Towers Rooms needs to be added to the T&C of the program.

I have long stated that this has been my ONLY source of consistent frustration with *wood. It all began at the Sheraton Maria Isabel when I learned that Platinum Guests were neither welcome on the Towers Floors nor in the Towers Lounge. Frankly, I was floored. In all my years of travel, I'd not heard of such a deliniation. I was even more floored to learn that, according to *wood, the hotel was correct in their position.

If this policy is to stand, then it simply must be made clear to program participants up front. Today, it is not.

Hi Sbtinme (and cc: Lurker, of course), Actually we were both -"Un-floored" (from the Towers floor that is)!!

Seriously, I think we agree the distinction between a "Club Level", "Executive Level" and a "Towers level" is not clear to most of us. To state that we all should have known better because nowhere in the T&C is it implied that Towers access is included in the Platinum program is not so. It is absoultely implied by granting unlimited access to Club/Exective (ie Premium) floors without a specific exclusion for Towers floors.

Starwood needs to do one or the other:

1. Best solution: Take down this fence around the Towers floor for Platinums. One of SPG's greatest strengths is to keep the exclusions and mice-type to a minimum (no black outs, etc.). Obviousy from this thread, this issue sticks in the craw of many Platinums

or

2. Step up to the plate and state clearly in the T&C up front that Towers lounge and accomodations are excluded from the Platinum program. Doing so would not be popular but it would at least be clear and honest.


I agree wholeheartedly with the last poster's suggestion that the note about Towers Rooms needs to be added to the T&C of the program.

I have long stated that this has been my ONLY source of consistent frustration with *wood. It all began at the Sheraton Maria Isabel when I learned that Platinum Guests were neither welcome on the Towers Floors nor in the Towers Lounge. Frankly, I was floored. In all my years of travel, I'd not heard of such a deliniation. I was even more floored to learn that, according to *wood, the hotel was correct in their position.

If this policy is to stand, then it simply must be made clear to program participants up front. Today, it is not.

Hi Sbtinme (and cc: Lurker, of course), Actually we were both -"Un-floored" (from the Towers floor that is)!!

Seriously, I think we agree the distinction between a "Club Level", "Executive Level" and a "Towers level" is not clear to most of us. To state that we all should have known better because nowhere in the T&C is it implied that Towers access is included in the Platinum program is not so. It is absoultely implied by granting unlimited access to Club/Exective (ie Premium) floors without a specific exclusion for Towers floors.

Starwood needs to do one or the other:

1. Best solution: Take down this fence around the Towers floor for Platinums. One of SPG's greatest strengths is to keep the exclusions and mice-type to a minimum (no black outs, etc.). Obviousy from this thread, this issue sticks in the craw of many Platinums

or

2. Step up to the plate and state clearly in the T&C up front that Towers lounge and accomodations are excluded from the Platinum program. Doing so would not be popular but it would at least be clear and honest.

Seeing as the fence isn't coming down, I will suggest adding the specific exclusion to the Terms and Conditions regarding Towers upgrades and benefits. This way the hotels and resorts that don't mind giving them will have a reason not to. ;)

Sometimes you lose the view of the forest because of the trees. There are a lot of hotels out there that don't mind giving Towers upgrades and benefits. If we put in the Terms and Conditions that they specifically do not have to do so, then there is every possibility that they will choose to be less generous because they think we are telling them not to be, when in fact, we applaud those hotels who go the extra mile and do more than they have to according to the Terms and Conditions of Membership.

But, if that's the way you really want it, then I can certainly make the suggestion. :)

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

William...You know best. The word "Towers" is certainly on my personal radar now and should I consider staying at one of these properties in the future, I will certainly call ahead to clarify the hotel's individual policy before booking. It is just a shame that the situation does and according to your post, will continue to exist. Although no program is perfect it is logical that an award-winning one such as SPG try to address and eliminate the inconsisitancies which irritate it's top-tier customers most.




Seeing as the fence isn't coming down, I will suggest adding the specific exclusion to the Terms and Conditions regarding Towers upgrades and benefits. This way the hotels and resorts that don't mind giving them will have a reason not to. ;)

Sometimes you lose the view of the forest because of the trees. There are a lot of hotels out there that don't mind giving Towers upgrades and benefits. If we put in the Terms and Conditions that they specifically do not have to do so, then there is every possibility that they will choose to be less generous because they think we are telling them not to be, when in fact, we applaud those hotels who go the extra mile and do more than they have to according to the Terms and Conditions of Membership.

But, if that's the way you really want it, then I can certainly make the suggestion. :)

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I am a Plat and have made a reservation for an award stay for a friend who will be visiting London. The reservation is in my name (with my SPG number, even though I will not be staying there) *and* my friend's. My friend is not an SPG member.

Question: Will the non-SPG friend receive an amenity when on an award stay booked by a Plat and charged to the Plat's account.

If the answer to this question is "yes," is there a way of knowing in advance what amenities a London property offers?

William...You know best. The word "Towers" is certainly on my personal radar now and should I consider staying at one of these properties in the future, I will certainly call ahead to clarify the hotel's individual policy before booking. It is just a shame that the situation does and according to your post, will continue to exist. Although no program is perfect it is logical that an award-winning one such as SPG try to address and eliminate the inconsisitancies which irritate it's top-tier customers most.


William, like CUSTOMDIRECT, the word "Towers" is now on my personal radar. But, how do I determine if the hotel operates another hotel within a hotel before I book? Like everything in life, there are various examples of this within Starwood. I remember that a property where I stayed in December that had three different buildings, and the Towers building did not have any suites, and the newest building was all suites. I was "upgraded" to the Towers building when I checked in, but then after receiveing a room and asking if it was a suite, was told no, but that I was being upgraded to a Towers room, but there were suites available. I went to SPG.com and determined that there were suites available, and later told the manager that I was dissapointed for not being upgraded to a suite.

I gather what you are saying is that if we want to be upgraded to a Towers Suite, we must first book a Towers room. Is that correct?

I just booked some nights at the Westin in Kyoto where there was a variety of rates with the Internet rate being about 10% of the highest rate. If I chose the least expensive rate, would I have the same chances of being upgraded to a suite with a higher rate?

Knowing the rules will help determine my expectations of the properties at which I stay.

...I gather what you are saying is that if we want to be upgraded to a Towers Suite, we must first book a Towers room. Is that correct?

That would depend upon the individual property. It would appear that if your travel plans include the Sheraton Hong Kong, then this would indeed be the case.

I just booked some nights at the Westin in Kyoto where there was a variety of rates with the Internet rate being about 10% of the highest rate. If I chose the least expensive rate, would I have the same chances of being upgraded to a suite with a higher rate?

In this instance, rate should not be part of the equation. We would expect that you would be upgraded to a standard suite if one is available at check-in - but not to the Towers section room or suite if they even have one.

Knowing the rules will help determine my expectations of the properties at which I stay.

The only way you are going to know is to ask the property where you anticipate staying as far as whether they will allow upgrades to the Tower section of their hotel. Or read/ask about others' travel experiences here at Flyertalk.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com