Starwood Preferred Guest - When does membership level upgrade occur?

I searched for this and couldn't find anything (and checked the FAQ), so I hope I didn't miss the answer.

I'll be passing the 50 night mark right before taking a trip out of the US, and I was trying to figure out when I would officially get upgraded to Platinum.

Does it take effect right after you pass 50 nights/25 stays? Is there some type of monthly sweep? Or do you have to wait until the end of the year?

Also any advice on ways to speed it up (like would it help to call in after I pass 50 nights, but before I leave for my trip)?

Thanks in advance!!

You will become platinum the moment your 50th night/25th stay post to your account. That should be shortly after you stay depending on the hotel. However, you may need to call Platinum concierge or change your reservations yourself by removing and re-entering your SPG number because the old reservations will reflect your old status.

...However, you may need to call Platinum concierge or change your reservations yourself by removing and re-entering your SPG number because the old reservations will reflect your old status.

Er, no. That happens automatically. What you may have to do for the hotels to see the change on their end of things is to call them and ask them to refresh their in-house database so the new elite level is recognized.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Er, no. That happens automatically. What you may have to do for the hotels to see the change on their end of things is to call them and ask them to refresh their in-house database so the new elite level is recognized....

Same idea :p Actually, when you change your reservation online (i.e. to change your billing address, special request, SPG number etc), doesn't spg.com automatically send the changed information as a new reservation to the hotel and guest? (with the same reservation number). Because, whenever I do this (change my special request), I get another email confirmation confirming my stay. So, when this is done, doesn't the new elite level get sent to the hotel and therefore automatically update in hotel system? That's what I was trying to tell the OP to do.

Same idea :p Actually, when you change your reservation online (i.e. to change your billing address, special request, SPG number etc), doesn't spg.com automatically send the changed information as a new reservation to the hotel and guest? (with the same reservation number). Because, whenever I do this (change my special request), I get another email confirmation confirming my stay. So, when this is done, doesn't the new elite level get sent to the hotel and therefore automatically update in hotel system? That's what I was trying to tell the OP to do.

LOL. That might actually work...provided the hotel is IPS-converted. ;)

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

When I became Platinum I had about 10 reservation. Two out the first hotels that I checked into still thought I was Gold. The one that worked OK had had a change made to it in the comment field by the Platinum desk. If I looked at my remaining reservations online they still had a G in front of my number.

I called the Platinum desk and requested that all my reservations be changed so that it would show Platinum. I was told the status changed automatically and that I was wrong about the first 3 checkins. The person was very argumentative. But I knew what the web stated and the results when I checked into those 3 hotels.

I found the workaround that BlissWorld (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/member.php?u=79892) reported above, make a change to the comment field, then G/P letter is changed on the reservation, you get an email and the hotel is notified.

William, please pass this on to the web people and the customer support.

...William, please pass this on to the web people and the customer support.

I'm sorry...what exactly would you like for me to pass along to the web people and customer support? :confused:

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I'm sorry...what exactly would you like for me to pass along to the web people and customer support? :confused:

Wow, William, you were fast on the reply.

Please pass on that the when the guest views the online reservation it will still show G before the number and that the hotel does not get notifed of any status change.

My suggestion is there should be some sort of sweep that changes the reservation that the guest sees from G to P and the record be resent to the hotel.