Starwood Preferred Guest - What to do when Platinum status for 2007 has been refused

In 2006 I reached 23 stays and 48 nights in Starwood. It should have been 24and 49 but on 18th December there was a mistake with the Sheraton Heathrow (I won't bore you with the details here) and I ran out of nights as from then on in I was staying at a Starwood every night up to New Year. I've had Platinum for 4 years and I naively believed that given the amount of time I've been in the programme and because I was so close to status renewal it wouldn't be a problem. However, I received an e-mail from Platinum Concierge Liason this morning confirming that my status would not be renewed. Frankly, I'm gob smacked. It's not as if I haven't been loyal to them throughout 2006 and I just ran out of nights. I have since responded to them saying how poor I think their response is and are they prepared to lose a customer for the sake of one night. Their e-mail was so matter of fact and did not seem to recognise in any way all the loyalty I've given them over the years.

I would like to know if anyone else has had similar experiences to this and know of anyone else to contact to escalate it? I can't believe they would happily let me hand over my business to a competitor if their response continues to be negative.

Thanks

Why don't you just privately message William (Starwood Lurker) and handle it discreetly?

why not call and ask?

I have always found Starwood’s simplistic method of determining status to be a bit bizarre. Just yesterday, a friend of mine (who is also Plat) was commenting about how it seems a bit illogical that a recent 5 night stay that he had in Europe, during which he spent the equivalent of USD $5,000, counts as one stay towards status, yet someone could conceivably stay 25 times at the cheapest, dumpiest Four Points somewhere for $59/nt (or even less) and achieve Plat for under $1,500 all-in. I have other friends who spend multiples of what I do with *wood in a typical year and they have yet to achieve Plat because, despite their big spending and loyalty to the brand, they just don't hit 25 stays / 50 nts a year.

I know some other chains use different (perhaps more sophisticated and fair?) methods of calculating status which factor a members' spending as one of several determining factors to granting status. :confused:

The current setup happens to work well for me, but I empathize with *wood’s high revenue customers who don't happen to hit the required nights/stays to make Plat.

With respect, we all know the rules. If we didn't, then we learned a lesson, and can comply next year.

I will never post it in public, but a mere 25 nights for the highest tier is the lowest threshold among any of the major chains.

With respect, we all know the rules. If we didn't, then we learned a lesson, and can comply next year.

I will never post it in public, but a mere 25 nights for the highest tier is the lowest threshold among any of the major chains.

I fully agree - and if the system as such shall have any value I hope Starwood will stick to the rules. Otherwise the program will be diluted and we will see benefits disappearing. One think I would change personally it the bizarre rule that turnover does not count.

Well Happy New Year to you all!

The majority of my stays are high revenue because in Europe there are very few Four Points and the average cost of a room is $300+ With respect it is a lot easier for Americans to rack up nights/stays because of the sheer number of Starwood properties there. In England there are just 7 and 6 of those are in London, so if you don't live or work in London it's tough.

I know the rules, I've had the card for 4 years. I just think a bit more customer care and understanding doesn't go a miss in what is a competitive industry. All I was asking for was some constructive advice and thanks for those who obliged.

I fully agree - and if the system as such shall have any value I hope Starwood will stick to the rules. Otherwise the program will be diluted and we will see benefits disappearing. One think I would change personally it the bizarre rule that turnover does not count.

I dissagree - the programme is designed to reward loyalty. The number of nights/stays set are just one persons idea of what justifys being loyal. One or 2 nights either way should be looked upon very simpatheticaly. The fact of the matter is that the OP is a loyal customer in anyones eyes and should be rewarded.

a benifit of loyalty is discression such as letting you take a guest into the lounge, letting you use the hotel fax for free, letting you choose the points and give you the fruit and give or taking on nights.

Also - the point about the matter of fact emial also is a worry. Even if the answer is no, there are ways of softening the blow!

I know some other chains use different (perhaps more sophisticated and fair?) methods of calculating status which factor a members' spending as one of several determining factors to granting status. :confused:
What chains would these be? ...and what thresholds need to be met for their top teir? My guess is their threshold would be far higher than Starwood's.

The assumption it wouldn't be a problem seems a bit odd to me. I can't wrap my brain around the idea that someone would think anything is "owed" to them. The rules are clearly spelled out. Why would anyone assume the rules didn't apply to them? If it were a mistaken count, fine. But knowing full well that you're going to miss it by one night and just assume they owe you a pass? I don't think so.

That being said, a four year platinum should be given some consideration, especially by missing it by one night. If I were with Starwood making this decision, a lot would rest on how well Platinum was made in the prior years. Did he just squeak by with 25 nights or did he do well more than necessary. If the former, tough luck. If the later, he's in for another year.

The number of nights/stays set are just one persons idea of what justifys being loyal. One or 2 nights either way should be looked upon very simpatheticaly.

You said it: It just Starwoods idea of what justifys being cosidered as "loyal". And this is 25 stays or 50 nights - not really a lot. Hilton asks for 28 stays or 60 nights, Marriott for 75 nights. And Starwood asks for 25 stays and not "25 stays minus 10 percent". The OP could have checked easily in a hotel and out again and paid for these two stays - if being Platinum was such a big thing for him. If 23 stays were sufficient the number of Platinums would for sure get up 10 or 20 percent, if 20 stays were sufficient the number could easily double - to the detriment of frequent guests having 40 or 50 stays a year: Every ugraded room can only be given away once.

I don't get this "ran out of nights" thing. Is your contention that they have fewer nights in a year in England than the rest of the world?

My suggestion is to start your stays before Dec. 18th next year.

on 18th December there was a mistake with the Sheraton Heathrow (I won't bore you with the details here)

The details were that there was a family illness and I couldn't check in. Sheraton Heathrow said that they would treat it as a no show and I would still get the nights stay. This proved to be incorrect info. and I didn't get the nights stay.

No, we don't have less nights in a year here but neither do we have a Starwood property on every corner like in the US. I live 200 miles from London and 200 miles from the Westin Turnberry so I can't just check myself in and out for a couple of nights.

I sincerely believed that missing by one night wouldn't have been a great deal as I hadn't missed for the last 4 years. My original post was simply to ask if any other "fellow" (I use the word lightly) members had had any such experience and could offer advice. I didn't think I was opening the gates of the self-righteous "must get past the 50 nights or we're not worthy" zealouts!

I thank you.

perhaps beginning your stays earlier this year will absolve the problem of "running out of nights".

The rules are that rules, that is why they are there ,and why they are enforced. Were you loyal, yes. Did you meet the T&C to achieve Platinum, No.

Not a difficult concept to master.

I also didnt understand about "running out of nights", after all all one needs is 50 out of 365 so early planning is best done Early.

I now from the above post understand that the OP cant simply do a Mattress Run, and maybe there wasnt a SPG prop in a City or Country they had to be in.

As much as I understand that it says 50 nights and not 49 or 48 or 47/25 stays. Its afact that many people at least in the US got the 2 for 1 stay credit deal, that w/o that wouldnt have made it to Plat again be it this yr or last.

If the OP has spent the amount they say they have, then I would do as others have suggested and take it behind closed doors and e-mail or call a US SPG desk and see if something might not beable to be worked out.

I would say that SPG would be Foolish if they didnt allow the OP to have Plat status for '07.

The details were that there was a family illness and I couldn't check in. Sheraton Heathrow said that they would treat it as a no show and I would still get the nights stay. This proved to be incorrect info. and I didn't get the nights stay.

No, we don't have less nights in a year here but neither do we have a Starwood property on every corner like in the US. I live 200 miles from London and 200 miles from the Westin Turnberry so I can't just check myself in and out for a couple of nights.

I sincerely believed that missing by one night wouldn't have been a great deal as I hadn't missed for the last 4 years. My original post was simply to ask if any other "fellow" (I use the word lightly) members had had any such experience and could offer advice. I didn't think I was opening the gates of the self-righteous "must get past the 50 nights or we're not worthy" zealouts!

I thank you.

Welcome to FT. Rather than send an e-mail, which makes it easy for someone on the other end to say no, why not call them and explain the situation? Perhaps if you are on the phone line and can explain what happened at LHR, they will help.

As for your last paragraph, it seems to me that you were hoping to come here and have everyone agree with you. If you get offended when people don't, you're not going to get a lot of sympathy.

Mike

Even the best laid plans can go awry. Obviously the OP is a loyal starwood customer as he goes out of his way to stay at starwood hotels in Europe. I do think starwood should reconsider and make an exception as they do risk losing revenue and goodwill from a loyal Platinum member of 4 years.

It seems this thread always comes up this time of year. The rules are quite clear ont he 50 night stay. I myself lost my platinum status for 2006 due to only having 47 nights in 2005. Even though I calculated I spent approx $30,000 on these 47 nights my staus was not renewed for 2006. I have requalified for 2007 this year no problem. I understand the OP's frustration. You would think Starwood would look at th revenue and say lets give someone the benefit of the doubt and renew them or at least offer a challenge for the first couple months of the new year for stays or amount spent.

While I didn't feel I was "entitled" to the platinum staus for 2006 simply because I spent a lot of money on my 47 nights and I did stay mostyl loyay to Starwood for 2006 I think some people who have a lot of choices when traveling might be tempted to try some other hotel company if this happens to them.

Fair point Mikeef. I didn't expect everyone to agree I was just looking for some advice. This is my first time on the forums and I'll learn not to take things too personally next time, everyone is entitled to their opinion!
Thankfully, I have some really good private feedback and I'll follow up on that...

So let me paraphrase the OP's arguments:

-First, you had 23 (not 24 stays as claimed) but feel you got screwed out of a stay credit so you should get PLT.

-You've been a PLT for four years (which means you know you need 25, not 23 stays)

-You ran out of time to be one stay short (24 is still short and you had ALL YEAR, same as everyone else)

-You shouldn't follow the same rules as everyone else because the nearest *wood is 200 miles away.

--*wood is't any good to you, see the 200 miles away argument above (yet it's so important as to repeatedly complain)

Am I missing something? Still doesn't add up to 25 stays. Why should the rules be bent for you? What makes you special? 25 days is damn easy. You've been a relatively frequent traveler for at least the last 4 years so it's not like you took a new job that had you start traveling in the 4th quarter. There is absolutely no reason an exception should be made for you.

If you had 24 stays and the missed stay, I might be sympathetic. Bottom line is you didn't meet the requirments and you had no intention of meeting them. Let's be honest here, status wasn't refussed. Maybe you should change the title to "What to do when status is not earned?"

As for the supporters of the OP, aren't many of you the same people who complain about devaluation and watering down of the program? Makes it hard for *wood to take you seriously if you then turn around and encourage status for people who can't make a tiny minimum.

Big Bopper you stole my thoughts...

I would only add that while I am sure that Starwood values your $$$ and loyalty:

1. Starwood may not be the best hotels for you if it is so inconvenient for you.

2. Spending a lot of money, while nice, is not currently a thresh-hold for Platinum status.

3. Don’t forget, you do get rewarded for your loyalty…you are a Gold member. Still treated better than the majority of people who stat at SPG properties.

If the OP is a repeat Customer at a few Hotels then they shouldnt miss much not being a Plat except for the Welcome Gift. Im sure that any Hotel where the OP is a repeat Client will be more then glad to Upgrade them etc. , not for Loyalty to SPG but for the Loyalty to that Particuliar Hotel. An email to the GM should take care of that.

So the only real loss would be the Welcome Gift and staying at a new SPG Hotel or one that the OP didnt frequent too often.

Fair point Mikeef. I didn't expect everyone to agree I was just looking for some advice. This is my first time on the forums and I'll learn not to take things too personally next time, everyone is entitled to their opinion!
Thankfully, I have some really good private feedback and I'll follow up on that...

Well, welcome aboard and don't be a stranger! There is a ton of useful info here, and you will have a lot to contribute. Plus, you get major bonus points for use of the term "gob smacked." You Brits have the coolest terms.

Mike

I know some other chains use different (perhaps more sophisticated and fair?) methods of calculating status which factor a members' spending as one of several determining factors to granting status.

What chains would these be? ...and what thresholds need to be met for their top teir? My guess is their threshold would be far higher than Starwood's.


I don't claim to be an expert on the topic, but I seem to remember that some of the smaller loyalty programs base their elite status on points earned through spending. Radisson Gold Points Plus (http://www.goldpointsplus.com/gpp/memberbenefits/details.do?title=Member%20Benefits:Elite&key=elite)is one such program, "Elite status is determined by the number of points earned through qualifying room rates and online bookings." I believe some of the big Asian chains operate similarly.

My suggestion for SPG would be to leave the no. of stays/nights qualifying thresholds where they are but add a provision that recognizes revenue, somewhere along these lines:

Platinum: 25 stays/50 nights OR total annual spening in excess of $x

A provision allowing for fewer nights with exceptional high average per-stay spending could also work. I just think adding these types of qualifying terms would fill the cracks that a lot of high value guests seem to be slipping through.

I too ran a couple of day shy, and mine too were expensive properties, with a lot of additional spending...
I too 'got the shaft' as it were.

I'll repeat what I said then - it would go a long way for Starwood to look at these cases, case by case, and use some customer service logic in awarding status to those of us who provide loyalty, not only with nights/stays, but with our dollars, in terms of meals, types of properties, etc...

My 2 cents, pence, bhat, what have you...

A year ago, I was in a similar position where I had 24 stays and was just shy of the 25 stays required for Platinum. I had never been Platinum before that, but I just called up Starwood and they told me they would submit my case for consideration. A few days later, I received an email stating that I had been upgraded to Platinum.

I know everyone's experience is different, but this is just what happened in my case.

No, we don't have less nights in a year here but neither do we have a Starwood property on every corner like in the US. I live 200 miles from London and 200 miles from the Westin Turnberry so I can't just check myself in and out for a couple of nights.

.
I would never presume anything where a FF status is concerned.
I have been Hyatt Diamond for 10 yrs

for the last 6 years there has been only one hyatt near me(sydney park hyatt) and it is $A700 per night:mad:
the next one is 600 miles away in each direction in sanctuary cove and melbourne.
I make the effort to travel to those places and stay to keep my 25 stays or 50 nights with Hyatt to keep my status.I start my stays early in the year so I dont have to panic later in the year.I am quite positive Hyatt would NOT grant me status with 23 stays.
As a few have said you know the rules as you have been in the program for 4 years.
I am sure you will never cut your stays short again:(

good luck in the future^

A year ago, I was in a similar position where I had 24 stays and was just shy of the 25 stays required for Platinum. I had never been Platinum before that, but I just called up Starwood and they told me they would submit my case for consideration. A few days later, I received an email stating that I had been upgraded to Platinum.

I know everyone's experience is different, but this is just what happened in my case.


Also once you have been platinum they will NEVER grant you status gratis. that is my experience anyway!
there are many posts on this across the board for many years now.

Rules are just guidelines, so I don't know why so many people think they should be so rigid :). It sounds like the op is a loyal SPG customer, and the bigger question is why SPG customer service broomed the guest under the rug. It sounds like the OP has now been given Platinum in any event.

European-based customers get a raw deal from SPG compared to customers who live and work in other parts of the world. If I lived and worked in Europe instead of the US, I probably wouldn't have been able to make Platinum because my company won't pay the rates needed to stay at any of the SPG properties other than the Sheraton Heathrow and Skyline (and probably the 4 Points Bolzano if I ever get sent to Italy)

It's really easy - and cheap - for US (and many Asian) SPG members to do mattress runs to make Plat. About 20 of my 40 SPG stays last year were personal US trips, and I probably averaged under $125 a night for these 20 stays - upgraded to suites more than half the time. I had several stays that were under $75! Each stay at any of the London hotels would have cost me $300 or more per night. If you can afford to mattress run at these rates, you don't need to belong to a loyalty program!

Welcome, kippax, all in all this is a pretty nice and VERY knowledgeable group of folks. Before you know it, someone here will explain how to fly around the world in July for triple miles, $75 all in with discounts, get double EQM's and come back with next year's Plat status in the bag - all without a Saturday night stay! Amazing what you can learn here :)

In 2004 I end up one stay short (24 stay) due to wrong information provided by SPG concierge (paid AAA rate stay at SVO property will be counted as eligible stay, which was not true), and demoted to Gold after 2 (or 3 ? ) years of platinum.

I could have called SPG and asked for granted Platinum, but I was making all my effort to let them count that SVO stay (which failed), it didn't come to my mind.

Anyway, mid-February of 2005, right before I was downgraded, I received an email offering a kind of fast track back to Plat. All stays between mid-February and mid-April (2/15-4/15 ?) would get double-stay and double-night credit (similar to the last year's promo which I was not targeted).

I already had about 4-5 stays by then and 5 more reservation during that period, so I just added 2-3 Mattress Run reservation - back to Plat by mid-April 2005 (and valid through Feb 2007). So my gold period was briefly 1.5 month.

This may not be offered to everybody, but you never know.

So my suggestion is, first of all call SPG and ask for bump up. Then if it doesn't work, keep your finger crossed and keep your schedule open in Feb-March for possible Mattress Run.

European-based customers get a raw deal from SPG compared to customers who live and work in other parts of the world. If I lived and worked in Europe instead of the US, I probably wouldn't have been able to make Platinum because my company won't pay the rates needed to stay at any of the SPG properties other than the Sheraton Heathrow and Skyline (and probably the 4 Points Bolzano if I ever get sent to Italy)

Well, this is true for the UK. But plenty of Starwoods in Germany. And it is true too: There are not a lot of cheap Starwood hotels around. So no chance for cheap matress runs. I estimate that Platinum in Europe "costs" you at least 5000 Dollars if you stick to cheap rates and below average hotels. And if you want to use the more upmarkets Westins and Sheratons it is easily 10.000 Dollars.

But the benefits... They are in reality much better in Europe. I have a suite upgrade success to real suites of 100% in Germany and this will for sure not work any longer if the threshold goes down. So it works perfectly in this market: In practice high threshold (moneywise much higher as in the US) and very good benefits.

The only inconsistency in this system are the 25-nights-fourpoints-matress-runners on vacation in upmarket hotels in Europe. They get great benefits for low stake. But the weak Dollar eliminates this problem. :D. By the way: It does not work vice versa: I avoid the Starwoods especially in New York, I normally only get the benfits meant for 25-nights-fourpoints-matress-runners :D

[QUOTE=kippax;6955452No, we don't have less nights in a year here but neither do we have a Starwood property on every corner like in the US. I live 200 miles from London and 200 miles from the Westin Turnberry so I can't just check myself in and out for a couple of nights.

.[/QUOTE]

May I ask why Starwood is your program of choice?

Maybe Hilton or IC/Priority Club would better suit a U.K. based traveler?

Which SPG properties do you stay at and how many nights a year.

If Property A in Madrid is 11 nights and Property B in Dublin is 6 nights , perhaps you can speak with the respective G.M.'s about service courtesies on future stays.

Good morning to all. I thought you'd be interested to know that in my in-box this morning was an e-mail confirming my Platinum status for 2007. Apparently, there were a couple of stays which had not been added in 2006 because they were under a group conference rate but revenue was still +$130 per night. So all's well that ends well and I did make the 25 stays in 2006.
Thanks to all the advice and help via some private messages. It certainly worked.
ps In responding to an earlier poster on why choose Starwood if there aren't many in the UK? I like to travel and have stayed at some fantastic Starwood properties around the world (just got back from 2 weeks in Hawaii having stayed at the Princeville, Sheraton Kauai and Westin Maui). Personally I think they have much better luxury properties than Hilton and giving that the majority of my stays are on leisure, that's important to me. Having a few more in the UK would just allow me to fill the gaps when necessary. Anyway, gobsmacked no more....

congrats dude.:)

or should I say Jolly good job my man.:D

Best wishes for a great year and enjoy your maintained status level.
AND WELCOME TO FLYERTALK. Sorry for the public abuse you took. glad you got sound private advice. if you stick around us ecentrics and nuts, I think you'll find on the who that Flyertalkers are a gracious and generous group.

I understand liking HI for leisure trips.

Anyway, gobsmacked no more

WHAT IS THE BLOODY MEANING OF THIS EXPRESSION?

European-based customers get a raw deal from SPG compared to customers who live and work in other parts of the world. If I lived and worked in Europe instead of the US, I probably wouldn't have been able to make Platinum because my company won't pay the rates needed to stay at any of the SPG properties other than the Sheraton Heathrow and Skyline (and probably the 4 Points Bolzano if I ever get sent to Italy)

It's really easy - and cheap - for US (and many Asian) SPG members to do mattress runs to make Plat.

Try living in Sydney. ;)

I drool to read of those $59 type nights in the USA and Asia.

Lots of people requal for Platinum early in the year. Most 4-year Plats know this. In fact, they tag their behavior to comply with the clearly stated rules, knowing that to do so guarantees requal.

With 12 full months in which to do so, it doesn't walk that somehow late in December I ran out of days. It shows a want of planning. What about all the previous months?

I can gamble and not stay the full number of stays, and throw myself on the mercy of the SPG court for status. If I win that's great, and I have thereby rendered as suckers my flyertalk spg brothers who abided by the rules. If I lose I should suck it up and move on. That's what gambling is all about.

Sorry, I'm calling BS on this!

New poster. Claims to be a 4 year PLT and that he ran out of time.

Claims "just got back from 2 weeks" in addition to his other end of years stays. So that makes something like 25 of his 48 nights in the last 6 weeks yet he couldn't reach 2 extra nights in the previous 46 weeks?

Has ANYONE on this board (especially a multi year elite) ever "discovered" stays from months ago that didn't count?

Why would a stay that's a "convention rate" and obviously wasn't eligible at the time all of a sudden be eligible now?

I also find it fishy that his PLT email arrived so quickly and on a Sat morning.

Me thinks the new poster wasn't happy that everyone didn't agree with him and posted a bogus outcome.

If he's being honest than I'm severly disappointed in *wood. Maybe this year I'll only stay 23 stays but hey, I spend alot of money and I"m multi year PLT...I deserve different rules too! William, should i email you now or wait until next Jan? :D

Given that LittleDipper is now publicly questioning my integrity, let me now clear this one up once and for all so we can all get on with our lives.......

Before I went to Hawaii I had already reached around 37 nights, with my trip to Hawaii the total would be 48 nights. If you remember one of my earlier posts the Sheraton Heathrow fed me the wrong information the night before I was due to fly out to the US and so I lost a night there. That would have got me to 49 nights for 2006. Now because I've automatically attained Platinum status for the last few years I've never been in this position before. So call me naive but when I was one night short (accounting for the Heathrow mistake which they accepted responsability for), I thought it wouldn't be a big deal for SPG to mainatin my status given my previous record. So when I received a matter of fact e-mail from SPG telling me that I'd been downgraded to Gold, I was slightly miffed hence my post on here asking if anybody else had been in this situation before.

Following some private advice I got in contact with SPG and whilst they were reviewing my case they discovered these 2 nights from earlier in the year. I was speaking at a conference on a conference rate which the hotel did not post as a stay but it should have been. SPG told me that and I'm not going to argue.

I e-mailed them yesterday morning and they got back to me by 6pm New York time. Now I don't know what your maths are like LittleDipper but that was 11pm UK time and I was all snuggled up in bed dreaming of another year of Platinum status so I didn't see the e-mail until this morning.

Well done to SPG for listening to their loyal customers and responding so quickly.

I'n now going to pour myself a nice pint of beer and watch Liverpool vs Arsenal footie match on TV (that's soccer to you LD)

I know some other chains use different (perhaps more sophisticated and fair?) methods of calculating status which factor a members' spending as one of several determining factors to granting status.


What chains would these be? ...and what thresholds need to be met for their top teir? My guess is their threshold would be far higher than Starwood's.

Not sure which chains tjk1976 is referring to, but as I recall you can get status with Hilton based on total stays, total nights, and also based on total spend. I don't have the specifics ready to hand, but I'm sure you can find them at the HHonors website.

It is perfectly true that Hilton allows you to qualify on base points (= turnover) and there is one good in it: It is a fair way to qualify for Waldorf-Collection and Conrad guests. Starwood does not allow that and this is the one bad for the OP (and other powerusers of upmarket Starwoods like myself). 25 stays at 69 Dollars Fourpoints are better than 10 stays at 400 Dollars LeMeridien Piccadilly. I do not understand it and I do not fancy it but I know the rules and I know how to play according to the rules.

Discrediting the OP that way was not fair at all and I appologize for for BigBopper's unfair approach (allthough I do not accept the OP approach either: We all know the rules and we have to play to the rules).

Try living in Sydney. ;)

I drool to read of those $59 type nights in the USA and Asia.

well then, you'll just have to keep your eyes open for those weekend super-specials at the Darling Harbor 4 points, mate :D I think I got 3 nights there for under $300 US.

or get yourself to someplace in Asia with more affordable rates :)

Try living in Sydney. ;)

I drool to read of those $59 type nights in the USA and Asia.

And most of your OZ Starwoods are even located in Sydney. Do you prefer a Hotel to your home to get points?? :D

Kippax I also apologise for bigdippers comments.:rolleyes:

and congrats on attaining plat for another year on your own merits^
I know many elite flyers who wouldnt have a clue if their flights post until they get the dreaded letter downgrading them then they panic and freak out and find their documents
I have a close doctor friend who just got downgraded to silver in qantas and when I went into her account she had not recieved any flights on a biusiness CX syd to LHR~!!
that got her status in one trip!
now we are fighting with qantas as they say the flights arent eligible / its another story (as they are)but unless she had received the letter she would never have known:mad:

kippax,

Congrats on staying Plat for this year.

FYI, I had been able to get 2 stay credits in 1 day with a day rate at a hotel and a stay at another 3000 miles away... That came in useful for my plat requalification.

I live 200 miles from London and 200 miles from the Westin Turnberry ..........Wow, we just did that trip ALL DAY THURSDAY.

- Hotel car Westin Turnberry to Girvan
- train Girvan to Kilnarnock
- train Kilnarnock to Carlisle
- miss connection for direct train to London Euston
- train Carlisle to Crewe
- train Crewe to London Euston
- tube Euston to Paddington
- Heathrow Express to Heathrow
- Hotel Hoppa to Heathrow Sheraton

Eleven hours after checking out at Westin finally in room at Heathrow Sheraton

The things we do for a stay credit. ;)

Glad to hear that everything worked out OK in the end. Of course that was what it was going to be anyway.

I wish I could transfer my Platinum status to you. I just fired Starwood and their entire program as I find them significantly below my expectations. They could learn a lot by visiting a few of their competitors.

And most of your OZ Starwoods are even located in Sydney. Do you prefer a Hotel to your home to get points?? :D

Living in MEL the Westin at AUD295 min is all I have. :(
I can't even bed run unless I wish to travel by train to the 4P in Geelong.

1. My sincere Congrats. to the OP.

2. Shame on Starwood for their original decision. Are you kidding me - a 4 year PLT that "misses" by 1 night - I'm sorry - they need to get over themselves....:) :) :)

3. To those of you who "fought" the OP every step of the way on this - get real: most of you know pwrfectly well that had you been in the same situation re: short 1 night - u would have been royally hacked at original *wood email....

If he's being honest than I'm severly disappointed in *wood. Maybe this year I'll only stay 23 stays but hey, I spend alot of money and I"m multi year PLT...I deserve different rules too! William, should i email you now or wait until next Jan? :D

If somehow you later discover you made only 21 or 22 stays (depending upon how you count), you might want to petition invoking the well known "Almost There Exception," explaining that you are only 1 short of the target, and are thereby nevertheless status eligible.

Don’t forget, you do get rewarded for your loyalty…you are a Gold member. Still treated better than the majority of people who stat at SPG properties.
Sure, but even that's open to debate - apart from the bonus points and the late checkout, Golds get treated like any one-time customer in my experience.
I also didnt understand about "running out of nights", after all all one needs is 50 out of 365 so early planning is best done Early.
I suspect a lot of high-value customers don't have the working pattern or the kind of lifestyle that allows the entire year to be planned out like that. I certainly don't, and I think the OP has a valid point in suggesting a more sophisticated mechanism for determining loyalty.

I would also reiterate what has been posted earlier - that Starwood properties are very few and far between in many parts of Europe and with rates that largely prohibit mattress-running. Every year I get my SPG status entirely on the back of hotel stays in a different continent to the one in which I live. Could most US-based members achieve that?

The UK has about 10 starwood hotels for 60m people !!!

I feel this guy was really unlucky here as I always seem to qualify for platinum every year with about 25 stays and < 50 nights

A fairer way would be qualify via dollar value spent but I think the programme would lose some sex appeal. If it was just 50 nights then yes you could make the programe more elite than it is. I think Starwood get it just right - 25 stays is not an easy target unless you are a total road warrior.

If you actually paid for the hotel rooms which were not used - I think you should appeal to a) starwood and b) the hotel in question to credit the points as though you would have stayed. Its a bad policy decision - if I pay for the room I should get the points, right ?

a.

Sure, but even that's open to debate - apart from the bonus points and the late checkout, Golds get treated like any one-time customer in my experience.

I suspect a lot of high-value customers don't have the working pattern or the kind of lifestyle that allows the entire year to be planned out like that. I certainly don't, and I think the OP has a valid point in suggesting a more sophisticated mechanism for determining loyalty.

I would also reiterate what has been posted earlier - that Starwood properties are very few and far between in many parts of Europe and with rates that largely prohibit mattress-running. Every year I get my SPG status entirely on the back of hotel stays in a different continent to the one in which I live. Could most US-based members achieve that?

Then maybe Euopean based people who wont be traveling alot into the States or places where SPG has a bunch of Hotels, should look for a different Chain to stay with. I know that Hilton and Holiday Inn are all over the UK, maybe they arent on the same level as SPG but at least a mattress run would be possible if need be.

Thats what I did with my Prime Airline, I wanted 1 Carrier that flies to the places I usually go to, the Carrier I like the most doesnt serve all the places I need, only in a round-about way. So I chose some other Carrier. Maybe the OP needs to chose a differnt Hotel Program, much as I did with Carriers.

I think the point is that we'd rather not have to take out business elsewhere!