Starwood Preferred Guest - Westin NYC/Shula's Point Shuffle

We've go to Shula's on occasion for pre-theater dinner. Getting SPG points is a recurring hassle.

Sometimes, they take care of it in the restaurant (with obvious disdain). Sometimes they send me to the front desk (who up until Saturday, took care of it, although clearly annoyed).

Saturday, the waiter informed me that they've been instructed that the restaurant is no longer taking care of this at all and one must charge the room (we weren't a guest) or have the hotel add the points. The front desk clerk (elite line) went to talk to the hotel manager and told me that policy is that it must be done in the restaurant. I repeated that they refused, and she disappeared for a while, then came back and said she'd make a copy of my receipt and have the restaurant manager handle it.

I've complained to SPG customer service in the past (and faxed receipts as the points weren't posted even after the front desk said they'd handle it).

I'll wait a couple of days to see if the points actually post (they haven't yet).

As this isn't something I often do, I was wondering whether this is common behavior, or limited to the Westin NYC/Shula's combination.

Either way, SPG corporate ought to fix this.

We've go to Shula's on occasion for pre-theater dinner. Getting SPG points is a recurring hassle.

Sometimes, they take care of it in the restaurant (with obvious disdain). Sometimes they send me to the front desk (who up until Saturday, took care of it, although clearly annoyed).

Saturday, the waiter informed me that they've been instructed that the restaurant is no longer taking care of this at all and one must charge the room (we weren't a guest) or have the hotel add the points. The front desk clerk (elite line) went to talk to the hotel manager and told me that policy is that it must be done in the restaurant. I repeated that they refused, and she disappeared for a while, then came back and said she'd make a copy of my receipt and have the restaurant manager handle it.

I've complained to SPG customer service in the past (and faxed receipts as the points weren't posted even after the front desk said they'd handle it).

I'll wait a couple of days to see if the points actually post (they haven't yet).

As this isn't something I often do, I was wondering whether this is common behavior, or limited to the Westin NYC/Shula's combination.

Either way, SPG corporate ought to fix this.

Hi

Have you contact Customer Care on the latest encounter with the property? I would encourage you to do so and indicate that this problem has been ongoing for a while. Do request the comment to be included in the Customer Service file.

Thank you for your kind patience.

apguest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

when i am eating at a starwood hotel restaurant (and not staying at the hotel), i never ever deal with points at the property. when i get home, i simply fax the receipt (along with my SPG number) to customer care. the points post almost instantaneously.

easy. as. pie.

Hi

Have you contact Customer Care on the latest encounter with the property? I would encourage you to do so and indicate that this problem has been ongoing for a while. Do request the comment to be included in the Customer Service file.

Thank you for your kind patience.

apguest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I have (as of today). Customer care says that it's the hotel's issue, not SPG. They gave me the # of the general manager. I called, he said he had already been made aware of the situation and would take steps to ensure that the staff were properly trained.