Starwood Preferred Guest - Mattress run question

I need 4 more stays to requalify for plat - the market has severely curtailed my travel this fall. there's a 4P near me where i can get 4 non-consecutive nights by the end of the year for $75 ea ($86 w/ tax). not sure if it is really worth it. but will this violate the T&C at all? is there any way to do this more efficiently than simply going thru the motions of checking in 4 times? i'll never even visit the room of course. any thoughts? Thanks.

As long as these are non concurrent days.
So you simply cannot check in, then check out the next day, then check in again, even with the different confirmation number. Otherwise, for the rest you are all fine.

Are you going to travel extensively next year? If not, what is the point of getting Platinum?

I need 4 more stays to requalify for plat - the market has severely curtailed my travel this fall. there's a 4P near me where i can get 4 non-consecutive nights by the end of the year for $75 ea ($86 w/ tax). not sure if it is really worth it. but will this violate the T&C at all? is there any way to do this more efficiently than simply going thru the motions of checking in 4 times? i'll never even visit the room of course. any thoughts? Thanks.

The advice I am going to give you will keep you within the operational expectations of SPG and ensure you get credited with four separate stays.

1) make these four stays non-consecutive nights, as suggested above.
2) make the effort to actually check-in; if you don't, you will be a no-show, and while no-shows get their eligible charges posted, they do not count as stays.
3) checking out is not as critical if you are not worried about unauthorized charges appearing on your credit card.

Anything else is YMMV.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

I would echo the physical check in as well. Depending on how far you want to go, you could try to give those rooms away to someone or sell them for a much discounted price. It might be more hassle than it is worth though.

Look at it this way, if Starwood were to offer SPG Platinum "for sale" for the $300 you are contemplating spending to requalify, people would be lining up to "buy" it. I say it's a no brainer in your case if you're planning to do any travel in 2009.

It's totally ethical and not a violation of the T&Cs, btw. :)

Most every hotel that I have stayed in will also let you call to check out, so all you have to do is go there to check in.

Most every hotel that I have stayed in will also let you call to check out, so all you have to do is go there to check in.

If you have a good enough relationship with them, they might even check you in over the phone. YMMV though so do this at your own risk.

Sadly the 7 inches of snow in LAS has thwarted my remaining stay for the year that is needed for making Plat...I still have another two stays booked, but with Christmas no other stays are possible. I am registered for the double stay promo and am going to end up with 23 of 25 stays completed!!! Any idea on what to do? Ive considered booking at area hotels and paying anyway (which I offered to do in LAS tonight, but they said it wouldnt count as a stay), but there are none in the areas Im going to be over the coming two weeks. It looks like my diversion to Marriott and Hilton over the past year has been my downfall with SPG this year, although I barely made it. Alas, I may have to surrender (cue: Starwood Lurker for any possible commentary)!

...(cue: Starwood Lurker for any possible commentary)!

If becoming/retaining Platinum in SPG is important, I would figure out some way to make two more stays before the end of the year. Only you would be able to make that decision.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

It looks like you're from NC. Just pick some random property near you, book a night, then check in. With double stay credit you only need one night. In my opinion, that one night would have to cost you a bloody fortune for me not to do it.

Heck, I'd probably even drive an hour or two to go check in if I needed to. :eek:

Sadly the 7 inches of snow in LAS has thwarted my remaining stay for the year that is needed for making Plat...I still have another two stays booked, but with Christmas no other stays are possible. I am registered for the double stay promo and am going to end up with 23 of 25 stays completed!!! Any idea on what to do? Ive considered booking at area hotels and paying anyway (which I offered to do in LAS tonight, but they said it wouldnt count as a stay), but there are none in the areas Im going to be over the coming two weeks. It looks like my diversion to Marriott and Hilton over the past year has been my downfall with SPG this year, although I barely made it. Alas, I may have to surrender (cue: Starwood Lurker for any possible commentary)!

As long as these are non concurrent days.
So you simply cannot check in, then check out the next day, then check in again, even with the different confirmation number. Otherwise, for the rest you are all fine.

What if I check out from one property and then check in another one the next day? Is it still considered as concurrent days, which doesn't count as two stays?

What if I check out from one property and then check in another one the next day? Is it still considered as concurrent days, which doesn't count as two stays?

This is fine and will count as separate stays. I've stayed consecutive nights in different cities AND in the same city (my preferred hotel was booked on one of the nights I was in town) and in both cases there was no problem. The only problem is consecutive nights in the SAME hotel - that counts as a single stay.

If I miss Platinium by one night or two, say 48 out of 50 nights, are they going to bump me back down to Gold or give me the benefit of the doubt and just let me keep my status? Currently I am at 46 nights and spending two nights at the PH Vegas and one night at the LAX Shearton. Hopefully I can sneak in one more night somewhere.... but I wanted to post this just incase.

Also, if I don't make Platinium at the end of the year.... do I automaticlly drop to Gold on Jan 1st? My main fear is that I will be in London on holiday and want to get a nice upgrade for me and the girlfriend at the hotel we are staying at.

Also, if I don't make Platinium at the end of the year.... do I automaticlly drop to Gold on Jan 1st? My main fear is that I will be in London on holiday and want to get a nice upgrade for me and the girlfriend at the hotel we are staying at.
Assuming that you have a SPG Plat card, what does the expiration date say on it? Unless you're a special case, I expect that it says "Valid Until 2/28/2009."

After you check out of the PH, why don't you check into a room at the Westin LV? (Assuming that that's not the night that you're at the Sheraton LAX.) Or since you're qualifying on nights, book your PH stay for more nights than you actually need. (Again, it's recommended that you don't overlap this with another stay at another hotel.)

Edit to add: Just noticed your location. Don't you LIVE in LAS? How hard is it for you to "sneak in" a night at the PH? It's so cheap during this time of year -- an easy mattress run!

Assuming that you have a SPG Plat card, what does the expiration date say on it? Unless you're a special case, I expect that it says "Valid Until 2/28/2009."

After you check out of the PH, why don't you check into a room at the Westin LV? (Assuming that that's not the night that you're at the Sheraton LAX.) Or since you're qualifying on nights, book your PH stay for more nights than you actually need. (Again, it's recommended that you don't overlap this with another stay at another hotel.)

Edit to add: Just noticed your location. Don't you LIVE in LAS? How hard is it for you to "sneak in" a night at the PH? It's so cheap during this time of year -- an easy mattress run!

PH is going to be the start of my matress run. I am hoping I can checkout via phone since I will not be in town on Monday..(I leave for LA on Sunday afternoon). Hopefully I can pick up one more night somewhere in LA/Orange County to hit the 50 night mark.

Thanks for the tip about looking at the expiration of my Platinium card. It does say Feb 28th, 09. I was just afraid on Jan 1st, the hotel will say.... sorry sir, no nice upgrade for you and your lady.

If I miss Platinium by one night or two, say 48 out of 50 nights, are they going to bump me back down to Gold or give me the benefit of the doubt and just let me keep my status? Currently I am at 46 nights and spending two nights at the PH Vegas and one night at the LAX Shearton. Hopefully I can sneak in one more night somewhere.... but I wanted to post this just incase.

Also, if I don't make Platinium at the end of the year.... do I automaticlly drop to Gold on Jan 1st? My main fear is that I will be in London on holiday and want to get a nice upgrade for me and the girlfriend at the hotel we are staying at.

I cannot answer that, but they shouldn't "give" Platinum status away. It should be earned. If you're that close, go for it.

Being Platinum you should know, status does not end in January it ends the last day of February. Please see the program T&C's.

PH is going to be the start of my matress run. I am hoping I can checkout via phone since I will not be in town on Monday. (I leave for LA on Sunday afternoon). Hopefully I can pick up one more night somewhere in LA/Orange County to hit the 50 night mark.
Why formally "check out" at all? Sure, you can call the front desk on Monday to let them know that you're out of the room. But plenty of folks just walk out without saying a word to the front desk. (I like to let them know as a courtesy, but I don't feel obligated to do so.)

You're not booked at the PH on Sunday night and at the Sheraton LAX also on Sunday night, are you? That's technically against the rules for getting Night credit on both locations for the same night, but YMMV. Can you add another night to your reservation at Sheraton LAX?

Edit: Apparently, you didn't sign up for the Double Stay/Night Credit quarterly promo before the deadline. Did you sign up for one of the other options in that promo? If so, are you close to a threshold for a big points bonus that might make even another night or two worth booking? (IMO, this promo was the "benefit of the doubt" to let you keep status without staying 50 nights.)

My stay in LAX won't be until next Saturday so I will most likely just find something in the middle of the week to checkin to while visiting family for the Christmas holiday. I just did not know if I had to formally check out since it was a casino and not your standard run of the mill SPG hotel.

On a random side note, do you have to formally checkout at international properties? I always have do to the fact they swipe my card again and I have to sign off on all the charges. Has anyone ever recieved an express checkout from an international property? Especially in Asia?

My stay in LAX won't be until next Saturday so I will most likely just find something in the middle of the week to checkin to while visiting family for the Christmas holiday. I just did not know if I had to formally check out since it was a casino and not your standard run of the mill SPG hotel.
No, not in my experience there. However, they do not put copies of the bill under the door during the night, so I would usually check out at the desk anyway in order to get my receipt in hand. (I was there on business so needed receipts.) It's been almost 2 years since my last stay there, but I doubt things have changed in this regard.

Are you a AAA member? The PH has a AAA rate for tonight for just $66.75 if you want to extend your stay on this end.

One thing no one mentioned in this thread, could one simply check in and then immediately check out? Yes, the front desk clerk would probably think I'm nuts, but if I was doing several mattress runs at the same hotel (alternating days) they would get to know me.

This has the advantages of there would be no worries about extra charges being added to the bill and the hotel is now free to rent the room again.

But, does this somehow violate Starwoods T&C?

One thing no one mentioned in this thread, could one simply check in and then immediately check out? Yes, the front desk clerk would probably think I'm nuts, but if I was doing several mattress runs at the same hotel (alternating days) they would get to know me.

This has the advantages of there would be no worries about extra charges being added to the bill and the hotel is now free to rent the room again.

But, does this somehow violate Starwoods T&C?

Dearest horseguy,

I would not encourage this as there will be early departure fees incurred and most properties will not give you your relevant Stay credit.

apguest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

One thing no one mentioned in this thread, could one simply check in and then immediately check out? Yes, the front desk clerk would probably think I'm nuts, but if I was doing several mattress runs at the same hotel (alternating days) they would get to know me.

This has the advantages of there would be no worries about extra charges being added to the bill and the hotel is now free to rent the room again.


I often check in and request the hotel bill immediately because some agents need quite some time to enter the billing address into the system when I leave in the morning. If I pay immediately I can check out in the morning very fast (or even leave without stop at the reception whenever I want ;) )

One thing no one mentioned in this thread, could one simply check in and then immediately check out? Yes, the front desk clerk would probably think I'm nuts, but if I was doing several mattress runs at the same hotel (alternating days) they would get to know me.

This has the advantages of there would be no worries about extra charges being added to the bill and the hotel is now free to rent the room again.

But, does this somehow violate Starwoods T&C?

Who checks out? Checkin, walk out the back door, go home, and call them the next day to fax your folio.