Starwood Preferred Guest - End of W The Card!

Just got this email, forgive me if someone else posted about this already.
"Well hello there ********,
W Hotels appreciates your participation in W The Card's debut. As many good things have an end, the W The Card program will be discontinued as of January 31, 2009.
Remember that although W The Card is through, you can still continue to indulge in the world of wonder and beyond with your boundless Starwood Preferred Guest® benefits — discover complete details at SPG.com.
As a final wow, we want to give you the opportunity to keep living the luxe life and that's why we are offering you double Starpoints® on your next escape to any of our W Hotels worldwide between February 1 and April 30, 2009.
We look forward to welcoming you at W Hotels, bringing you extraordinary experiences and making your wishes come true."

My "wish" is that they hadn't wasted 2008 for me by telling me I was no longer a member of the program when I was all along! When I didn't get my new card I called and was told I hadn't been invited back. So I was shocked when, months and months later I was told by the GM of a W that I WAS still a member. They even sent me a "so sorry we messed up" gift of a Michael Koors vase and some very nice Bliss products. Meanwhile I never did get the 2008 card they said was on its way. Guess it doesn't matter anymore!

And the one last hurrah I might've had with my member status turned out to be no deal at all. I'm planning a SF trip (see my other thread for advice on which San Francisco hotel I should choose) and thought I'd click through this email and find a great deal on one last member stay at W SF. Nope. Same rate as online.

Oh well, my favorite W is Chicago Lakeshore and they always treat me well, W card member or not. I still have my SPG Platinum card if I need to feel important! ;)

I WILL miss that Voss water. :rolleyes:

Ok, I know that there will be plenty of FTers that will say they don't care a bit about this program going away, but I must say that I will miss it. Access to W bars on packed nights when not staying at the property was a great benefit as were the other small benefits (ie. Water, etc.).

Oh well -- Goodbye W Card, I'll miss you... :(

PS: Thanks for the Double Starpoints on your next W stay through 4/30 for W The Card members, that was a nice parting gift.

I will too miss the Voss but that was the only benefit I really used. Nice that they gave us a whole one day advanced notice of the death of the program.

Never received an email telling me the program was ending, but just received a letter in the mail today, telling me the program ended 1/31/09 (three weeks ago!) Did this program even cost SPG or W Hotels anything anyways? I for one never received any benefits from it. I had 4 stays at W hotels in 2008 and did not receive any benefits from being a WTC holder - no water, no turndown, nada! Good riddance!

For what it's worth, I got my double points as promised pretty promptly. It was a rather spendy stay at the W Maldives too, so I really maxed this one out, albeit unintentionally as I had the trip booked before they ended W the Card.