Starwood Preferred Guest - cash+points reservation: does it work the same as PC? (Answer: no)

I just noticed in PC forum that PC also has cash+points reward now. The FTer has come up with a method to buy the points at really low rate through cash+points reveration. You can just make a dummy reservation and cancel it, you will not get your cash back but you will get the full point back. This way, it is equivalent to buying some points from PC at a lower rate.

I am not sure what is the mechanism for SPG. If I choose to pay with point+cash and cancel the reservation, will I get the point and cash back OR I get the points back?

I'm not sure I fully understand your post here but it sounds as if you're exploiting a loophole in the Priority Club reservations system and putting your account at risk for possible audit/closure. I do not think a similar technique is viable through SPG nor do I think it wise if there is to post such a method here where it will be easily read by the SPG Lurkers. However if this is what you wish, then maybe someone else can chime in with some help.

As far as answering your question, if you cancel a cash and points reservation with SPG, then as long as you have cancelled by the cancellation deadline, you will receive the amount of points that were deducted from your reservation back into your account. Since C+P reservations are not prepaid, there is no exchange of the monetary unit. If you cancel after the deadline (although I've never done this so maybe someone else can offer a definitive answer for this) then my understanding would be you would receive your points back and would be charged a no-show fee equivalent to one nights room and tax (probably rack rate as is the case with award nights).

Oh, what I mean is of course the cancellation before the cancllation deadline. From you answer, it seems that for C+P reservation, only the points is deducted at the time of the reservation, the credit is not charged, right? So after the cancllation, the points portion will be back and credit will be released.

If so, there is such trick in SPG as in PC.

I think the trick in some degree shows that the point purchase is expensive.

SPG's system makes much more sense and doesn't enable one to game the system like you currently can with PCR. SPG, unlike PCR, tends to think things through and think about unintended consequences.

So, no, you can't do this with SPG. Which is a good thing, as I'm very concerned about impending devaluation from PCR.

I just noticed in PC forum that PC also has cash+points reward now. The FTer has come up with a method to buy the points at really low rate through cash+points reveration. You can just make a dummy reservation and cancel it, you will not get your cash back but you will get the full point back. This way, it is equivalent to buying some points from PC at a lower rate.

If I was a betting man, I'd start a pool as to how long it takes for PC to fix that loophole. ;)

If I was a betting man, I'd start a pool as to how long it takes for PC to fix that loophole. ;)
Soon, I hope.

Given the way PCR is run, who knows, though. Indeed, it may even be PROFITABLE for them even if people just buy points at .6cpp. The low occupancy (95% full or less) reimbursement rates are $20-$100 (plus tax). The amount PCR collects from Cash & Points sales is $30 (5K PointBreaks) to $240 (40K IC).

If I was a betting man, I'd start a pool as to how long it takes for PC to fix that loophole. ;)
I also would like to see it changed,
but given the effort to re-program
everything to an SPG-style approach,
it may be a long time.

Even if you are not a betting man, you could
start a pool, perhaps with "karma" as the reward. :D
If you start one, put me down for Aug 15.

If PC just ups the price from 0.6 cpm to 1.0 cpm,
that could be done faster.