Jasper2009

You should be able to receive a stay credit each when making two reservations. The only potential issue is that as a premier member you may not be able to use a room/suite upgrade cert for the entire stay as technically the cert is not transferrable to anyone.

If you were a Plat member, this shouldn´t be an issue at all.

Ancien Maestro

Yes, we have done this a number of times.. probably 7 or 8 years ago..

Just ask reservations (premier concierge) to link the two reservations and let the hotel know that they can leave you in the same room.

As far as upgrade certificates.. each certificate whether Premier or Platinum is good for one stay up to 5 nights.. since each room night will count as a seperate stay, you will each be required to relinquish an upgrade certificate for each stay.. whether Premier or Platinum.

CanadaDH

Unpublished or not, let me confirm that this benefit does exist. I just finished a vacation that included the Chateau Laurier and the Chateau Frontenac (gold floor-was very nice ), which pushed me over the required nights for Platinum status. My account has now been upgraded, presumably for the balance of this year and next. I did send an e-mail asking for some clarification on the rules, and they just upgraded me. ^

5DMarkIIguy

I have an Amex platinum and I was able to register my PC # with Fairmont to fast track to Platinum after 5 nights. I have a few questions that haven't been answered.

1. Does Amex FHR stays qualify? I booked 3 nights through FHR, and I'm wondering if they count toward the 5 nights stay?
2. If I qualified before Sept. 15 2011 through the 5 nights stay, will I have Platinum status until Feb 28 2012 or Feb 28 2013?
3. Early qualification will get 2 Platinum welcoming packages (1 a week or two after Sept. 15 2011, and another one after March 1 2012.) Is this true for the plat5 promo?

Thanks

Jasper2009

1) Yes, bookings made through AMEX FHR definitely are qualifying stays.
2) You´ll have Plat status until Feb. 28, 2013. However, there is no official statement on whether you´d get Plat status immediately or starting March 1, 2012. (It seems, you get Plat status, but no certs immediately and the full package on March 1, 2012, but I´m not in a position to confirm either way)
3) This is how it used to work, however you´ll probably only get one package on March 1, 2012 with certs valid for one year.

CanadaDH

I recently received a package in the mail upon my early qualification for Platinum, along with certs expiring Feb 29, 2012. I'm assuming a second set of certificates will be arriving next March to expire in Feb 2013. It's next year that I really wanted it for anyway for a series of stays I have planned--I didn't really need it for the rest of this year, but it was a nice bonus to get it.

The upgrade didn't seem to automatically happen, as after my 5th stay (also the PLAT5 promo), my account on the website was still quoting a figure of so many more nights required to obtain the next status level. Thinking the PLAT5 might have been missed, I just e-mailed Fairmont asking why, and they replied back saying they had upgraded the account to Platinum. I didn't ask for the immediate upgrade, but it didn't happen automatically either. I wonder if the early recognition triggers automatically when you stay the full # of nights, but on the PLAT5 promo, the system might need to be prompted?

My suggestion is, if you don't see the upgrade after you see the final stays posted to your account, send a similar e-mail to '[email protected]' and see what happens.

Ancien Maestro

Early qualification is no longer advertised.. but the experience recently after ths recent March 1st, 2011 for early qualification, is that members have been receiving kits.. This was the way it operated prior for years before it was advertised last year..

So although unadvertised, early qualification seems to be alive and well..

Because you qualified this year.. you wll be receiving a Platinum kit around March 1st, 2012 with certificates expirng February 28th, 2013

5DMarkIIguy

My 3 nights stay booked through FHR haven't shown on the past stays yet. It's been about 5 days. I looked through the FAQ, but didn't see anything about how long it takes for qualifying nights/stays to show up.

Ancien Maestro

My wife's profile showed up about 5 or 6 days after.. we were in San Francisco when I checked..

Give it a few more days, then phone up FPC

politico_pk

My experience has been pretty consistent that stays appear in the 7-10 day window. I'm not sure why it takes so long, but like clockwork, that's usually what it takes.

5DMarkIIguy

Does Fairmont upgrade Plat members who don't use the Suite/Room certificates? How do you go about getting the upgrades? Call them at the time of reservation? Ask at check-in?
How likely is it to get upgrades compare to SPG Plat?

Ancien Maestro

Our recent 25 night vacation at 4 different Fairmonts.. all consecutive.. we were not treated to an upgrade at check-in..

Having said that.. we visited during South America's winter break.. so basically the exact 2 week window where everyone was off. Southern California and San Francisico is really busy because its summer time. I wasn't happy with the no upgrades a check-in.. but not sure if it was related to the fact that the hotels were near capacity, or Fairmont's new policy how they are treating elite members..

Jasper2009.. how has your experience been lately?

Jasper2009

Short answer is: Complimentary upgrades are not part of the FPC program. You get a limited number of confirmed upgrades vs. the "upgrade at check-in based on availability" at SPG properties (personally I prefer the FPC system as I can make sure I´ll get a suite when it´s really important ot me)

That being said, I´ve received

1) comp. upgrades at some hotels when not using any upgrade certs (usually 1-2 night stays when it would be a waste to burn upgrade certs) or
2) occasionally the hotel told me to "keep the suite upgrade cert for the next stay" when I had confirmed a suite in advance

While not expected, such gestures are always greatly appreciated and increase my loyalty to the individual property, but usually only happen at hotels where I´ve stayed on a regular basis (2-3x/year).

5DMarkIIguy

I wish they adopt the SPG approach as well as keeping the current scheme: give upgrades whenever available. The way they set it up now is nice for someone who only stay 4 times/year as a Platinum member. For some Plat members who stay 20 times/year, it's very likely they would get 10 suite upgrades.

Jasper2009

I pretty much agree. The official benefits (2 suite and 2 room upgrade certs) aren´t too bad, but not overly impressive either, I think what has kept many Plats happy in the previous years were the opportunities to earn extra suite upgrade certs. As FPC hasn´t offered this option this year, I´m getting the impression some Plats are reconsidering their options. If it weren´t for some excellent experiences/unpublished benefits provided by some individual properties here and there, I certainly wouldn´t be spending some 50 nights at Fairmont hotels this year.