Le Meridien Stuttgart, Germany [Master Thread]

Prior to my trip I could find no recent info, so here is a brief overview

Arrived 11am and no problem checking in early.
Was on a cheap SPG50 rate
Hotel renovated <3 years ago - was in good shape

Was upgraded to a suite - Did not request it. Room was very nice, flat screen TV - minibar - real king bed (not two singles which can occur in Europe) - nice bath, hermes shampoo/soap and separate shower, loads of towels- loads of closet space including WIC, fruit freely available.

Service was excellent and friendly. Location was great - 10 minutes walk to the center of downtown, yet next to a great park to run around.

Gym was great - life fitness equipment - was empty each time I used it - but only had 6 cardio machines (2 treadmills, 2 bikes, 2 elip) so could get busy.

Hotel appears to have 10% suites (based on fire escape map)

Was not officially given access to Executive lounge - When I called they said Platinum does not give access. I thought they might be mistaken so tried my key and it worked. However there was no breakfast and only poor soup and snacks in the evening...that being said there was free alcohol (3 wines in small carry out bottles ) and soft drinks. Having free diet coke was very useful too - you need 4 just to get a reaosnable serving at 20CL a bottle

Breakfast was 19E and a very good buffet with champagne (or more accurately sparkling wine) It looked like I was one of teh few on a room only rate but it is much cheaper to get the SPG50 + 19E than the B&B rate.

Room service was quick - although food was the worst part of the stay - soup was cool and sandwiches was "hunt the filling"

Amazingly ^ ^ ^ High speed was fast and free

Everytime I left the hotels taxis were avaliable - no waiting

Overall a good hotel that I'd recommend

Well, I can say that SPG Gold carried zero extra weight on my stay. Booked a deluxe room, received a deluxe. (Tried the key at the Exec Lounge just for the heck of it. Was able to determine that the red light bulb wasn't burned out.)

My opinion of the hotel / staff is in line with SteveinA2's.

I have been there yesterday as a plat (one night stay):
- no upgrade
- no access to the lounge
- no newspaper

Nice place, but the stuff does not care about SPG at all

I've stayed there three times in the last months and every time got an upgrade to one of those suites as a plat. So it looks like they will upgrade plats if space is available.

The main train station is just a 5 minutes walk through that park - so there is great access to high speed ICE trains to places like Munich or Frankfurt and to the local S-Bahn system for e.g. airport trains to STR.

I stayed three times since beginning of the year. First time was given upgrade to Executive Suite, very nice as per previous posts. Key worked for the Executive Lounge, but rather poor servings. Free Internet access though.

Second visit the Hotel was full, and no upgrade. I tried the key to the Lounge, no success. When I asked about access I was told that Plats do not get access because the lounge is so small, and they get around 70-80 Plats a day (!!!) during the week. When I pointed out to them that the rules do not provide for that kind of exception they gave me a separate access key, but maintaining that I did not have any right as a platinum. If a platinum wanted access they would have to purchase the Executive Package for Euros (cant remember the amount) or for 3.750 Starpoints. I disagreed, but since I had access I did not pursue the matter.

Last Saturday I stayed there again. The Hotel was empty, but they said all their Executive Suites were booked but they would upgrade me to a business suite. Turned out to be a meeting room with a folding bed coming out of a cupboard, and a spare room with 20 chairs. Bit odd, but I did not complain. Only the following morning I realised that I should have, since the thin mattress in the folding bed did wonders for my back. If you have a sensitive back refuse the upgrade!

Again, the key did not open the Executive Lounge. This time no exception was made, and the story of the high number of Plats was repeated. Starwood had given the hotel an exception due the high number of plats and the small size of lounge. I asked to be connected to the SPG service telephone. SPG connected me to a Plat Concierge, who insisted that I had access, and asked to speak to the reception. They had a long discussion where the hotel repeated its story. The Concierge researched the matter, and insisted that no exception of this type existed, but the management of the hotel continued to refuse access. The concierge apologised and said he would open a customer complaint file, and that someone would get back to me within 5 days.

Later in the evening I did get a message from reception that they would make an exception and give me a key. Also they would make a note in my file that in the future I would be given access on weekends, but not during the week.

I had the impression that they were not new to this discussion, and they were very firm in their belief that they had a special exemption from spg in this respect.

Anyhow, the lounge really is not worth the hassle, but it was always empty when I was there.

I will update when I have reply from starwood.

Zorro

Comments from the Platinum Concierge notwithstanding, there are a few things to consider in this particular case. First, the complimentary lounge benefit for Platinum members is described as being available at the Sheraton and Westin brands only:

d. Access to the Club Level when staying at Sheraton hotels or access to the Executive Level when staying at Westin hotels, even when not staying on the Club Level or Executive Level floor(s). At Sheraton properties, access to the Club Level does not mean access to the Towers Level, even if there is no Club Level in the hotel and there is a Club Level in the Towers. Access to Towers Level is determined by each individual property. These benefits are limited to the member and one guest IF that guest is in the same room as the member...

Many of the other Starwood hotel brands also allow it, but it is not defined as an official Platinum member benefit, so they are allowed some discretion if the hotel is not a Sheraton or Westin.

Second, even if this hotel was a Sheraton or Westin, they might - at times - be allowed to suspend the benefit:

...Lounge access is not available if a lounge is at maximum capacity or if a lounge is closed for any reason.

So, I could see how this hotel might feel the way it does about weekday lounge access. They seem to be going above and beyond the call by allowing it on the weekends.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

Anyone have experience or feedback on Le Meridien Stuttgart?

Just stayed at the LM a couple of weeks ago. While I was not impressed with the rate (but with the strong Euro this would have been the complaint anywhere ) - it's a nice hotel located across the park from the train station. A 10 minute walk gets you into the central shopping district. Beds were comfy, bathroom very nice. Overall a very clean hotel. Breakfast was excellent also. No Gold recognition that I could tell, but I don't expect much from that these days anyhow. Didn't need the 4PM checkout so didn't try.

Can someone give more details on the transportation to the airport options via train? Is lounge access granted to suites only then?

Glad this thread was linked from the other one...search did not pull this up when I looked for it.

Just booked this weekend, never been, but will report back on airport/hotel
transportion, breakfast, etc.

Hotel looks very nice on website and seems deccent location.

I had trouble as well searching on info for the property.

May be there this weekend myself also!

This is indeed it:
As posted, it's under a 30-min ride to/from STR, and the train station in Stuttgart is a short walk to the LM. The city-center area of Stuttgart is quite walkable. The S-Bahn gives you easy access to all kinds of GREAT day trips from there to the surrounding areas. The ICE's arrive/depart from the same train station, which means FRA, MUC, and possibly ZRH are w/in your reach as well.

Stayed this past Easter weekend.
Checkin was quick and was informed that I had been upgraded to an Exec. Suite.Really just 1 big room split by TV consol, with couch on one side and bed the other.Bathroom was of average size stocked with Hermes shampoos and soaps.

Wasn't given lounge access till I went down and asked,lounge was small and had soft drinks,beer and wine availible all day.At 630Pm soup and bread were brought up,that's about it other than there was 1 computer in the lounge and TV.

No complaints at all.
All and all a decent hotel with OK location to transportaion and shopping.

Would appear that their policy on lounge access is inconsistent. Stayed there in October as a Plat.. Was upgraded to a suite but when I asked about access to the lounge, was told that it was only available for a supplemental fee and as a LeMeridian property they were not obligated to comp it to Plats.