Makes you wonder why bother with a big mktg department. Just post a "preview" a bit earlier next time, then sit and watch the ensuing riot, and pick and choose what makes sense for the next "Nice Choice" promo. Wouldn't that be revolutionary?
Sounds like a good idea?
Since there are already a few contests ongoing, why not have that that let the SPG followers suggest the next creative SPG Promo?
If part of the idea is taken, SPG can just reward that person with some points and award nights! Very affordable cost in acquiring some great ideas.
Has there been any official word on whether reservations made before the promo registration date (for stays to be completed within the selected period) will count? I believe that for past promos these reservations have been eligible as long as the stay occurred after registration and during the promotion period. I would like to get some travel plans for mid-May taken care of this weekend.
Has there been any official word on whether reservations made before the promo registration date (for stays to be completed within the selected period) will count? I believe that for past promos these reservations have been eligible as long as the stay occurred after registration and during the promotion period. I would like to get some travel plans for mid-May taken care of this weekend.
Yes, they'll count as they have in past SPG promos.
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Thanks for nothing, Horton. Clearly, you didn't give a hoot.
Suffering in the age of DAArth PAArker and UScAAre.
Hyatt just announced their promo for the coming months and Starwood has to be breathing a sigh of relief (if the leaked rumors are true of course)
5x miles per stay up to 11 stays. It's a solid promo in terms of racking up huge amounts of miles in a short time, but it does nothing to encourage more than 11 1 night stays.
Starwood has to be loving the fact through the end of august, most of the hardcore business travelers will have maxed out of Hyatt + Marriott's promos after a combined 17 nights. I'll probably spend 11 nights at a hyatt, 6 at a marriott, and the probably starwood the rest of the time by default (working they 17 nights away from starwood around my 2 month promo-blackout)
If you're going to spend 11 nights at a Hyatt on a miles promo, you're probably not limited to anywhere 6 at a Marriott. Reason: Marriott has only announced their points/certs promo so far, but they always have both a miles and points promo semi-simultaneously (though the start and end dates aren't always exactly the same), so I can virtually guarantee that there's another miles-based Marriott promo coming for the summer. And at Marriott, you can max out both promos independently (ie, max out the certs at 6, then switch to miles and max out whatever that is). Typical caps on the miles promo are bigger than on the certs promo: last fall it was 15 I think, this winter/spring it was 25 (26 if you count the qualifying first stay that didn't get the bonus).
The only issue to look out for is that sometimes Marriott limits the participating airlines. (Plus it no longer partners with AA at all.) There were only half a dozen in the fall 2011 MegaMiles promo, but there were way way more (a couple dozen?) in the winter/spring 2012 MegaMiles promo.
Free wifi added (late 2010?) Hooray!
Free continental breakfasts added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
10 semi-confirmed suite upgrade nights added (Spring 2012 50 nights or more)) Hooray!
4x points added if you stay 75 nights added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
Great stays (with suite upgrades) in the last 12 months in Lisbon, Madrid, Venice, Paris, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, New York, Hollywood Florida, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco. Hooray to the hoorayth power!
Weak prom in Summer 2012? WHAT! THE NERVE! I'm leaving for some hotel chain that hardly ever gives suites but has a better promo.
Programs: SPG Plat, BA Executive Gold, Skywards Silver
Posts: 1,838
Quote:
Originally Posted by beachfan
For us platinums:
Free wifi added (late 2010?) Hooray!
Free continental breakfasts added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
10 semi-confirmed suite upgrade nights added (Spring 2012 50 nights or more)) Hooray!
4x points added if you stay 75 nights added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
Great stays (with suite upgrades) in the last 12 months in Lisbon, Madrid, Venice, Paris, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, New York, Hollywood Florida, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco. Hooray to the hoorayth power!
Weak prom in Summer 2012? WHAT! THE NERVE! I'm leaving for some hotel chain that hardly ever gives suites but has a better promo.
Free wifi added (late 2010?) Hooray!
Free continental breakfasts added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
10 semi-confirmed suite upgrade nights added (Spring 2012 50 nights or more)) Hooray!
4x points added if you stay 75 nights added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
Great stays (with suite upgrades) in the last 12 months in Lisbon, Madrid, Venice, Paris, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, New York, Hollywood Florida, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco. Hooray to the hoorayth power!
Weak prom in Summer 2012? WHAT! THE NERVE! I'm leaving for some hotel chain that hardly ever gives suites but has a better promo.
Free wifi added (late 2010?) Hooray!
Free continental breakfasts added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
10 semi-confirmed suite upgrade nights added (Spring 2012 50 nights or more)) Hooray!
4x points added if you stay 75 nights added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
Great stays (with suite upgrades) in the last 12 months in Lisbon, Madrid, Venice, Paris, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, New York, Hollywood Florida, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco. Hooray to the hoorayth power!
Weak prom in Summer 2012? WHAT! THE NERVE! I'm leaving for some hotel chain that hardly ever gives suites but has a better promo.
I couldn't agree more. I switched from Hyatt to SPG for rational reasons, not based on one event, but rather on my travel habits and the availability of hotels where I needed them. If people leave SPG for one sub-par (and it does seem sub-par to me if the rumors are to be believed) promotion, and switch their loyalty to another chain, will they leave them at the drop of a hat as well?
If I wanted a reason to switch back from SPG to Hyatt (which I'm not considering), I wouldn't look at this promo -- that just seems silly to me. I'd focus on SPG's hit-or-miss nature suite upgrades, their continental breakfast instead of full, and the fact that if I go to a high-end hotel overseas, I might have to choose between points or continental breakfast or free Internet. That, especially the last, is prehistoric at this point. But I'm not switching, because I like so many of their brands (especially Aloft at the low end and W at the high end), because I like my concierge, and most of all because I love how easy it is to find SPG hotels nearly anywhere I travel.
Actually the Newly renovated Sheraton Towers NYC is pretty nice! ..though I had an issue with getting an upgrade from queen to King, but location and lounge are great..just beware of getting stuck in the elevators!!
Also beware of waiting to check in for 20 minutes. And having 4 employees checking in people from the 'regular' line and one person for Golds and Platinums. By far the longest / slowest moving lines I've ever experienced at a hotel. They have tones of staff standing around and 3 people slowly checking in a long line of guests. It's the last thing anyone should have to deal with after dealing with airports and traveling.
Programs: SPG Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, IC Platinum, Marriott Silver, National Executive Elite, USAir Silver
Posts: 316
Quote:
Originally Posted by beachfan
For us platinums:
Free wifi added (late 2010?) Hooray!
Free continental breakfasts added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
10 semi-confirmed suite upgrade nights added (Spring 2012 50 nights or more)) Hooray!
4x points added if you stay 75 nights added (Spring 2012) Hooray!
Great stays (with suite upgrades) in the last 12 months in Lisbon, Madrid, Venice, Paris, Siem Reap, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, New York, Hollywood Florida, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco. Hooray to the hoorayth power!
Weak prom in Summer 2012? WHAT! THE NERVE! I'm leaving for some hotel chain that hardly ever gives suites but has a better promo.
While I agree that our benefits have increased, let's not pretend that Starwood added them without serious pressure from other chains!
Hyatt & Marriott offered complimentary internet before Starwood
Free breakfast was also offered at Hyatt & Hilton before Starwood (while Marriott offered club lounge access similar to Starwood)
Hyatt has offered (for several years) 4 suite upgrade certificates each year that are good regardless of length of stay (although can't be used for awards reservations) before Starwood
Marriott already gives their platinum members 25% more points than their Gold members (which is the same as 4th point)
So EVERY ONE of the options that Starwood added are being offered by at least one of the other chains. I don't mean to diminish the new perks--because I think they are great, but for the past 4-5 years, most frequent travelers would argue that SPG allowed itself to be passed by by Hyatt & Marriott. These new perks now put Starwood ahead of Marriott & Hyatt, but only by one perk:
SPG offers confirmed suite upgrades while Marriott Platinum does not
SPG offers 4th point to Plats (but only at 75 nights), while Hyatt only offers a 15% point bonus over their Platinum guests.
(Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, and I'll update my post)
Last edited by moulder3; Apr 28, 12 at 8:10 pm..
Reason: updated hyatt stay & point upgrades
Free breakfast was also offered at all three competitors (I know Hyatt & Marriott for sure) before Starwood
New at Starwood, I must admit, my sum total of stays with them amounting to 5 nights between 2004 and 2005 which the system doesn't even acknowledge; I have OTOH been Plat with Marriott for a long time, and free breakfast has never been a formal benefit in any way. More properties have lounges, for sure, and when they are open it's all good, and if they don't have lounges you do typically get a breakfast coupon for weekday stays, otherwise you are on your own. Never got a free breakfast at a resort, for sure. Or Courtyard. It's not a huge deal to me, not a big breakfast person, but surely not a standard benefit there. Now, the points are another business ... we'll have to see how the accumulation works itself out with SPG. So far I am happy with the switch tho', even if it was more or less forced.
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Ten days of totally ragged flying, an absolutely amazing eclipse experience.
