Programs: DL DM, UA Plat, AA EXP, QR Burg, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Gold, PC Plat, CC Gold
Posts: 4,338
Quote:
Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker
Only immediate family members related to the employee can use this rate.
Is an employee's registered domestic partner (i.e., relationship officially recognized by the state, such as in CA, DC, and VT) eligible for the Starhot rate?
Programs: SPG E Level; AA Pa Kettle; CO/UA Pa Kettle; PWP Plenipotentiary Ombudsman of :rolleyes:
Posts: 27,627
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCBob
Is an employee's registered domestic partner (i.e., relationship officially recognized by the state, such as in CA, DC, and VT) eligible for the Starhot rate?
Yes.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
I have a friend that works for Starwood, and has told me to book a friends & family room online using Starhot, and to then give him my confirmation # so he can get me a letter for the room.
When I go to the Starhot site, it says it's for family only... is there a friends version?
Programs: SPG E Level; AA Pa Kettle; CO/UA Pa Kettle; PWP Plenipotentiary Ombudsman of :rolleyes:
Posts: 27,627
Quote:
Originally Posted by phatty
...When I go to the Starhot site, it says it's for family only... is there a friends version?
No, but there is a separate Friends and Family web site url. I would ask him for that one instead of Starhot if you want to book the Friends and Family rate.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Question is whether Starfriend rates earn points/stay credit.
In my experience, some do, some don't. My best friend has a family member who works for Starwood. I've stayed with him from time to time on StarHOT rates. Sometimes, the stays have gotten credit, other times not.
If I had to guess, the times we received credit it was probably not a true StarHOT/Starfriend rate, but some sort of discount afforded to the employee by the property.
__________________
I'm writing a blog that nobody is reading.
These rates are clearly for employees of Starwood or their Friends & Family. If you are neither, I question the integrity of one attempting to use them.
As an ex-employee of Starwood, I know from experience hotels are very strict about requiring documentation upon check in. After this post, I suspect there will be an alert sent asking them to be stricter.
I feel this thread should be deleted, just as any other thread asking for non-public discount codes.
i beg to differ regarding a general requirement to check for proper ID. I often do use the Travel Agent rates of Starwood. these are typically 25% to 50% below the best available rate and earn full stay and points credit. Maybe 1 out of 20 stays i had to present my ID to proof I am entitled to this rate.
Regarding using such rates:
Of course we are all and always after the best deal for the money and there are many grey areas, where I would not hesitate to interpret rules in my favor. The OPs idea though would be a bit too far fetched in my book though.
As a beneficiary of the StarHot rate (my friend's family member works for SPG so we travel together when possible), I can say from the half dozen experiences that you will need the form (a numbered certificate) that states the person checking in, the actual SPG employee, the property the employee works at, the name of their supervisor or manager of the property and their signature, the property the certificate is to be used at, the reservation number from the StarHot site, the date(s) of stay, along with a "stamp" that makes it official. I think there's other info on there, but you get the idea.
That document is collected upon check-in. Failure to produce it will result in a cancellation/no show of the reservation, along with the standard first night charge (at least that was what I have been informed).
This rate is for the benefit of the employees of SPG, not for the general audience. In addition, it usually provides a 50% discount off food and beverage, which makes a lot of the restaurants in the hotel cheaper than outside eateries. No points are awarded for such stays, and status benefits (i.e. upgrade) will not apply when using these rates, at least that is the standard procedure.
I've been able to stay in the Paris Westin for under $100 a night when the lowest rate available was over $450. There is also a limit on the number of days the rate is good for, i.e. you cannot be there for 2 weeks on that rate. It's a great benefit for SPG employees and they certainly deserve such a perk.
Anyone actually tried using these ever? Heck, for $89 it's worth a shot isn't it?
Well depends on your risk-taking approach. Sure it sounds like only an $89 gamble - but how embarassing would it be to 1) be caught out 2) to arrive to your hotel half way around the world only to be told to pay Rack rates or have no room and 3) to have your record noted as attempted to StarHOT rate when not eligible. It wouldnt be nice if your file is now noted as jamesgbbc; platinum preferred guest *aka dodgy starhot rate user*
Seriously? So you KNOW you are not entitled to the rate, you KNOW you have to have some form of ID (in this case, a letter from Human Resources) and you think that it’s “worth a shot?” I was talking to my PC and she told me that Starhot/Starfriend fraud is a legitimate reason to close or freeze your SPG account. It’s called FRAUD! I certainly for one, do not think it’s ethical or right to try and steal an employee rate.
It’s people like this that get the whole Starhot/Employee program yanked from everyone else.
This is a strategy that I did not know!
