mrredskin

ha, yes, because everyone on this thread has the same amount of travel per year like you, slick...

sarcasm

mrredskin

this will actually be the addition that allows me to now keep the card. sitting on 9 stays as a gold this year and with work being hell here recently, i wasn't seeing any potential stays at an SPG hotel. now all we need is some rollover towards the next year!

ramalama8

I actually agree with you, which is why I think that this benefit is not all that great. I don't think there are many folks that, being 2 stays away from PLT, wouldn't do a MR. There will, of course, always be exceptions, but if there are too many "exceptions", then yes, that is dilution.

So which is it: a valuable benefit for a lot of people (which leads to dilution) or the benefit isn't all that great (because not many people would be on the bubble that wouldn't try to make up for it)?

With that being said, I appreciate any and all benefits that any company wants to give me; it's just that this benefit doesn't seem to help me at all. Just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time.

It seems you disagree with Sagy in that people who are on the bubble won't do a MR. Yet in your next post, you agree with him.

Count me as one of those who'd like to see a higher level above PLT. Like you, I can split my stays between three different chains and get highest status at all chains, as probably is the case for most consultants. Imagine if one hotel chain were able to capture all of my stays...

BTW, while SPG may not be the easiest to achieve PLT, it's not the hardest - I think Marriott is harder.

Hah! That's funny.

But to humor you -
What does my previous statement have in common with oft-used statement: "I've heard that a million times." Both statements are exaggerated in order to make a point.

That was snarky...

And yes, I realize not everyone has my amount of travel (you should all count yourselves fortunate) but does that mean I can't contribute my two cents?

lerasp

here's another question for Lurker: I currently don't have a business card. If I apply for one now (presumably it won't be active in time for October 14) - will I get 2 stay credit this year? Or is it binary - only active members on October 14 and the next "check" of active members is in February?

Keyser

how did you come to the conclusion that i disagree with sagy????

where did i say people who are on the bubble won't do a mr????

i said there are a lot of people who would fall short by a couple of stays....maybe they fall short after doing a mr....maybe they don't live in a city that has a starwood property....maybe they thought they had 25 stays but at the last moment fall short by a stay....there could be dozens of reasons....

i am not a consultant but i still travel quite a bit....i don't want a higher level than platinum....i'm happy with what there is....the reason i slpit my stays between 3 different chains is because there are places i travel to where one chain is available & there are certain places where another chain is available....

spg is my preferred chain but in india if there is no spg property in the city i am going to then i end up staying at a taj property....similarly, when i am in london or singapore, i always stay with hilton (due to the clients)....if spg was present everywhere i went then i would not stay with any other chain....

that may be true but it doesn't mean that spg is giving out plat status like pretzels....

ramalama8

OK, so maybe I should have said this...

You seem to disagree by thinking this will help a lot of people qualify for PLT that otherwise wouldn't have. I think that if folks are on the bubble, they most likely will do something to ensure their status.

My apologies if I misinterpreted your statement.

That makes sense and if you were able to stay only in SPG, then maybe a higher level would benefit you. But back to my point - in the USA, where most chains have properties in most places most people travel for work (have to insert the word "most" for all of you "exceptions" out there), imagine if one hotel chain could capture all of their stays...

Again, it's exaggeration. I find it much, much easier to obtain highest status at a hotel chain than with an airline. (Yes, I realize that mileage runs to Delhi or wherever can go a long way, but I'm speaking of normal travel patterns.)

Keyser

it will help a lot of people qualify....imagine if you only have 23 stays come december time, with no more travel required....if it were not for this benefit then you would have to do a mr for 2 more stays....

there are a lot of people i know who don't really care about status....they fall short by a few stays or nights & don't make the effort to push that little extra....this benefit would again help them....

there are lots of small cities i travel to in the US that don't have spg properties....i end up staying with hilton then....

like i said before, if i only started traveling to places that had spg properties then i would just stick to one chain....even then i'm not in favour of a higher level....

its the opposite for me....i have always found it easier to get status on airlines than on hotels....i average between 2-3 international flights a month....all in either business or first....with the bonus miles, i usually requalify for the highest status with both my preferred airlines by march every year....

since i split my stays between 3 hotel chains, it usually takes me much longer to get to top status with them....

ramalama8

Thanks for your replies.

Maybe your experiences are unique, or maybe mine are. But either way, I guess we're just in different boats and value benefits differently. Like I said before, it just goes to show that you can't please all of the people all of the time.

VanMan

It works for me: 2 stays needed now; Platinum on 14 October.

Thanks!

Keyser

i think everyone's experiences are unique to themselves....but i will agree with you that you can't please all the people all the time....

the bottom line is that for a $20 fee increase you are getting a 2 stay credit....all the people who struggle to make elite status or need to do a mr at the end of the year will greatly appreciate this....

mnmag

Plus1!^ After all, if someone is really not happy with the benefits with this card/program -- they clearly have a choice to take their business elsewhere!

ashi_seattle

I agree. This is a nice acknowledgment to the SPG elites that qual on stays vs nights. $65/yr for 2 stays has clear value to those who are approaching the next tier, and substantially less than a MR.

astan100

2 stays are well worth the 20 dollar increase IMO. It'll help qualification in lean years for sure.

Starwood Lurker

Any new cardmembers who sign up and are approved for the card on or after October 14th will automatically get credit for 5 stays and 2 nights towards 2010.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

DCFlyer0306

It's great that SPG and Amex listened to the complaints on this board and changed the benefit ^. I just requalified for Plat yesterday but took two additional stays that I would not have but for requalification purposes. So, this benefit came too late to help me this year, but should be useful in future years.