Bye-bye SPG, it's been a great 10+ years!
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 39
Bye-bye SPG, it's been a great 10+ years!
I joined SPG as a Gold member in 1997. I reached and maintained Platinum since about 2002.
I was downgraded to SPG Gold this year for the first time. I have to admit is was hard to take.
As an SPG Platinum member for about 10 years, I was sorry to cut my association with SPG. But when I was downgraded to Gold from Platinum last year (20 stays instead of 25), it was clear there was little to no value to keeping SPG Gold membership. SPG Platinum is a great product and if I had requalified I would have stayed with SPG. So I leveraged my Platinum status with another chain and got VIP Gold Status from Hilton. Impossible to compare. Instead of an “enhanced room” (a standard that you can drive a hotel laundry truck through), Gold VIP offers a room upgrade, including executive floor, free breakfast if not upgraded to exec. floor and free internet. There is no comparison. I have subsequently cancelled most of my SPG reservations.
I note that SPG did not offer their two-for-one qualifying nights in fall 2010 as they usually do. I certainly would have requalified had that been the case. That was my first indication that they were “culling the herd”.
Hilton`s VIP Gold is achieved after 16 stays. Since I had 20 stays with SPG, it is easily within the realm of the achievable for this year.
I know SPG has many customers and won`t mourn the loss of one. But I have been a pretty loyal customer and so I do want to say a final goodbye to SPG! It's been a great 10+ years!
I was downgraded to SPG Gold this year for the first time. I have to admit is was hard to take.
As an SPG Platinum member for about 10 years, I was sorry to cut my association with SPG. But when I was downgraded to Gold from Platinum last year (20 stays instead of 25), it was clear there was little to no value to keeping SPG Gold membership. SPG Platinum is a great product and if I had requalified I would have stayed with SPG. So I leveraged my Platinum status with another chain and got VIP Gold Status from Hilton. Impossible to compare. Instead of an “enhanced room” (a standard that you can drive a hotel laundry truck through), Gold VIP offers a room upgrade, including executive floor, free breakfast if not upgraded to exec. floor and free internet. There is no comparison. I have subsequently cancelled most of my SPG reservations.
I note that SPG did not offer their two-for-one qualifying nights in fall 2010 as they usually do. I certainly would have requalified had that been the case. That was my first indication that they were “culling the herd”.
Hilton`s VIP Gold is achieved after 16 stays. Since I had 20 stays with SPG, it is easily within the realm of the achievable for this year.
I know SPG has many customers and won`t mourn the loss of one. But I have been a pretty loyal customer and so I do want to say a final goodbye to SPG! It's been a great 10+ years!
#4
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,727
The OP does bring out the benefits around having multiple programs to choose from. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and over time our travel patterns (and wants/desires) may change. With those changes, it may behoove us to periodically look at our primary (and even secondary) programs to see if we may be better suited with a different program (as was the case for the OP.)
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Capetown
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG and Hilton Diamond, LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 10,163
Believe me, the grass is greener there
BTW: How could you be a SPG member since 1997. Wasn't the programm invented in 1999 only?
BTW: How could you be a SPG member since 1997. Wasn't the programm invented in 1999 only?
#6
Used to be bulldoggolfer05
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Săo Paulo, BR/Miami Beach, FL/NYC/DXB
Programs: HGP DMD, HHonors DMD, SPG PLT, MR PLT
Posts: 2,295
#7
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: UA global, VS Gld , SPG plat
Posts: 287
agree that Plat is great.
I get a complimentary Hilton gold with one of my airline programs (forgot which) and it is not worth much apart from the free internet which I mist admit is one of the best features of SPG plat.
Never been given free breakfast and if the Hilton rooms I get are upgrade then avoid the basic rooms !
SPG is still the best.
I get a complimentary Hilton gold with one of my airline programs (forgot which) and it is not worth much apart from the free internet which I mist admit is one of the best features of SPG plat.
Never been given free breakfast and if the Hilton rooms I get are upgrade then avoid the basic rooms !
SPG is still the best.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,069
dh
#9
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EP, UA Gold-MM, UA 1K (former), GS (former),SPG LT Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,299
I was downgraded to SPG Gold this year for the first time. I have to admit is was hard to take.
As an SPG Platinum member for about 10 years, I was sorry to cut my association with SPG. But when I was downgraded to Gold from Platinum last year (20 stays instead of 25), it was clear there was little to no value to keeping SPG Gold membership. SPG Platinum is a great product and if I had requalified I would have stayed with SPG. So I leveraged my Platinum status with another chain and got VIP Gold Status from Hilton. Impossible to compare. Instead of an “enhanced room” (a standard that you can drive a hotel laundry truck through), Gold VIP offers a room upgrade, including executive floor, free breakfast if not upgraded to exec. floor and free internet. There is no comparison. I have subsequently cancelled most of my SPG reservations.
I note that SPG did not offer their two-for-one qualifying nights in fall 2010 as they usually do. I certainly would have requalified had that been the case. That was my first indication that they were “culling the herd”.
Hilton`s VIP Gold is achieved after 16 stays. Since I had 20 stays with SPG, it is easily within the realm of the achievable for this year.
I know SPG has many customers and won`t mourn the loss of one. But I have been a pretty loyal customer and so I do want to say a final goodbye to SPG! It's been a great 10+ years!
As an SPG Platinum member for about 10 years, I was sorry to cut my association with SPG. But when I was downgraded to Gold from Platinum last year (20 stays instead of 25), it was clear there was little to no value to keeping SPG Gold membership. SPG Platinum is a great product and if I had requalified I would have stayed with SPG. So I leveraged my Platinum status with another chain and got VIP Gold Status from Hilton. Impossible to compare. Instead of an “enhanced room” (a standard that you can drive a hotel laundry truck through), Gold VIP offers a room upgrade, including executive floor, free breakfast if not upgraded to exec. floor and free internet. There is no comparison. I have subsequently cancelled most of my SPG reservations.
I note that SPG did not offer their two-for-one qualifying nights in fall 2010 as they usually do. I certainly would have requalified had that been the case. That was my first indication that they were “culling the herd”.
Hilton`s VIP Gold is achieved after 16 stays. Since I had 20 stays with SPG, it is easily within the realm of the achievable for this year.
I know SPG has many customers and won`t mourn the loss of one. But I have been a pretty loyal customer and so I do want to say a final goodbye to SPG! It's been a great 10+ years!
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: Migros Cumulus Platinum Hero
Posts: 1,628
Actually, not really true given the OP is now a Gold elite and seems to refer to the fact that that was as high as they could get with their new travel pattern. Suite upgrades are not the norm for Golds.
The OP does bring out the benefits around having multiple programs to choose from. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and over time our travel patterns (and wants/desires) may change. With those changes, it may behoove us to periodically look at our primary (and even secondary) programs to see if we may be better suited with a different program (as was the case for the OP.)
The OP does bring out the benefits around having multiple programs to choose from. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and over time our travel patterns (and wants/desires) may change. With those changes, it may behoove us to periodically look at our primary (and even secondary) programs to see if we may be better suited with a different program (as was the case for the OP.)
What not true? I think it is very true.
He, the OP, the gold gets the standard rooms and I, the famous Zurich Flyer, the Plat, get the suites
PS: We from Hilton understand that every traveler has his choice. Me, the customers understand this well, and this is why SPG is amongs my preferred hotels and Hilton is only my second or third or fourth choice
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,510
PROMO: Nights/Stays Count Double at Aloft, Element and Four Points Hotels til 31 Dec
#13
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Slovenia
Programs: Delta SM Million Miler | Miles & More | Bonvoy Gold | HHonors Diamond | AMEX Centurion | PC Platinum
Posts: 88
#14
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Slovenia
Programs: Delta SM Million Miler | Miles & More | Bonvoy Gold | HHonors Diamond | AMEX Centurion | PC Platinum
Posts: 88
#15
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Slovenia
Programs: Delta SM Million Miler | Miles & More | Bonvoy Gold | HHonors Diamond | AMEX Centurion | PC Platinum
Posts: 88