Nikki30M

Soo...I've always read about the way SPG hotels upgrade individuals but today I somewhat got to see it in action...

I convinced my coworkers to switch from the Sheraton Universal City to the Westin Bonaventure for our last night in LA. We had decided on the switch a bit later in the day and I booked my hotel at noon while my co-workers booked around 4. We arrived at the hotel and I checked in first. My coworker then checked in and was excited because she got upgraded to a suite on a high floor. She asked me if I had gotten upgraded as well because I had checked in first. I told her no (though I was promised I had a pool view) and as she's new to the program, she asked me to explain how upgrades worked. I had nothing I could say at that point. As a point of reference, we're both Platinum - I'm technically at the 100+ nights level, she's at the 50+ level, though I'm not sure that even comes into play. I arrived at my room and discovered my keys didn't work. I hiked back down and politely asked for new keys. I got moved to a new room that was minuscule, with a view of a building and a connecting door. I checked online and inquired with another front desk agent and apparently availability is wide open, with other standard suites available and better rooms.

So it begs the question...how are suites assigned? Or better yet, how are decent rooms assigned? I got what I paid for (a king room) so I'm not necessarily upset, but it does seem like the quality rooms are assigned based on personal or physical factors that are beyond your control (race, height, beauty, etc). I just felt like Starwood was better than that.

travelswithmyself

Just my own experience, was sitting in the lobby and overheard another guest being checked in. Was his first time at the hotel/country, and he was upgraded to a suite. He was quite surprised so I'm presuming he wasn't an SPG member. He seemed quite suspicious and dubious, so the FD agent said it was because it was his first time there and they wanted to show him a good time.

*shrug*

I was upgraded to a suite too though :P

I know it isn't really about comparing two Plats, but it just gives you an idea that there are probably really a lot of influences on who gets an upgrade.

supatight80

I noticed that too on some properties...my first time, get upgraded to a nice suite, with local sweets and drinks already in the room as an additional platinum gift, someone always calls in to see if everything is ok, etc.

And the more i stay there, the smaller my room gets...and no more welcome gifts in the room...Seems like since im already "sold" and loyal to that particular property, there's no need to impress any longer...Good marketing strategy btw, coz it seems like it works, IME ay least.

Cathay Boy

I do find that when I go to a first-time hotel I get upgraded quite often, often not being their member whatsoever.

Also, it is right some hotels actually devalues their frequent guests rather than value them more. This is exactly my experiences at Sheraton Taipei, the more I stay there the lesser I get from them, and ironically I think I've gotten more from them as a lowly Preferred level than then Platinum level I am now.

Westin seems to do a little bit better, but I don't stay with them frequent enough to share a pattern yet.

Okto

SPG is a MARKETING program, not a loyalty program. That goes for all other hotel, airline, movie-going, etc programs as well.

People in the credit card forums complain from time to time about AMEX, Chase et al giving their 50,000 or 100,000 bonus points offers to people who have never held their cards, but the cardholders who have been "loyal" members for the last 35 years, putting 98% of all their spend on the card, get no love. No surprise there.

dtwdoc

Was there a significant amount of time between you and your co-worker checking in? And, what time were you checking in at?

3Cforme

It's complicated - but Lurker has addressed it.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...e-upgrade.html

Cathay Boy

The more you stayed the more you get goodies, and you move up in tiers, and establishments (generally) grant you benefits associated with the tiers. That's a LOYALTY program.

Okto

That's all true, but exactly the opposite of what people are describing in this thread.

kamel123

This question comes up here regularly. The best thread so far I have found is this one:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...oint-view.html

From my experience, hotels provide upgrades for the following reasons:

1) Because they are oversold in standard rooms and therefore have to upgrade since they would otherwise have to walk customers

2) For service recovery reasons (hotel messed up something and provides a suite to pacify customer)

3) To generate more future business - this explains many upgrades on the very first stay

4) Because it's in the rules of some program (SPG) that they have to

5) By chance

Reasons 1-3 all make economic sense for the hotel. Reason 4 not always. Hotels of course benefit from being part of e.g., SPG as it generates business for them, still they might not see repeat business from this individual SPG customers in the future.

Thus, if there is competition for upgrades it's not always the SPG Plat100 customer who gets the upgrade, although it's against the rules. The hotel may rather give an upgrade to e.g., the travel agent or event planner who might bring in business in the future, or the manager of a local corporation that doesn't have status at all as an individual but whose employers books many nights a year.

Also, don't underestimate the chance element. In the specific case mentioned by the OP, I don't think the hotel put much thought into whom to upgrade. Many hotels pre-block rooms 1 day in advance (which is against SPG rules, because what should count is availability at check-in, but is common practice).

Soccerdad1995

This might explain my recent experience (albeit not with SPG).

Stayed in the Intercontinental Singapore in September. Very nice hotel. I have a grand total of one prior IHG stay 3 years ago. They thanked me for being a member of their program, and upgraded me to a nice suite. I have never received any equivalent upgrades for SPG stays (as a Gold) or through Amex FHR stays, etc. The best I have done on those has been a slightly larger room.

RogerD408

Not out of the realm of possibilities, this is short-sighted on the part of the property. They never know what ears that one-time guest might have listening to him/her. Especially if they are an FT member too. Short-changing a guest might get told/read a thousand times over. That's my take from seeing properties trying to solve problems when posted to sites like Trip Advisor and the few times we've seen property management on FT (ala 4P LAX, and SJ).

arkyrab

Very disappointing to have spent so much money to maintain Platinum yet in reality upgrades seem to be a crapshoot. Makes me wonder if the return from hotels and airlines for all the money spent is worth it especially for the leisure traveler.

Cathay Boy

I used to be just staying at different 5-star hotels until I see the great benefits of being SPG Plat. But if the benefits are not always honored, why should I spend all that money with one particular chain?

Seriously, I'm already getting upgraded when I just hop around 5-star hotels, and like others said they actually treat you better because they want to win your loyalty.

Using SPG Plat is like the hotel knows you are stuck with them, and they can actually devalue you without fearing of losing your business in the future, because we are chained to maintaining his Plat status, but why? Especially when the Plat benefits aren't honored.

RogerD408

Hopefully the failures are out-weighed by the successes and with the bump in points provides more chances to try for another success. Everyone gets to set their own priorities as to what is important to them.

Continuing to post reviews, both here and other travel sites, just might help keep them honest and playing the game according to the rules.