Cathay Boy

Just asked to pay $550 TWD at Westin Taipei for my guest to use the lounge. I'm PLAT. I don't mind paying but I just want to know the rules. When I asked Westin I was told two reasons: 1) Some hotels offer the guest benefit, we don't. 2) You only booked your room for one person, so no guest. (The second one sounds like a bad excuse to me).

Anyway, so what is the rule anyway? I just wanted to know.

Flews

Unless club access is specified in the booking, my understanding is there is no "rule" per ce, but rather it's up to individual properties as to how they handle it. Especially since your situation involves a Westin, which normally don't even have lounges.

Cheers,

Starwood Lurker

Book the room for two people and if your guest stays in the room, he/she is covered.

FWIW, 1) is actually the bad answer here.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Cathay Boy

Thanks, lesson learned.

CB

margarita girl

I learned that lesson years ago, and always book for 2 people even when I'm travelling alone. Sometimes you even get double welcome amenity as I did at the Andaman recently. Two cocktails and two cupcakes.

Properties in Asia often want to charge you for bringing a guest into the lounge even if you are alone. Sheraton HKG is like this.

The only exception would be when the property charges extra for 2 people in the room instead of 1. I've seen this in Europe.

TerryK

And some properties in Asia as well.

BenSenise

the reserve for two guests won't always work since you'll need ID for the second guest in many countries. they're very strict in China for example.

CIT85

I did just that in Shanghai at LRM in January. Lounge access and breakfast for 2 nights for me plus my colleague in second room. No questions asked.

bocastephen

You should have been able to do the breakfast buffet downstairs for two - the published breakfast benefit is "breakfast for two", so you should be covered for two buffets regardless of the room booking total, but this specific property is a stickler for these "interpretations".

I had to argue this point with this Westin before, and at this point I've shifted my business 100% to the Sheraton Grande Taipei. My upgrades are consistent, the service is top-notch, and I've never been harassed at the lounge for a guest fee, and my two buffets never appeared on the room folio.

With the W Taipei pretending it's the Mandarin Oriental in terms of room rates for the past year, I wouldn't hesitate to strongly recommend the Sheraton as the go-to hotel in Taipei for its excellent location, MRT access, airport bus, and solid, friendly, service delivery.

nongsom

Me too.
Always book room for 2 even if only me in the room if no price different for 1 or 2 people in room.
I check-in i always said my friend will come later but not sure when he/she come.

mahasamatman

And, believe it or not, even in the US.

bocastephen

The problem is many Asian properties will charge more for an extra person in the room than the entry fee for the lounge if they charge one.

ZenWorld

I believe I made a strong defense of this in the breakfast thread, in favor of the guest. So if you are expecting someone to join you for club or breakfast, book for 2 pax, and be prepared to register your guest.
(if you have booked for 1 pax, too bad)

However, if the property disallow you to register your 2nd guest... that's a story for another day...

Am now also Hilton Gold, and the rule is 2nd guest always stay for free. At Hilton, I have never needed to fight for this.

Flews

I stand corrected. My understanding was based on dozens of stays booked as one person (I often forget to change the default), and never being questioned when accessing the lounge with my wife and/or two children.

So, at the very least, YMMV.

Cheers,

TravelinSperry

That's exactly what I do/say as well. Always book for 2 where the rate doesn't change if you do.