JBauer

So i know SPG promos are usually too good to be true (Cyber Monday Sale! etc), But i have found good value with "stay 3 get 4th night free" rates around the world. In my experience, what happens is you dont pay for the 4th night and the other 3 nights are perhaps a little more expensive than usual, but still a good deal overall...But I've found this "Sunsational Savings" rate at St Regis Punta Mita and the way they do it is they supposedly pro-rate the nights, meaning you book assuming the 4th night is free, but in small type they say the free night is already factored into the rate, which you pay for all 4 nights, which is also strange, because you end up paying a 10% service charge and Resort Fee for all 4 nights -- even though the 4th night is supposed to be free...

Never seen this. Beware. I nearly booked this non refundable assuming the 4th night was actually free.

kilo

...and are they right? ie. when compared to the flexible rate is there really a saving of one night's rate?

Also I thought the Sunsational rates are refundable or does that also vary per property?

JBauer

good questions.

- you do NOT save 1 night rate over the regular rate. Over the course of 4 nights the rate comes to about $200 cheaper than the regular rate (but nightly rates range from $500-$600)

- agree it says refundable some places-- then non refundable others...on the booking. I see this a lot on SPG, but didn't pursue because of the poor "deal"

MSPeconomist

You would normally pay the 10% service charge (and any taxes that are assessed as a percentage of the cost) on the total amount you pay, so that it's the same total cost whether they show a reduced rate for four nights or an equivalent higher rate for three nights with a fourth night at zero. Similarly, even free nights can be subject to resort fees IIRC, so it shouldn't matter.

Dansa

It is a poor misleading choice of words. Stay four nights and you will get a cheaper rate is actually the plan. 4th night free is disingenuous at the least and dishonest at the most. Starwood is supposed to be better than this.

MSPeconomist

I've had AmEx PTS/CTS agents be confused about fourth night free rates. When they quote a price per night, it can be ambiguous about whether it's the rate for each of the first three nights, with the fourth night getting a rate of zero, or whether they're seeing the average rate for each of the four nights. Apparently there's no uniformity on how this is handled.

TerryK

Hyatt does the same with their 4th night free promo.

Stgermainparis

Wondering if anyone has booked this and how the credit was issued.

"4th Night Free with Sunsational Savings! Credited at check out, Breakfast for 2 daily @ Restaurant La Villita
No penalty for changes/cancellations until 10/11/2016
No deposit required"

I'd like to book this through Citi Prestige concierge for 4th night free. If Sheraton credits the full 4th night, it will be redundant. If they credit 25% or whatever, then it will be awesome.

Any data points?

margarita girl

There was this thread a few days ago.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...ee-beware.html

Stgermainparis

Have any of you actually completed a stay booked with this rate and seen the 4th night not "free" but the overall rate less?

Stgermainparis

Thanks! I searched the Starwood forum but this didn't pop up. That thread is exactly what I was looking for.

TerryK

This is industry standard practice. You will be charged full rate for first three nights and none for the fourth. For programs like Hyatt where free nights don't qualify, you will only receive three elite qualifying nights. You will not be charged average nightly rate as displayed.

Stgermainparis

The reason I asked is that, if 4th night is invoiced as $0, then using the Citi Prestige 4th night free offer will not work. If reduction is taken as 25% off total charge for four nights and 4th night shows a "rate" other than zero, it will work.

Sounds like the invoice will show $0 for 4th night.

TerryK

Correct. We can all dream. You cannot combine Citi 4th night free with hotel's 4th night free promo.

MSPeconomist

The invoice could also be an issue, positive or negative, for anyone with a stay that's partly business and partly personal leisure.