Starwood Lurker

You could ask the hotel to process an Instant Award to cover this. 7,500 Starpoints = $US20, 15,000 Starpoints = $US40, etc. You would not get $$ change back for any credit not used.

Only if breakfast is a regular room feature/amenity for the Junior Suite/concierge floor room. But, it is more than likely that the hotel will try and place you in the same room type you booked originally, only the best of that type available at check-in, so if you have a particular room type or feature/amenity in mind, it might be best to just book it. That being said, I don't see a single room type...even among the suites...that lists breakfast as a feature/amenity of the room type.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]

ReneeMoss

....for your reply.........I well remember last time you were a very big help with my booking at Moorea (March 2003) - you are such a great help on this message board. Thank you again..........

Regards, Renee Moss

jrzyshawn

With all due respect, that deal stinks on ice. I value my points more that that. 45K points gets a $120 credit, while I cashed in 40K for a 5 night stay at the Park Lane which would have cost me about $350 USD a night if I had paid cash. I think I got the better deal.

ReneeMoss

I did use 48,000 pts. (new rate??) for a 5 night stay (pay for 4 get 5th free) then used another 6,000 for upgrade to an Executive Room (after reading this thread the Standard rooms sounded 'scary')........and perhaps with the Executive Room reservation I MIGHT have a chance at another 'upgrade'?
At our age (old as dirt - LOL!) it is important to get a restful night's sleep in a comfortable room.

jofegan posted what a wonderful 'bargain' was the meal/breakfast.
I was asking if/HOW it was possible to get Breakfast included since it seems there is that option if you are paying $$ and request that 'plan' ??


Starwood Lurker just offered available options - he didn't say they were 'cost effective' - I appreciate his post - but will save my points for better use.

SanDiego1K

Renee, I believe it was this member who posted the good value for breakfast. Perhaps the food discount of which they spoke was given because s/he is a Starwood employee.

jrzyshawn

I made a mistake, I thought I cashed in 10k a night, it was actually 12k, so I paid 48k. My mistake.

I do appreciate SL response and information, but I was just offering my opinion also. I meant nothing against anyone, and I am sure they know it.

fenger

Going to be at PL 12/24-12/26. Any recommendation on close by restaurants that may be open for xmas eve/day?

We've never been to London, but the mrs does enjoy English Afternoon Tea quite a bit. How is the afternoon tea service at PL?

Dambus

While I am happy you had a pleasant stay, boasting about employee only rates and food discounts doesn't really help anyone here. In fact it leaves a rather unpleasant aftertaste IMHO. I for one have stayed at the PL on GB299+tax rates and received only a fraction of the pleasent service you described in your post.



I wonder why?

tnw

You may try posting in the Travel and Dining Section regarding London Restaurants for Christmas Eve and Christmas Dinner. I received a lot of good info in that section when we were travelling to London right before Christmas last year. Not only restaurant recommendations, but Christmas concerts, sights, etc. Also, an email or phone call to the Concierge at the Park Lane might be helpful for suggestions as well.

The Park Lane does serve a wonderful Afternoon Tea. We have enjoyed it many times. Have a wonderful time. London is beautiful during the Christmas season.

luvs2trvl

I'm sorry if it came off that I was boasting, however I was not trying to and apologize for that. I was coming off a 'high' so to speak of a trip that I had enjoyed so much.

Sorry to hear you may not have had the same experience, but each person will have a different perspective of an experience and while one may find it fulfilling and wonderful, another may leave dissatisfied. However, it feels as if my opinion is valued less by you since I am an employee and my rate was different than yours- would you treat someone on a hotwire rate that was a quarter or fraction of your rate differently as well?

For me, the journey just to get to London was such a hassle that any little thing that I experienced while at the hotel was nothing -- Had Continental/Virgin screw up our tickets trying to depart and head to London and nearly on the way back which delayed us by a couple days getting there..then the jumper in front of the train on the ride into the city... so little things like my sheets not having been changed when I had requested didn't really bother me much.

And yes, I still stand by that I plan to return to that property even if its not on an employee rate- the hotel was nice, the rooms were large, and the staff were very helpfull and made some stressfull days at the begining and during much easier to handle.

Flews

We stayed at the Park Lane at Christmas a few years ago. You will fine London pretty well shut down. So we just had tea, Christmas dinner at the PL restaurants. It was just fine for us.

There are a couple pubs nearby in the old market area open Christmas Eve. We had a bite at one after the early choral service at Westminster, which I highly recommend, on Christmas Eve.

We also took a day tour boxing day down to Leeds Castle and Dover on Boxing Day, which was an interesting way to spend an otherwise extremely quiet day.

Cheers,

fenger

Thank to tnw's advise, I posted in the Travel&Dinning section and have gotten some great responses,
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=10788519

tnw

So glad to hear it. The area around the Park Lane is great for walking and lots of great places close by. I am sure you will have a wonderful time. We found London to be absolutely beautiful around Christmas time.

Zippin Bye

I just got back from a week at the Park Lane and must say I will never stay there again. Next time I'll go a mile or so down Picadilly to the Le Meridien. I found the service quality poor (the front desk couldn't tell me how to dial a local phone number from my room, when I asked at the front desk about late checkout associated with gold status I wound up getting a phone call from the concierge at 1:30 am saying the front desk had asked me to call regarding a question I had, and it took 15 minutes to get a menu and then another 35 to get a burger in the Palm Court) and terrible value for the pound (it was cheaper to use my US mobile versus 1.55 pounds per minute at their rate).

That said, it is centrally located and close to good food and shopping. I had two great meals in Shepards Market a few blocks down Picadilly and then up a lane to a little square with some good places (The Little Cottage was my favourite).

thaliajen

It's always amazing to me how two people can have such different experiences! I had one so-so experience at Park Lane in 2005 (it was July with bad air conditioning) and then an amazing one in March-April 2008. My hubby and I were upgraded to the most amazing (for UK hotels) suite for 6 nights on my SPG Platinum half off points deal. We were treated very well, and sent gifts and treats, and full-size Molten Brown products.

Oddly, when I was at Le Meridien the summer prior, I was not at all impressed by the hotel. I was there the day the last Harry Potter book was released and as the hotel is across from Waterstone's Book Store, there were people from all over Europe staying at Meridien who dressed up like the Harry Potter characters and stood in line to get the 1st copies. News crews were everywhere and it was really crowded outside the hotel. I was given a newly remodeled room, but it was tiny and claustrophobic. Then I was changed to a suite (NOT remodeled) where the air conditioning didn't work well, but still I preferred it to the newer room, which I believe they called a "junior suite". I believe that the word "suite" is thrown around too loosely.

I think it has a lot to do with what one expects from a hotel. Having stayed at 5 different Starwood properties in London, the only one I wouldn't return to is Sheraton Belgravia. I loved the Park Lane's suite and location, and Le Meridien's location and helpful staff. But none were as great as Park Tower, where I was named "guest of the day" and treated very well. They heard I had a bad stay at Belgravia- I'm pretty sure their manager called the Park Tower to make sure I had a better stay there.

No matter what, it seems everyone has their own preferences regarding the London Starwood hotels!