Jimgotkp

Is the Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel considered a resort or conference center hotel?

Starwood Lurker IV

Hi Jimgotkp,

Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel is not a resort or conference center hotel.
Hope this helps.

Chua Chie Ling | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
[email protected]

MSPeconomist

GRRRRR: I just had a bad experience with the Plat guaranteed 4 pm late checkout benefit at a place that is NOT a resort or conference center. (I just double checked the list.)

I checked in at the elite line and was given my pre-upgraded junior suite, but when I asked the front desk agent to make my key cards good to 4 pm as I planned to use my Platinum late checkout benefit, the guy said that the latest he could give me would be noon because (he said) the hotel is totally sold out. I think he muttered something about opening day.

However, (1) noon is the posted checkout time in the room, (2) the hotel is NOT sold out for Sunday, my day of departure [In fact, all room categories seem to be available, including at a nonrefundable SPG member rate of $180, which is cheaper than the rates shown for my dates. Moreover, the hotel is offering rooms on a cash and points basis for Sunday night.], and (3) my written confirmation emails, from when the reservation was made months ago and again from yesterday, when I sent myself another confirmation showing the "pre-upgrade", say that the hotel's checkout time is 3 pm, with the asterisk that this is the standard term and doesn't reflect any special arrangement. [I believe that the 3 pm reflects the "weekends last longer at Westin" advertisement.]

I called Plat Concierge and had a bit of a discussion when the agent tried to tell me that the late checkout for Platinums was subject to availability. After I insisted that this was just for resorts and conference centers, she called the hotel and after a long wait, someone at the front desk said that I could have 4 pm.

Once again, I wonder why staff--not only at the hotel, but also Plat Concierge phone agents--can't be trained better to know that Plats have the 4 pm checkout guaranteed, not just subject to availability or at the whim of the hotel for whatever made-up reason they choose to invent. This is not a new or revised elite benefit. Sorry for the rant, but this was very frustrating tonight as I had made my plane reservations under the assumption that a 4 pm checkout would not be a problem.

RogerD408

It's easier to deny a benefit than grant it. Service these days is measured by how many are "served" with no way to measure if it was done right or wrong (the beancounter syndrome). If they can get you to go away by saying no then they are able to move on to the next call. If they've got to spend time looking something up (instead of making something up) or they have to call someone else, it does not make their numbers look good.

The term I have adopted is "travel defensively". Know what you are due and get what you are due. I had an issue where a bonus failed to post, I called in and the CSR said she had been there a long time and they would "never offer such a bonus"! I asked for a supervisor and she said she was a supervisor, I then asked for "her" supervisor. Knowing I wasn't going away, she put me on hold for several minutes. She then came back on explaining she had just returned from maternity leave and hadn't caught up with her emails but found the bonus I was asking for and would get it posted. No apology and no service recovery points. I even wonder about the maternity excuse as I'm suppose to forgo what I'm due because she was not ready to return to work, at least taking phone calls.

Just like the banks ask you to reconcile your accounts each month, the same should be done for loyalty programs and know what's being offered. DO NOT depend upon them to hand over 100% every time.

UA-NYC

Please property shame!

CNWO4LIFE

I am not sure why this is still an issue. If it is not a resort or conference property, 4pm is guaranteed. Not to sound blunt and I always am very nice to the great FD folks of SPG, but when I check in I just tell them I will be in the room till four, there is no need to ask them. Not sure why the need to ask for something that is yours to begin with.

MSPeconomist

I didn't ask; I told them politely that I planned to use my Platinum 4 pm checkout privilege.

MSPeconomist

Despite having called and supposedly having the Plat Concierge call the hotel and document my *guaranteed* 4 pm checkout, some hotel staff member knocked insistently on my dooor around 1:00-1:30 pm (and when I called guest services to complain about this happening despite my DO NOT DISURB sign on the door, the phone agent promised that a manager would call me but this never happened). Then at check out the front desk agent was quite ugly about the situation and said that no one got a late check out today. He denied that there were notes in the reservation that Plat Concierge had phoned the property and that [name omitted but I did write it down for my records] from the property's front desk staff had approved my late check out several days ago. Then the front desk manager (she said, but she didn't have a business card, so I'm, suspicious) chimed in and said that I had gotten my 4 pm checkout as that was when I appeared at the front desk to check out, but that's not the point.

When I have a guaranteed late check out as a published elite benefit, I expect the hotel to grant it without argument and having granted it (after I called Starwood), to graciously accept that I had the approved 4 pm checkout. IMO there's no excuse for giving me further grief about the matter on my day of departure, especially from someone who claims to be an manager.

ADDED: I checked around 4:30 pm today, and the hotel was *still* apparently selling rooms (according to the result when I tried to do a dummy booking on SPG.com) in all room cateogries, including offering availability for points and cash, so any statement that the hotel *needed* to deny late checkouts because they were fully booked was obviously false.

Global321

AFAIK - Fully booked the next night does not negate 4pm checkout.


Agreed 100%!!

UA-NYC

Please property shame already...

RogerD408

Rooms being sold on the net does not mean they have rooms available. Hotels have a long history of numbers that support over selling their inventory knowing there will be a certain percentage that will cancel or not show up. So using a known flawed system, the website, to determine if the property is living up to program benefits is wrong.

As stated above, being sold out the night of your checkout does not negate the benefit. I can see the property "trying" to convince you leave early so their staff as time to prepare the rooms. I have found many properties hire cleaning staff that are not on duty all day long, but clock out as soon as all the rooms are cleaned. Getting them out earlier saves them money. Again, does not negate the benefit, but justifies, in their minds, lying to the guests.

MSPeconomist

I understand that, but when *every* room category is available at very reasonable rates and when the hotel is offering cash and points, to me this indicates that the hotel probably isn't close to being full.

Of course being full doesn't entitle the property to deny the guaranteed 4 pm checkout benefit, but I still mind being lied to about this.

SkiAdcock

MSPeconomist, you've been quite detailed in multiple posts how the property (badly) handled the late check-out, but in your posts you've not mentioned the name of the property. Please do so so that your fellow FTers will know what they might encounter if they have a stay there. FWIW - I would have been equally irritated w/ the property.

Cheers.

ruisai

This made me create a flyer talk account finally.
Staying at the Sheraton Mission Valley positive not a resort or conference hotel. As a SPG gold denied 4 PM late checkout but given 2 PM as best available. Was told no one is guaranteed 4 PM late check out but platinum are given preference then gold. Called SPG gold line and Corporate customer support both agreed 4 pm late check out is not a guarantee at any hotel regardless of status including platinum. So I've been told three times no one is guaranteed a late check out period. Is this the new policy going forward for all SPG elites?

Starwood Lurker IV

Hi ruisai

You can send us the details of your stay via email/PM and we will take a look for you.

Kamal Taufiq | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
[email protected]