In late November/early December I booked three rooms for two nights at the Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort in late December for myself and family (two reservations both in my name). I booked the rooms on SPG.com and Rate Plan Description was listed on the website as “Best Available Rate”. Based on Starwood Lurker II
post above I expected to get Starpoints for the room and wasn't sure about other expenses charged to the room. When I checked-in I asked again about Starpoints and was told that I will get them.
The total amount was well over 30,000 pesos. When the points didn't show up, I faxed the folios to SPG (the web site showed Westin Lagunamar, but the amount was too high so it told me to fax). About two days later my account showed credit based on $1911 (3822 points for Westin Lagunamar, followed by 1911 points "SPG ELITE 50% BONUS".
Yesterday the points were removed (the entries are gone, not a negative transaction) and I received the following email
To: xxx xxxxxx
Platinum Preferred Guest Number: *****0000
Dear xxx xxxxxx,
Thank you for your recent correspondence concerning your Starwood Preferred Guest account. I welcome this opportunity to assist you.
The The Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort is a Starwood Vacation Ownership resort which has limited participation with Starwood Preferred Guest and offers 1,000 Starpoints per stay only for selected rate plans. As the room rate plan under which you stayed was not one of the selected rate plans, I am unable to award any Starpoints for your stay. I apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced as a result of this.
We appreciate your patronage of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. If you have any further customer service questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at
[email protected] .
Best Regards,
yyyyy yyyyy
SPG Program Services - Research Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
I replied with an email pointing out that when I booked the rate it didn't say that the is not eligible for points, my stay didn't involve any Vacation Ownership deal, exchange or spacial rate, it was "Best Available Rate". I also referred to and linked Thyetus Lee's post above.
The response I got is:
To: xxx xxxxxx
Platinum Preferred Guest Number: *****0000
Dear xxx xxxxxx,
Thank you for emailing us. I welcome this opportunity to assist you.
Starwood Vacation Ownership does not participate in Starwood Preferred Guest except to use some of its benefits as sales incentives. Likewise, they do not award airline miles except for the same purposes.
You can book stays there online because they sell nightly availability of unoccupied space. Throughout the reservation process
they do show Limited Participation with Starwood three times. Since
they do not participate in Starwood Preferred Guest, there will be no upgrades, no 4PM late check-outs, no Platinum amenities, no Starpoints (unless offered as an incentive to attend a sales meeting or as referenced below), stays will not qualify for promotions or for status re-qualification, and you cannot redeem Starpoints for Preferred (free) Night Awards there. Starwood Vacation Ownership properties do offer a fixed 1,000 Starpoints for stays booked at a qualifying rate. A qualifying rate would be RACK (regular published rate), COR (corporate business rate), BAR1 (best available rate 1), BAR2 (best available rate 2), AAA, or AAAS.
I would also like to invite you to visit our special promotions page to see if you are eligible for any upcoming promotions.
In closing, I was wondering if you'd mind answering a few quick questions about the service you've received today. This will help to ensure that our customer service will continue to meet as well as exceed our guests' needs. Thank you in advance for your participation. I look forward to assisting you in the future!
We appreciate your continued loyalty to the Starwood Preferred Guest program and welcome any further questions or concerns. Please feel free to contact us at
[email protected].
Best Regards,
zzzz zzzzzz
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Per this email above "Limited Participation" is the same as no Participation ("they do not participate in Starwood Preferred Guest").
So who is right, SPG.com & Starwood Lurker II or the two Specialists?
Is there any way to escalate this?
Is the right approach to call the Platinum desk?