I just spent 5 nights (on points) at a Suite at the W Austin.

The room was lovely - well designed, comfortable - just great. That said, while everyone was very nice and said the right things at all times - I had a host of service issues.

When I checked out, I reviewed my Folio and asked if I could book a room for SXSW next year. The guy at the desk helpfully booked me a room, and told me to call SPG to have the room moved to points - a little odd, but I didn't worry about it.

Later I got an email that I had booked a pre-paid, non-refundable, non-changeable room for $569 / night. I called the SPG Platinum desk, and they reached out to the hotel - which said points could not be used, and I would not get a refund because the hotel was turning away people for those nights (which are 12 months away).

I explained that I had not been quoted a rate, not given my credit card, not told it was non-refundable - and that this wasn't acceptable. Eventually the hotel agreed to accept points - but by this point I would prefer to have the whole thing cancelled.


The other issues were relatively trivial, though still problematic.
- the folio emailed to me had an extra parking expense that wasn't on the folio when I checked out. They say 3-5 days to fix, and they can't send a replacement folio.
-The mini-bar in the hotel had never been filled. We asked several times to have it filled, but that never happened.

I'm extremely frustrated at this point - and would never stay at the hotel again, except for this reservation for next year I can't get out of. Every person I talk to at the hotel is lovely - but something really isn't working there.