Originally Posted by kglavimans

I have been a SPG Plat for three years now and whilst the first year was largely due to work, the other two years I solely paid for my own stays out of love for the chain and the program (mind you, living and Europe and Australia it is not easy nor cheap doing this!). Last year I did not travel much and stayed at Starwood properties for my holidays. When the end came near I noticed that I was two stays short taking into account my Christmas travel, so I dished out and booked two extra stays (albeit on a the same day). The stays both posted in my account as stays and my last stay (counting as 25th) was over NYE (which counts as stay in 2011).
Sure enough, when re-qualification came, I was downgraded to Gold. I followed up but did not get any traction. Everytime somebody else answered my phone or mail and all thought I was asking for a complimentary Platinum status, which was NOT the case. I asked for an overview of all my stays and got send an excel sheet, with 24 stays. The one missing was my stay over NYE. Again e-mails went back and forth (it seemed easy enough to add the eligible stay) and to my great disappointment the “Starwood Research”department came back with the following:

Quote: "The member had overlapping stays at the Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and The Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel on December 29th. The same also occurred at The Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour, Sydney, and The Sheraton Towers Singapore on December 17th. As you know, he cannot get stay/night credit for staying at 2 or more properties on the same night. He should have fewer than 24 stays counted.”

I am deeply disappointed as you can imagine. Nobody told me this and the stays counted in my online account as stay giving me the illusion I was on track re-qualifying. It was only because SPG did not count my eligible stay over NYE and I asked them to add it (and it took 2 months to get this sorted) that they researched and come back with the above answer. Basically I paid for two stays to maintain my Platinum status due to my love for the chain (call me stupid) and I have spend this money now it seems in vain.
Curious to know if other members have had the same issue? Again, if they had come back to me before mentioning that the stays did not count I would have understood but by posting them as per normal they mislead me. And it is only because the eligible stay over NYE did NOT post and I had to ask for it they come back with the above statement. I really have the feeling that they were trying anything not to award me the platinum status....

Maybe it is time to switch to Hilton? I do hold Diamond status there!