Originally Posted by
kamel123
Some travelers seem to have wildly unrealistic expectations. SPG Platinum status can be obtained through spending a minimum of $2,000-$2,500 (assuming 25 one night stays at a Four Points at a nightly rate of $75-100). That is about the price of one night in a suite at the St. Regis New York.
So based on 25 Four Points stays you would believe you have earned the privilege of a suite upgrade each time you stay at a St. Regis? We might all dream of such a privilege, but seriously, we must understand that this cannot be possible.
Invalid strawman argument. If the 4P Plat is paying $1000/night at the SR while a returning guest pays $500/night, who gets the one upgrade?
The answer is clear in the T&C: the one that checks in when the room is available. The only way a hotel can circumvent this is to upgrade one guest prior to checkin, taking the suite out of saleable inventory.
Originally Posted by
kamel123
Some posters have suggested that SPG should enforce compliance with the T&Cs (i.e., essentially giving Plats upgrade priority) more strictly. Well, I don't think it is ever fully enforceable, because it simply makes zero economic sense for the individual hotel, and there are enough ways to deny upgrades/give them to someone else, while technically still being fully compliant.
This is why Marriott will always remain an option in my wheelhouse. Marriott enforces the T&C for individual properties.
Your statement, "it simply makes zero economic sense for the individual hotel" is false. If a property gets an online reputation for not upgrading plats, there will be a drop in plats booking there if other options are available.
While I enjoy reading the arguments about continued loyalty at particular properties, there are more than a couple of properties that I have stayed at more than 5 times in a short timeframe where the FDC asked, 'is this your first stay here'? On the same note, I've been upgraded to suites on my first stay at more than a couple of properties without me asking for an upgrade. It tells me that this metric (previous stays) isn't tracked quite as much as one would be led to believe.
When I stay at Starwoods, I accept their program rules and standards. I pay a premium over Marriotts to stay at Starwoods; they're comparable to Hyatts in pricing of equivalent products.
I accept that many Starwoods don't have Plat lounges, and those that do have lesser standards than Hyatt and Marriott.
A large part of the reason why I stay at Starwoods is due to their standard suite upgrade policy if available. Irrespective of the rate I paid. I've paid less than $60 and been upgraded. I've paid more than $200 and not been upgraded. In both occasions, it was obvious (low/high occupancy) why I was/wasn't upgraded.
I've stayed at a FS Marriott where I was given a concierge level standard room. I asked the FDC what the occupancy rate was ... 17%. I didn't say anything about not being upgraded because it wasn't in the T&C; it was one of the things that has pushed me away from Marriott.
I don't misbehave when I check in to hotels; I allow them to assign me a room. I have only recently started checking to see if suites are available - and only after being assigned a room will I ask about suites if I know they're available.