Originally Posted by
5DMarkIIguy
What are you talking about? They didn't offer "reduced awards" because it was a new property. What other SPG hotels offered "reduced awards" because they were new and service wasn't up to snuff?
If service is not good enough, doesn't matter what they pay, it's not good enough. Next time you pay a low rate or use points, should you complain if service is not good enough? Of course you would.
Sorry. I couldn’t disagree more.
How or why the hotel offered reduced awards can be debated. That the hotel was only open for 3 months in February/March when those reviewers stayed is not debatable. Those reviewers knew that and went anyway...probably because of the reduced awards, since they all mentioned those in their reviews.
Anyone who stays at a hotel in its first months of being open and is surprised by service or hard product failings is incredibly foolish IMO. You know the risks and usually are attracted by special opening rates, and you accept that the experience won’t be as polished as when it gets the kinks worked out. That’s just as true for a luxury hotel as any other—as evidenced time and again on threads in the Luxury Hotels Forum. Perhaps even more true, since the expectations for a luxury hotel are even higher.
It’s just like buying a new model car and being surprised that there are kinks that have to be worked out. Being first to have the new model may make you feel special, but it also means you have to deal with the inevitable new model problems. Those don’t necessarily detract from the new model being an awesome car once those problems are resolved, however.