alexb7

Hi,

I've been looking at all of my different Aeroplan redemption options and with the high fuel surcharges I'm thinking of using my Aeroplan for a hotel stay. I'm considering the Westin Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok but the AE website doesn't show the type of room or if breakfast is included. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks

AA_EXP09

How many points is it?

alexb7

88,000 for 6 nights

RCyyz

Most AE hotel stays book into a standard room with nothing else included. If you have hotel status (SPG Gold or Platinum in this case) you may get upgraded subject to availability. Some hotel bookings will list if different rooms are available. Obviously a nicer room will cost more points if any are available. Otherwise, if you only see that rooms are available for x points, you'll be in a standard King or 2 Queen room.

Only very rarely have I had breakfast included on a hotel redemption. (I pretty much only use my points for hotels.) In nice hotels such as the one you're looking at, breakfast can be expensive but in the grand scheme of things, you're getting a decent room truly for free (no YQ or any such nonsense) so paying only for breakfast and perhaps for internet is a pretty good deal overall. Another benefit to using points for hotels is that they are very cancellable with no penalty. Just remember to cancel 24h ahead of time and all will be well.

If you book on points, it's useful to print out your confirm from the website as it will list both the AE confirm # and the hotel confirm #. The email you will receive doesn't list both confirms which I find a tad annoying. I always print 2 copies as some hotels like to keep a copy upon check-in. In IST the hotel took 1 copy at check-in then later when I checked out they tried telling me that only the first night was free and not the whole stay. Obviously my backup printout demonstrated otherwise. (In fairness I don't think the IST hotel was trying to pull as fast one; I think the desk clerk just didn't know any better.)

In BKK, if available I would also suggest you consider the Sheraton Grande which is across the street from the Westin and oddly is a slightly nicer hotel. Another nice hotel, particularly for location is the Royal Orchid Sheraton.

Braindrain

Head on over to the Starwood forum. Tons of reviews on the BKK hotels.

bcnfish

If you book a SPG hotel with Aeroplan points can you earn SPG points?

I assume the answer is no but since they are different programs you never know...

DaveTO

I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but you are getting raked over the coals.

To put it another way, you could get the same 6 nights for 35,000 SPG points. I know that Aeroplan has be reduced, but I can't see it being that bad. Or, you could get 6 nights for 16,800 SPG points + $270.

alexb7

Is there a way to convert Aeroplan to SPG?

YOWzer

More like 50k points...it's 10k/night

OP, you will only get breakfast if you have status. One of my favorite hotels in Bangkok ^

alexb7

Ok thanks for all of your help. I'm going to book it.

Braindrain

The WGS is a fine hotel. There's really no difference between the WGS or the SGS if you have no status.

DaveTO

WGS is 7K. If you have the money available, I would definitely stay at the 4 Seasons. I stayed there and it was heaven.

RCyyz

You earn SPG based on what you spend. So if you spend on things like breakfast, internet etc then yes you earn based on that. As the room is "pre-paid" though you won't earn anything on that. Similarly the stay doesn't count towards status but it's possible with the latest changes to SPG this may be different now.

RCyyz

That depends on your perspective.

All very true. And on the surface, 88K AE points certainly seems expensive by comparison. But in my case, AE earning comes relatively easy so I feel quite OK spending on hotels. OTOH my SPG earnings are not as easy so correspondingly, I tend to be more miserly spending those points.

It's all just a case of where people find their personal value in how points get used up. But I agree, in this case if you have a chance to use SPG points instead of AE then it's worth considering.

WannaFlyJ

IMHO burning points for any hotel stay in BKK is bad value. There is such an amazing selection of properties (especially SPG as there is almost every brand there) and the rates are relatively cheap compared to other cities with hotels in the same category.