alanslegal

I've stayed here previoulsy as a Gold and have had varied treatment by the Front Desk people - some staff are great and friendly, others are extremely cold if not robotic-like.

What really ticked me off a couple of months back was when I checked in at 10pm for an overnight stay. I enquired if there was any chance of an upgrade as a Gold, and was automatically knocked back with the comment "we are totally booked out tonight" ..... What made me angry was I drove past the hotel and notice that not many lights are on, secondly I check out SPG and there are multiple types of rooms / bedding available for purchase for that evening.........

I would have felt slightly better if the young female pretended to press some buttons on the computer, then wait 20seconds and says we're totally booked out rather than straight out saying there is no room available. I assume she was just plain lazy.

Anyway, as I said, on other nights I had great check in staff, who would upgrade myself to both darling harbour and cityside suites......

But if it came down to which hotel in Sydney I would choose? Well it depends on the price (as I fund my own travels) and if prices were equal or very near equal, I'd choose Westin, then SOTP and then 4 Points.

Downunder girl

I do know what you mean re some of the check in staff. My first stay was a bit like the one you describe above (my first stay is outlined further back on this thread). Generally, I have been treated well. I did experience some staff giving me the wrong information, ie about the movie charges (ended up costing me more, after I had called to find out cost first), and incorrect times for breakfast. But on the whole, I have enjoyed my stays, particularly when I have been upgraded .

I am yet to stay at SOTP - hoping to do a mattress run there in the near future. I also fund my own travels.

alanslegal

I had a few coffees over the weekend at the 4 Points Sydney, in their Lobby Lounge. As a non-guest I was not entitled to earn starpoints However as a guest, I would have been able to earn starpoints.


I know it would've been only 60points in this instance but what happens as a non-guest if I take a few colleagues there and enjoyed a few beers, wines etc and spend >$200

Because of this silly 4Points refusal I booked a room at the SOTP in a few week's time.

snufl

alanslegal I don't think this is correct, the following is copied directly from the T&Cs of the program.

4A.3. Preferred Guests will earn 2 base Starpoints for each U.S. dollar or equivalent of all food and beverage charges incurred and paid for by the Member at Participating Properties’ restaurants, regardless of whether the Member is a registered guest, as long as the food and beverage spending is greater than US$10, excluding taxes and gratuities. Members must present their Membership card to the restaurant staff at the time of payment.

alanslegal

Thanks for the info.

I did email 4P earlier today seeking a clarification, and a representative contacted me via phone and said because the Lobby Lounge is not technically a restaurant so thus do not earn points.

However if I was a guest and put the $20 charge on my room, then that would have been fine & dandy.

Flews

I am so disappointed to hear about this, since I am a fan of the Sydney 4-Pts and often recommend it. It this had happened to me I would have raised blue murder and made sure I sent a copy of my receipt from either the Westin or the SOTP, which I would now be staying as a result of this pettiness. Some joints seem to forget, we DO have choices!

Cheers,

snufl

The Lobby Lounge is not "technically" a restaurant?
It serves food and drinks, and from my observations, the food comes from the same kitchen as The Corn Exchange. Is the pub out front technically a restaurant? They are often very busy at lunchtime and again, use the same kitchen. Plus you would get points if you were a guest?

I always thought I'd get points even from dollars spent at a "bar" at a participating hotel. I really think this is a case of someone at the 4PTS getting it wrong. It just doesn't make sense.

IMHO, you would be doing the hotel a favour by escalating this, either through hotel management or SPG customer service. Perhaps someone needs further training? Starwood Lurker, any opinion on pursuing this?

I, too, am a fan of this hotel. Seems a shame for them to lose guests over it.

Starwood Lurker

Yes, I would fax my dining only receipt to Program Services. I have confidence in their ability to sort it out. If they find that the outlet is non-qualifying, then they won't credit it either. However, if it turns out that it is a legitimate missing credit, they will be billed for it accordingly.

Then, when they start getting the bills from us, they will find a way to get whoever needs the training what they need to avoid it happening going forward. Nothing like losing money when you didn't have to in order to create some religion for the T&C's.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

alanslegal

At the end of our coffess, The Lobby Lounge waitress who processed my Bill said my 4 coffees do not earn starpoints.

Being confused I walked to the front concierge desk and queried, a male staff confirmed those 4 coffees do not earn starpoints.

So next morning out of curiosity I emailed 4P and then a lady rep from 4P contacted me and confirmed the above.

FYI - I have already disposed of my dining receipt so can't fax this to Program Services.

(After all this hassle over a possible 60points which I won't receive )



PS. Westin Sydney gave me points for having coffee in their lobby bar.

Downunder girl

Good advice to escalate. This is also one of my regular stay hotels and I believe if you are having an issue with points, it may be worth speaking to the Asst Manager there. They are generally very good and attentive.

Good luck.

snufl

Gee, this is news to me. I hope we are not losing another Starwood property in Australia, there are too few now.

guybaxy

For platinum and gold SPG, you should avoid this property when its heavily booked. I booked a rate of A$155 non refundable only to find:

At check in staff made snide remark "You got a real cheap rate";
No platinum amenity offered at check in;
No upgrade to suite as 100% full (t& c states that subject to availability";
The best available king was a disabled city side;
Nothing offered such as one free bf or comp internet;
Not even a comp newspaper;
I have stayed at that property 51 times;
They did offer to refund me so I could walk but it was 8pm and I was tired

3544quebec

I haven't stayed there 51 times but around a dozen.

My experience has been that if there is a Darling Harbour Suite or Room available I will be upgraded to it. If the hotel is full, the hotel is full and I don't quite know what you would expect them to offer you for a non-refundable $155 rate which in all honesty is a really cheap rate without meaning to be snide. Not offering the platinum amenity seems to be the only mistake they made and that is easily corrected by mentioning it.
Free breakfast/free internet - where does that entitlement come from?

I think your comments would apply to any SPG hotel which is fully booked - you are going to get the room you paid for and there is no compensation for lack of perks that are subject to availability but aren't available.

GVA

I went there once earlier this year for two nights, never again.

I found the staff quite rude and unaccommodating. Perhaps it was due to me having a slightly distorted view of customer service, but my problem had to do with checkout times.

I had decided to take a city tour on the morning of my departure before flying out of SYD at 3PM back to the US. My city tour had an end time of approximately 1150. I requested from front-desk 1230 check-out. Front-desk came back at me telling me that it would cost the hotel money and that they had a full hotel that coming evening. My point to them was that allowing an SPG Elite 30 minutes more, wouldn't make a difference seeing that they can't physically have all their maids preparing every single room at the same time anyways. I spoke to three people at reception, each with a higher rank than the other but each one more rude.

In the end, my tour finished early and I was back in my hotel room at 1130. I physically got myself out of the hotel by 1200, but as an act of revenge (small one but still) didn't checkout. 2 weeks later, to my astonishment, the bill arrived with the checkout time being nearly 2PM.

If a hotel wants to be so much of a pain in the ... and then doesn't even verify if a guest has left for an extra 2 hours after they have left then in my book it's because they have serious service flaws.

Some positives to end though, I did get an upgrade to marine view (including watch the A380 come in every morning around 730AM) and location is quite convenient. The rooms themselves were fairly worn out and not worth writing home about.

Next time I go to Sydney I'll go to a different SPG hotel...

aussiechris

Yes the 4 Points in Sydney is currently for sale.The biggest hotel in Australia will probably end up being rebranded and leave Starwoods.However the asking price is high and finding the necessary finance may be the catch.