Ya -- I have been corp pref. for a while (had been staying at Marriott). Just made Gold last week. So it's a step below gold.

Matt

Hi DWilliamson,

Look at the top of the forum for the "SPG Forum Primary Resource" thread. Once there look for the "everything you want to know about status with SPG" link. All the information you seek is there!

The rules of this level are spelled out here...
http://www.lg0.net/starwood/gpspenro...%20Association

I posted an old 2001 chart that compares the levels last fall. There have been only a few minor details that have changed since this chart was produced.

Cool - I've never seen that chart before. It even includes the infamouse VIP level :)

According to that chart, there are no additional benefits for VIP than Plat. But I think I vaguely remember reading that there were some though...

I was hoping that there weren't too many changes to that chart since 2001 but I just e-mailed Starwood to ask about the 2,000 bonus points after the 5th and 10th stay at the Corporate Preferred level and was told that they no longer offer this :-(

I should have gone ahead and detailed the changes that I knew of off the top of my head.
1. No longer 5th and 10th stay bonuses for Corp Pref.
2. Late checkout benefit is now based on availability at both resorts and convention properties.

Also, see the Everything you wanted to know about status at SPG thread from the Primary Resource Sticky.

Now I am sure they are less but, what are the upgrade chances as corporate vs. gold. But how much less?

My Gold is going away and going to go back to corporate...

Upgrades as Corp are essentially the very same as Gold. Which is to say minimal -- higher floor maybe; away from elevators maybe; better views maybe. That's all you should count on.

Let's face it: it takes nothing to get to Corporate Level. The benefits reflect that reality. Still, one could argue it's better than a base member. The significant benefits are clearly held for Platinum members of the SPG program.

In terms of upgrades, there's supposed to be no difference between Corporate, Gold, or Preferred Plus. The benefit that Gold gets is the extra point per dollar spent.

However, an untrained check-in agent may not be as aware of the Corporate or Preferred Plus status, and that would be my fear. Of course, I have no personal experience in this possibility, so my concern might be without merit.

In the US, I never got any upgrades as a Preferred Plus / Corporate Preferred / Preferred Business (I've been all 3 - same thing). Even the "away from the elevator" didn't always hold.
However, outside the US, I've gotten minor upgrades with this "status".

Conditions may have been different, but with a Gold I got a decent upgrade in my 1 shot in India and free breakfast in Tokyo.

Awaiting my first stay as Platinum, so no basis for comparison there.

No way to say if there was a difference regarding your India stay, but it sounds as if breakfast in Tokyo was that particular hotel's additional benefit -- not a standard SPG benefit. So it would have been completely up to the hotel about to whom they gave free breakfast. They could have easily excluded any status other than Gold, and it would be completely within their right to do so.

Last month, I did an award RTW trip, staying at both SPG and Hilton hotels in USA, Australia and UK. I am SPG Gold and Hilton Gold, FYI... From my perspective and experience, I can draw 2 conclusions:

- SPG has better hotels than Hilton hotels (more upscale, better quality)
- Hilton treated their Golds better than SPG treated their Golds (almost always upgrade at Hiltons, hardly any at SPGs)

Overall, SPG Gold is at a lower level than Hilton Gold, and it show up in terms of # of nights necessary to gain the "Gold" level (10 nights to become SPG Gold, 16 nights to become Hilton Gold). Granted, there are fewer SPG hotels than Hilton hotels, but the SPG hotels tend to be better than Hilton hotels in terms of quality. So it's kind of a wash.... I love both chains, for different reasons.

I am going to let my SPG Gold lapse because there is almost no difference between SPG Gold and SPG Corporate (which I already have by virture of SPG Amex) and try to remain Gold with Hilton. If I want to stay at SPG, I'll pay extra for the better rooms if I want them. With Hilton, I just hope my Hilton status will let me upgrade.

Agreed on that - I knew it wasn't normal (even for Plat).

That conversation went something like...
Me: Hey - after this stay, I'll be platinum, any chance I can get an upgrade to the Club Floor (which I checked is pretty empty)?
Desk: No - I'm so sorry, that is only available to Platinum guests.
Me: How about club access?
Desk: No - again, I'm sorry, but we can't do that. I can provide you with breakfast coupons at the fabulous <insert downstairs buffet here> restaurant.
Me: Ok - thank you!

I believe you are incorrect here... it is 10 stays or 25 nights to become an SPG Gold...
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...fits_gold.html

Unless your stays are all one-nighters :)