orca15

Interesting experience - I stayed at the per diem government rate, though, of course, no breakfast other than the continental. Yes, you can't beat the location for easy evening dining.

orca15

We will just have to disagree. By my reckoning, my total Titanium Elite benefits at this property was access to a muffin cabinet. I can beat that at a Fairfield Inn. Your point that other hotels or stays might be better is fair, that was indeed the whole point of the thread, to learn if this were the case. Rant? Yes, at least one in this thread.

Antarius

I agree with the OP. As a former 100+ night spger and then a Marriot person, the failure to manage Westins and Sheratons was a huge failure by spg. Westin was hit or miss in the US, some good, some atrocious. Sheratons in the US pretty consistently sucked with a few exceptions.

Elite benefits were also inconsistent at these chains.

The W, LM and StR were the high points of the spg life, but beyond that it was the wild west. (And dont get me started on US Four Points )

SkiAdcock

Nor are MARs necessarily. Goodness knows we've had SPG folk denigrate the entire MAR chain based on 1-2 experiences. Goes both ways

Cheers.

rickg523

If Marriott and SPG employees squabble and snark like their frequent guests do on here, no wonder this merger has been so fraught.

UA-NYC

Hotel excluding suites from upgrades (JW Guanacasta Costa Rica)

Man - based on that thread, apparently every single JW in the chain must exclude Titaniums from upgrades!!!

SMH at the logic in this thread

Antarius

JWs for the most part offer far more consistent behavior across the board. You cannot be telling us, with a straight face, that spg had any semblance of brand consistency or quality across Westins or Sheratons.

it doesn't need to be a spg vs Marriott argument to recognize the shortcomings of each brand.

UA-NYC

SkiAdcock

There are well over 1,000 full service properties that have exec lounges (it was 900 before the merger & when you add in all the SPG properties a lot more now). The exception list growing from 14 to 20 out of 1,000+ isn't a huge growth (and a couple of the properties on the exception list have their exec lounges open on the weekend anyway).

Cheers.

Kacee

"New" Marriott is worse than either program was before. Can we move on now, and stop rehashing an argument that's been beaten beyond death in literally dozens (hundreds?) of threads before?

Flying for Fun

I happily trade welcome gift points for breakfast in the restaurant when I am staying long enough to utilize the benefit. Sheraton on the Park in Sydney has an awesome offering priced at AUD $44. (USD $30.25) The Sheraton Grand in Dubai is even more impressive at 129 Dirham (USD $35.13).

For 2 people over 2 nights we saved USD $120/$140 in exchange for $5-$10 dollars worth of points! The breakfast buffet at the St. Regis Bora Bora made the USD $169 lunch for 2 a little easier to swallow. The Marriott Santiago provided an upgrade to a full suite, great breakfast in the Restaurant AND points on a 6 night stay, 4+1 nights on points and 1 paid night.

Don't discount the value of restaurant breakfast. It will almost always be better value than taking the points, and you can still use the lounge!

James

Flying for Fun

I don't know that I am doing anything differently other than I do use the chat feature to contact the property. If I haven't received an upgrade prior, I message the property after check-in and ask if they have any upgrades available. I did this recently at the Marriott Tokyo and got a reply that they don't upgrade two days out. After arriving in Toyko, I sent the hotel another message to advise I would be arriving in 30 minutes. I do this for every stay so they are prepared when I arrive. When I got to the hotel, they upgraded me to a full suite. It, at least, puts a bug in their ear. I think that is better than arriving "cold."

This picture is off topic for Westin, but this was my St. Regis Titanium Appreciation Gift.



James

orca15

Thanks, FfF, that's a good tip. I mostly just show up except on those rare occasions I have the SO along, then I try harder (with decent success).

This was not my experience at the two properties I mention, Sheraton LAX and HSV Westin - the "elite" breakfast was the pastry cabinet, with an upcharge for the buffet breakfast. I assumed it would be as you describe but was told otherwise when I arrived at the restaurant. I suppose the difference in full price buffet and upcharge buffet would have amounted to a decent return on the points, to be fair--but nothing like the $120 you cite, more like $10 a day.

yyzflyer

Well that sure beats the ubiquitous 1000 points!

Flying for Fun

Thanks! I still got 33K points for 2 nights, breakfast buffet included. The complimentary Champagne was USD $43.50 a GLASs in the restaurant. Cocktail of the day $29.00. Definitely expensive, but a nice finish to an 8-day cruise through French Polynesia. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.

Ok, back to the thread topic....

James