pewpew

So as a Titanium are any of the rooms worth requesting with SNAs for a Christmas stay (4 adults)? The large luxury guest rooms with 3 doubles, deluxe oceanfront with diamond Head view 2D, high oceanfront 2D, oceanfront doubles 2D, partial ocean doubles 2D

Kacee

Thanks for the intel.

The third point really explains the first two. "Re-align" is right up there with "enhance" as marketing verbiage that's used to make a major downgrade sound like something else. Right out of the Jeff Smisek "changes you'll like" playbook.

MSPeconomist

When you requested to use SNAs, what room/suite categories did you check? If you check more than one category, the hotel is supposed to put you in the best available (for your entire stay) of the ones you've checked. Sometimes I only check the really good ones as T-5 approaches, but then check more as my arrival date approaches, certainly in time for the last SNA sweep.

edgewood49

If I am traveling on rewards I try to book "an acceptable" room/location even if I am adding cash to the reservation that way when I get there and happen to catch an upgrade I will be pleasantly surprised other wise at least I know I will not be mumbling on the way to the elevator! Too old and cranky to be worried about it all the way over, internationally one stands a much better chance of an legitimate upgrade not play on words. The Park Hyatt Vendome does that with their king "executive" rooms as their standard upgrades.

HNLbasedFlyer

This is not new and was commonplace pre-pandemic. The Sheraton Waikiki FD agents have been on a 10% commission upsell for several years. The only difference people are seeing nowadays is pre-pandemic they would oversell non-suites and proactively upgrade elites into specialty suites to free up regular rooms. With much lower occupancy - they aren't doing that. When occupancy gets back to pre-pandemic levels I expect them to once again oversell non-suites - but I don't see that happening until next summer at the earliest.

patchan8984

We’re here right now and on our 4th stay this year (plat/titanium/ambassador for those stays). Out experience consistently over all 4 stays has been great. Everyone has been warm, friendly and helpful - FD, housekeeping, pool staff, breakfast staff. It even looks like some comments from here made to management about coffee/OJ has made things slightly more flexible (don’t quote me on this). As someone upthread mentioned, book a room you find acceptable and if you do get upgraded, it will be a surprise. Looking at everyone’s wristbands, there are a sea of golds and plats. Not everyone is going to get a suite and they are open about checking on suite availability if you have a longer stay and want to switch out.

Some of the frustrations voiced on this thread seem to be on things that are pretty clear, like extra person fees and room descriptions that are in the SNA pool.

To us, the Sheraton provides a lot of value not found on other resorts. This is, of course, subjective. Waikiki location for shopping (w/ no car), restaurants…large family pools + infinity adults pool, oceanfront, direct beach access and adjacent to the very quiet and lush RH.

EDIT - loud AC units in rooms a definite con for sensitive sleepers.

spgplatfromchitown

We checked the Larger Lux Bedroom only and that's what we got. It's slightly larger than the regular room but with an extra bed. In our 14 years visiting this property, this is the first time we've ever stayed in that type of room. We used our SNA's even though it wasn't a "suite" as in "Suite" night award.

bubbelbine

We are here right now and can confirm both, coffee + juice, have been available as part of the continental package.

The AC is quite something else, sounds like a tractor starting every time it comes on.

The beds are probably the worst I have had in years, so saggy and old, I cannot believe these mattresses were not thrown out. Made the mistake to lift the sheet, visuals only confirm the end of life for these things 🤢

I booked an oceanfront high floor and am in the bottom half of the building and got a lovely solid concrete wall in front of me, preventing me from seeing Diamond Head. To see DH was the only request I asked in the chat, but as a lowly Plat I guess I did not only not deserve the view but a solid barrier 😬

HNLbasedFlyer

Personally - I don't think I'd rely on chat - but did you try going back down to the front desk to ask about other rooms?

bubbelbine

No, didn’t go back to front desk for a different room, hotel seems super packed.
We are not spending that much time in the room, just had hopes for a nicer view 😌

Kacee

Paying for Ocean Front as a Plat it's not unreasonable to expect a high floor with a good view. I would not hesitate to raise the issue with the front desk. It's very common for a busy FDA to either pay no attention to room assignment or try to pass off the crappy rooms first, because that makes their jobs easier. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for something better.

clin9383

How strict is this hotel in enforcing the 3rd person room charge? TIA

chanp

I used points for 3 adults, seems like the same amount of points for 2 adults as it is for 3. Anyone book on points for 3 adults and have to pay an extra fee? I'f thought if they wanted an extra fee, they should show it when booking?

margarita girl

Well, it’s time to walk back all my previous reviews of this hotel’s treatment of Elite guests. I’ve said multiple times that if this hotel has a suite available, they will upgrade Elite guests. I estimated my success rate at 90-95% of the time and I never used SNAs. I am here 3-4 times per year. I was here multiple times during the renovations (and construction noise) and I was here during the strike. I’ve given them nothing but 5 star reviews on TA. My last trip was in mid-Sept 2021 and at check-in, I was told there were no suites, but to check back the next morning and they should be able to offer me one. Myself and 2 other friends (all Titaniums) were all upgraded to Kai Suites with zero pushback.

Fast forward to Jan 2022. I was surprised at the variety of suites available for the duration of my stay (Malia, Kai and Ohana). I didn’t even bother asking for a suite via Chat as I know they never assign suites before check-in. I could see that I had been pre-upgraded to an ocean front room from my city view room which is the standard pre-upgrade for Elites. At check-in, I politely asked if there were any suites available. I was told no. I said I could see lots on the website, and the FDA said they weren’t available for “complimentary” upgrades.

I asked to speak to a FD Mgr who repeated the same info. I pointed out that I was a regular guest (including the strike and construction). No exceptions. He even said that there were notes on my file that I had been advised during my Sept stay that I would no longer be offered full breakfast nor suite upgrades. Maybe breakfast, but there was no pushback for the suite upgrade on my last visit. When I expressed my disappointment, the mgr said he would take note and pass on my comments to the higher ups.

So there you have it, the complete Bonvoying of a former, excellent Starwood property that used to excel at Elite recognition thanks to its previous GM, Kelly Sanders.

Flews

A sad tale that mirrors my own experience under the new regime. The good news is I am now free to shop around to my heart’s content. Which I’m doing, and I’m loving the alternatives.

Flews