JFKSFOLAX_friend

So, it's okay to (basically) lie to a guest if the hotel doesn't think they will get pushback?

Once there was pushback, the hotel backtracked/changed their story. But, if the hotel assumed there wouldn't be pushback, it's okay to just make up a reason/provide a generic reason that may/may not be true?

Starwood Lurker

I would not call it a lie as much as not telling the whole truth. As always, YOMV.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]

andrewpartyman

Not so much a lie as not telling the whole truth? That is a lie. Try that one in court.

JFKSFOLAX_friend

Wow. Is someone looking for a career in politics? Do you know what the definition of is is?

Starwood Lurker

FWIW, the OP did send me the email identifying the person who wrote it. Management of the St. Regis San Francisco says they will use this guest's experience to redouble their efforts to ensure that everyone working at the front desk knows exactly what is expected as far as SPG elite member benefits are concerned.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]

JFKSFOLAX_friend

You da man.

BlissWorld

This is the way SPG rolls

While there are some properties that are more than accommodating in following SPG guidelines and upgrade Plat members, there are also those who go out of their way to deny benefits.

What I have a huge problem is that hotels have actually been instructed/briefed/taught/lied/tricked/deceived/whatever-spg-wants-to-call-it by SPG corporate in exactly HOW to respond to customer complaints in order to cover their behind. According to one of my good SPG-hotel-contact-then-turned-good-friends (whose identity shall not be reveald for obvious reasons) These mentioned excuses:
1) Our external inventory channels are not up to date. You are seeing a suite that has already been committed/sold.
2) Even though spg.com shows a suite available, it has not been cleaned yet (it was not available at check-in)
3) There is a maintenance issue with the room and it has been pulled out of service (even though it still appears on spg.com)
have actually been memo'd into the hands of the hotel as an instruction manual on how to respond to customer complaints.

SPG used to handle these kind of situations with class and always put customers first. Now, stingier by the second, they have changed their position. SPG is and will do anything to try to keep individually owned properties from changing flags. At a high yield city like San Francisco, you'd be surprised what they would let properties get away with.

Voice your concern with your wallet.

JFKSFOLAX_friend

This is one heck of an accusation. If true, it would cut to the core of the SPG program. Any way your friend (or anyone else) might give you a copy of the memo for posting on Flyertalk?

I can't imagine anything more inflamatory being posted on Flyertalk...

ramalama8

I agree - that's quite the accusation. I'd love to see some proof.

holtju2

Haven't you seen the trend what excuses the hotels are using? Wouldn't surprise me a bit if something would have been communicated "unofficially" from SPG.

tommy777

Sigh.. Let me try to explain what the difference between a St. Regis and other Starwood brands. Your pictures tell it all: You are looking at a small room, but with very expensive interior and great amenities. All rooms give you Evian when they are being cleaned and at turn down service. You are looking at an awesome bed with very expensive linens and goose down pillows and duvet. You are looking at a luxury bathroom with great toiletries. Luxury hotels are about details like luxury robes and slippers. About a complimentary shoe shine bag for having your shoes shined over night. It's about getting a real newspaper of your own choice on your door, not the Newspaper for dummies (USA Today). I could go on.

So even if your room is smaller, it's filled with luxurious features. Don't get me started on your list of properties you claim are on par with the St. Regis San Francisco. There are hotels on your list that are well known dumps here on FT.

Sure, the check in issue would have p**** me off as well, and I do agree that this is not the best St. Regis, not even close, but I think your real beef with this place (as most others who complain about this property in this thread) is that you didn't get an upgrade.

Let's see if I get mine in two weeks and how I feel after my next stay

taipeiflyer

frankly, i am getting so sick and tired of all the excuses being used to deny room upgrades. next time i get one of those sorry-... excuses, i am going to go back to my room, and continue to book all of the remaining upgradeable suites for the night in question until it says i cannot book any more. i will then go back downstairs and let them know that i was able to "help their system catch up. after all, i would hate to see another customer book a suite only to arrive at the hotel and be told there are none left." and they can't try and charge me for the booked suites, because how can you charge me for something you dont have? in fact, they should be thankful that they dont have to deal with angry guests who are thinking they are booking suites when in fact none exist. enough is enough with spg.

MAN Flyer

We had a two night stay here last week and althought they advised at check-in 'As a Starwood Platinum Guest you have been upgraded...' we got no suite and what seemed to be a pretty standard middle of the corridor room. We were on a paid stay FWIW.

To be honest as I had a lot of emails and stuff to catch up on we just went to the room and I got stuck into that. After sorting that I checked on line and all types of rooms were available, suites included. As I had the better half with me I informed her of this and told her I would call down, 'discuss' this with them and get us moved to a Suite, to which she advised she was on holiday, had unpacked and couldn't be bothered moving again. So I just left it.

I met up with a friend who knows a few of the staff there and he was advised they were quiet, running <60%, so there was no excuse not to get a Suite. As I didn't take this up with them - under strict instruction not to bother - I can't add anything about what excuses would have been handed out, although I am sure they would have tried. Like others have said, this attempt to deny benefits is becoming an increasingly frustrating and annoying trend.

I am fortunate (I suppose...) in that most of my stays throughout the year are at many of the same properties, so as expected you get well looked after and don't have to argue with them for benefits. However, I find if I go to a new property I seem to have to argue with them for benefits. And to be prefectly honest I am getting sick and tired of having to do so, and of the bullsh*t excuses. This is a problem at Hiltons as well as Starwoods.

Going back to the property itself, we had stayed at the W before the StR and would also say that we preferred the W. We also liked the Grove around the corner as well. ^

JFKSFOLAX_friend

PLEASE file a Customer Service complaint against the hotel. Give the dates you stayed there (and confirmation number if you have it handy) and indicated that spg.com showed many better room types. At a minimum, they will know that Platinum SPG members ARE checking spg.com. Even if you get nothing out of it, the file does go to the GM and they will have to research it. It will let them know that we are paying attention.

It will take two seconds. Either call or simply send an email to customer care. Just give the facts and say that you would like to open a "Customer Care File." Thank you.

800-328-6242
[email protected]

peteropny

I like the property itself - probably would prefer it to any SPG or Hyatt property in SF. But the continued shenanigans on the upgrade issue including myself last Sept will assure the property that it will never see a revenue stay from me. Particularly disappointing is that the property's GM used to be at the PH SF which was the pinnacle of service at domestic US Hyatts (and SPGs) - as a Diamond, I almost always received a suite for every stay even though suite upgrades are not part of Hyatt's T&Cs. Since the changeover to LM from PH, I haven't received such upgrades regularly but at rates of 1/3 of the typical St R rate, I can live with it. If the St R can demonstrate a record of honoring the Suite upgrades per SPG's T&Cs, I may reconsider.