At St. Regis, you don't get the standard choice of platinum amenity (points, movie, etc.). Rather, you get a specific amenity designated by the individual hotel. In the case of the SR San Francisco, it's a chocolate bar. Usually, it's on the desk in your preassigned room. In this case, because I persisted and got an upgrade, there was no amenity in my room -and i forgot to ask on checkout. I'd always rather have the points if given a choice.

My first post-Platinum SPG stay was at this hotel back in November. Was upgraded to an amazing Metropolitan Suite. :)

I guess they've changed the policy - just checked my account and see I was credited with a regular 500 point Platinum amenity for my stay at St. Regis SFO last week. Much better than the chocolate bar!

I have stayed at this property maybe five times in the past 18 months. Possibly one time before using promotional awards and rest paid. On my previous stays there haven’t been issues when it comes to upgrades.

This morning the room type had changed to Executive. All room/suite types were available for sale.

At the time of checking was told that Astor suites that they use for Platinum upgrades were not available. They had Metropolitan suites available but was told that these are not used for Platinum upgrades. This was Saturday evening at 7:30PM.

Was told that they would be more than happy to upgrade me to a Metropolitan suite if I would pay an upgrade fee of $700. This for a nights stay.

At this point I told her that I would like to speak with manager on duty. She told that she is the front desk manager. I asked what her name is and was told that this Swiss lady is part of a "Task Force" and on loan from another SPG property Phoenician.

Anyway this stay was not going to turn around and I told her to cancel my stay and I would move to another non SPG property in the city.

Went to my rental car and called PLT line that confirmed that all the room/suite types were still available for sale tonight. The concierge called the hotel and was also told that there aren't any Astor suites available. Some kind of system "error".

Couple of hours later at 10PM you could still pull up the availability for all room/suite types at spg.com.

http://holtju2.smugmug.com/photos/914661445_MY79e-L.jpg

There are very few Platinum benefits at the St Regis hotels sans the suite upgrades. I didn't like the fact that when using a promotional award the lady kept referring to a free room/stay multiple times. Also the upgrade fee seems to be the BAR of the Metropolitan suite minus whatever they would have got reimbursed from SPG for the night.

Luckily I can always vote with my wallet and do it every night. Last year I had 100 SPG stays (plus/minus two) and so far this year 35. At least now I have one less to choose from in San Francisco when I consider SPG properties in the city.

What was the result after you opened a Customer Care file with Starwood? If you don't challenge the hotel through official channels, the same thing will happen over and over (to you and other guests).

I also believe that hotels pay a fee when customers lodge official complaints with Starwood. Enough of these fines may convince the hotel to change their tune.

I've gotten upgraded to an Astor Suite on my last 2 stays here (the most recent last week), but I had to work at it a bit. I was upgraded to a Metropolitan Suite once, so I know it can happen, but I believe they ordinarily stop at Astor Suites when upgrading Plats. No Plat Amenity posted for this stay, either.

This kind of crap is why I've shifted some of my business to Hyatt. Hyatt manages expectations and doesn't play those kind of games. SPG is a pretty good program, but it would be even better if they reined in properties who do this kind of shenanigans.

In the eye of the holder
 

I have had some great St Regis experiences here and in NYC. Both are great members of the Starwood collection IMHO.
The Singaore Hotel remains a St Regis in name only and I no longer stay there as a result of continually being underwhelmed.
MY SFO stays are usually split between the St Regis and the W and I have stayed a lot recently owing to a major renovation occuring in my apartment which is....on fillmore.

got upgraded to Astor Suite today when I checked in. I booked an award room too. So far no problem with this property. Its a very quiet Sunday night tho, however.

Got one last week on a Sunday night check-in, also. (AAA rate) No issues for me.

It seems that they must have fixed whatever technical problem they were having on this past Sunday.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]

Same problem as last Sept? ( http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/12334772-post117.html )

That's the definition of "oh snap."

It also might be a San Francisco 'issue' as my last stay at the LM I was told I'd been upgraded to the best room available (jr. suite as what I had payed/booked), yet spg.com showed me as being a Hospitality suite.

Quite possibly. YOMV.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]