Braindrain

I had e-mailed the Sheraton Salzburg about a different issue and got a response immediately. Why not e-mail them directly? Use an alias if you have to.

ILUVCITIBANK

Braindrain, I can and might do exactly as you suggest....the delimna I am referring back to Lurker is I am trying to compare/contrast five or more prospective properties with respect to several criteria...and there is no good way to do this (let me say efficiently). Would your advice be to email each of these five properties ? I think you can see your suggestion doesn't scale very well.

I don't have the time to invest in this laborious effort *just* to screen a couple of properties on some deal-killer criteria, and the risks of going into making actual reservations and then stumbling across the "max persons in the room" issue sometime this spring, or, forbid it, after we get started into the trip, is obviously catastrophic. Since in the US the max capacity in room is not an issue (maybe in practice US hotels cap the occupancy, but Ive never had a problem w/ our five member family staying in a single room), I am surprised starwood doesn't make it more clear somewhere about this apparently iron-clad custom in Europe of capping occupants to as few as two, sometimes three, in the room. My suggestion now for over a year...spg should take the lead (among their peers, the Marriotts, Hiltons, and Hyatts) and provide a simple downloadablle spreadsheet for properties world-wide with scads of details and lesser-known information about each property. I don't disagree this info might not need to overwhelm a web site...but it ought to be available somewhere.

As it stands, starwood is close to losing 24-30 room nights from me at an international property because I am not sure I would be confident with whatever I learn without calling each and every property and taking copious notes, to include names, on what they tell me. Anyway...guess I'lll stand by for William to give me the official word on this issue of max cap per room for each of these properties and go with that (Sheraton Jagdhof, Goldener Hirsch, in Salzburg, and then all three starwood properties in Davos are the five I am wishing to compare/contrast). Issues such as distance from nearest ski slope, [absolute] info regarding max occupancy in rooms, ability to use starpoints to upgrade to a club level when staying on points, presence of club level to begin with, all are what I am trying to find out. Lacking a downloadable file approach, maybe spg's web site would offer a side-by-side comparison layout where a traveler could set up up to five properties in a linear fashion and compare/contrast them (eBay offers this innovative tool by offering an option to compare several auctions side-by-side; ditto for another favorite site of mine, http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/compare_select.php, where one can compare in a side-by-side format up to five cell phones - what a tool for managing the information overload of cell phone selection). William - get your web guys to offer such a tool and that would go a loooon way to making the spg.com web site more palatable. Otherwise, I fear the logistics of this effort are overwhelming before I even get started and the risks of making one error or oversight too catastrophic in nature to justify the effort to study and book them by going to each properties' web site one by one.

bigjim

Have you tried the Platinum Concierge route? @:-) It seems like this should certainly fall within their abilities.

Starwood Lurker

The Sheraton Salzburg has rooms and suites that have a maximum occupancy of three, except for the Presidential Suite, which has a maximum occupancy of four.

The Goldener Hirsch has rooms with an occupancy level from one person to three persons depending on the room type.

I feel pretty safe in saying that this isn't going to happen in the near future, if ever.

The web site is a work in progress. Someday, it may be all you expect it should be, but for now, it is what it is.

If I was planning a trip like this, I would call either Platinum Concierge, the Luxury Collection, or contact the hotel directly.

Platinum Concierge - 888-625-4991
The Luxury Collection - 800-325-3589

Best of luck.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

Starwood Lurker

The maximum occupancy for a room is determined by local fire officials, regardless of where you stay. If a hotel is allowing you to exceed the legal occupancy of the room, they are not doing you or themselves any favors when it comes to liability issues.

However, if it is the choice of some (US?) hotels to overlook the maximum occupancy limits that are legally placed on them, why should this affect what should be allowable in Europe? You should book according to the legally-determined maximum occupancy and be glad the hotels in Europe stand by it, IMHO.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

ILUVCITIBANK

We are *always* very clear of the number of members in our family(ies), and if a hotel raised it as an issue, we would pass on that property. This is precisely why I am going to such efforts a full year out.

This trip is now ended before it begins, sadly enough, because of this 3person rule. So much for those 24-30 room nights for a given European property. Seems European hotels have a standard that is much more restrictive than in the US; even if you could argue the majority of US hotels don't allow five people, I have to say I have never come across any that disallowed four (well, maybe the occasional NYC hotel), which surely is about the *average* US family (one exception) - The Westin Stonebriar resort in north Dallas had a limit of four on their web site when I was about to book it two summers ago, so I passed on that property.

Between the poor dollar exchange ratio, and a 3-person cap per room, I will venture a guess European hotels are in for some rocky waters in 2005, if they depend at all on US tourism. Maybe the business traveler will offset the hit to these European hotels, but 3persons max in a room is useless to my family, and, in fact, all four families that I travel with. Three of these four families have four members, and I have five in my family. So all four of our families would have to split our respective families. How can that be a family vacation unless these were older teens ? In two of these four cases, the youngest is 6 or younger.

TahitiBoy

ILUVCITIBANK:

I'm going to attempt to phrase this as nicely as possible, so wish me luck...

Quite frankly, the great hotels of the world (or, in this case, of Europe) are not going to change their occupancies solely to cater to the US Market. As William indicated, there are occupancy restrictions in place, and these are uniformly enforced.

Moreover, many hotel managers aren't concerned about catering to American expectations on occupancy because, quite frankly, they're not looking to attract the type clientele that wants to cram 4 and 5 people into a room.

Have you ever stayed at the Goldener Hirsch? There's simply no room for three people in most cases, and certainly not room for four. You'd be miserable. The hotel is ensuring this doesn't happen.

Finally, staying at the Goldener Hirsch (and quite a few other Starwood hotels in Austria and Germany) is like staying at your VERY rich grandmother's house. Many of them were built in the 1300 and 1400s. If I'm being honest, these aren't hotels where I'd want children running around, and perhaps hotel management is of this same ilk.

Just some thoughts...

Tak

Are there any ski lodges for your family?
In stead of staying in the city like Salzburg, you had better stay at the lodges near the ski area where you are going, especially such big group.
Usually, they have different type of rooms for couple and family.
Commute between ski area such as Kitzbuhel and city is quite a hussle for big family.

I have stayed at Sheraton Salzburg and I don't remember they have two double beds or two single beds. Anyway, I don't think there is a space for two rollaway beds in the room although the room was not that small.

ILUVCITIBANK

TahitiBoy,

comments welcome and I appreciate the insight. That's a perspective I had not considered, and it makes sense to me (and it worked - we've ruled out Europe for this ski trip).

But - I also read travel rags and USA Today, and all I see is Europe is screaming for US/North American travelers to "come visit Europe"...yet policies such as this slam the door shut. No biggie...dollar exchange alone made this a questionable trip so we'll re-focus and stay in NA this iteration.

TAK, I did a fair amount of research and I could find no starwood properties except the the ones near DAVOS that fit the "stereotype" of a US resort, w/ ski in, ski out concept. This alternative option of "basing" out of Salburg and makeing day trips to nearby slopes was the next-best choice. Since using starpoints was a goal here, I think I will need to abandon my effort for a European trip this coming year.

Football Fan

Has anyone stayed at the Jagdhof recently? How is the Platinum treatment? Right now, suites still seem to be available for my reserved date (in a few days). Is access to the spa included for plats? What about breakfast? I know it is not a guaranteed benefit like with Hilton, but do I need to book a rate that includes breakfast or would I get that as a Plat anyway?

And if someone has been there very recently, is the hotel accessible with a regular car with winter tires right now, or would we need special equipment ("Schneeketten")?

Thanks for any advice!

LH738

I stayed at both hotels recently. Jagdhof and especially Schloss Fuschl are great properties who treated me very, very well. The spa is included in both hotels (massages of course not). I don't remember about breakfast (if it was included in my rate or if I received it complimentary): breakfast is very good in both hotels (in the Schloss Fuschl: you sit in front of a panorama window with view towards lake Fuschl and excellent service - just like a dream).

aleksir

The Jagdhof is right off the main road so if it is passable you will not need chains or studs. That road goes right through the town and carries all of the local traffic heading towards Salzburg. The Schloss Fuschl is down the hill and might have different requirements.

I'm curious how the new buildings are, they were just under construction when we were there. I really enjoyed the hotel when it only had the one building and 24 rooms.

NorthernAtlanticRacer

I just got back on Tuesday from a stay at the Jagdhof - great stay. Upgraded to a Duplex lakefront suite, and generally nice people. The hotel is still new, and well kept. The staff is excellent. Breakfast is 18 pP on Point nights, free otherwise. Get the rate which includes breakfast, then. It is a good spread, but can get busy with seminar and congress guests. They seem to do a good bit with such things.

The Schloss is closed, but you can walk around a bit. Get some smoked fish at the Schlossfischerei, wonderful. And, in the next village Fuschl, there is an excellent restaurant called Brunnenwirt. Call to make a reservation, you will not regret it!

Schneeketten most likely not, as even on Tuesday afternoon all was driveable. Definetly good boots are a must.

Football Fan

Thanks for the advice. Stayed at the Jagdhof and also got a duplex lakefront suite. Very kind staff, good breakfast. The spa is quite nice. I can recommend it!

A bit strange that the restaurant closes at 9:30 p.m. already and that the surrounding restaurants (incl. Brunnwirt) close at 9 p.m. already...and calling in at 7 p.m. to get a table there was unsuccessful. Tried the Mohrenwirt in Fuschl, which was also rather good. Also, took the cable car up to the Zwölferhorn, very nice.

Does anyone know when Schloss Fuschl will open again? Would perhaps like to try it out one day as well.

LH738

Normally, Schluss Fuschl opens at the beginning/middle of April. Great service, great restaurant/breakfast.