Trip Advisor shows that this property was Formerly Wyndham Garden Buffalo Grove. If the charge is still pending the name may change when it posts. Otherwise, I expect you will need to explain to American Express that this property is using an obsolete merchant account name. Save your receipt, and hope that they are not still using their old stationery.

Converted in December, apparently: http://news.marriott.com/2016/12/10237/

Foolish me. Hope things have gotten better compared to those reviews.

American express SPG Business Bonus
 

Hello all!

I've applied and received the AMEX spg business card in the past and got the 25k bonus (at the time). I signed up for it as a sole proprietor using my SSN.

I now have a new business with an EIN , can I sign up again and get the bonus?

Thanks!

More likely not, someone said in another thread somewhere that biz cards are tracked using your SSN, regardless if you use an EIN or not. Here's a blurb from another website....

"What about a second business card if you have a second business or if you used your SSN or social security number for your current card. Could you use an EIN number help you get the current bonus. Maybe, but most times new card bonus offers are tied to your social security number. Just know there is a high likelihood of being approved for the card, and then not get the bonus points, if you are using an EIN for a different business than the one (or SSN) you used before."

Bummer! thanks!!

If you do and still get the bonus, please let us know. Did you have the card more than 7 years ago? Some think that's long enough to still get the bonus.

Will dining at the in hotel restaurant earn 2x?

In my case, it is STK at the W West Beverly Hills. (Formerly W Los Angeles)

If not, what if I charge it to the room?

Anything charged to the room folio will earn 2X Starpoints from Amex (of course, assuming you are paying with the Starwood Amex!)..

I have paid hotel restaurant bills directly on a credit card (Citi Prestige) offering a bonus for travel expense and received the bonus.

If the restaurant uses the hotel's merchant account the transaction will be classified as hotel rather than dining, but if the restaurant has its own account it will not be a Starwood transaction.

That was not the question. It was specific to the SPG Amex.

OP, essentially if you paid the restaurant bill directly it would depend on whether the restaurant's Amex merchant account is the same as the hotel's or, if separate, the merchant account is shown as a Starwood property on the Amex system.

The failsafe way is charging to the room.

UPDATE: I see that mia responded while I was typing. Didn't mean to step on your toes mia.

I signed up for the Business card and AmEx has issued me a new SPG account. I have had a SPG membership for a few years. I'm sure that I put the old account in when I filled out the application. The only thing I can think happened is the old SPG account was under my former address (my parent’s place). And the new AmEx application has my current address. The different addresses caused the field that had my SPG account number to be ignored.


What’s the best way to get my old SPG account associated with the new AmEx card?

I know there’s a link on SPG to combine the accounts, but will that ensure my points earned on the new card go to the old account number or do I need to also contact AmEx?

If you combine accounts at spg.com, you would not have to contact American Express. Any Starpoints they may send your way going forward will fall into the account you are keeping.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC

[email protected]

So I just called in to cancel the card and received a retention offer of 10k points to keep the card open. You guys think paying the $95 AF is worth 10k points?

You can usually redeem for 2-3 cents/point, so that suggests you could get 2-3x back on your $95 if future travel plans could make use of them.