heakja

Interesting. Are you sure about this? When applying an SNA for a upcoming stay in January, I can still choose a 1 BR Spectacular condo (in addition to the Fantastic Suite). But there are other recent reviews too (at spg.com) suggesting that the new owners have had an impact on the upgrade policy.

ihdihd

Regarding the free Plat upgrades to condos, yes certainly the policy has changed. I'm assuming that one can still book a paid stay in the condos which is why they may also be available by SNA. I'm not sure what additional operating cost there is to maintaining a condo vs a room on average, but my guess is they didn't want any more wear and tear when they are trying to sell. plus it is hard to sell a condo if it is always occupied by a platinum member and can't be shown...

sbtinme

To be clear, are you suggesting that the W FLL is the essential equal to the neighboring Westin? I can't even begin to understand how anyone could arrive at that position.

I've been frequent guests at both properties and have only had good experiences (occasionally over-the-top exceptional experiences) at both. But to suggest that the two offer the same overall experience to me seems incomprehensible.

Perhaps I'm just among the few who've been consistently treated so well at the W? Some of the very best upgrades in my nearly 30 years at this game have been at the W FLL.

ihdihd

I wouldn't say that they are equal properties, but that they do essentially offer equal value (and the Westin frequently better value) based on typically lower rates. It also depends on the type of stay. The W is great for a weekend stay for a couple where you've booked a high ocean front and can enjoy the nice adult pool deck amenities, etc. For family vacations the Westin wins out with the bridge to the beach and more kid friendly pool.

For a business traveler (me), there are basics that the W constantly gets wrong. These may be different priorities for a family or a couple on vacation, but here is a list of consistent wrongs:

1. Room service takes 60-90 (and sometimes 90+) minutes during dinner rush. often this isn't because of the kitchen, but because they have a shortage of runners. This is a big deal when you get back to your room at 8pm, but can't eat dinner until 10pm. It happens every night, no exceptions, and can be easily mitigated, but isn't...

2. The valet allows you to call down for your car and it's supposed to be there 10 minutes later. Often that call goes into a vacuum, even when you dial 8624 (valet direct), and you end up waiting an additional 10 minutes for your car. Clearly the system is not very air tight and can be improved significantly. I've asked them to let guests park their cars (and still charge the same $32 fee), and they don't allow it.

3. Check-in during the early evening hours is very very slow. This is a philosophy of service they have, they take time, they chit chat, and the front desk staff is very nice. This is all great, unless you're the person waiting on line to check in for 15 minutes when there is only one person in front of you.

4. The folio email delivery is inconsistent. Every week when I leave (I don't have time to walk over fly bridge to checkout), I get the survey, but the I don't get my folio, the following week on check-in they send me the previous week and promise the problem is corrected (and it isn't).

5. This will sound like a first world problem: Every time I check in they used to put me in the two bedroom suite, and every week I ask to be moved to a smaller ocean front suite (the condos are not ocean front). If I'm lucky I end up in an ocean front room, seldom suite. After every profuse apology comes a recommendation that I put this request in my reservation, and when my assistant does that, nothing changes every week. Same person (me and staff), same check-in day and time every week, and same request, but always different outcomes. It can't be that hard to develop some profile system, especially when they seem to get a kick every week out of telling me that this is my 38th stay this year and that i've stayed there however many hundreds of nights. They have the system, but not the process, so I wouldn't count on special requests making their way in without some consistent follow-up.

It will be interesting to see how this property develops over the coming year as the $100M investment plays out...

Eujeanie

Is the W noticeably crazier/louder on a weekend night than during the week?

We had a C&P stay booked at the Diplomat which we cancelled because it would not be honored, and the only other C&P at the same level was the W.

taipeiflyer

if you had a stay booked, why would it not be honored? Is this after it is set to leave SPG?

And yes, the property is substantially different on weekends with respect to noise, clientele, etc

Eujeanie

Yes, long after the switch will take place. Might change our res to just Thursday from Thurs & Fri.

milemonkey

There is a current deal on the hotels website for an Oasis Suite. However, I can't find such a suite in the description of the rooms. Anyone know what type of room this is?

ihdihd

Oasis suites all have the large balconies facing the ocean on the higher floors (maybe 18-23).

I'm not sure if regular rooms on the higher floors with the mega balconies count as oasis, but most of the rooms on the corners that have the large balconies are actually fantastic suites with large (like size of room large) balconies.

I love having breakfast at sunrise on these suites, one of the reasons to be at this hotel. There are 2 downsides to the suites. First is because the hotel cascades at the top floors where the floors get smaller (what allows for the open air balconies), it also means you're fully exposed to the balcony above you. The second and probably more important is that you're exposed to your next door neighbor because the separation glass wall is about 4 feet tall. In fact you can see right into the other room if you're standing on your balcony and turn around to look back at the rooms.

heakja

Does anyone know where the accessible Fantastic suites are located? Are they all on low floors, facing the pool? Just want to be sure if that is an upgrade worth taking if offered when visiting in a few weeks. (I saw it in my spg app once as an upgrade, but eventually got an apartment at check-in.)

SAN 1K

Had a very nice stay here last week for 2 nights. I was originally booked in the Diplomat but switched after the re-flagging. My thoughts and comments:
1. I had no problem parking one block west of the hotel. Many of the buildings on the opposite side of North Birth Road are not currently occupied (i.e., they are abandoned and/or under renovation) so there was plenty of available parking in that area.
2. I didn't take the platinum breakfast so no comment there. I had a great room with a beautiful terrace so I had breakfast on the terrace each morning. Room service breakfast was very good, $33 total each morning. So the money I saved on parking paid for breakfast.
3. Used a Suite Night Award and got ungraded to a residential one-bedroom suite. When I saw the suite, it was nicely designed but at the far west end of the building. I went back to the front desk to ask if anything was available closer to the water and I ended up in an ocean-front suite on the 22nd floor with a huge terrace.
4. Had one great dinner in the steak restaurant. They were having something like a restaurant week special so my total bill was $90 for one person including 3 courses and 3 glasses of wine. Without the restaurant week special dinner would easily exceed $100 per person here.
5. Had a good run southbound from the hotel along the ocean then into a residential neighborhood. Northbound run was not very good due to extensive road works.
Overall I enjoyed this hotel. It was off-season and weekdays, which was probably better for me as I don't care for crowds and parties. The room was certainly showing some wear and tear. Also the working desk in this suite had a very bad location facing a solid wall. I prefer to have the working desk have a good view, but I guess this hotel isn't really oriented to people working.

roadrunner127

Could it be that if a plat uses suite night awards, then a residence flat can be had, but if one just shows up hoping for an upgrade to a flat, that it is denied?

I stayed in July for 10 nights and had a 2br flat, no problem. We have stayed at this location many, many times and were always upgraded to a suite.

However, we went in Oct just for a 2 night stay, and were told that they would no longer be upgrading to the flats. But, now I read that some are getting them with suite night awards.

As for the Plat breakfast, the $25 limit has never been enforced for us. We go over sometimes $5-$10 and it has never been added to the bill.

For parking, we pay $10 a day to a little hotel on the other side of the Hilton, and we park in their lot. I worry about parking on the street or in front of the old motels that are being torn down/renovated/whatever they are doing. I am afraid I will wake up watching my car being towed.

LovetoTravel83

That is a nightmare that happens to me daily in San Francisco.

roadrunner127

I did a mock booking and was able to choose a 1Br flat for a suite night award. So, I am thinking they WILL upgrade if you choose to use the suite night awards. Whether they will back off of the new policy to not upgrade a plat standing there in person, remains to be seen.

I am thinking the new owners came on "strong" but will back off a little after the dust settles, so to speak. I certainly hope so as this has been my hotel of choice when staying in South Florida, and we always enjoy a flat!

heakja

On spg.com the hotel representative replied this on 11 December to a review:

"We thank you for your loyalty with Starwood Preferred Guest and commend you on your Platinum Status. Unfortunately, our Residential Suites are individually owned and no longer available as complimentary upgrades. "