SkiAdcock

Good to know. I was told they didn't.

Cheers.

hhoope01

Before everyone starts running over to Priceline hoping to get a Starwood hotel and full SPG benefits/points, they might want to check out the SPG elite beneifts T&Cs first.

Terms & Conditions of the SPG Program
"An "Eligible Rate" is the rate an SPG Member pays for a stay in a guest room at an SPG Participating Hotel unless:
(1) the guest room was booked through a tour operator, online travel channel or other third-party channel including, without limitation, expedia.com, hotwire.com, priceline.com, orbitz.com, booking.com, travelocity.com, ctrip.com, and elong.com;"

SPG MEMBER BENEFITS
"In-hotel benefits are not offered if the reservation is made with an ineligible rate through a prepaid, third-party channel, such as priceline.com, expedia.com, booking.com, orbitz.com, elong.com and delta.com."

Note that one person's experience, one time, does not a general rule make.

GUWonder

Incidentals earning points at SPG properties on third party bookings generally should work fine -- as SPG doesn't require a person to have a hotel stay in order to have charges at the property get credited to an SPG account.

Getting the Platinum amenity (and various other Platinum elite) benefits on third party website bookings for SPG hotels is much more of a gamble than getting Platinum benefits at Marriott hotels.

Marriott has a history of having a policy of not treating its customers as "you are just your rate this time". Starwood is a different story.

SkiAdcock

I think that's what I remembered it from, or someone mentioned it in the SPG forum. With Marriott you are entitled to 'elite recognition benefits' on 3rd party stays. With SPG sounds more like a toss of the coin/individual property.

Cheers.

GUWonder

Of the major hotel programs which I use, it used to be just Hyatt and Marriott that by policy treated me as a top-tier elite regardless of my rate type. Hyatt has now joined Hilton and Starwood in "you are your rate this time" -- regardless of elite status -- when using third party bookings.

Marriott is the bit exception, in a good way.

aussielori

I booked a Vertigo hotel thru a normal travel agent and once at the hotel after an award stay extended and SPG have refused to credit the stay night and spend .
even though the award night states:
SPG Participation Policy
This is a partner hotel with limited participation in the SPG Program. All SPG Members will receive Starpoints on eligible spend, elite nights credit, and on-property benefits of internet access and bottled water in room. In addition, Gold Preferred Guests and Platinum Preferred Guests will automatically receive Starpoints as their Welcome Gift. Any other SPG member benefits will not be available at this hotel.

SkiAdcock

The above should probably be posted in the SPG forum to ask for the Lurkers help.

Cheers.

dewdreamdawn

I have not known this before, and it is very good to know this. Is this written in the T&C? I was not able to find here.

hhoope01

On the Elite Benefits T&Cs it states:

"In order to qualify for the Elite Benefits Guarantee, the Elite Member's Membership Number, Elite Membership status, and bed type preferences must be included with the reservation. Reservations made through meeting planners, travel agents, wholesalers or other third party sources must include this information in order to be included in the Guarantee."

dewdreamdawn

Thank you! I probably skipped that line.

davidsc111

Anyone know if this has changed with the merge?

SkiAdcock

Legit question. What has changed w/ the merger?

Are you referring to elite recognition bennies, which MAR has always done (which SPG didn't if I read the threads correctly), or if MAR has gone to SPG model, etc?

Cheers.

GUWonder

davidsc111

Yes, just elite bennies...I'm looking at some great rates via Chase Ultimate Rewards in Singapore next summer and the rates lose some value if I don't get my PP+A benefits. Never been to Singapore and won't spend much time in the room (just a couple of days after spending time in Bali) but a nice breakfast and a room with a view would push me towards staying at a Marriott property over someplace else...I'll reach out to CS and report back if/when I receive a solid answer.

hhoope01

I would guess nothing has changed with respect to getting elite benefits no matter the rate (or where/how the reservation has made.) Though with that said, I'm not sure how well Marriott has been in getting all the new T&Cs out to hotels (or just as likely how well the various local hotel staff have really spent time understanding the new rules). So it may well be that legacy SPG hotels will default to their legacy rules and Marriott hotels will tend to default to their legacy rules for the next few weeks or so. And that may mean a bit of "fighting" to get new rules enforced (at least rules that benefit the elite customer rather than the hotel.)