[Left Marriott 15 Nov 2018] St. Regis Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii [Master Thread]
#1156
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
After a few calls, heard back from the property and they are unwilling to extend any of the SPG/MR benefits after the 'unflagging'. I was mostly concerned about breakfast, as that's a substantial value-add at St. Regis.
Not a dealbreaker, but I told the rep I was surprised they wouldn't be willing to make an exception for the unusual circumstances, since I made the reservation pre-transaction and my stay bridges the cutover.
Not a dealbreaker, but I told the rep I was surprised they wouldn't be willing to make an exception for the unusual circumstances, since I made the reservation pre-transaction and my stay bridges the cutover.
That’s a little disappointing IMO 😟
#1157
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
#1158
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Not only that, but considering the limited options on Kauai one would think they would want to cultivate the existing base.
I remember when Monarch Bay was leaving St Regis the new owners went out of their way to court our future business. I still get offers from them.
I know that hotels are experiencing record occupancy these days but it seems they are forgetting that there are cycles.
Very shortsighted IMHO
#1159
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: Starwood/Hyatt/IHG-PLAT/Hilton-DIA
Posts: 468
Datapoint:
stay booked in late 2018 after hotel leaves star riot on points
messaged customer service about loss in breakfast benefits
they were able to grant a $50 food credit each day of the stay and 10% off the final food and beverage bill to cover anything that went over the $50 daily credit
please post other data points here on what u were able to get star riot to extend
stay booked in late 2018 after hotel leaves star riot on points
messaged customer service about loss in breakfast benefits
they were able to grant a $50 food credit each day of the stay and 10% off the final food and beverage bill to cover anything that went over the $50 daily credit
please post other data points here on what u were able to get star riot to extend
#1160
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Datapoint:
stay booked in late 2018 after hotel leaves star riot on points
messaged customer service about loss in breakfast benefits
they were able to grant a $50 food credit each day of the stay and 10% off the final food and beverage bill to cover anything that went over the $50 daily credit
please post other data points here on what u were able to get star riot to extend
stay booked in late 2018 after hotel leaves star riot on points
messaged customer service about loss in breakfast benefits
they were able to grant a $50 food credit each day of the stay and 10% off the final food and beverage bill to cover anything that went over the $50 daily credit
please post other data points here on what u were able to get star riot to extend
Did you reach out via Twitter/email or ?
#1161
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: Starwood/Hyatt/IHG-PLAT/Hilton-DIA
Posts: 468
#1162
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: Starwood/Hyatt/IHG-PLAT/Hilton-DIA
Posts: 468
#1163
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold
Posts: 1,076
After a few calls, heard back from the property and they are unwilling to extend any of the SPG/MR benefits after the 'unflagging'. I was mostly concerned about breakfast, as that's a substantial value-add at St. Regis.
Not a dealbreaker, but I told the rep I was surprised they wouldn't be willing to make an exception for the unusual circumstances, since I made the reservation pre-transaction and my stay bridges the cutover.
Not a dealbreaker, but I told the rep I was surprised they wouldn't be willing to make an exception for the unusual circumstances, since I made the reservation pre-transaction and my stay bridges the cutover.
#1164
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
I actually am curious about how the hotel is compensated for Award stays in situations like this. Is Marriott paying them to honor the Award Reservations?
#1165
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
I’m not really surprised and honestly don’t blame them. Is it an award stay? If so, and they realize that elite benefits are important to you, it seems unlikely that you’ll return in the future so they don’t really have much incentive to offer more than what will be required.
#1166
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Additionally, from what I've read, once the new hotel is refurbished it will concentrate on a completely different clientele than what is currently attracted to The St. Regis Princeville. The new property will be going after the corporate CEOs and Hollywood celebrities, not the points hoarders that save those points to afford the five-night stay.
It’s true that guests won’t be able to use points, but the Starwood hotels we know and love owe a lot to Barry Sternlicht. As you probably know Sternlicht ran Starwood hotels for years and was integral in turning St Regis into a high end brand. He also launched the W Hotel brand.
He has described his new brand as “the W but more grown up . . . The W is for me in my 30s, and this is for me later in my life . . . this is my upscale W. It’s still chic and cool, but it’s sophisticated, and it’s just more expensive.”
Sternlicht is a visionary and he was at the helm when I first fell in love with Starwood. It won’t surprise me at all if he turns this property into something exciting.
#1167
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
Update: the hotel reached out to me and agreed to extend the breakfast benefit over the last three nights of my stay, and will honor upgrade benefit consistent with my status. A fair solution that I'm satisfied with.
#1168
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold
Posts: 1,076
ummm. Not so much.
It’s true that guests won’t be able to use points, but the Starwood hotels we know and love owe a lot to Barry Sternlicht. As you probably know Sternlicht ran Starwood hotels for years and was integral in turning St Regis into a high end brand. He also launched the W Hotel brand.
He has described his new brand as “the W but more grown up . . . The W is for me in my 30s, and this is for me later in my life . . . this is my upscale W. It’s still chic and cool, but it’s sophisticated, and it’s just more expensive.”
Sternlicht is a visionary and he was at the helm when I first fell in love with Starwood. It won’t surprise me at all if he turns this property into something exciting.
#1169
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
In the same way the St Regis did. 😊
They didn’t teach the First Law of Celebrity Magnetism in school: that a critical mass of famous people showing up at one place creates an irresistible force that attracts pretty much all the other famous people to it. Of course, the setting of celebrity haven St. Regis Princeville Kauai may have something to do with it, too, including the hypnotic sweeping views of Hanalei Bay and the rippled, jungle-clad volcanic mountains that form the Napali Coast.
The 251-room St. Regis has simply made paradise more convenient for pleasure seekers such as Ben Affleck ,Jennifer Garner, Olivia Munn, Kelly Clarkson and Alicia Keys. They come for the St. Regis’ signature butler service, the Asian-influenced fare at chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s casual Kauai Grill and that killer view, visible from every guest room. You might bump into Avril Lavigne poolside (a venue angled to maximize the view) or spot Matt Damon on the hotel’s beach, where you can explore the bay in a replica outrigger canoe handmade and paddled by local legend Trevor Cabell. He can take you out to watch some of the world’s top surfers catching the break and then anchor for snorkeling among sea turtles.
George Clooney took up residence at the hotel when he filmed The Descendants, and numerous scenes were shot in the lobby and Presidential Suite and along the beachfront. Other A-listers have come and liked what they’ve seen so much that they bought homes nearby, including Julia Roberts, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Stiller.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesl.../#4544ef21f561
We were there when this happened:
Joe Manganiello put a lot of thought into popping the question to Sofia Vergara. He carefully planned the proposal, which took place over Christmas in Kauai. “This wasn’t spontaneous,”
The couple were guests at the tony St. Regis Hotel in Princeville – an ultra-exclusive, five-star getaway for the rich and famous – and the source says that “Joe definitely planned ahead and contacted the hotel weeks in advance to discuss certain things he wanted to do.”
Not sure how this is a downside. Many of the Starwood hotels we’ve stayed at have hosted celebrities- Schloss Fuschl, Grande Bretagne, Gritti Palace etc.
Last edited by damon88; Nov 5, 2018 at 11:25 am
#1170
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,638
Those beachfront scenes inspired me to walk along the beach from the St. Regis to Tahiti Nui in Hanalei just as Clooney's character in the movie did. I didn't get very far.