el_tigre

My only platinum experiences in this hotel are in the Towers. Both times I stayed as a platinum, I placed a note in the comments section of my reservation that I would like an upgrade to a courtyard view suite after booking a garden-view Towers room. That's exactly what I received each stay.

Anecdotal evidence would suggest that platinums booking the lowest room category will be upgraded to either a garden-view suite or a harbor-view room whenever possible. I don't know if you have a preference between the two options. If I were you, I would follow William's advices by having the hotel update your status level, edit the comments section in your reservation with your desired upgrade preference and then hope for the best.

Just don't expect to be upgraded to the Towers if you're booked in the regular hotel.

abk

i am a regular in the main house and you are correct. in my experience they default to the harbor view upgrade unless you request the suite.

alanslegal

Great ^ thank q for everyone's views re: room upgrades

And how about the benefits for lounge access? free buffet? If there are any benefits I understand that (from reading this thread) that only the plat member (me) would be entitled to it? and it would be near impossible to get any other travellers including the person in my room these benefits?

I'm baseing this, as had a recent stay (Nov07) at Planet Hollywood LAS when I was zero status SPG and I checked-in with SPG Plat friend, he received strip view suite and I got nothing (as expected).

kluau88

Plats are given lounge access which on the 9th floor. As for breakfast, Platinums are offered continental breakfast in the Restaurant on the 2nd floor. When registering my room with 2 guests, they were offered breakfast also.

Paladin

Hi - leaning toward booking a 5 night award stay at the Hong Kong Sheraton using the 50% off points promo. (woohoo - finally regained platinum last year). After going through pages and pages of posts, it looks like its possible to book a towers award for more points than the regular awards stay. I never was able to figure out from the posts whether the other tower benefits such as free breakfast (including room service), internet, shoe shine, laundry allowance, etc. apply to award stays.

Any ideas?

abk

yes they do but i question whether room service will cover more than a continental breakfast if room service is even offered.

el_tigre

When staying in the Towers, room service will bring you the full breakfast that is also available in the top floor restaurant.

And yes, all the Towers benefits will be available to Paladin, whether he pays by cash or points to get there.

abk

i stayed in the towers in december for three days and at breakfast if you wanted to order anything beyond the continental buffet the menu had prices on it. are you saying that they would not have charged me?

el_tigre

My last stay in the Towers was Feb. 07, but we ordered many things off the main menu above and beyond the continental buffet selection. It was my understanding that these were included with the Towers benefits and no, I was never charged. But I recall there were also prices on our menus.

Paladin

Thanks to everyone for such speedy responses! I will give Starwood a call and check on how many points for 5 nights in a lovely Towers room. The idea of just ordering recklessly off a room service menu makes me giddy. As a junior consultant, I once ordered room service breakfast and was totally stunned at the cost of all the extra charges tacked on. I still don't understand how they can justify charging money to deliver the food on top of the mandatory tip. The hotel guy just takes the elevator to my floor and walks a few steps to my room - it isnt like some poor pizza delivery guy who has to brave the traffic and elements.

Snoopy

I have a booking at the hotel next month and I wrote asking them to note that I was requesting a late check-out. The hotel replied that this was subject to availability. As a Platinum I was always under the impression that a late check-out was guaranteed unless the hotel was either a resort or a conference hotel. My understanding is that the Sheraton Hong Kong is neither. So, was the hotel wrong in its response, or is my late check-out really subject to availability?

Starwood Lurker

If they are hosting a conference, then they would be considered to be a conference hotel and the benefit becomes subject to availability at that point. What range of dates are we talking about here?

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Snoopy

Hi William, talk about instant service!!

My stay is from 12-13 March.

Starwood Lurker

No worries. I can't find any group blocks for that time frame, but that doesn't necessarily mean much. If you want, send me the email string and I can make some discreet inquiries.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

alanslegal

Unfortunately I have just cancelled my 3 room reservation at the Sheraton HK & Towers for late March08.

As much as I wanted to test out my new SPG Plat status, I was able to book some delicious corp rates at the Four Seasons HK instead