oneduhy

let me see if i understand this - even though talk of Lite is rubbish, the 20 odd elements are probally used by the property to gauge the degree of upgrade and responsiveness.

I would also suggest that it will also depend on the property brand

Westin in Australia come across as a premium brand and the treatment by front office reflects that. Sheraton are nice, but busy [bring back the W - I love the quirkyness]

We do not have enough properties down here to get full value for being a SPG member

So going overseas to say the US - we get lost in the noise and dont look good when being considered for the full Plat benefits

Does this make sense

... dave

Golden Toque

I make Platinum every year with just over 25 stays, and just a few more nights than that. I have found that overall my treatment as a Platinum has been fantastic, but when it hasn't been I think it has t do more with the property, and the staff than my qualifications as a Platinum.

Comparing my experiences at certain hotels with others on this board, leads me to believe that it not just me having good or bad experiences at these properties, but most of us!

ttrltb

I don't mean to stir the pot, but in the Where can I find previous Platinum or Gold end-of-year gifts? thread where I asked about EOY Plat amenities, it was stated...

Quote:Originally Posted by ttrltb
So as long as you earn it (not have it comped), all plats are entitled to the annual gift?

That was the case for this year's version. What it will be next year, if there is one, is yet to be determined.


Quote:I'm also assuming that earning plat via a double promo does NOT qualify... Si?

You assume wrongly...if past versions are any indication of what may happen in the future.

Best regards,

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

...since this was a factor in my [stepped up] pursuit of platinum (I would have made it by EOY, but maybe not before Nights Advance promo registration ended...) , I have to ask: Is it very possible that I can achieve plat and not be eligible for an EOY plat amenity, assuming there is one? (Emphasis on the very...)

Starwood Lurker II

It would have to depend on what this year's EOY arrangements are.

Very difficult for my crystal ball to assist you in this case.

[email protected]

Thyetus Lee | Online Forum Coordinator(AP)
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

kitsura

You rang?

ttrltb

Hi Thyetus, I wasn't asking for any divination. I understand that nothing is guaranteed, what I was looking for was an experienced voice familiar with the past annual plat amenities to imply the statistical likelihood of being a plat this year and not receiving an amenity when others might.

FatManInNYC

Hi ttrltb,

I'm going to jump in because I dealt with this issue a few years back at a level higher than the Lurkers and want to save you some grief.

1) It would be imprudent for the Lurkers to comment on what the Marketing arm of a seperate corporate entity may or may not do in the future as they might (reasonably) be seen as agents for that company and you might rely, to your disadvantage, on those comments.

2) There is no guarantee of a EOY gift. It is not included in the program terms and, as William commented upthread, some have gone to "double-stay" plats and some have not. Similarly, being a fully loaded plats have not always been included in the EOY gift lift. No probability analysis will help you here.

3) If you want to achieve plat for the benefits listed in the program TOS, then welcome fellow FT. But if the promise of a EOY gift is a tipping point for you, then you should best assume you will not get it. This will prevent you from persuing a program that might not be worth it to you.

Hope this helps, just trying to help you avoid some angst and save you some $$.

gnp001

I'm not even sure if I've ever received one of these!

Does anyone have any examples of what they received for end of year gifts? Is it one gift for "some" plats or are there varying levels of gifts? My wife just asked me to fill out my Christmas gift, maybe I can cc the lurkers when I send it to her! haha

SanDiego1K

Please see

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...ear-gifts.html

ttrltb

Thanks, FatManInNYC, for your frankness. I figured it was an exercise in futility and I understand what you are saying. I wouldn't have taken what was disclosed as the definitive, guaranteed answer, I was just trying to get a feel for what to expect, since some of these posts contradicted what I'd seen earlier.

While I've hit plat in six months of mostly leisure travel, the value of a probable (based on past posts/comments, promos and citations by fellow SPG'ers when asked what plats really get) EOY plat amenity was factored into the worth I assigned SPG when I was choosing a new program. I understand that there's no guarantee that there will be another...anything , but all of the info I found and was told when I was still debating said that, nowadays, all plats got the same EOY amenity.

Thanks again. I'll hope for the best and that I didn't miscalculate. Overall, SPG still has a very satisfying program, so I'll keep the faith.

FatManInNYC

It's a great program and you'll likely end up with some lifetime memories of exceptional upgrades.

vandalby

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but in past years, hasn't the Platinum gift been for those that retained Platinum status during the year? Therefore those that achieved Platinum for the first time (or moved up from Gold / Preferred), didn't receive the gift.

dannybhoy

I've always thought that any given Starwood property would have a significant amount of leeway in the upgrades for Plats staying with it.

Example: Mr Serial Lite makes Adamantium status on the Senator Palpatine Galaxy programme on an average of 40 actual paid nights a year and 30 of those are at 500 Republica Hotel Coruscant. I would like to think that management at 500 Republica would upgrade Mr Lite for the last available suite ahead of Mr Plat Ultra who while holding Adamantium status in the Senator Palpatine Galaxy programme with 200 nights system wide, but has only 2 nights at 500 Republica Coruscant itself.

And let's not even forget that Mr Lite might even be the sprog of Dr Vader, an influential individual in Coruscant - in fact Mr Lite might not even have needed his Senator Palpatine Galaxy programme status to snag that last available suite. While it might be an affront to some FTers that there would be properties that would act this way in real life, we know that these sort of nod nod wink wink things do happen, but as they say, yeah just try proving that.

FatManInNYC

Come to think of it, I do believe you are correct. I know in the instance I discussed, above, that was the case. I was debating renewing Plat and ... well, it's all in the past and worked out fine for everyone.

Bottom line: don't let the expectation of an EOY gift (nor anything else not covered in the Program Terms) affect your consumption of Starwood services.

thor17

I know this was not the case in 2008. I was a first year "Plat-lite" and received the gift. Don't know about the 2009 gift since I retained my status and received the gift.