Important Notice Regarding Peak Seasons (They return for most hotels in 2011)
Dec 7, 2010, 9:53 pm
#61
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,308
Dec 7, 2010, 10:00 pm
#62
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 132
LOL. Yeah right, I call BS. Care to put a wager on this????? Peak Season dates have changed midyear in the past (not widespread, but certainly in select cases a few years ago), and they most certainly will change midyear in the future as well so long as it is convenient (ie, profitable) for the hotel and/or SPG. And I'd say there's about a 90% chance that 2012 Peak Season dates will appear sometime in the future for the hotels that currently have 2011 Peak dates listed but not 2012 Peak dates listed.......................ESPECIALLY if the economy gets rolling again.
Dec 8, 2010, 12:00 am
#63
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: UA SP, DL SM MM, AS 75K, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Diamond.
Posts: 2,596
This link? https://spgpromos.com/highseason/
Works fine for me, just tried it again, and I see they fixed the date formats so they are no longer vague for our friends across the pond. Of course, that screwed up the formatting a bit, but you can't win them all I suppose.
-David
Works fine for me, just tried it again, and I see they fixed the date formats so they are no longer vague for our friends across the pond. Of course, that screwed up the formatting a bit, but you can't win them all I suppose.
-David
Dec 8, 2010, 5:58 am
#64
Join Date: May 2005
Location: 1A
Posts: 1,350
Dec 9, 2010, 5:46 am
#65
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Earth ... for now
Programs: UA 2MM * Marriott Ambassador LT Titanium * IHG Diamond Ambassador * Hilton Diamond *
Posts: 1,787
Duplication
Starwood Reinstates Award SurchargesIn 2009 and 2010, Starwood Preferred Guest suspended the practice of charging a surcharge of points for peak season stays at category 5-7 hotels. For 2011, the peak season surcharges are back. Individual hotels determine if and when they will ask for a surcharge but the surcharge per category is consistent: 16,000 points per night (normally 12,000 points) for category 5 stays, 25,000 points (normally 20,000 points) for category 6 and 35,000 points (normally 30,000 points) for category 7 stays. To see the list of peak season dates by hotel, visit the link below. Peak season pricing doesn't go into effect until Jan. 10, 2011, so you have until Jan. 9 to book peak season hotel stays without a surcharge.
http://spgpromos.com/highseason/
http://spgpromos.com/highseason/
Last edited by UASPG; Dec 9, 2010 at 7:09 am
Dec 9, 2010, 1:40 pm
#66
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MKE
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Plat Pro, MR LTP, others from cards
Posts: 890
Being warned is nice... but there are a lot of properties currently frozen at category 5 and 6 that really shouldn't be there based in rates in 2009 and 2010. Eliminating high season was at least a nod to reflecting this. Unless there are offsetting category drops then this is another devaluation.
With a new baby due early next year I will probably have to choose between requalifying for top tier with SPG or with Hyatt. This makes it more likely that the SPG status will be the one to lapse, after 8 consecutive years.
For example, 25,000 SPG points high season at the Westin Tokyo vs. 22,000 at the Park Hyatt or 18,000 at the Grand Hyatt. I used to think of a 2:1 or at worst 3:2 ratio between the value of SPG and Hyatt points, but forthe higher end redemptions Hyatt points are now often worth more!
Or 16,000 points high season for the W City Center Chicago or the Palace and Le Meridien San Francisco!
(Update: Those are hotels that struck me as overvalued in their cats. I didn't check whether they have actually declared peak days yet for next year).
With a new baby due early next year I will probably have to choose between requalifying for top tier with SPG or with Hyatt. This makes it more likely that the SPG status will be the one to lapse, after 8 consecutive years.
For example, 25,000 SPG points high season at the Westin Tokyo vs. 22,000 at the Park Hyatt or 18,000 at the Grand Hyatt. I used to think of a 2:1 or at worst 3:2 ratio between the value of SPG and Hyatt points, but forthe higher end redemptions Hyatt points are now often worth more!
Or 16,000 points high season for the W City Center Chicago or the Palace and Le Meridien San Francisco!
(Update: Those are hotels that struck me as overvalued in their cats. I didn't check whether they have actually declared peak days yet for next year).
Last edited by ENIAC; Dec 9, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Dec 9, 2010, 1:51 pm
#67
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Lafayette, CO, USA
Programs: SPG Lifetime Plat, AA Gold, UA Gold, DL Silver, HH Gold, Vail Epic
Posts: 9,096
Being warned is nice... but there are a lot of properties currently frozen at category 5 and 6 that really shouldn't be there based on rates in 2009 and 2010. Eliminating high season was at least a nod to reflecting this. Unless there are offsetting category drops then this is another devaluation.
The Westin Tokyo has declared no peak dates for 2011 nor 2012.
Dec 9, 2010, 2:29 pm
#68
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MKE
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Plat Pro, MR LTP, others from cards
Posts: 890
Jan 4, 2011, 3:33 pm
#69
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Lafayette, CO, USA
Programs: SPG Lifetime Plat, AA Gold, UA Gold, DL Silver, HH Gold, Vail Epic
Posts: 9,096
BUMP!
Reminder that there are just a few more days to book Peak dates before the Peak award rates take effect! Deadline Jan 9!
https://spgpromos.com/highseason/
Reminder that there are just a few more days to book Peak dates before the Peak award rates take effect! Deadline Jan 9!
https://spgpromos.com/highseason/
Jan 4, 2011, 5:48 pm
#70
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat, AMEX Centurion (And All That Goes With It)
Posts: 393
Having been Platinum SPG since 2004, I am finally at the point that I am going to move on from this program. I had 31 stays/54 nights in 2010 for a total expenditure of nearly $45,000.00; I have seen a very drastic deterioration in SPG Platinum over the past few years. I used to be upgraded without even inquiring. Now, it seems that 9 times out of 10 I am literally fighting at hotel check-in counters to get what I am rightfully entitled to. Most of the times, hotels straight out lie to me about suite availability or use some clever choice of words like "No suites are available" which translates to "they are all dirty right this moment but one will be clean in the next 5 minutes but since it isn't clean now, we won't offer it to you as it is not technically available."
The ONLY thing SPG has had going for it has been the relative value of SPG points. Now they seem to be devaluing them. Given their partnership with AMEX I thought AMEX would lead to the devaluation, not internal choices.
I think this is only a taste of what's to come. Use your points quickly. I have 115k saved for a dream vacation that now looks like will be a few nights shorter.
Bye bye SPG
The ONLY thing SPG has had going for it has been the relative value of SPG points. Now they seem to be devaluing them. Given their partnership with AMEX I thought AMEX would lead to the devaluation, not internal choices.
I think this is only a taste of what's to come. Use your points quickly. I have 115k saved for a dream vacation that now looks like will be a few nights shorter.
Bye bye SPG
Jan 4, 2011, 7:00 pm
#71
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 78
Need some help!
I'm booked at the Le Meridien Piccadilly during peak season and was hoping to upgrade to a club level room. I have already spent the amounts necessary to hit the required points (5,000), and the upgrade is available, but these points won't post until my next statement comes out AFTER January 9th! 
Is there any way to book this prior to the points actually hitting my account? Or is my only option to purchase the last 5,000 points? Thanks all!
Is there any way to book this prior to the points actually hitting my account? Or is my only option to purchase the last 5,000 points? Thanks all!
Jan 4, 2011, 10:20 pm
#72
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: San Diego
Programs: IC Platinum Ambassador, UA Mileage Plus, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 852
I'm booked at the Le Meridien Piccadilly during peak season and was hoping to upgrade to a club level room. I have already spent the amounts necessary to hit the required points (5,000), and the upgrade is available, but these points won't post until my next statement comes out AFTER January 9th!
Is there any way to book this prior to the points actually hitting my account? Or is my only option to purchase the last 5,000 points? Thanks all!
Is there any way to book this prior to the points actually hitting my account? Or is my only option to purchase the last 5,000 points? Thanks all!
sdcarver
Jan 5, 2011, 11:47 am
#73
Company Representative - Starwood
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Jan 5, 2011, 12:20 pm
#74
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,079
Having been Platinum SPG since 2004, I am finally at the point that I am going to move on from this program. I had 31 stays/54 nights in 2010 for a total expenditure of nearly $45,000.00; I have seen a very drastic deterioration in SPG Platinum over the past few years. I used to be upgraded without even inquiring. Now, it seems that 9 times out of 10 I am literally fighting at hotel check-in counters to get what I am rightfully entitled to. Most of the times, hotels straight out lie to me about suite availability or use some clever choice of words like "No suites are available" which translates to "they are all dirty right this moment but one will be clean in the next 5 minutes but since it isn't clean now, we won't offer it to you as it is not technically available."
The ONLY thing SPG has had going for it has been the relative value of SPG points. Now they seem to be devaluing them. Given their partnership with AMEX I thought AMEX would lead to the devaluation, not internal choices.
I think this is only a taste of what's to come. Use your points quickly. I have 115k saved for a dream vacation that now looks like will be a few nights shorter.
Bye bye SPG
The ONLY thing SPG has had going for it has been the relative value of SPG points. Now they seem to be devaluing them. Given their partnership with AMEX I thought AMEX would lead to the devaluation, not internal choices.
I think this is only a taste of what's to come. Use your points quickly. I have 115k saved for a dream vacation that now looks like will be a few nights shorter.
Bye bye SPG
Jan 5, 2011, 12:34 pm
#75
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 78
Doubtful that anyone at the CCC is going to give out that many Starpoints as a gesture of goodwill. It is more likely that they will offer to pend the reservation awaiting the points, but they can only do that for a limited time frame.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
I called and they said they cannot hold the reservation for the 10-15 days it will take for my points to post. It's a huge bummer b/c I put every dime I spent for Christmas gifts, gas, groceries, etc. on my cards since October so that I would be able to upgrade. I can print up my credit card info. to show that I have more than enough points coming - do you think a supervisor would be willing to hold the reservation a few days longer so that the points will post in time? Thanks!