Too many platinum? My Royal Hawaiian experience.
Jan 6, 2012, 12:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 193
Too many platinum? My Royal Hawaiian experience.
My husband and I were at the Royal Hawaiian for our honeymoon and asked for possible platinum upgrade or a room with nicer view or late check out during check in. The lady told me "60% of our guests checking in today are platinum, I'm sorry but we cannot give you an upgrade".
We were given a room on the low floor next to the elevator with a 130 pm late check out.
We liked the hotel and people were nice, but the statistics (and the post about status match) make me wonder if platinum is given out too easily.
We were given a room on the low floor next to the elevator with a 130 pm late check out.
We liked the hotel and people were nice, but the statistics (and the post about status match) make me wonder if platinum is given out too easily.
Last edited by 3piggy; Sep 21, 2019 at 4:01 am
Jan 6, 2012, 1:52 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Florida, the crazy folks state.
Programs: Marriott Titanium Marriott Platinum for life.
Posts: 16,974
My husband and I were at the Royal Hawaiian for our honeymoon and asked for possible platinum upgrade during check in. The lady told me "60% of our guests checking in today are platinum, I'm sorry but we cannot give you an upgrade".
We were given a room on the low floor next to the elevator with a 130 pm late check out.
We liked the hotel and people were nice, but the statistics (and the post about status match) make me wonder if platinum is given out too easily.
We were given a room on the low floor next to the elevator with a 130 pm late check out.
We liked the hotel and people were nice, but the statistics (and the post about status match) make me wonder if platinum is given out too easily.
Jan 6, 2012, 2:06 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 193
The lady seemed nice, and she quoted my exact rank of all the platinum and VIP guests checking in that day. It is interesting because I did not know the hotels rank people at all, and not sure what the criteria is. My number is pretty high up there (top 15, but not high enough for the high floors).
Jan 6, 2012, 2:26 am
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Everything is refundable
Posts: 3,727
My husband and I were at the Royal Hawaiian for our honeymoon and asked for possible platinum upgrade during check in. The lady told me "60% of our guests checking in today are platinum, I'm sorry but we cannot give you an upgrade".
We were given a room on the low floor next to the elevator with a 130 pm late check out.
We liked the hotel and people were nice, but the statistics (and the post about status match) make me wonder if platinum is given out too easily.
We were given a room on the low floor next to the elevator with a 130 pm late check out.
We liked the hotel and people were nice, but the statistics (and the post about status match) make me wonder if platinum is given out too easily.
Platinum is relatively easy to achieve, ( even easier since late last year again ) so SPG does not really offer a lot of hard benefits aside from a potential upgrade. On certain days at certain properties, you are battling for a few upgrades with 20,30,40 other Platinum card holders, so you might be out of luck.
Booking a higher room category or arriving a day earlier might help in such cases, but if you want a suite, book one, especially on Hawaii over holiday periods.
Jan 6, 2012, 2:56 am
#5
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Jan 6, 2012, 3:58 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 193
We didn't spend much time in the room anyways. The elevator and noise part was annoying.
Jan 6, 2012, 6:26 am
#8
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Jan 6, 2012, 7:18 am
#9
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Earth ... for now
Programs: UA 2MM * Marriott Ambassador LT Titanium * IHG Diamond Ambassador * Hilton Diamond *
Posts: 1,787
New status
I would be surprised if Starwood does not come up with a new status level.
Jan 6, 2012, 7:35 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston
Programs: SPG Plat, MAR Lifetime Plat, UAMM, AA3MM
Posts: 119
60%?... Really? Really??
What does that mean? Were there only 5 check-ins that day and 3 were Platinum? Given a larger sample size, 60% Platinum is really hard to believe. It seems that some front desk people like to exaggerate in an attempt to downplay upgrades... an attempt to plant the idea that It's not our fault, we would like to give you an upgrade... but everybody's Platinum, so that's not possible... don't blame us."
From a service standpoint, even if it were true, it's bad form to have an employee make statements like that, undermining their frequent guest program. Sort of a slap in the face to their top guests... ie. "you're not that special". Even if it were true, the front desk person should only say that they were not able to provide a suite upgrade w/o any other comment about the number of Platinums.
From a service standpoint, even if it were true, it's bad form to have an employee make statements like that, undermining their frequent guest program. Sort of a slap in the face to their top guests... ie. "you're not that special". Even if it were true, the front desk person should only say that they were not able to provide a suite upgrade w/o any other comment about the number of Platinums.
Jan 6, 2012, 7:46 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, NYC, somewhere on planet Earth
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 8,289
I was there at the beginning of the month, but was fortunate to get a suite overlooking the dining/bar/oceanfront. It did require a little bit of a wait as they assigned me a regular room (only one available at the time). I told them I could wait for a suite if it needed to be serviced. They said that would be possible, but it would be a few hours. IN the interim, they gave me a key to a lounge suite on 2nd floor to hang out in.
The day I checked out, they said they needed the room for the next Platinum guest when I requested a late checkout, but they did offer me a guest room if I could move for a few hours. No problem!
Contrast to Sheraton Waikiki where I was given an oceanfront room for my stay in the same week.
The day I checked out, they said they needed the room for the next Platinum guest when I requested a late checkout, but they did offer me a guest room if I could move for a few hours. No problem!
Contrast to Sheraton Waikiki where I was given an oceanfront room for my stay in the same week.
Jan 6, 2012, 7:59 am
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SEA(sia)
Posts: 5,181
Over the holiday season the percentage was close to 20% for a resort in Phuket (which I tend to believe since they have a dedicated breakfast venue for platinums). Since the greatest concentration of platinum members is in America, Hawaii is a major destination for Americans, and the Royal Hawaiian caters to the higher end guests (at least when compared to Princess Kaiulani), 50-60% is not unrealistic.
Just look at the reviewers at Tripadvisor in general; previously only a handful claims to be platinum while these days every other reviewer is a platinum.
Just look at the reviewers at Tripadvisor in general; previously only a handful claims to be platinum while these days every other reviewer is a platinum.
Jan 6, 2012, 8:00 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: SNA and BNA depending on work and time of year
Programs: UA Silver/ AA EXP/Hyatt Globalist/Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,189
Just out of curiosity, was this a points or paid stay? I'm asking because IME SPG Hawaii does not treat Platinums on point stays as well as those paying for the room.
I was there in December on FRN stays. I was given a 5th floor tower room. It was at the very end of the hall so no elevator noise, but I did get the noise from Duke's which is in the hotel next door. I asked for higher floor, but I was told it was not possible.
One negative of this hotel is they put the smoking rooms on the top 2 floors of the tower. So basically if you smoke or can tolerate the smoke then you're rewarded with a higher ocean front room.
The SPG floor at this hotel is floor 5. There are 14 floors in the tower. Most hotels like to put SPG rooms at the top to reward the loyalty. This hotel by assigning a lower floor for the SPG floor really slams the loyalty a bit.
For me staying at SPG in Hawaii as a Platinum on FRN made me miss staying at Hyatt on FFN. Hyatt never made a distinction between paid and reward nights. If you were Diamond you were treated well regardless of payment method. High ocean rooms were the rule not the exception. In contrast, the Royal Hawaiian, Sheraton Waikiki, and Sheraton Maui all gave me pretty poor upgrades on FRN/FWN stays. For me an upgrade is all about the view not about the suite so YMMV. But I was certainly disappointed. I strive for top tier to get the rooms with a view. At least at the Royal I did get that.
I was there in December on FRN stays. I was given a 5th floor tower room. It was at the very end of the hall so no elevator noise, but I did get the noise from Duke's which is in the hotel next door. I asked for higher floor, but I was told it was not possible.
One negative of this hotel is they put the smoking rooms on the top 2 floors of the tower. So basically if you smoke or can tolerate the smoke then you're rewarded with a higher ocean front room.
The SPG floor at this hotel is floor 5. There are 14 floors in the tower. Most hotels like to put SPG rooms at the top to reward the loyalty. This hotel by assigning a lower floor for the SPG floor really slams the loyalty a bit.
For me staying at SPG in Hawaii as a Platinum on FRN made me miss staying at Hyatt on FFN. Hyatt never made a distinction between paid and reward nights. If you were Diamond you were treated well regardless of payment method. High ocean rooms were the rule not the exception. In contrast, the Royal Hawaiian, Sheraton Waikiki, and Sheraton Maui all gave me pretty poor upgrades on FRN/FWN stays. For me an upgrade is all about the view not about the suite so YMMV. But I was certainly disappointed. I strive for top tier to get the rooms with a view. At least at the Royal I did get that.
Jan 6, 2012, 9:00 am
#14
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Toronto
Programs: SPG LT Plat, Hilton G,Priorty Club G, AC E
Posts: 2,979
Wow I love this property....
...and even when dissatisfied with the suite they gave us, the accomadated us with another one.
The problems you faced, we had at the Moana Surfrider just up the street.
First night was an abysmal street facing room, followed by night number 2 in a room that was just at the back of the hotel....there was no night #3 as we moved hotels after that.
Anytime I've had a room I wasn't happy with and the RH said I could try again the next day had me at the front desk at 8:00 am so that if anything could be blocked I was first in line.
Sorry to hear about that, as my wife and I have had 3 wonderful stays at the RH.
The problems you faced, we had at the Moana Surfrider just up the street.
First night was an abysmal street facing room, followed by night number 2 in a room that was just at the back of the hotel....there was no night #3 as we moved hotels after that.
Anytime I've had a room I wasn't happy with and the RH said I could try again the next day had me at the front desk at 8:00 am so that if anything could be blocked I was first in line.
Sorry to hear about that, as my wife and I have had 3 wonderful stays at the RH.
Jan 6, 2012, 9:20 am
#15
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
maybe its just me but if I was going to HI for my honeymoon Honolulu would be my last choice of places to stay
and even if I went there no way on such an occassion would I not pay more pts or $$ to guarantee a great room rather then gamble that the Upgrade will come thru.
anyway Congrads OP
and even if I went there no way on such an occassion would I not pay more pts or $$ to guarantee a great room rather then gamble that the Upgrade will come thru.
anyway Congrads OP