Dec 31, 2014, 10:04 am
Discussion: 10 Suite Night Awards (SNAs) for Plats with 50 nights in calendar year
Aug 28, 2014, 12:43 pm
#2581
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Marriott LT Platinum+Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, Delta Plat, United Silver, AX Biz Cent
Posts: 705
If you mean doing mattress runs, you'd be better off saving that money to just pay for suites when you need them because they're just not reliable enough to count on when it matters most.
In the 36 stays since I've had SNAs only twice were they:
1) stays I wanted (but didn't need) a suite
AND
2) that hotel accepted SNAs for the type of suite I wanted
AND
3) granted the SNA when I wouldn't have simply gotten a Plat upgrade at check-in.
Those 6 SNAs had an incremental average retail value of (guessing) $75 each, but those were for nights where a suite was "nice to have", not a "must have" so I don't value them as such. I do appreciate SNAs as an enhancement to being Plat, but no way would I spend one penny extra to get them.
In the 36 stays since I've had SNAs only twice were they:
1) stays I wanted (but didn't need) a suite
AND
2) that hotel accepted SNAs for the type of suite I wanted
AND
3) granted the SNA when I wouldn't have simply gotten a Plat upgrade at check-in.
Those 6 SNAs had an incremental average retail value of (guessing) $75 each, but those were for nights where a suite was "nice to have", not a "must have" so I don't value them as such. I do appreciate SNAs as an enhancement to being Plat, but no way would I spend one penny extra to get them.
Of course, staying 22 nights just to earn 10 SNA's in a mattress-run is silly, but I am certainly happy that I swung just a bit more business to SPG (stays that would have happened SOMEWHERE anyway, but happened at SPG to hit 50 nights) to get my upgrade mentioned a few posts up... I'd value that upgrade at around $3K, and while I *might* have gotten the upgrade otherwise, I'm sure the chances were much improved by the SNA's.
That said, as far as I am concerned, I have three types of stays:
1) Business trip where I don't really care too much about the niceness of the room.
2) Pleasure trip where the point is more to have a decent room to explore the region around the hotel (eg: Big Island of Hawaii). Goal is to spend as little time in the hotel room as possible.
3) Pleasure trip where the point is more to enjoy the resort as much as possible (eg: Maldives, Sunset Key, Phoenician, St Regis, etc)
The problem is that SNA's are really only useful to me in category 3 -- I don't care about getting the Suite at an average-run-of-the-mill Sheraton. But the types of properties where I would want the SNA are generally part of the American Express FHR program, and the FHR benefits are usually worth getting, and often will get an upgrade (not necessarily to a suite) anyway.
Unfortunately, you cannot use SNA with a FHR reservation, so the problem for me comes down to:
Where would I want to use a SNA that is NOT a FHR property, or the FHR program is weak enough compared to other hotel promos. In my most recent case, the FHR rate was considerably higher than the promo rate on the hotel website, and the promo included the same F&B credit anyway.
Last edited by some dude; Aug 28, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Aug 28, 2014, 1:01 pm
#2582
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Nomad
Programs: AA MM EP, QF Gold, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTT, HH Gold, National Exec, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,107
Unfortunately, you cannot use SNA with a FHR reservation, so the problem for me comes down to:
Where would I want to use a SNA that is NOT a FHR property, or the FHR program is weak enough compared to other hotel promos. In my most recent case, the FHR rate was considerably higher than the promo rate on the hotel website, and the promo included the same F&B credit anyway.
Where would I want to use a SNA that is NOT a FHR property, or the FHR program is weak enough compared to other hotel promos. In my most recent case, the FHR rate was considerably higher than the promo rate on the hotel website, and the promo included the same F&B credit anyway.
What types of reservations are eligible?
You can request an upgrade when you book SPG Starpoint-eligible room rates, Free Night Award stays and/or Cash & Points stays.
1. Suite Night Awards may be used only on SPG Starpoint eligible room rates as well as SPG Free Night Awards and Cash & Points Awards.
You can request an upgrade when you book SPG Starpoint-eligible room rates, Free Night Award stays and/or Cash & Points stays.
1. Suite Night Awards may be used only on SPG Starpoint eligible room rates as well as SPG Free Night Awards and Cash & Points Awards.
Aug 28, 2014, 1:26 pm
#2583
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: Marriott LT Platinum+Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, Delta Plat, United Silver, AX Biz Cent
Posts: 705
Unless anyone else has information to the contrary, that's what I was told by SPG in the past.
Aug 28, 2014, 2:01 pm
#2584
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
FHR reservations cannot be modified online as they are 'controlled' by the Amex Platinum/Centurion Travel Service. Since you cannot modify the reservation online, you cannot request the SNA.
Unless anyone else has information to the contrary, that's what I was told by SPG in the past.
Unless anyone else has information to the contrary, that's what I was told by SPG in the past.
Aug 28, 2014, 9:41 pm
#2585
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Guangzhou
Programs: SPG
Posts: 1,021
It is because we do not have access to the FHR reservations.
Best Regards,
Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Aug 31, 2014, 5:42 pm
#2586
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: SPG
Posts: 108
This SNA program is a very big disapointment. I have managed to earn 30 SNAs so far, and could only have it cleared for a 5-night stay at the Westin Paris.
I tried at several other hotels, but they never cleared and at the end of the day had to let 5 SNAs expire.
I still have 20 unexpired SNAs, but so far this year couldn't clear a single night, and 10 will expire by December 31.
Having this benefit constantly bounce back is only detrimental to Starwood.
I tried at several other hotels, but they never cleared and at the end of the day had to let 5 SNAs expire.
I still have 20 unexpired SNAs, but so far this year couldn't clear a single night, and 10 will expire by December 31.
Having this benefit constantly bounce back is only detrimental to Starwood.
Aug 31, 2014, 5:43 pm
#2587
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: SPG Plat50, AC*E25
Posts: 8
What makes it "worth it" to use a SNA? We're planning a 10 night stay at Disney Dolphin/Swan next year and I don't want to use all 10 SNAs, especially since they only offer an Alcove as part of the SNA. The current plan is to put in for 5 SNAs for one reservation and hope to get upgraded on the other. In the meantime, this year I'm burning them all up on work stays - when I'll hardly be in the room...
Sep 1, 2014, 7:49 am
#2588
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DFW; Allen, TX
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, SPG Lifetime Platinum, Marriott PLT, National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,083
What makes it "worth it" to use a SNA? We're planning a 10 night stay at Disney Dolphin/Swan next year and I don't want to use all 10 SNAs, especially since they only offer an Alcove as part of the SNA. The current plan is to put in for 5 SNAs for one reservation and hope to get upgraded on the other. In the meantime, this year I'm burning them all up on work stays - when I'll hardly be in the room...
The time I really want to use these are for family trips/vacations, but the whole point is I want to press the button when I book and KNOW I get to use these special gifts from Starwood. The request... then wait till 5 days out... then wait till the day of... why? Is Yield Management that poor?
Sep 1, 2014, 7:52 am
#2589
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
i made an interesting observation this morning....i've booked 2 rooms at the same hotel for a 5 night stay....the first reservation was made using points & the second is a revenue stay....the system is allowing me to attach suite nights to the points reservation but not to the revenue reservation....i wonder why????
Sep 1, 2014, 1:34 pm
#2590
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,990
...and sadly, this sort of defeats the point of the program. As I understand it, the whole point was so you could make a trip that you deem special, "special". I have logged close to 70 nights already this year, and not a single one was on my list of SNA use. In fact, I regularly turn down the upgrade when I am only staying one night, or get in at 10pm and expect to leave at 8am the next day.
The time I really want to use these are for family trips/vacations, but the whole point is I want to press the button when I book and KNOW I get to use these special gifts from Starwood. The request... then wait till 5 days out... then wait till the day of... why? Is Yield Management that poor?
The time I really want to use these are for family trips/vacations, but the whole point is I want to press the button when I book and KNOW I get to use these special gifts from Starwood. The request... then wait till 5 days out... then wait till the day of... why? Is Yield Management that poor?
I just think it's a bit much to expect a guaranteed suite for 10 nights at one of the most popular resorts in the network. Although I hope they get it!
Cheers,
Sep 1, 2014, 2:33 pm
#2591
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 212
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 502
I could be one of the few but all my 10 SNA's cleared for me this year with just 1 exception. And at that property, I was upgraded anyway at check in. I'd happily take anyone's SNA's if they find them so worthless!
(Just kidding, Lurker. I know that's against the rules)
(Just kidding, Lurker. I know that's against the rules)
Sep 1, 2014, 5:21 pm
#2592
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
It's not until point 8a of the second post that you find out they are not confirmable at booking. Regardless, it is *W's program to do whatever they want or can do, and it costs us nothing so we have nothing to complain about. Still, it would be fair to expect confirmable at booking as that is a feature of many other upgrade certificate schemes.
Sep 2, 2014, 1:46 am
#2593
Company Representative - Starwood
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Singapore
Programs: SPG
Posts: 4,002
i made an interesting observation this morning....i've booked 2 rooms at the same hotel for a 5 night stay....the first reservation was made using points & the second is a revenue stay....the system is allowing me to attach suite nights to the points reservation but not to the revenue reservation....i wonder why????
[email protected]
Thyetus Lee | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
Sep 2, 2014, 4:09 am
#2594
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
Which hotel, my dear friend?
[email protected]
Thyetus Lee | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
[email protected]
Thyetus Lee | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
Sep 2, 2014, 5:42 am
#2595
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,757