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Difference between Platinum Concierge (50-99 nights) and Ambassador (100+ nights)?

Difference between Platinum Concierge (50-99 nights) and Ambassador (100+ nights)?

 
Old May 20, 2012, 12:02 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by yosithezet
Ambassadors can also go outside Starwood for things that Plat concierges are unlikely and probably not authorized to do.
True, Ambassadors can do anything for you, not only hotels reservations and requests. They can make dinner reservations, tour reservations. I never email her unless it's something to do with Starwood as I'm also hands-on. Maybe other's are taking full advantage though.
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Old May 20, 2012, 12:55 pm
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by yosithezet
Ambassadors can also go outside Starwood for things that Plat concierges are unlikely and probably not authorized to do.
For example, your Starwood Ambassador can book rooms at competing properties for you (at decent rates) if there is no Starwood in the location you are visiting. My Starwood Ambassador was able to book me a room at some unheard of hotel in Burma on short notice ^
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Old May 20, 2012, 1:45 pm
  #18  
 
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[QUOTE=yosithezet;18610011 The difference is that those Plat concierges don't have the same reach and levels of access throughout the organisation. Ambassadors can also go outside Starwood for things that Plat concierges are unlikely and probably not authorized to do.[/QUOTE]

interesting. could you list some of the things that Plat concierges are not authorized to do?

Originally Posted by LovetoTravel83
True, Ambassadors can do anything for you, not only hotels reservations and requests. They can make dinner reservations, tour reservations.
Plat concierges can do all the above. they can also arrange a babysitter

Originally Posted by forumpersona999
For example, your Starwood Ambassador can book rooms at competing properties for you (at decent rates) if there is no Starwood in the location you are visiting. My Starwood Ambassador was able to book me a room at some unheard of hotel in Burma on short notice ^
PC can book rooms at non starwood hotels. my PC was able to get us 3 rooms at Villa Principe Leopoldo Hotel in Lugano.
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Old May 20, 2012, 6:12 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by KSA_USA
PC can book rooms at non starwood hotels. my PC was able to get us 3 rooms at Villa Principe Leopoldo Hotel in Lugano.
Did you get Starpoints for this booking?
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Old May 20, 2012, 6:34 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by KSA_USA
PC can book rooms at non starwood hotels
Is there like a no. for PC or an email? I've had the Ambassador service since it was 1st got out as a secret. I don't know if I'll qualify for it next year.
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Old May 20, 2012, 6:54 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by yosithezet
Did you get Starpoints for this booking?
Ambasdsador gets you Starpoints for non-Starwood bookings (presumably if no Starwood property where you're going)? Any idea how they earn? I.e., with PLT multipliers? I assume that you still don't get stay or night credit. Is that an official benefit or does the Ambassador more or less comp the points as a guest accommodation (similar to compensation for a problem)?
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Old May 20, 2012, 7:00 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
Ambasdsador gets you Starpoints for non-Starwood bookings (presumably if no Starwood property where you're going)? Any idea how they earn? I.e., with PLT multipliers? I assume that you still don't get stay or night credit. Is that an official benefit or does the Ambassador more or less comp the points as a guest accommodation (similar to compensation for a problem)?
Ambassadors can't get you starpoints. Only goodwill points. My Ambassador gave me 500 points when one of the hotels didnt give me 500 points for my welcome amenity and they were non-responsive so she just gave it to me.
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Old May 20, 2012, 7:17 pm
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
Ambasdsador gets you Starpoints for non-Starwood bookings (presumably if no Starwood property where you're going)? Any idea how they earn? I.e., with PLT multipliers? I assume that you still don't get stay or night credit. Is that an official benefit or does the Ambassador more or less comp the points as a guest accommodation (similar to compensation for a problem)?
You get 500 points. No multipliers, no stays/nights, just 500 points, per policy. However, you may be missing out on he opp to earn with the other chain as this is essentially a travel agent booking, YMMV.
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Old May 20, 2012, 11:08 pm
  #24  
 
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I've been disappointed with the Ambassador program. From my understanding, it was supposed to be about more personalization; but I'm not seeing much difference than SPG Platinum. In fact, often things done via my Ambassador are less effective and beneficial than contacting the property myself before arrival.

LOL, I'm still having trouble getting basic Platinum benefits like small fruit baskets in my room, ROTFL.

IMHO, the Ambassador program is little different than the SPG Platinum concierge, as the original poster asked. I don't seen much benefit; except for perhaps a chance for a better room upgrade over other SPG Platinum members; and since I prefer to book online myself (takes less time than contacting a person), having someone to do bookings for me is not useful.
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Old May 20, 2012, 11:17 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by yosithezet
Did you get Starpoints for this booking?
No points.

Originally Posted by LovetoTravel83
Is there like a no. for PC or an email? I've had the Ambassador service since it was 1st got out as a secret. I don't know if I'll qualify for it next year.
The number is on the back of your Plat. card. as i said before PC are just like Ambassadors. it all depends on the person you are dealing with. if you like your Ambassador stick with her. i doubt they will terminate your service just because you did not qualify. but if it happens then call the number on the back of your card. once you find a good person just ask her/him to be your PC.

Originally Posted by yosithezet
You get 500 points. No multipliers, no stays/nights, just 500 points, per policy. However, you may be missing out on he opp to earn with the other chain as this is essentially a travel agent booking, YMMV.
nice to know. Thanks for sharing.
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Old May 21, 2012, 1:54 am
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by starpoint_galaxy
I've been disappointed with the Ambassador program. From my understanding, it was supposed to be about more personalization; but I'm not seeing much difference than SPG Platinum. In fact, often things done via my Ambassador are less effective and beneficial than contacting the property myself before arrival.

LOL, I'm still having trouble getting basic Platinum benefits like small fruit baskets in my room, ROTFL.
Some thoughts:

1) A fruit basket isn't a published benefit. Some hotels give you a hotel amenity in addition to your SPG Plat benefit but this is on a YMMV (property-specific?) basis.

2) I found that Ambassadors are not all on the same level. My first one was awesome, I was about to propose to her. The second one was "meh". She did NOTHING for me but quote the SPG T&C and copy and paste feedback to corporate to open a ticket which she never followed up on. I requested a different person and the one I have now is almost as awesome as my first. Fast response time, pro-active seeking of feedback, reminding me of promotions, etc.

3) Personalization, if your ambassador is worth his salt (see point 2), they will make an effort to really know you. My ambassador knows my +1's date of birth and which Starwood brands she prefers. My ambassador knows I need tons of coffee or I will die a horrible death and I don't like my room freezing cold.

She knows that if a property would like to give me a welcome amenity, chocolate and cheese are banned but fruit and water are welcome. She knows that I have a ton of gadgets with me so a spare power adapter in hotels without universal power points would be nice. She also knows I don't want to see any hard-copy newspaper. She knows I like a set of foam pillows as an option because in some hotels the feather pillows stink.

Now how does that translate into real-life experiences ? Depends on the hotel!!! My ambassador certainly makes sure the hotel has a full dossier on me. Some hotels totally ignore it, some try to work with it, some follow it to the letter.

Take W Montreal last week for example: I never stayed there before but because of my Ambassador when I walked in there was a second power adapter, an espresso maker, a bowl of berries and the thermostat on the aircon was set to 25C. Foam pillows were ignored.

W Hong Kong:

I stay there often and they basically have the same suite for me every time, espresso maker on the ready, foam pillows, aircon set to 25C, fruit platter delivered as soon as I check in.

Sheraton Toronto Center: All preferences were ignored.

The ambassador works to automate stuff for me behind the scenes. What the properties do with it when I check in is another story, but still the ambassador is worth having. She makes bookings so easy. Just hammer out an e-mail on the go or call her and bark incoherent half-sentences into the phone and it's done!

I don't need to say much more. She knows. <3

If I were at 95 nights I would purposefully do a 5 night mattress run to keep her.
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Old May 21, 2012, 7:19 am
  #27  
 
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Difference between Platinum Concierge (50-99 nights) and Ambassador (100+ nights)?

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Last edited by kudroz; Oct 8, 2017 at 9:00 pm
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