SPG Gold or Platinum requalification/year-end gift ($25 certificate)
Jan 1, 2013, 12:55 pm
#76
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,689
I've had a crazy week with too much travel b/c of holidays. On my drive home I got a call that my Grandma passed. I end up online checking travel AGAIN to return to SAME AREA for 5 nights for the funeral/family stuff. I don't see any info from SPG about a Platinum "thanks" amenity, nor do I see info on any promos for the start of January.
I have 2 nights booked already for January for this personal reason and would've loved some extra points, or points off a stay, etc. Usually we've heard about something by now. Did we not GET a Thank-you gift from SPG for returning or new plats? I re-qualified last month and still haven't heard a thing.
Am I just missing it or did Starwood just not post anything yet? And regarding promos, do we get anything for stays in 1st week of January? It's very possible I'm not seeing it- I'm half blind from searching airfares home and booking hotels for 4 different dates. Thanks.
I have 2 nights booked already for January for this personal reason and would've loved some extra points, or points off a stay, etc. Usually we've heard about something by now. Did we not GET a Thank-you gift from SPG for returning or new plats? I re-qualified last month and still haven't heard a thing.
Am I just missing it or did Starwood just not post anything yet? And regarding promos, do we get anything for stays in 1st week of January? It's very possible I'm not seeing it- I'm half blind from searching airfares home and booking hotels for 4 different dates. Thanks.
Jan 1, 2013, 1:40 pm
#77
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Jan 1, 2013, 4:21 pm
#78
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Programs: Hyatt Global, Marriot Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,282
I had thought that I wasn't targeted to get the $25 gift card, but when I tried the link today, it worked. Clicking on the T&C showed me that I could instead pick a six month Hulu subscription, to be renewed until cancelled. I ordered the mail cert, had to enter my mailing address, and received a confirmation email immediately.
Funny thing was, I did all of this while not logged into my SPG account, just by entering my account number (but not password), although from an ipad that I keep telling to remember me for SPG. Since I had to enter my address and my email, could this lead to fraud or are these things printed to be useable only by the owner of the account? (I assume they're nontransferrable.) Someone could claim a gift card from another account and use their own email and address so that the account-holder would never know that they earned the gift but someone else made the selection and took it. The Hulu choice might be easier to se fraudulently.
Funny thing was, I did all of this while not logged into my SPG account, just by entering my account number (but not password), although from an ipad that I keep telling to remember me for SPG. Since I had to enter my address and my email, could this lead to fraud or are these things printed to be useable only by the owner of the account? (I assume they're nontransferrable.) Someone could claim a gift card from another account and use their own email and address so that the account-holder would never know that they earned the gift but someone else made the selection and took it. The Hulu choice might be easier to se fraudulently.
Feb 20, 2013, 3:35 am
#79
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: U.S. (sometimes)
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Accor ?????
Posts: 1,398
Any other experiences using the cert?
Has anyone else had any luck using it against the room rate? Can Starwood Lurker confirm that it should work, and that SPG will back us up if the hotel calls in?
I also wonder if people are having difficulty getting a good exchange rate at foreign properties. I was quoted a rate at least 12% below fair value.
I also wonder if people are having difficulty getting a good exchange rate at foreign properties. I was quoted a rate at least 12% below fair value.
Feb 20, 2013, 10:14 am
#80
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Feb 20, 2013, 6:27 pm
#81
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BC, Canada
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Posts: 544
Got mine in the mail today, and was pleasantly surprised to see the expiry date wasn't Feb 28, 2013 as expected, but was instead Jan 31, 2014... 
Feb 21, 2013, 2:37 pm
#82
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Feb 21, 2013, 2:42 pm
#83
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Please educate the Sheraton Garden Grove - Anaheim South on that...
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Feb 21, 2013, 11:28 pm
#84
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: U.S. (sometimes)
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Accor ?????
Posts: 1,398
Thanks for the reply William. And thanks SPG for offering these "thank you" certificates.
I have another question, though. The $25 cert clearly says that the hotels "must use the currency conversion rates of the day to apply the equivalent local currency amount to the guest's folio." But where they do get these numbers from? Can we look them up?
The 4pts Bangkok told me that they will use the same rate as if I were exchanging cash, which of course is a horrible rate (yet reasonable if you're exchanging cash, because it's a bother for the hotel to deal with cash). The customer basically loses about $2.50 by using this rate rather than a fair conversion rate (it's not a fortune, but there is also the principle of fairness at stake). On their computer screens, it says the "currency exchange rate". Is that rate what they certs say that the hotel should be using? Or are exchange rates and conversation rates different things? They claimed that SPG would only give them back this low amount, so that's why they do it (forgive me for being skeptical).
The Westin Sukhumvit, meanwhile, gave me a very fair rate last year (not the currency exchange rate). Which hotel is doing it right?
I have another question, though. The $25 cert clearly says that the hotels "must use the currency conversion rates of the day to apply the equivalent local currency amount to the guest's folio." But where they do get these numbers from? Can we look them up?
The 4pts Bangkok told me that they will use the same rate as if I were exchanging cash, which of course is a horrible rate (yet reasonable if you're exchanging cash, because it's a bother for the hotel to deal with cash). The customer basically loses about $2.50 by using this rate rather than a fair conversion rate (it's not a fortune, but there is also the principle of fairness at stake). On their computer screens, it says the "currency exchange rate". Is that rate what they certs say that the hotel should be using? Or are exchange rates and conversation rates different things? They claimed that SPG would only give them back this low amount, so that's why they do it (forgive me for being skeptical).
The Westin Sukhumvit, meanwhile, gave me a very fair rate last year (not the currency exchange rate). Which hotel is doing it right?
Feb 22, 2013, 1:02 am
#85
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Feb 22, 2013, 10:05 am
#86
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Thanks for the reply William. And thanks SPG for offering these "thank you" certificates.
I have another question, though. The $25 cert clearly says that the hotels "must use the currency conversion rates of the day to apply the equivalent local currency amount to the guest's folio." But where they do get these numbers from? Can we look them up?
I have another question, though. The $25 cert clearly says that the hotels "must use the currency conversion rates of the day to apply the equivalent local currency amount to the guest's folio." But where they do get these numbers from? Can we look them up?
Which hotel is doing it right?
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Feb 22, 2013, 1:56 pm
#87
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: U.S. (sometimes)
Programs: UA 1k 1MM, AA Exec Plat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Accor ?????
Posts: 1,398
William - What I was trying to say is that Four Points is offering much worse rates than the standard conversion rates - only 27.2 compared to 29.823 at xe.com. I did point it out to the manager, carefully and at length, but she insisted on that rate (the same rate they use if you give them some dollar bills). (She also insisted the $25 could only be applied to food and beverage, but I didn't push it because I had F&B charges anyway and the bad conversion rate also made it moot.)
Her justification was that SPG reimburses them at that rate (27.2). I am skeptical, though...is it unfair of me to speculate that they are trying to skim a bit off the top? If I'm being honest, it really annoyed me, despite the small sum involved.
Her justification was that SPG reimburses them at that rate (27.2). I am skeptical, though...is it unfair of me to speculate that they are trying to skim a bit off the top? If I'm being honest, it really annoyed me, despite the small sum involved.
I assume they are the same currency exchanges used at the property. I have no idea where they receive these particulars, but can't you look up currency exchange rates at xe.com? If there are any discrepancies, I would point it out to a manager at the hotel.
From my read, it looks like the Four Points.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
From my read, it looks like the Four Points.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Feb 22, 2013, 2:35 pm
#88
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
...Her justification was that SPG reimburses them at that rate (27.2). I am skeptical, though...is it unfair of me to speculate that they are trying to skim a bit off the top? If I'm being honest, it really annoyed me, despite the small sum involved.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Feb 22, 2013, 3:23 pm
#89
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: SPG GL, AA GL
Posts: 2,591
Just noticed mine will expire next Thurs. Is there any way to extend it? Or apply to future C&P stays?
Feb 22, 2013, 3:29 pm
#90
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]