Dad to GO

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to book using SPG points/cash for our 4 day stay in Rome in May 2013 and I am finding absolutely zero availability. Do they not release the points/cash awards out this far or do they not usually have them at all in Rome? I don't really want to have to use all points for a stay as I think (as many others do) that the points/cash is the best way to go. Does anyone have any experience with using these in Rome or know about if/when they release availability using this method?

Thanks,

Gary

Jesperss

It's up to the hotel. You can always email and ask if/when they will load the C+P inventory.

Out of my Element

What
Many hotels never even offer C&P.

We used it at the Eden back in 2007, for a September stay. Booked it in February or March of that year, IIRC

Medved

Both points and C+P rates are loaded not earlier than Jan of each year in Italy and some other places in Europe and elsewhere. As per others, don't expect much of C+P in Rome, especially in May -- rarely offered.

Dad to GO

So does this mean I should just wait until January to even look in Italy? I'm finding pretty much the same situation in Munich as well. Would you take the time to email the hotel to ask or am I just better off waiting until January or trying other reward programs. It's very disappointing that everyone values these points so much but the cash and points aren't that available.

Jesperss

Yea, it's a bummer. But you are trying to get C+P in a nearly peak time in one of the visited cities in the world.

sk3

You could book your own version of cash & points. You could book a fully refundable revenue night or nights with cash, and for the rest book with points. You'll save points and the out-of-pocket cost for your nightly average will be considerably less then if you paid for all 4 nights. Plus, you'll be earning points for the revenue portion.

(Looking at the random dates May 14th to 18th, the "lowest standard rate" for the Eden is €315, the Excelsior is €400 and the St. Regis at €437).

Then if cash & points later became available you'd have the option to switch to that.

For years I did a combination of point and revenue stays at the Excelsior so that my per night average was €200 - which I was pleased with....

margarita girl

There is hope! I stayed at Westin Excelsior in Rome this past May on C&P. You just have to keep checking the website.

FYI, I booked Hotel Eden in early Feb for an early May reservation on C&P (which I ended up cancelling), and I was able to get the Westin Excelsior about 2 weeks out, also on C&P. But I agree, availability was very spotty, and only for certain days of the week.

BizNYC

magarita girl's advice is spot on. We stayed in Rome last April. I didn't initially find C&P rates when I started checking for the Excelsior, Eden or St. Regis in February, but eventually they all opened up between 6 and 2 weeks prior to our arrival, as I recall. We booked the C&P rate at the Excelsior (8,000 points + $150), but ended up canceling that and re-booked using the Beat The Timer rate (around 220 Euros, I believe) a few days prior to the stay when I was ready to commit to a non-refundable rate. That was during the Better by the Night promo and it really made sense for me to rack up the points. So I'd say keep checking for C&P in the New Year, but also check Beat The Timer if you value points at about $.015 or higher.

Medved

Yes, no sense checking for C+P before Jan. You may get lucky (as other OPs noted above) with C+P but keep in mind that most Grand Dame hotels in Europe and most top resorts (except Asia Pacific) do not apply C+P in general. If you want to use points and points rates are not loaded either you may call SPG call center to ask for "rack rate override". Once points rates are loaded, your reservation will be converted into points from rack rate.