cfacpamba

So I tried booking a room 2 weeks from now. Plat reservation agent says sorry hotel is sold out. I asked to invoke Plat Room Guarantee. Agent tried To Convince Me How Expensive Rack Rate Is. I Said Didn't Care, Need A Room. Agent calls Hotel and Finds out they are oversold by a few rooms, so told me can't do anything. I ask what the guarantee is for, can't answer, so I ask to file a complaint against hotel. Agent gave Me a Duh Attitude so asked for supervisor. Supervisor Put me on hold for 5 min and will file a complaint. Will hear back next week.

I can understand if there's a blackout (but none was confirmed), but shouldn't the spg agents actually sound like they care?


Applicable to one standard room booked by 3 p.m. local time 72+ hours before day of arrival at participating hotels. Member must pay regular RACK rate. Black out dates apply. Not available at resorts. Room upgrade and Free Night Award redemption do not apply when this benefit is utilized. Minimum length-of-stay requirement must be met.

TerryK

Will be helpful to know dates and property in question.@:-)

Flews

In fact, to have any meaningful discussion about this, I would say it's ESSENTIAL to know dates and property in question...

Cheers,

mzwhsr

FWIW - I've managed to use the PLAT guarantee a few times, and it's worked like a charm.

• One time, the hotel pushed back with "we're really overbooked", but the agent reminded them that this was a feature of the SPG Plat level and they were obliged to (relayed to me after her call with the hotel).
• Another time, imagine my surprise when I checked out to find that the hotel had extended my corporate rate (not RACK) for the Plat guarantee night.

I've only used the Plat guarantee at non-resort properties, although I have used it internationally too... and always to complete a reservation (e.g., 1 out of 4 nights were not available and that I had to use the guarantee for).

So for me, this is one of the better benefits that I've actually used successfully (unlike Your24). YMMV...

Rolling Stone

I've had the offer to use the Platinum Guarantee a few times, though only used it once when I really needed to be at a hotel and was willing to pay rack. But I've always been under the impression it was automatic and the hotel did not have an opportunity to deny it under normal conditions as long as the Plat guest was willing to pay rack rate.

The only exception I'm aware of is if the property has a special event black out, like Superbowl.

Often1

How Can Anybody Help You If You Have Time to Capitalize But Not to Provide Meaningful Detail?

pdx1M

Just used this last night. Hotel showed no availability on line, called the Plat desk, and the agent just forced the reservation without calling or asking anyone else and I immediatly got the confirmation. As a previous poster said I don't think the hotel has a say in this unless there is some very special circumstance so it sounds like more was going on for the OP than recounted here.

niteowl94

I need a room in San Francisco in October and I too tried to force a room at the rack rate and was told I can not get a room because they are overbooked. This is becoming a problem in the San Fran area (which I frequent a lot) and now that I am lifetime Plat I am going to move on and try another brand.

Good luck with your complaint but the agent I had on the line directed me to the terms and conditions about this “benefit” and it does permit the hotel to deny you a room even though they promote this as being a “guarantee of being platinum”. This is what you get lately, watered down benefits.

niteowl94

Call the Plat desk for a reservation at The Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel for 1 night on 10/1 and see what they tell you. Just for fun I call every day just to hear how this "guarantee" is a joke.

gabo02

Not trying to excuse them. But it is Oracle Open World 2012 week. so they might have black out dates.

LovetoTravel83

This is their T&C about the benefit.

Applicable to one standard room booked by 3 p.m. local time 72+ hours before day of arrival at participating hotels. Member must pay regular RACK rate. Black out dates apply. Not available at resorts. Room upgrade and Free Night Award redemption do not apply when this benefit is utilized. Minimum length-of-stay requirement must be met.

I wish there is a list for the participating hotels.

yvr76

I just used this at the Sheraton Four Points San Jose last week with 4 days notice. Every property in the Bay Area was sold out when I tried to book and I didn't have any issues getting my 'guaranteed' room. For my 3 night stay, the first night was available online, so I booked it with the regular rate, and then used RACK for the subsequent 2.

Wildfan88

I have used this benefit 4 or 5 times in the past. Only got a NO once b/c some event that had the property completely unavailable. Phone Agent tried real hard but got all kinds of push back from the property folks.

Often1

All the guarantee means is that somebody else gets walked. But, during a major event (doesn't have to be the Superbowl) there's no other space to be had, so walking people not really an option.

But, since OP hasn't come back with details, this thread ought to be closed.

cfacpamba

It's Oct 5th at Sheraton Baltimore Inner Harbor..

The hotel was supposed to get back to me but has yet to on what is happening. If it's a wedding and the whole hotel was book I could understand but I doubt it..