May 6, 2014, 7:08 am
Last edit by: beltway
Please use this thread to post failures or difficulties in securing Platinum upgrades, based on the published benefits of the Platinum level, which are :
"Upgrades to best available room at check-in, including Standard Suites"
qualified by
"Subject to availability at check-in for the entire length of the stay, provided the room was not booked through a pre-paid third-party channel.
Specialty Suites such as, but not limited to, premium view, Presidential, Honeymoon, and multiple bedroom suites are excluded. This benefit does not apply to all-suite hotels. Best rooms are identified by each property and may not include upgraded Towers level accommodations unless Towers level accommodations were booked originally.
The upgrade benefit is available for one room for the personal use of the Member only, regardless of the number of additional rooms purchased by the Member. This benefit is not offered at Aloft and Element properties"
For a detailed discussion of the Platinum upgrade benefit, see the wiki at I'm Platinum. Why didn't I get a complimentary suite upgrade? [Master thread].
Starwood do not publish which of the various categories of Suites at each hotel are 'Standard', and which are not, so we don't know which Suites are in the 'Upgrade Pool', and which are excluded. So, if a Suite is available under the terms and qualifications of the benefit, but an upgrade is denied, and it is not absolutely clear that the Suite in question is not a "Standard Suite", then we should report that as a failure.
If you only manage to secure a rightful upgrade after challenging the front desk on check-in, or have instances where SNAs (Suite Night Upgrade) were not honoured, then you may report this too.
You may also report instances where suites are showing as available online, but not actually available at the hotel, due to (apparent) differences in real-time availability online.
Please post in standard format :
Property :
Dates(s) :
Room booked :
Room received : (if different than above):
Award stay :: (yes/no), type (C+P, FAN, FWN, FRN, SPG50, etc.)
BRG stay : (yes/no)
SNA(s) requested : (yes/no)
Comments :
...and include in the comments, particularly, the 'non-Standard' Suite category that you failed to secure an upgrade to.
"Upgrades to best available room at check-in, including Standard Suites"
qualified by
"Subject to availability at check-in for the entire length of the stay, provided the room was not booked through a pre-paid third-party channel.
Specialty Suites such as, but not limited to, premium view, Presidential, Honeymoon, and multiple bedroom suites are excluded. This benefit does not apply to all-suite hotels. Best rooms are identified by each property and may not include upgraded Towers level accommodations unless Towers level accommodations were booked originally.
The upgrade benefit is available for one room for the personal use of the Member only, regardless of the number of additional rooms purchased by the Member. This benefit is not offered at Aloft and Element properties"
For a detailed discussion of the Platinum upgrade benefit, see the wiki at I'm Platinum. Why didn't I get a complimentary suite upgrade? [Master thread].
Starwood do not publish which of the various categories of Suites at each hotel are 'Standard', and which are not, so we don't know which Suites are in the 'Upgrade Pool', and which are excluded. So, if a Suite is available under the terms and qualifications of the benefit, but an upgrade is denied, and it is not absolutely clear that the Suite in question is not a "Standard Suite", then we should report that as a failure.
If you only manage to secure a rightful upgrade after challenging the front desk on check-in, or have instances where SNAs (Suite Night Upgrade) were not honoured, then you may report this too.
You may also report instances where suites are showing as available online, but not actually available at the hotel, due to (apparent) differences in real-time availability online.
Please post in standard format :
Property :
Dates(s) :
Room booked :
Room received : (if different than above):
Award stay :: (yes/no), type (C+P, FAN, FWN, FRN, SPG50, etc.)
BRG stay : (yes/no)
SNA(s) requested : (yes/no)
Comments :
...and include in the comments, particularly, the 'non-Standard' Suite category that you failed to secure an upgrade to.
Post Your Platinum Upgrade Failures [2013 - onward]
Mar 19, 2013, 5:10 am
#76
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: SFO, LON
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, Bonvoy Tit, Hilton Dia etc etc
Posts: 2,354
Property: The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio
Dates(s): Spring break weekend
Room booked: Traditional (faces city)
Room received (if different than above): Deluxe (faces riverwalk)
Award stay: No
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: Yes
Prefacing that the hotel was dealing with spring break, a couple of conferences and a big wedding party, so sold out all three nights we were there in the end...
Up to the day before our arrival at 3pm hotel was showing Suite (and other) availability the first two days, sold out the last night of our stay. By 5pm day before they sold out for our first night, but Suite and other availability magically shows up for the third night. By then of course they'd bounced our SNA request
I don't hate what we ended up with, don't care all that much, I hate the manner in which this stuff gets done. It was easier for the hotel to upgrade folks on an as-needed, as-room-is-available basis than to pre-assign us to a Suite; which they did, we had other folks in our very large party arrive much earlier and get better rooms than we did with absolutely no SPG status and having paid a flat, negotiated and slightly lower rate than we did. Self-serving instead of customer serving, simple as that. Won't be back there for sure.
Dates(s): Spring break weekend
Room booked: Traditional (faces city)
Room received (if different than above): Deluxe (faces riverwalk)
Award stay: No
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: Yes
Prefacing that the hotel was dealing with spring break, a couple of conferences and a big wedding party, so sold out all three nights we were there in the end...
Up to the day before our arrival at 3pm hotel was showing Suite (and other) availability the first two days, sold out the last night of our stay. By 5pm day before they sold out for our first night, but Suite and other availability magically shows up for the third night. By then of course they'd bounced our SNA request
I don't hate what we ended up with, don't care all that much, I hate the manner in which this stuff gets done. It was easier for the hotel to upgrade folks on an as-needed, as-room-is-available basis than to pre-assign us to a Suite; which they did, we had other folks in our very large party arrive much earlier and get better rooms than we did with absolutely no SPG status and having paid a flat, negotiated and slightly lower rate than we did. Self-serving instead of customer serving, simple as that. Won't be back there for sure.
Mar 20, 2013, 11:33 am
#77
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,105
Property: Sheraton Orlando Downtown
Dates(s): 3/17-3/20
Room booked: Traditional
Room received (if different than above):
Award stay: C&P
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: No
Had two rooms, and knew that both wouldn't get upgraded, but was hoping to get one of them upgraded. Was told that a suite was only available for the first night of my stay. Went on the website and saw that there was a junior suite available, but it was the same size as the standard room and would have been on a double Murphy bed, so I passed.
Dates(s): 3/17-3/20
Room booked: Traditional
Room received (if different than above):
Award stay: C&P
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: No
Had two rooms, and knew that both wouldn't get upgraded, but was hoping to get one of them upgraded. Was told that a suite was only available for the first night of my stay. Went on the website and saw that there was a junior suite available, but it was the same size as the standard room and would have been on a double Murphy bed, so I passed.
Mar 20, 2013, 5:31 pm
#78
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, Marriott/IHG Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 291
Property: Sheraton Hsinchu
Dates(s): March (prefer not to disclose exact date unless it is against the policy, then I will just remove it)
Room booked: Deluxe, non-smoking: King Bed
Room received (if different than above): Deluxe at SPG level only
Award stay: No
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: No
I was surprised that the club levels were all booked given the recently opened wing (even though it wasn't as convenient as the old wing). Anyway...quite a disappointment because I was hoping to see if higher level could give me less noise with more "view" but ended up facing the building (and still occasionally hear the noise)
Dates(s): March (prefer not to disclose exact date unless it is against the policy, then I will just remove it)
Room booked: Deluxe, non-smoking: King Bed
Room received (if different than above): Deluxe at SPG level only
Award stay: No
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: No
I was surprised that the club levels were all booked given the recently opened wing (even though it wasn't as convenient as the old wing). Anyway...quite a disappointment because I was hoping to see if higher level could give me less noise with more "view" but ended up facing the building (and still occasionally hear the noise)
Apr 2, 2013, 8:41 am
#79
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Programs: StarAlliance (UA 1K), PriorityClub (Plat), SPG (Plat), OneWorld (AA), SkyTeam (KLM), Marriott (Gold)
Posts: 97
Property: Hong Kong Sheraton Hotel and Towers
Dates(s): March 28 to April 1
Room booked: Deluxe Harbor View, non-smoking: King Bed
Room received (if different than above): Harbor View...don't know if it was 'deluxe' or not. 9F.
Award stay: No
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: No
Comments: My reservation said the room would be 35m2, but I think it was more like 25. Apart from that the full buffet breakfast was great, and the internet was free. Lounge is small but wasn't busy.
Dates(s): March 28 to April 1
Room booked: Deluxe Harbor View, non-smoking: King Bed
Room received (if different than above): Harbor View...don't know if it was 'deluxe' or not. 9F.
Award stay: No
BRG stay: No
SNA(s) requested: No
Comments: My reservation said the room would be 35m2, but I think it was more like 25. Apart from that the full buffet breakfast was great, and the internet was free. Lounge is small but wasn't busy.
Apr 6, 2013, 7:13 am
#80
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Oslo, Norway
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, Skyteam E+, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,032
Sheraton Miyako Tokyo
Arrived today, staying for two nights. Asked for a nice room, clerk told me I was upgraded to a room at the SPG floor, which is not an upgrade. The room is identical to other standard rooms. The hotel seem to be fully booked though.
Apr 6, 2013, 7:46 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,483
This thread is useless with all these clogging non-failures. Failure should be upgrade denied when standard suites are clearly available.
Apr 6, 2013, 7:58 am
#82
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manchester, England
Programs: Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, BMI Gold (RIP)
Posts: 8,024
Actually, the definition for failures for this thread according to the original post is not getting the best available room, not just suites.
Apr 6, 2013, 9:48 am
#83
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,990
Cheers,
Apr 6, 2013, 3:24 pm
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,483
Still not a failure unless you have checked that better rooms/suites are available for the length of your stay while your upgrade is denied. Many posters are just complaining about not getting an upgrade, not upgrade failure.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:12 am
#85
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Singapore
Programs: SQ PPS, OZ Gold, Marriott Titanium & lifetime Platinum, IHG Diamond
Posts: 174
Property: Le Meridien Cyberport Hong Kong
Dates(s): Mar 29-30
Room booked: Smart Room
Room received (if different than above): Smart Room
Award stay: No
BRG stay: Yes
SNA(s) requested: No
Comments: No upgrade happens in all my 3 stays and 5 nights with this hotel since Jan this year.
Dates(s): Mar 29-30
Room booked: Smart Room
Room received (if different than above): Smart Room
Award stay: No
BRG stay: Yes
SNA(s) requested: No
Comments: No upgrade happens in all my 3 stays and 5 nights with this hotel since Jan this year.
Apr 9, 2013, 10:17 pm
#86
Join Date: May 2012
Location: DC, SE Asia
Programs: SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 24
W Hoboken - Ambassador suggested..
Property: W Hoboken
Dates(s): Apr 30th
Room booked: standard cash rate room, can't recall W cutesie names
Room received (if different than above): some small room with 2 beds
Award stay: No, cash
Comments: Really disappointed with this one. Special occasion. Called my ambassador (never asked for anything material b4). It was 1 hr too late to use SNA apparently but she suggested W Hoboken and practically assured an upgrade over the phone. Picked it over Manhattan at same or lower rates properties because of that.
Checked-in, told no suites. Went on SPG.com, sure enough Fantastic suite available. Emailed screen shots to the Ambassador, got gobbledygook about the site not being correct...
Dates(s): Apr 30th
Room booked: standard cash rate room, can't recall W cutesie names
Room received (if different than above): some small room with 2 beds
Award stay: No, cash
Comments: Really disappointed with this one. Special occasion. Called my ambassador (never asked for anything material b4). It was 1 hr too late to use SNA apparently but she suggested W Hoboken and practically assured an upgrade over the phone. Picked it over Manhattan at same or lower rates properties because of that.
Checked-in, told no suites. Went on SPG.com, sure enough Fantastic suite available. Emailed screen shots to the Ambassador, got gobbledygook about the site not being correct...
Apr 10, 2013, 4:19 am
#87
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Oslo, Norway
Programs: Star Alliance Gold, Skyteam E+, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,032
Well, standard to deluxe would be an upgrade. But I booked a standard room and I got a standard room, but on the SPG floor though. My friend had a standard room on the 7th floor (non SPG). This was the same room as I had, just 4 floors up. I dont see the UG-point.
Apr 10, 2013, 4:39 am
#88
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: London
Programs: LH M/M now,BA Silver,SPG PLAT, Sixt Plat/Europcar Elite VIP
Posts: 413
Property: W Hoboken
Dates(s): Apr 30th
Room booked: standard cash rate room, can't recall W cutesie names
Room received (if different than above): some small room with 2 beds
Award stay: No, cash
Comments: Really disappointed with this one. Special occasion. Called my ambassador (never asked for anything material b4). It was 1 hr too late to use SNA apparently but she suggested W Hoboken and practically assured an upgrade over the phone. Picked it over Manhattan at same or lower rates properties because of that.
Checked-in, told no suites. Went on SPG.com, sure enough Fantastic suite available. Emailed screen shots to the Ambassador, got gobbledygook about the site not being correct...
Dates(s): Apr 30th
Room booked: standard cash rate room, can't recall W cutesie names
Room received (if different than above): some small room with 2 beds
Award stay: No, cash
Comments: Really disappointed with this one. Special occasion. Called my ambassador (never asked for anything material b4). It was 1 hr too late to use SNA apparently but she suggested W Hoboken and practically assured an upgrade over the phone. Picked it over Manhattan at same or lower rates properties because of that.
Checked-in, told no suites. Went on SPG.com, sure enough Fantastic suite available. Emailed screen shots to the Ambassador, got gobbledygook about the site not being correct...
Apr 10, 2013, 7:08 am
#89
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
Park Tower, Buenos Aires
3 nights in late March, failed using SNAs. To be fair, starting 5 days out, never saw any suite space bookable online. Minimal size diff (150 sq ft) between the big Deluxe rooms and the Corner Suites so not a problem.
Apr 13, 2013, 9:01 pm
#90
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MIA
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC, Delta PM, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,031
I checked into a Sheraton tonight, 1 night using points. Asked FD associate if a suite was available, she said no because of a few weddings. Went to club floor room and saw online that at least three types of suites were available for sale. Went back downstairs and asked to speak to the supe, who told me that a club floor was all the upgrade provided. I pointed out the suites online, she mentioned they did have suites available and could move me over, which I declined. Was most upset about being lied to, she said the associate is in "training" (although she checked me in 2 months ago). This is the second time in row the same thing has happened at this property. Supe promised it won't happen again (again). She gave me a small number of points in compensation.