Nov 28, 2014, 1:28 pm
Last edit by: Oxon Flyer
Listings of the hotels participating in the weekly SPG Hot Escapes promotion can be seen here.
[ENDED 01 Aug 2018] SPG Hot Escapes [which replace Starpicks and beatthetimer]
Nov 1, 2013, 4:15 am
#151
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
Sheraton Heathrow is listed this week. YAY !
Though a search using "Heathrow" doesn't find it, and there's some more examples of screwy pricing : looking at 20 Nov, lowest prepaid is USD223, the Hot 20% off is correct at USD178, but the price after taking the additional 5% member discount is showing as USD127. Whilst it's nice that members are getting a better-than-advertised deal, it doesn't do much to inspire confidence in the Hot Escapes pricing regime.
Though a search using "Heathrow" doesn't find it, and there's some more examples of screwy pricing : looking at 20 Nov, lowest prepaid is USD223, the Hot 20% off is correct at USD178, but the price after taking the additional 5% member discount is showing as USD127. Whilst it's nice that members are getting a better-than-advertised deal, it doesn't do much to inspire confidence in the Hot Escapes pricing regime.
was USD223 now USD178 SPG Member rate USD126
but when you click through to the calendar, most of the dates are showing and bookable as USD82. So we've now got an additional error where you'll be required to click through every Hot Escapes hotel to see if there's any better rates lurking underneath.
Nov 2, 2013, 3:26 pm
#152
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
Also, Le Meridien Nuremberg is showing as a discount of 19%. I know it will be a fraction below 20%, but you can't advertise a discount from a certain level and then go below it. In the UK, I doubt that the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) would look kindly upon it should it be brought to their attention.
I also notice the Hot start time has been amended from "12:01am Local on Wednesday" to
"Website goes live every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Shanghai Time / 11:00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time / 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time"
Is Shanghai (GMT + 8) coming up an hour later ?
Nov 6, 2013, 3:30 am
#153
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
Well, it's up, rather earlier than advertised, and finding properties has gone from bad to worse : the "Show All" option has been removed. 
It's nice to see the Turnberry resort included this week. Though, given it's probably Starwoods most iconic golf property, why doesn't show in the "Golf" filter ?
It's nice to see the Turnberry resort included this week. Though, given it's probably Starwoods most iconic golf property, why doesn't show in the "Golf" filter ?
Nov 6, 2013, 5:06 am
#154
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Manchester, England
Programs: Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, BMI Gold (RIP)
Posts: 8,021
Current issue is that the site won't allow you to see the full list of properties in list form. Even using http://www.spghotescapes.com/all which tells me that there are 123 properties this week, it still only displays 5 hotels with no option to see the rest.
Not sure if it is an issue in Chrome, or the site as a whole, but a poor error.
It's a shame that the site is getting worse, not better. As others have said earlier, this really should not be in the live environment as it isn't exactly reputation enhancing. For all of the occasional quirks of Starpicks and BTT, they did at least work. I hope the team behind it get this working properly soon.
Not sure if it is an issue in Chrome, or the site as a whole, but a poor error.
It's a shame that the site is getting worse, not better. As others have said earlier, this really should not be in the live environment as it isn't exactly reputation enhancing. For all of the occasional quirks of Starpicks and BTT, they did at least work. I hope the team behind it get this working properly soon.
Nov 6, 2013, 5:27 am
#155
Join Date: Jan 2003
Programs: LH SEN***, Bonvoy LT Titanium
Posts: 1,727
I was looking at it on my iPhone this morning and had the impression that all of the properties where shown. I did not count if it was 123, but it was definitely many dozens. Using Safari I get a similar result with your link. At first it only shows a few, but if you scroll down it adds more.
Nov 6, 2013, 6:58 am
#156
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Atlanta but Washington DC will always be home.
Programs: Marriott LTP, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold, Hyatt Explorist,, Delta Plat,
Posts: 2,075
I just looked at it with Chrome and it shows all hotels. It starts with 5-6, but if you scroll down it will add more hotels as you scroll.
I'm frustrated with the rates not being available, or only being available on only one night out of the next 4-5 weeks for many of the hotels I checked.
I'm frustrated with the rates not being available, or only being available on only one night out of the next 4-5 weeks for many of the hotels I checked.
Nov 6, 2013, 8:19 am
#157
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 211
Looks like another bug. If you enter a city that starts with a S (e.g. Stockholm), you get the following message: We have 0 deals available in %s. I believe this used to be working.
Nov 6, 2013, 8:28 am
#158
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: europe
Programs: EX˛-*wood platinum, EX-hyatt diamond, sixt platinum, hilton silver, leaders club, esselunga verde...
Posts: 2,048
151 destinations now...
Nov 6, 2013, 8:35 am
#159
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP; BoNVoY Tit LTP
Posts: 1,923
Not quite so; San Antonio generates a normal response, so it is something besides just cities that start with S.
Nov 6, 2013, 8:47 am
#160
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Germany
Programs: Marriott Plat., HHonors gold, IHG Plat., Accor gold, IC Amb, Hertz #1 club, Sixt plat.
Posts: 359
Strange that the Sheraton Duesseldorf airport is not (and has never been) on the list. It used to be available pretty much every day of the year for 88 Euro in the good old BTT days ...
Nov 6, 2013, 9:31 am
#161
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EXP; BoNVoY Tit LTP
Posts: 1,923
Same with Sheraton Malpensa.
Nov 6, 2013, 10:11 am
#162
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
Stockholm isn't featured this week. It gives that faulty error message for any "nothing found" search.
Nov 6, 2013, 10:38 am
#163
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 211
EDIT: Not quite, it works properly for Vienna.
Last edited by BayAreaTraveler; Nov 6, 2013 at 10:45 am
Nov 6, 2013, 10:47 am
#164
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
Nov 6, 2013, 1:12 pm
#165
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: europe
Programs: EX˛-*wood platinum, EX-hyatt diamond, sixt platinum, hilton silver, leaders club, esselunga verde...
Posts: 2,048
Now 190 + " view all deals " is back.