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Changing occupant count + forced rollaways?

 
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 12:28 pm
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Changing occupant count + forced rollaways?

I've got a couple of upcoming award reservations at SPG properties in Asia and we'll be 3 people in the rooms (Sheraton HKG and W Guangzhou). The reservations are currently booked as 2 occupants but when I try to change it to 3 (at either of the hotels), it adds a rollaway bed charge of ~$80/night.

We don't need a rollaway and don't want to pay for one -- is there a way to update the occupant count without this being added on? The only reason I'm concerned about occupant count being accurate is that I know Asian properties are notorious for being strict about registered occupants in the rooms (whereas with US ones, nobody really cares), and I want to make sure we get the Platinum benefits for all of us
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 2:15 pm
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Originally Posted by brosnan6
I've got a couple of upcoming award reservations at SPG properties in Asia and we'll be 3 people in the rooms (Sheraton HKG and W Guangzhou). The reservations are currently booked as 2 occupants but when I try to change it to 3 (at either of the hotels), it adds a rollaway bed charge of ~$80/night.

We don't need a rollaway and don't want to pay for one -- is there a way to update the occupant count without this being added on? The only reason I'm concerned about occupant count being accurate is that I know Asian properties are notorious for being strict about registered occupants in the rooms (whereas with US ones, nobody really cares), and I want to make sure we get the Platinum benefits for all of us
Hi, there is plenty of discussion about this here in the forum. Many times LOCAL LAWS (especially European and Asian), need to know exact occupants in a room.

Also, Platinum benefits are for the Platinum member plus one, not every occupant of the room. You may want to check the SPG T&C.
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 2:20 pm
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Originally Posted by KENNECTED
Hi, there is plenty of discussion about this here in the forum. Many times LOCAL LAWS (especially European and Asian), need to know exact occupants in a room.

Also, Platinum benefits are for the Platinum member plus one, not every occupant of the room. You may want to check the SPG T&C.
Hmm, I was unaware of the info on Plat + 1 rule for benefits -- in the US, I've always been given breakfast for all the occupants in the room up to 4 (which is what most room occupancy limits are).

But I am still curious about how to get around the forced rollaway bed charge.
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 5:23 pm
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Is the third occupant a child? Age?

What's the bedding type in the room you've booked?
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 5:29 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Is the third occupant a child? Age?

What's the bedding type in the room you've booked?
3 adults. Bedding is 2 doubles. I spoke to the Platinum line and they said the max room capacity is 3 so there's no issue on with that aspect. But it turns out they can no longer modify the reservation since that requires the same rate plan to be available. I booked on C&P and that's no longer there. It's crazy that to simply modify the # of occupants in the room requires what's effectively a cancel and rebook! IIRC from my Marriott days, that's definitely not the way their system works.

Platinum desk recommended just working it out at checkin since trying to do it ahead of time with language barriers can be challenging. I've also sent followup emails to the hotels, will post back here when I get a response.
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 5:35 pm
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Originally Posted by brosnan6
Hmm, I was unaware of the info on Plat + 1 rule for benefits -- in the US, I've always been given breakfast for all the occupants in the room up to 4 (which is what most room occupancy limits are).
Late checkout/upgrades/free internet etc. would apply to the room but for breakfast it is stated as Platinum + guest. Anything more is a courtesy extended to you by the individual property and should not be expected every time.
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 9:33 pm
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Are C&P rates explicitly for one or two people? IIRC bedding the isn't guaranteed on award nights, so you could book two doubles and be given one king at check in, which would not work for three adults (unless you're a threesome).
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Old Oct 31, 2013, 11:45 pm
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Are C&P rates explicitly for one or two people?
Occupancy limits are repeated in the C&P T&Cs.

Rooms are for single or double occupancy in a standard room; some hotels may offer Cash & Points in non-standard room types and/or suites at higher cash and Starpoint amounts; these rooms may only be booked through an SPG Customer Care Center.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...sh_points.html

And yes, the lack of a bedding type guarantee on awards may present a problem or a thrill, depending on the party's point of view.
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Old Nov 1, 2013, 8:07 am
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OP doesn't say that a higher category room was booked on C&P but seems confident the room with have two double beds, so I'm confused.
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Old Nov 1, 2013, 8:45 am
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Can't stress the importance of direct contact with an appropriate manager at the property when a request isn't guaranteed. It's entirely possible that the property contemplates assigning a 1-bed room and notices that there are 3 people. Thus, a rollaway. I would not make an issue of the rollaway until actually physically checked in and the room viewed.
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Old Nov 1, 2013, 10:47 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Are C&P rates explicitly for one or two people? IIRC bedding the isn't guaranteed on award nights, so you could book two doubles and be given one king at check in, which would not work for three adults (unless you're a threesome).
Originally Posted by 3Cforme
Occupancy limits are repeated in the C&P T&Cs.

Rooms are for single or double occupancy in a standard room; some hotels may offer Cash & Points in non-standard room types and/or suites at higher cash and Starpoint amounts; these rooms may only be booked through an SPG Customer Care Center.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...sh_points.html

And yes, the lack of a bedding type guarantee on awards may present a problem or a thrill, depending on the party's point of view.
Wait, what? This is news to me that bedding type is not guaranteed with C&P. Is that disclosed anywhere? It's not in my confirmation. Is bedding type guaranteed on regular award reservations? The only thing I see in the C&P T&C (from the link above) that's not guaranteed is smoking preferences

Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
OP doesn't say that a higher category room was booked on C&P but seems confident the room with have two double beds, so I'm confused.
I seem confident because that's the option I chose when I booked and that's what's stated in my confirmation email. Until now, I had no indication I'd receive anything different. I'd think that most anybody else would think the same...
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Old Nov 2, 2013, 9:42 am
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Why make the change? I've often had an extra person stay with us in a hotel (in Asia and the US) - and even when I book for two, I check-in alone and the other guest's identity is never requested anyway.

Don't sweat it - the only potential issue is the front desk refusing to give you 3 keys instead of 2....and of course if you use the lounge, only 2 of you may do so for free, the 3rd person should be paying an entrance fee.
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Old Nov 3, 2013, 11:40 am
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Originally Posted by bocastephen
Why make the change? I've often had an extra person stay with us in a hotel (in Asia and the US) - and even when I book for two, I check-in alone and the other guest's identity is never requested anyway.

Don't sweat it - the only potential issue is the front desk refusing to give you 3 keys instead of 2....and of course if you use the lounge, only 2 of you may do so for free, the 3rd person should be paying an entrance fee.
I normally don't care for domestic hotel stays. After all, who hasn't been to Vegas in their 20s when the actual number of guests is usually a multiple of the number in the reservation ;-).

I've had bad experiences in Asia before since they seem to know everybody going in/out of the hotels and employees tend to be very rules-based. At the RC Tokyo we almost ended up getting charged over $100/day extra because they noticed we had a 3rd in the room (good thing they didn't notice the 4th we had for a day as well...). I made enough of a fuss about it that they dropped the charges, but it made for an unpleasant experience.
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