donotblink

I don't want to miss out...how can I get a Total Rewards VIP Access card? Do I need to physically go to Vegas before the end of the year, or can I have one mailed to me?

Starwood Lurker

This information can be found in the FAQ here.

VIP Access Information

What is VIP Access?
VIP Access allows the following privileges at Caesars Entertainment hotels that have Diamond Priority service in Las Vegas:
•VIP line access for hotel check-in
•VIP line access at participating restaurants
•VIP line access for taxis and entertainment venues
•Preferred entry into participating Las Vegas nightclubs
•Pool access at all Las Vegas resorts
•Priority lines at casino cages and the Total Rewards Center

How do I take advantage of VIP Access?
To sign up, members must show their SPG Platinum status credentials (e.g. SPG Platinum member card) at the Total Rewards Center at Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace or The Cromwell in Las Vegas.

Who can sign up for VIP Access?
SPG Platinum members who are registered for the SPG/Total Rewards partnership may sign up for VIP Access.

As it says, "To sign up, members must show their SPG Platinum status credentials (e.g. SPG Platinum member card) at the Total Rewards Center at Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace or The Cromwell in Las Vegas", you would not be able to apply for it by mail. I might suggest, however, before you consider traveling to Las Vegas that you check with Total Rewards to be sure that any VIP Access cards they may give to SPG Platinum members between now and New Year's Eve won't expire on December 31, 2016.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Zorak

I finally just now received an email from Total Rewards with subject "Regarding your linked Starwood and Total Rewards accounts…":

a whole 8 days notice. At least FT gave me an extra week heads up

I'm mildly bummed -- I don't normally stay in hotels often enough to care about status, and the Gold benefits haven't been terribly useful for hotel stays IME (and I think mostly the same benefits are available to DL PM/DM) but it was nice to earn Starpoints from DL spend. And this year, slightly unusual for me, I am close enough to earning SPG Gold for real that I could have booked differently earlier in the year to hit it on my own (vs. conferred from TR 7* status)

RobUAIntl

I received the email from Caesar's as well. Wondering when Starwood will formally communicate this takeaway (not the biggest takeaway, but still...).

Having run loyalty programs in another industry, I know I tried to package multiple changes together in large part so I could bury the takeaways at the end of a message. The lack of formal communication from Starwood causes me to wonder if they are waiting to announce other changes at the same time.

Starwood hasn't even removed the page to link accounts and signup for the program with Caesars even though it ends in one week. I know the terms of the program says that it can be changed at any time for any reason and without notice, but it is very strange for Starwood not to give formal notice normally with some advance warning (usually at least several months). I appreciate William giving us a heads up, but would expect that to be followed by formal communication from Starwood.

Just wondering what else might be behind the curtain.

And, btw, even though I will admit the ending of the program with Caesars isn't that big of a deal, I did use it this year for a cheap mattress run to top off my nights to renew Platinum. So it did have it uses.

Absolute

Wow, Lurkers I hope you communicate back to your team that not sending out a notice to members - especially those with linked accounts and who have stayed at Caesar's - is very bad form on their side.

The lack of notice (and small time window) isn't what I've come to expect from SPG. Had I known that it was ending (and had enough notice), I would have made sure to renew my VIP card for the longest window possible, instead of it expiring at the end of Jan.

I do appreciate your letting us know - and for the work you do here - but I would've expected to have had an email communication about a program/partnership ending.

ccory1

I stayed at Harrah's Reno for 3 nights December 21 - 24. The stay still hasn't appeared in my SPG account. I've linked my accounts and received stay credit previously. This stay puts me at 100 nights. I've contacted SPG who sent me to Caesar's who doesn't respond. Any advice? I don't want to miss out on my Starwood Ambassador service due to a missing credit. I'm fairly disappointed at all the finger pointing.

Starwood Lurker

You don't get stay credit for stays at Caesars properties. You might qualify for up to 10 EQN's per calendar year, however.

The reason you were sent to Caesars is that they are the only entity in this former partnership that can determine if this was a qualifying stay for earning EQN's.

Can I ask if you have tried calling them at 800-342-7724?

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC

[email protected]

ccory1

Thanks for the advice! I called that number, got re-directed to a different number, and put in a request with the Total Rewards supervisor at Harrah's Reno. Thanks for the clarification on stay vs. nights. I care mostly about the night credits to push me past 100 I'm guessing Ambassador qualification has already passed so even if the Nights do credit I'll probably be passed over?

Starwood Lurker

No, there should still be time for that to get sorted out. If you get the three nights sorted out with Caesars and they get posted to your SPG account for the calendar year 2016, you should be contacted by the Ambassador team about 10 days later.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC

[email protected]

itsaboutthejourney

I wonder if this was Marriott and their Mormon influence not approving of Gambling? I do know that Marriott does serve booze and coffee, but have to ask if we should expect more of these types of changes now that Marriott is in charge and views more things through a bit more religious angle?

Eujeanie

I've stayed at the JW Marriott in Las Vegas which has a huge casino, so I don't think that's an issue.

James Luckard

Numerous Marriotts have casinos.

Sabai

At one time Marriott was a major purveyor of porn in the hotel industry, so I doubt that scruples are involved.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41300978/n.../#.WKhuxpE76hA