No Blackout Dates a Hoax?
 

Earlier this year I found the platinum guarantee to be BS. The room wasn’t available based on a 10 nite stay requirement that regular reservations didn’t have. I opened a case (which the rep didn’t want to) for which Starwood never contacted me back! Even when the room opened up, the hotel or starwood never called. Contrast that with Marriott where I booked the hotel next to Starwood using the guarantee with no hassle at all.

Now I am trying to book a reservation for 10 nights. A paid regular room w/ ocean-view is available. I want to use points and they said since it’s not a paid regular room w/ resort-view, there are no rooms using point available. Even for extra points. This sure seems like a blackout date as I have been checking this property the last 3-4 months and don’t believe there was point-rooms available period. SPG plat rep just kept saying nothing he could do. Even checking with the hotel seemed above and beyond him.

What benefits does a SPG Platinum receive that are actually promised?

If you'd like to send me the details...dates, name of the hotel, etc., I'd be glad to look into this further.

That being said, it may be that what is perceived to be a "regular room" with an ocean view is not on the standard award rate plan. Instead, it may be on one of the specialty or specialty select awards, which are not covered with the no black-out guarantee.

Other than this, award rooms are either booked online or with the customer contact center. Hotels are not supposed to book award rooms, so it doesn't surprise me that the associate to whom you spoke never offered to contact them.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]

Yes, SPG does does some mystical wordsmithing that ends up confusing/frustrating their members (and probably their CSRs too). Marketing types are raised this way (not that techies are known for clear communication). When it comes to room types, SPG has many that we do not see on their website. Most notably are the rooms assigned to the SNA pool. There is absolutely no means to see what is available and just have to trust the system to do what it's supposed to do (that in the beginning it didn't do very often, according to reports).

It sounds like reward rooms also belong in this grey area, especially when you add in Min/MaxLOS. Only by trying different dates do you start to get a feel for what the property has set up. I've had to play all sorts of games to book a week-long stay with various LOS restrictions. Finally got enough reservations stitched together and then had to call to get them combined so I was able to get 5th-night free.

As for the SPG Plat rep not willing to contact the property, that needs some management attention, as I believe that is a valid expectation. You've got opposing functions here where the property needs to open/fix inventory (if possible) and SPG needs to book the reward stay. They gotta be able/willing to talk to each other. If this is still an option for you, contact Customer Care and ask them to look into it.

St Regis Punta Mita? They're definitely playing games with their Spring inventory...

Hard to paint the entire SPG program based on this experience. While there are no doubt "rogue" properties out there game the system a lot do play by the rules in my experience.

I've successfully used the guarantee in the past. No award but standard room was available for $800 vs 16k points. Chat took care of the problem, once after further prompting.

Yes, this is a well-known issue at many SPG hotels. Most resort hotels seem to significantly limit the number of 'standard' rooms they offer (those are the only ones available for point stays). Some hotels designate a lot of their standard rooms 'deluxe' so they're not available for point booking, even though there is often no difference whatsoever in the room.

Another issue is the quantity of 'standard' rooms available. There was a thread a few years ago that claimed the Westin Napa only had 9 'standard' rooms in the entire hotel (which, having tried to book it on points several times unsuccessfully despite plenty of availability) I 100% believe.

SPG should allow points to booked to any non-suite room, to eliminate this 'standard' vs. 'deluxe' (as well as 'ocean/city view' rooms) garbage.

So basically you want an exemption from the rules so you can get an ineligible room on points. Good luck with that.

Cheers,

^^^^ There should be, at least, either a minimum difference in average daily rate or square footage to remove a non-suite category from the award pool. Particularly since, as we all know, there's varying degrees of "ocean view," etc. that allows hotels to play games with inventory if they want.

If the hotel can't get away with charging a significant amount more per night, they shouldn't be able to get away with removing it from the award pool. $199 for a standard room and $209 for a "deluxe" ... no way.

Nah. OP wants to eliminate loopholes that allow hotels to effectively have black-out dates by arbitrarily reducing the award pool.

Lots. My suite upgrade percentage is excellent. On top of that, I have a 100% success rate with SNAs. Yes, it does vary by region, and most of my travel is in APAC where PLT bennies are particularly good.

That said, however, I think that the delivery of PLT bennies is pretty good, overall. Seems a little unfair and hyperbolic to ask a question with that implication based on a single experience.

Do you think ocean-view rooms at resorts don't carry a rate premium? Try again. It can be very significant.

Starwood doesn't do itself any favors by allowing hotels to lack transparency in the designation of Standard rooms, but the OP is naive if he thinks all ocean-view rooms will qualify.

So you don't believe that "resort/island/mountain view" and "ocean view" rooms are any different? Resort-view rooms are not available but ocean view rooms are - OP should get an ocean-view room for the standard points?

Sorry, I don't agree.

Don't remember saying that in my post.

That's my point. The lack of transparency leads people (like the OP) to believe hotels effectively have black-out dates and/or that Standard rooms are arbitrarily defined - which could be perceived as a loophole for the hotel.

Did I say that? Talk about putting words in my mouth. Read my post again. :rolleyes:

Guys - I was simply reiterating the OP's POV, which is not "I believe I should be exempt from rules" like some of you are posting. OP is raising a legitimate frustration that warrants a discussion beyond a "Good luck with that."

Lucky you! I've had a horrible success rate with SNAs this year and will undoubtedly be losing some :( I would certainly say that not every PLT's experience is the same!