Mar 10, 2015, 4:40 pm
Last edit by: daiseee
When did the 2015 Starwood hotel category changes go into effect?
The changes took effect on March 10.
What's the breakdown of properties going up/down?Based on the initial list of changes--see below for more on this--22% of hotels are changing category. Of these, 10.49% are moving up and 11.78% are moving down.
Where can I find the list of changes?The initial list can be found here.
Note that the initial list is not final or authoritative, and that additional changes (or even reversal of changes proposed in the initial list) have been made & may continue to occur. To date, these include
I booked a property before the category went up, but a) now my online reservation prices my stay at the higher category and/or b) I'm getting followup emails showing the higher rate? Is this problem?Note that the initial list is not final or authoritative, and that additional changes (or even reversal of changes proposed in the initial list) have been made & may continue to occur. To date, these include
- The Royal Palm going up to 6
- Le Méridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Golf Resort & Spa going up to 3
- W Bangkok remaining 4
- Le Méridien Taipei remaining 6
- Sheraton Mahwah remaining 4
- Heathrow Sheraton remaining 3
- Westin LAX remaining 4
- Le Westin Montreal remaining 5
- Aloft Buffalo Airport going down to 2
- Aloft Tampa Downtown going down to 3
- Sheraton Gran Canaria going up to 4
As explained in post #118,
there is often a system-generated change that makes it look like the price will go up when checking reservations online and on any reservation confirmation emails for existing bookings that are re-sent after the change takes place. You will be charged what you booked originally, however.
Announcing SPG’s 2015 Category Changes : effective March 10, 2015
Mar 10, 2015, 4:35 pm
#151
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hyatt Glob; UA 1K; BonVoyage LTT (RIP SPG); HH Dia; JX Insighter
Posts: 1,642
Not really, no. Especially as far as specific properties go. Suffice to say that some data was proven wrong and it got corrected.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Since "data was proven wrong", can you confirm that any reservations that were able to be confirmed at the Category 5 level will be honored at that level?
), but there's a link in the wiki all the same.
Mar 10, 2015, 5:05 pm
#153
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 10, 2015, 5:10 pm
#154
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hyatt Glob; UA 1K; BonVoyage LTT (RIP SPG); HH Dia; JX Insighter
Posts: 1,642
Yes, whatever was booked at Category 5 will be honored at that category, but they may suffer from the same technical anomaly mentioned priorly when viewing at spg.com.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 10, 2015, 5:25 pm
#155
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Orange County, CA
Programs: AA, BA, SPG Gold
Posts: 665
Starwood Lurker
I rebooked London Skyline. Now Category 3 instead of 4. Haven't cancelled 1st reservation yet. Funny thing. My 1st reservation, which is on the site, says I paid 7,000 pts. I looked back in my acct at the points when they were removed from my acct in Oct. and 10k were removed. Did SPG change the actual reservation confirmation to reflect the new points? Will I get the correct number of points returned when I cancel?
THX.
I rebooked London Skyline. Now Category 3 instead of 4. Haven't cancelled 1st reservation yet. Funny thing. My 1st reservation, which is on the site, says I paid 7,000 pts. I looked back in my acct at the points when they were removed from my acct in Oct. and 10k were removed. Did SPG change the actual reservation confirmation to reflect the new points? Will I get the correct number of points returned when I cancel?
THX.
Yes. I mentioned this anomaly yesterday: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24478945-post118.html
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 10, 2015, 5:28 pm
#156
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, AC Elite, Airmiles Gold, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards
Posts: 785
[QUOTE=Starwood Lurker;24484977]St Regis Resort Lhasa remaining 6
QUOTE]
I don' seee STR Lhasa going anywhere in the old list
QUOTE]
I don' seee STR Lhasa going anywhere in the old list
Mar 10, 2015, 5:30 pm
#157
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
I am happy to remove it then.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 10, 2015, 7:15 pm
#158
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Bangkok
Programs: SPG platinum ; HHonorsGold ; Marriott Platinum,IHG Club
Posts: 57
Missed Hotel Category changes announcement in 2015
I would like to book @Le meridien Suvarnaphoom@Thailand by starpoints
But It's moving up from category 2-->3 category immediatetly effective after 10/03/2015.
However no this property shown on the announcement lists for moving up category in 2015
How can I do??
For the lists in Thailand properties@have only 2 moving up hotels
-W Koh Samui@ from category 6->7
-Plaza Athene Royal meridien BKK@from category 3->4
https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e1/starwo...oryChanges.pdf
Missed category changes announcement!!!
But It's moving up from category 2-->3 category immediatetly effective after 10/03/2015.
However no this property shown on the announcement lists for moving up category in 2015
How can I do??
For the lists in Thailand properties@have only 2 moving up hotels
-W Koh Samui@ from category 6->7
-Plaza Athene Royal meridien BKK@from category 3->4
https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e1/starwo...oryChanges.pdf
Missed category changes announcement!!!
Last edited by Chaiwattpin; Mar 10, 2015 at 7:36 pm Reason: edit letters
Mar 10, 2015, 8:53 pm
#159
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
I would like to book @Le meridien Suvarnaphoom@Thailand by starpoints
But It's moving up from category 2-->3 category immediatetly effective after 10/03/2015.
However no this property shown on the announcement lists for moving up category in 2015
How can I do??
For the lists in Thailand properties@have only 2 moving up hotels
-W Koh Samui@ from category 6->7
-Plaza Athene Royal meridien BKK@from category 3->4
https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e1/starwo...oryChanges.pdf
Missed category changes announcement!!!
But It's moving up from category 2-->3 category immediatetly effective after 10/03/2015.
However no this property shown on the announcement lists for moving up category in 2015
How can I do??
For the lists in Thailand properties@have only 2 moving up hotels
-W Koh Samui@ from category 6->7
-Plaza Athene Royal meridien BKK@from category 3->4
https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e1/starwo...oryChanges.pdf
Missed category changes announcement!!!
Mar 10, 2015, 8:59 pm
#160
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Le Méridien Taipei
Still waiting for Le Méridien Taipei to drop to Cat 5. Hope it's not a last minute change to keep it at Cat 6. 
Mar 10, 2015, 10:02 pm
#162
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Mar 10, 2015, 10:32 pm
#163
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BKK
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy LTP; IHG Plat
Posts: 2,232
Dear lurker,
Could you advise the IT team to update the website spg.com to reflect the current hotel catagory adjustments?
It still shows the same information as before the announcement.
P.S. Sorry for my poor english.
Could you advise the IT team to update the website spg.com to reflect the current hotel catagory adjustments?
It still shows the same information as before the announcement.
P.S. Sorry for my poor english.
Mar 11, 2015, 12:37 am
#164
Company Representative - Starwood
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: SPG
Posts: 713
Hi 3rdworldresident,
Thank you for the feedback. We have shared your comments with the relevant team and they will be looking into it.
[email protected]
Chua Chie Ling | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd
Mar 11, 2015, 1:19 am
#165
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 235
I would like to book @Le meridien Suvarnaphoom@Thailand by starpoints
But It's moving up from category 2-->3 category immediatetly effective after 10/03/2015.
However no this property shown on the announcement lists for moving up category in 2015
How can I do??
For the lists in Thailand properties@have only 2 moving up hotels
-W Koh Samui@ from category 6->7
-Plaza Athene Royal meridien BKK@from category 3->4
https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e1/starwo...oryChanges.pdf
Missed category changes announcement!!!
But It's moving up from category 2-->3 category immediatetly effective after 10/03/2015.
However no this property shown on the announcement lists for moving up category in 2015
How can I do??
For the lists in Thailand properties@have only 2 moving up hotels
-W Koh Samui@ from category 6->7
-Plaza Athene Royal meridien BKK@from category 3->4
https://lacek.hs.llnwd.net/e1/starwo...oryChanges.pdf
Missed category changes announcement!!!