MileKing

Well, since the Starwood Lurker has let the cat out of the bag on another thread, I don't feel sworn to secrecy anymore. Effective January 1, 2001, Starwood has REDUCED the stay requirements for Platinum qualification. The new requirements are 20 stays or 40 nights (down from 25 stays and 50 nights this year).

jbird

I'm sure the debate will rage over this once people check it out, but if the qualification changes as you have laid out, I for one think it is a HORRIBLE move!!

I can tell you that I love the Starwood hotels and the locations where I can use my points all around the world, but I don't understand why the dilution. Why not have three levels and increase benefits at the second tier if you want to, but those that spend a lot (75+ nights) a year in their properties should be entitled to more.

Just my opinion. I don't know that I would qualify for 75+ nights in '01, but those that do should be treated differently. The gold status has lost its luster (sorry for the bad joke) since anyone who gets a Sheraton AMEX card gets it for free and now Platinum is going to be diluted as well.

I'm not switching hotel brands as of yet, but who knows...I spent approximately 200 nights in hotels in '00 mostly Westins and I'll be watching to see how things differ. Hopefully, they won't at all and I'll regret thinking so poorly about the news.

Jbird

AusTXHiker

I agree with you jbird. My Starwood experience has been excellent. But one has to wonder how they can continue the high quality of treatment given to Platinum members if they decrease the requirements for qualification.

Shareholder

I don't think lowering the level to achieve Platinum next year will make much difference in the service you have been receiving. Remember, last year Starwood fast-tracked a lot of people to this status by requiring just 5 stays in the last two or three months of 1999. Almost all the Platinums I know achieved their status this way, but have not made the 25 stays or 50 nights to requalify. There will be a lot of them missing during 2001, unless Starwood offers an extension on their current status.

Do any top tier elite FF programs offer Starwood Platinum as a benefit? I know Gold has been a benefit for mid-tiers on several programs, but don't believe Platinum has ever been offered in this fashion.

Gaucho100K

I wonder if apart from lowering the requirements for Platinum, SPG will introduce a new (higher?) tier ?

Gaucho100K

Also, could somebody post the link to the thread where Starwood Lurker discusses these changes? Thanks.

doc

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/001088.html

PG

I think that this change is good and I would also welcome a similar reduction in the Gold qualification, provided Starwood reduces the number of comp or fast-track Golds and Platinums.

StacyCat

I agree. With Starwood lowering the bar for platinum, they really need another top tier. For Gold members, do they need all 20 stays to get to platinum?

Gold doesnt do you very much good except in the point area. You dont get an upgrade room, usually no ammenities, and they are plentiful, so you cant impress the front desk staff.

This is just another way for Starwood to lower their tiers. Will the hotels start complaining? I can see the New York hotels getting really mad when they are oversold, and three days prior get 20 extra rooms from the Platinum override.

opus17

Depending on how many times I stay at Starwood next year, I am for the change or against it.

I'll get back to you on this.

Steffo

I guess I really don't care. I had about 35-40 stays this year, and then switched to Hilton where I am now to take advantage of the great double/double, triple/double and 50K promos, but with the intent to go back to mainly Starwood as of January 1. I might stick with Hilton a little longer as I don't find free fridays nearly as useful as the free weekends or just lots of points.

As far as another tier, I guess I feel about like Opus17 on that--I'd like it if it was a number I could achieve and gave better benefits than platinum, particularly more bonus Starpoints. I wouldn't like it if it made me a second tier guest. But that's the way the cookie crumbles...

Anyway, I agree about there being an awful lot of platinums who just got in on the promo, and that our ranks will thin whenever those expire. And i'm really happy with the service, so who cares?

stimpy

Yeah, how about a new tier for 35 or 40 stays or 60-70 nights?

siliconengineer

Is there really dilution with lowering the Platinum requirements?

Obviously we don't really know how Starwood comes up with the number of stays or nights needed, but it could be based on how many Platinums they want, or what percentage of members they want in that category.

Lets just say there are 100,000 SPG members, and they want 10,000 or 10% of them to be Gold and 1% or 1000 to be Platinum (just making these numbers up). Or it can be a desired ratio of Platinums to the number of hotels or the number of total rooms, which could be more next year due to expansion.

They are probably monitoring how the qualification rates are looking and make projections on how many they will have for next year. Possibly, they may see that only 600 will be Platinum by the old criteria, and that by lowering the requirements to 20 stays/40 nights, they get back close to 1000 (using the example numbers above). In that case, there is no dilution in the sense of extra competition for Platinum benefits which seems to be what some fear. Or the requirements are lowered to maintain the ratio of Platinums to number of rooms or number of hotels about the same as it is this year.

Then the question becomes why would they care about keeping a certain percentage or number or ratio? Probably because those who are between 40 to 50 still represent a lucrative market segment, that by keeping or making them Platinum encourages them to stay at Starwood hotels, and if it maintains an existing number/percentage/or ratio, there is no loss in service, nor extra costs.

In short, IMHO, there is business justification somehow for them to do this.

dingersoll

It seems that Starwood is really bucking for people to move over from the biggies like Hilton and Marriott who still have archaic rules on redeeming nights. Try getting just a single weeknight at one of those properties, let alone a weekend night.

I had 150,000 Marriott points as of 2/2000 and got fed up with their rewards, so I cashed them all in for an air/hotel combo award, promptly switched to Starwood and have never looked back. Incidently, I look forward to reaping Platinum benefits in 2001 since I just achieved status with 57 nights.

auh2o

IMHO - this blows.