PreferredGuest.com sucks
Mar 14, 2001, 4:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 70
PreferredGuest.com sucks
I'm mostly a prowler on these boards but its time to get vocal here for a minute. I've been trying to login to Preferredguest.com - the website - since 9am central this morning - unsuccessfully. I tried about 6 times like once every hour, and the browser just stalls ... probably doing for some backend database processing. The front page loads just fine. I have to make some emergency award reservations and was hoping to get this done today. I realize that all websites have technical issues at some time or another (even the ones that I have built) but this is like totally unacceptable. A business travel website being down for so many hours on a weekday and almost 50% of the time I try to access it in the nights is simply pathetic.
Mar 14, 2001, 4:41 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 46,817
Well, I can safely say that it is not their (SPG) greatest strength! 
FWIW, seems to be working right now!
FWIW, seems to be working right now!
Mar 14, 2001, 6:16 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 70
7:15pm CST:
I tried again and all I keep getting is a dialog box asking if I want to Open or Save a file. Even the front page doesnt load now. Im frustrated because I needed to make these reservations today. Who can I talk to to see some heads roll?
[This message has been edited by custombagel (edited 03-14-2001).]
I tried again and all I keep getting is a dialog box asking if I want to Open or Save a file. Even the front page doesnt load now. Im frustrated because I needed to make these reservations today. Who can I talk to to see some heads roll?
[This message has been edited by custombagel (edited 03-14-2001).]
Mar 14, 2001, 6:20 pm
#4
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
We are in the process of redesigning and enhancing all of the Starwood Web sites including: Sheraton.com, Westin.com, Luxurycollection.com, Fourpoints.com, Whotels.com, and Preferredguest.com. The booking engine currently used on the brand sites (all Starwood Web sites with the exception of preferredguest.com) will be replaced when the new brand sites are launched.
Our primary goal during the redesign has been to make all 6 Starwood Web sites more consistent, user friendly, informative, and reliable. A lot of time and effort has already gone into the redesign of the 6 Starwood Web sites. At the same time, on a day to day basis, a lot of time and effort is put into maintaining and improving the current Starwood Web sites. We appreciate all of your input regarding the current Web sites and we have used your input as we moved through the redesign process. Also, we use your input to improve the current Web sites whenever and wherever possible.
We expect to begin launching our new and improved Web sites in late spring or early summer of 2001. We will continue to maintain and update our current Web sites until the new Web sites are online.
custombagel, I have been using the Starwood Preferred Guest Web site most of the day, off and on, with very little impedance. Occasionally there has been a time-out error, but nothing that comes close to the problems you are having. Please accept my apology on behalf of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Starwood Preferred Guest, but you may want to give us a call to your local Account Services Center if the problems persist.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Our primary goal during the redesign has been to make all 6 Starwood Web sites more consistent, user friendly, informative, and reliable. A lot of time and effort has already gone into the redesign of the 6 Starwood Web sites. At the same time, on a day to day basis, a lot of time and effort is put into maintaining and improving the current Starwood Web sites. We appreciate all of your input regarding the current Web sites and we have used your input as we moved through the redesign process. Also, we use your input to improve the current Web sites whenever and wherever possible.
We expect to begin launching our new and improved Web sites in late spring or early summer of 2001. We will continue to maintain and update our current Web sites until the new Web sites are online.
custombagel, I have been using the Starwood Preferred Guest Web site most of the day, off and on, with very little impedance. Occasionally there has been a time-out error, but nothing that comes close to the problems you are having. Please accept my apology on behalf of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Starwood Preferred Guest, but you may want to give us a call to your local Account Services Center if the problems persist.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Mar 15, 2001, 10:19 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: The First State, USA - Bonvoy Gold, Honors Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, IHG Gold - FWIW
Posts: 922
Originally posted by custombagel:
7:15pm CST:
... Im frustrated because I needed to make these reservations today. ...
[This message has been edited by custombagel (edited 03-14-2001).]
7:15pm CST:
... Im frustrated because I needed to make these reservations today. ...
[This message has been edited by custombagel (edited 03-14-2001).]
Mar 16, 2001, 8:43 am
#6
Join Date: May 1999
Location: New York City
Programs: UA MM-1P, Hilton Life Diamond, Marriot Life Gold, ICH Spire
Posts: 4,080
Arzee: Only the end of the phone that you hold in your hand is low-tech. What goes on in between the two ends is actually pretty slick.
Mar 16, 2001, 10:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: LAX, HKG
Programs: AA EXPLT, BA Gold, Shang Elite
Posts: 2,228
lurker,
would you consider a hotel finder with all the six brands?
i would prefer to name a location and find any of the SW hotels, whether it is St regis, or W. now i have to do six such search.
if there is any synergy in putting these 6 brands together, you should seriously consider this
would you consider a hotel finder with all the six brands?
i would prefer to name a location and find any of the SW hotels, whether it is St regis, or W. now i have to do six such search.
if there is any synergy in putting these 6 brands together, you should seriously consider this
Mar 17, 2001, 11:21 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Akumal, Mexico
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium (thanks to SPG), AA Life Gold, UA Life Gold
Posts: 840
Pegasus--you can do this now at starwood.com. All of the brands are searched and presented to you on one inquiry.
Mar 17, 2001, 12:33 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC USA
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Lifetime / Annual Titanium; Massively Missing Starwood
Posts: 5,344
"PreferredGuest.com sucks"
Agreed. And I did try the consolidated Starwood site last night looking for all properties in North Carolina. The result? Apparently there are none. Fortunately for me, Marriott's site returned mucho information.
Agreed. And I did try the consolidated Starwood site last night looking for all properties in North Carolina. The result? Apparently there are none. Fortunately for me, Marriott's site returned mucho information.
Mar 17, 2001, 12:40 pm
#10
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
dingo,
I just tried this at http://www.starwood.com/ Clicking on 'Advanced Hotel Search' and typing in 'North Carolina' brought up 11 hotel choices. Maybe you should try again.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited 03-17-2001).]
I just tried this at http://www.starwood.com/ Clicking on 'Advanced Hotel Search' and typing in 'North Carolina' brought up 11 hotel choices. Maybe you should try again.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited 03-17-2001).]
Mar 17, 2001, 3:32 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC USA
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Lifetime / Annual Titanium; Massively Missing Starwood
Posts: 5,344
Lurker, you are correct. I even tried just typing in NC like I did last night. I must have messed something up last night so will reduce my initial comment to a less severe review of the site.
Mar 17, 2001, 11:23 pm
#12
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Chattanooga, TN, USA**US Airways Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,338
Here's another bug. Now that Air Canada is a partner, I went in to add my Aéroplan number. When I did so, I was informed I had entered an invalid Canadian Plus number!
Mar 18, 2001, 3:24 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,305
Call the service centre and they will add your aeroplan # in the CP PLUS box. A bit silly, but it seems to have worked.
Mar 19, 2001, 10:13 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 70
Hello Lurker
Thanks for your comments following my earlier post. I never meant that the hotel search sucks. In fact Starwood's integrated hotel search engine is the best one I've used among all chains. I love how I can go to any hotel site (Sheraton, W, Westin etc), type in a city and it will show me nearby Starwood hotels. I also love how when I punch in my Preferred Guest number, all my info is retrieved automatically and how easy it is to find 'Internet Only' rates. The only thing I hate about Starwood is the Preferred Guest website, which is what I use to check my points balance. Even that has worked fairly well in the past few days. Don't confuse that with the reservation engine, which I think is top notch!
Thanks for your comments following my earlier post. I never meant that the hotel search sucks. In fact Starwood's integrated hotel search engine is the best one I've used among all chains. I love how I can go to any hotel site (Sheraton, W, Westin etc), type in a city and it will show me nearby Starwood hotels. I also love how when I punch in my Preferred Guest number, all my info is retrieved automatically and how easy it is to find 'Internet Only' rates. The only thing I hate about Starwood is the Preferred Guest website, which is what I use to check my points balance. Even that has worked fairly well in the past few days. Don't confuse that with the reservation engine, which I think is top notch!
Mar 20, 2001, 10:05 am
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 46,817
Error 500--Internal Server Error
From RFC 2068 Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1:
10.5.1 500 Internal Server Error
The server encountered an unexpected condition which prevented it from fulfilling the request.
----
Patience, I guess!
From RFC 2068 Hypertext Transfer Protocol -- HTTP/1.1:
10.5.1 500 Internal Server Error
The server encountered an unexpected condition which prevented it from fulfilling the request.
----
Patience, I guess!