sunil

From my experience 11 cards given out and
0 qualified ,I checked up on all of them
with the PLT desk. Most had 1-2 stays , the
closest I got was 5 stays but over a six
month period and outside the 90 day
qualification period.

Quite disappointing since all except one wrote very convincing email's about pending stays . How do you screen these requests ? Consequently I have stopped giving these cards out blindly and now only do so to people I personally know. No point in diluting gold. Comments ?

doc

None awarded thusfar, but isn't there still some time?

Gaucho100K

I got one, but I had to follow up with SPG. The system doesnt really operate smoothly and I was told that they had to do many manual adjustments.

BoSoxFan45

I gave out 9, and I know of 3 that have told me that they have completed 5 stays. I have gotten no points yet, but I am allowing the 6-8 weeks before contacting SPG.

andersja

Just handed out 6 ot 7 cards to frequently travelling colleagues. I expect probably 3 or 4 to make the 5 stay requirement in time (end of July)...

wigstheone

I gave out 10 cards randomly (i.e. to the first 10 who responded), and have received no bonus. If I receive one or more, all the better, but I didn't give them away expecting bonuses; rather, it seemed better to give them away than to throw them away.

KC

Gave out all but 1 of my cards to anyone who asked for them. I figure my odds are decent that at least a few of them will hit the 5 stays. If I didn't give them out at all, I'd have no chance, and most people I know personally are already SPG members or aren't the type of travelers to ever stay in a Starwood Hotel.

As for the bonus, in another thread on this board Starwood Lurker confirmed that you won't see anything on your account until 6-8 weeks after the END of the promotion (thus, don't expect anything on your account until mid to late September).

holland

I didn't give any out. I never received any to GIVE out. :-(

ILTE_Miles

Qualified--past tense? The qualification period isn't over yet...there's still time...


Have you written to any of them to inquire about what happened or whether they still anticipate completing the required stays? Perhaps something happened to change whatever plans they made--perhaps uncertainty in the economy made an impact on future travel plans, etc. Were their planned trips business? leisure? both? Perhaps an employer placed a hold on future travel.


Personally, I'm very glad (& grateful) that the Platinum who referred me didn't have the same approach (though I understand why you gravitated toward such an approach). Although he didn't know me personally, & didn't know that I had stayed in hotels over 50 nights last year, & had no idea that I had completed (& prior to the referral) double-digit nights @ Starwood this year, he nonetheless trusted me when I informed him that I had upcoming stays in the next few weeks that would more than satisfy the stay requirement (& did).

Arguably, I ought to be a comped Platinum. But until such a thing happens (if it does), I am grateful for the Gold referral, & despite ultimately qualifying for Gold (whether determined by virtue of stays or nights), without the referral I would not have been able to obtain the additional Starpoints or upgrades during the timeframe i/w I was not officially recognized as Gold.


I realize that my stay "pattern" may not have been typical for a Gold referral, & while I firmly believe that I did not dilute the pool of Golds, I would think the dilution potential could perhaps be minimized by bringing up the topic w/ a potential referral--point blank--simply inform them that you do not wish to contribute to the dilution of Golds, & that you would like to proceed w/ a referral only if the person feels quite certain that they would complete the # of required stays. I realize that some people might not complete the # of required stays even if they conveyed a firm conviction that they would, but such an approach would perhaps make some "think twice" & possibly serve as a kind of better-than-nothing "weeder" to provide a subset whose intent is sincere (knowing that for some, something may happen to come up & interfere w/ their ultimately being able to complete the # of stays).


IMHO, I think you ought to communicate back w/ those you referred, & inquire about the status of their stay count. Although I pro-actively updated the Platinum who referred me (& after each qualifying stay), & told him that I would inform him when my points posted (I considered each to be practicing "the Golden Rule" [no pun intended]), I realize not everyone would do such.

[This message has been edited by ILTE_Miles (edited 06-18-2001).]

clublounger

Attn: ILTE_Miles
If I understand correctly, you were already an SPG member. Well, the Platinum referral brings you to complimentary Gold, but according to SPG, neither you nor the referrer are eligible for the 5000 bonus points. The bonus is strictly for new members.