3grand8grand

Per MKB's post above, the breakfast for Platinums is indeed the continental cold buffet. That said, for all three days when we had breakfast there, when we sat down in the Aqua restaurant at the Westin and showed our free breakfast card / coupon to the servers, they all told us to go ahead and have everything that was available in the buffet. In addition to the cold cuts, this also included scrambled eggs, bacon & sausage, eggs benedict, potatoes porridge, pancake maker, etc. Every time when the bill arrived at the end of breakfast it was billed under $14, which made the breakfast totally free.

ac777

Just finished a 5 night stay at this hotel. Booked on points and was upgraded to a riverview room and was told no suites were available (I seem to gave heard this line before)
1. No alternative amenity was offered
2. Resort fee was NOT waived even after I asked. They claimed they do not and have not done this!
3. Breakfast was great. Full buffet was provided.
Is it really worth while opening a file on this?

Flews

It would be nice to get some official word as to whether the resort fee is waived for Plats. I have an upcoming stay and would like this clarified before asking for something to which I am not entitled; or worse, not receiving something to which I am.

Cheers,

heakja

I have been to this hotel several times the last two years. They do not offer any alternative amenity, and they do waive the resort fee. Periode. Front desk have no clue about this starwood rule, and even the revenue manager was not aware of it when I politely pointed it out after the last stay. After some back and forth, she did waive the fee for me, but I was not under the impression that this marked some sort of policy change.

It is getting tiresome filing customer complaint files at this hotel and the Westin Cape Coral (my other go-to hotel in this area of the US) year after year, but what can you do when starwood has created a rule that supposedly should be a benefit for platinums but most hotels have not heard about?

Starwood Lurker III

Hi ac777,

We will look into the alternative amenity issue with SPG Hotel Coordinators.

If you would like to file a formal complaint, you may contact Corporate Customer Service via email at [email protected].

Best Regards,

Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

Dansa

It there any resolution on this matter. I have booking for this coming March and I would like to go in with some assurances as to what a Plat would receive.

SCPigskinPrep

In November I was charged the resort fee for a 2 night stay.

I questioned the front desk agent, she shot me an attitude which upset me. I therefore asked for the manager and he and I had worked it out. I would not have minded the fee but the FD attitude pissed me off so I decided to push it.

He removed the fee and comped my bar tab that evening.

But as of November they were still charging the resort fee.

Dansa

Thanks for the update, I hate that battle at the front desk, I especially hate it when the front desk shoots attitude.

Simple question for the lurkers who I thought were going to look into it. Is there an alternative amenity for Plat? Do Plats have to pay the resort fee? This question does not need to be fought out on a guest by guest basis.

Starwood Lurker

Christina did follow up with the SPG Hotel Coordinators on this.

Yes.

Yes.

I would agree, but if you should encounter any push-back, feel free to ask us to follow up again.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]

Dansa

I felt scolded for my last question. I do not believe that my questions were answered by the previous post. Not the first time with SPG

However, just returned from a two night visit:

Is there an alternative amenity for plat - no
Do plats pay the resort fee - no
Was there push back - I questioned the issue at the front desk. The concept of an alternative ammenity was confusing to the clerk. They went for the manager. They were on the phone so they just dropped the resort fee.

CLEguy

Additional data point from the Memorial day weekend. I had booked a single night at a good rate and applied SNA (which was approved to an executive suite). Check-in was painless (with a welcome glass of champagne--must have been for the weddings), and the resort charge was removed without hassle.

kokonutz

Argh. Mulling a 3 night stay before a conference at the Hyatt.

Between TA and this thread I am really having a tough time justifying $1000 for a weekend here.

For a lot less I can guarantee myself a suite at the newish Embassy Suites.

Oh, Starwood, why do you make it so difficult to love you!?

CruiserCLE

Hey all - hoping for some advice here. Stayed at this property last week for 2 nights and based on the reports in this thread, I asked for the resort fee to be waived as a plat (just qualified a few weeks ago). The front desk agent had no clue what I was referring to and said that was not a thing. If there was not a huge line waiting to check in/out I would have pushed it with a manager but decided to drop it and consult here to see if I should write in.

Am I correct to understand that I can get the fee waived due to the resort fee including the internet access? I chose the 500 welcome points as my amenity if that matters as they told me it was either that or breakfast, no other choices.

Thank you in advance!

Starwood Lurker III

Hi CruiserCLE,

Platinum members have to pay the resort fee. You may refer to post 69.

However, the hotel should offer an alternative amenity to Platinum members. If you could provide your reservation details to us via private mail here or by email below, we would like have SPG Hotel coordinators to follow up with the hotel.

Best Regards,

Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

ChurnieEls

Anyone have a take on this property in COVID times?

Have a booking this weekend but considering switching to the Aloft - struggling with justifying $230/night ($180 rate + $30 resort fee + $20 parking).