Your24 is pretty much worthless... what's the point of hitting 75 nights?
 

I am SPG Plat75 for a couple of years now, and have been noticing that the Your24 benefit is becoming pretty much useless as properties are starting to play gimmicks and rendering it just another marketing ploy to lure people.

I have had properties declining a Your24 request before on the bogus ground that they "project high occupancy" for the dates on my reservation (note: they're not claiming that there actually is high occupancy on those dates, they simply anticipate there might eventually be high occupancy if things go as they hope), but since these declined requests were submitted several months before hand, I wouldn't make a big deal out of the properties' defensive attitudes

This time I have a reservation for early March and my 5 PM check-in/check-out Your24 request was again declined because the hotel "projects high occupancy" 5 weeks from now --- nevermind that on the spg app I can find availability for up to 9 rooms (maximum allowed) in the same category as in my reservation for the date I'll be checking out.

I just feel I have been duped by Starwood's fake promises and played around by the hotel.

The property in question is W Verbier.

The "point" of hitting 75 nights is just that - the 4th point you earn.

What's available today means nothing. It's Switzerland at the prime of ski season. Do you really expect there to be a single room available as the date approaches?

Have you spoken with PLT Concierge or Ambassador, as appropriate? I think that there's a bit of hyperbole in "Your24 is pretty much worthless." I don't need them that often, but have never had a request denied. Your disappointing experience is not universally shared.

Yes, I do. For instance there are at least 9 rooms available for booking for tonight, Jan 28 to Jan 29. This hotel has wide availability for cash & points bookings on february and march, which is a very strong indicator of low occupancy (for the whole of last season and early on this season, C&P rates were blocked).

Do you realize that what is shown "online" is not actual inventory at the hotel? The Starwood/SPG website and the hotels inventory/revenue management do not sync in real time.

I solely hit 75 nights for the 4 points/$ benefit. Never even bothered with Your24

I currently have a Your24 approved for an early morning Sydney arrival with the family in June. Flying 24 hours with kids in tow - having a room waiting vs. hanging around 7 hours until check-in - way, way far from "pretty much worthless".

Early morning arrivals in India have been equally beneficial - and a 9a arrival still allows for 4p late checkout.

A "based on availability" benefit - a secondary one at that - occasionally not being available = worthless. Typical FT hyperbole.

Have you read any portion of this thread?
Discussion: Plats at 75 nights/year = 4 points per $ and Your24 check-in time

Not sure why a second thread is needed to discuss the benefits of this elite tier.

Then why don't you book a room for tonight? Extrapolation does not work in this instance.

that is precisely my point---there is availability to accomodate my Your24 request, as of the time of submission; however the hotel declined it because they anticipate that maybe, perhaps, eventually there won't be any availability left by the time I check-in.

I am happy for your success in having your Your24 requests approved. Hope you can keep it up. I had one for next july declined for.... "projected high occupancy"!

I'm sure that you wouldn't be happy if your Sydney Your24 request had been declined---and yourself forced to wait for 7 hours before checking-in---because the hotel "projected" high occupancy that, so far, hasn't materialized.

i've noticed a number of properties in popular locations play this 'projected high occupancy' game....i applied for this benefit in ny next month at the four points times square....rooms are wide open with rates as low as $99 a night but they still denied it stating 'projected high occupancy'....i'll try again closer to my stay date....hopefully it will be approved then....

in general i am pretty happy with this benefit....i've had only 2 out of around 15 requests refused....that's a pretty good success rate....

I'm not Plat 75, so I don't have any direct experience with your 24, but I would imagine that this benefit is more accessible to hotels in business districts, where people often check in, in the evenings and check out in the mornings; at resorts, there are a higher percentage of people who want to maximize their check in and check out times.

As an aside, you're also going to a ski resort at a time where people will be on breaks from schools, I would speculate that they will probably have 100% occupancy.

I agree that it is unfortunate that it's not a guaranteed benefit.

Like platinum suite upgrades, some properties are really good about Your24, and others are really bad about it and will hardly ever (if at all) approve it. Some of the properties that are good about it, and I've had a pretty good number (although I've also had my share of denials, particularly in places like NYC and resort hotels), will even combine it with a suite upgrade (which is not an SPG requirement). I doubt that Marriott will keep it, just like I doubt they will honor guaranteed 4 PM late checkout, although I think we have a pretty good shot at keeping most of the rest of the platinum benefits.

It's nice when it works, because it can save you the cost of an additional night, especially when you have a later flight.

I'm in the pretty much useless camp. I've never had one approved, and even had two approved and then rescinded the day before.

Hype and smoke and mirrors.