SPG 50 question
Mar 13, 2005, 10:06 pm
#61
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: NH and London
Programs: DL - Plat, SPG - Plat, AA, UA, Marriott
Posts: 88
My mistake: Rack rates vary with occupancy
Time to eat crow.
Extract from earlier post on this thread:
D'oh!
I'm so used to booking just for myself and assumed that all quoted rates on SPG.com would be per room rather than per person. You learn something new every day! Meanwhile, SPG have contacted the hotel to get my rate changed.
Needless to say an email to SPG eating humble pie is winging its way across the ether.
Extract from earlier post on this thread:
"I'm planning a trip to the Far East next week and want to spend 4 nights at the Sheraton Grande in Bangkok. I check on SPG.com and the best rate is $155 for a standard room. It also shows Rack rates of $190 for a standard room and $250 for a grande deluxe room.
I think this would be a good time to burn 1,000 points and get 50% off the grande deluxe room. So I call SPG in Ireland and ask at the outset which rates are used when calculating the 50% rates. The agent tells that the Rack rates are used.
Cool!
What's available? Grande deluxe rooms.
The rate? $145."
After feeling ripped off when trying to use my SPG50 award after the exchange above, I went back to SPG.com just to see if I had made a mistake. Sure enough the Rack rate was $250. Then I noticed that I had the number of adults set at 1. So,on the off chance it would make a difference, I changed it to 2 and, lo and behold, the Rack rate is $290.I think this would be a good time to burn 1,000 points and get 50% off the grande deluxe room. So I call SPG in Ireland and ask at the outset which rates are used when calculating the 50% rates. The agent tells that the Rack rates are used.
Cool!
What's available? Grande deluxe rooms.
The rate? $145."
D'oh!
I'm so used to booking just for myself and assumed that all quoted rates on SPG.com would be per room rather than per person. You learn something new every day! Meanwhile, SPG have contacted the hotel to get my rate changed.
Needless to say an email to SPG eating humble pie is winging its way across the ether.
Mar 13, 2005, 10:12 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2003
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Starwood Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Delta Platinum
Posts: 2,188
Originally Posted by skye1
She also said that once a hotel reaches 80% capacity, they have no SPG50 rates available.
Nobody ever said that these weren't capacity controlled.
Mar 14, 2005, 3:09 am
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel
Posts: 17,576
Originally Posted by Flyer_Tuck
Time to eat crow.
Extract from earlier post on this thread:
D'oh!
I'm so used to booking just for myself and assumed that all quoted rates on SPG.com would be per room rather than per person. You learn something new every day! Meanwhile, SPG have contacted the hotel to get my rate changed.
Needless to say an email to SPG eating humble pie is winging its way across the ether.
Extract from earlier post on this thread:
"I'm planning a trip to the Far East next week and want to spend 4 nights at the Sheraton Grande in Bangkok. I check on SPG.com and the best rate is $155 for a standard room. It also shows Rack rates of $190 for a standard room and $250 for a grande deluxe room.
I think this would be a good time to burn 1,000 points and get 50% off the grande deluxe room. So I call SPG in Ireland and ask at the outset which rates are used when calculating the 50% rates. The agent tells that the Rack rates are used.
Cool!
What's available? Grande deluxe rooms.
The rate? $145."
After feeling ripped off when trying to use my SPG50 award after the exchange above, I went back to SPG.com just to see if I had made a mistake. Sure enough the Rack rate was $250. Then I noticed that I had the number of adults set at 1. So,on the off chance it would make a difference, I changed it to 2 and, lo and behold, the Rack rate is $290.I think this would be a good time to burn 1,000 points and get 50% off the grande deluxe room. So I call SPG in Ireland and ask at the outset which rates are used when calculating the 50% rates. The agent tells that the Rack rates are used.
Cool!
What's available? Grande deluxe rooms.
The rate? $145."
D'oh!
I'm so used to booking just for myself and assumed that all quoted rates on SPG.com would be per room rather than per person. You learn something new every day! Meanwhile, SPG have contacted the hotel to get my rate changed.
Needless to say an email to SPG eating humble pie is winging its way across the ether.
Mar 14, 2005, 9:45 am
#64
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by Marysunshine
William, when I called to ask where my annual spg50 was with my annual fee on AMEX I was told it was electronically posted to my Starwood account. Is it not possible to get the paper certificates any more?
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Cast your vote! Visit www.freddieawards.com and choose your favorite frequent travel programs today.
Mar 14, 2005, 9:47 am
#65
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by kls1891
Hmmm..I've had the starwood Amex for about 2 years, and never recieved any SPG50's from Amex. Should they have sent them to me? Do I get one each year? Or just once?
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Cast your vote! Visit www.freddieawards.com and choose your favorite frequent travel programs today.
Mar 14, 2005, 9:49 am
#66
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by jerseygirl
Likewise - have had a Starwood Amex for 2 years and also are timeshare owners with the Westin Kaanapali (LOVE IT!!) and NEVER received a SPG50 from my account.
William, can you help??
thanks
William, can you help??
thanks
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Cast your vote! Visit www.freddieawards.com and choose your favorite frequent travel programs today.
Apr 26, 2005, 1:22 pm
#67
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,973
annual spg50
Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker
You get one every year as long as you are a Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express cardholder in good standing. If they don't send you one call the Customer Contact Center and ask them to order an AX50 award off your account.
Is this annual spg50 award complimentary or does 1,000 points get automatically deducted whenever you request it? Thanks.
Apr 26, 2005, 1:37 pm
#68
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by travelnutz
Starwood Lurker,
Is this annual spg50 award complimentary or does 1,000 points get automatically deducted whenever you request it? Thanks.
Is this annual spg50 award complimentary or does 1,000 points get automatically deducted whenever you request it? Thanks.
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Apr 26, 2005, 11:41 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SF CA USA. I love large faceless corporations. And they cherish me in return (sometimes). ;)
Programs: UA Premier Gold/disappointed 1MM, HH Gold, IHG Plat, MB Gold, BW Diam Sel
Posts: 17,576
Originally Posted by travelnutz
Starwood Lurker,
Is this annual spg50 award complimentary or does 1,000 points get automatically deducted whenever you request it? Thanks.
Is this annual spg50 award complimentary or does 1,000 points get automatically deducted whenever you request it? Thanks.
Jun 13, 2005, 9:43 am
#70
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: KOA
Programs: DL Gold/MM, HH Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,280
Last week I used an SPG50 at the Santa Marina in Mykonos Greece, which was an excellent value at 126.50 Euros per night. Although buffet breakfast is included with all rates, I was told that we would not get breakfast when using the SPG50. I could not find any terms or conditions to clarify if this was correct. Can Lurker shed any light on this?
Jun 13, 2005, 9:47 am
#71
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by Richard1148
Last week I used an SPG50 at the Santa Marina in Mykonos Greece, which was an excellent value at 126.50 Euros per night. Although buffet breakfast is included with all rates, I was told that we would not get breakfast when using the SPG50. I could not find any terms or conditions to clarify if this was correct. Can Lurker shed any light on this?
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Jun 13, 2005, 9:59 am
#72
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: Darth Vader of AMEX, A ladys best friend of Hilton, Pt78 of SPG, *G ,*S, ANA VIP
Posts: 3,933
RAckrate
Its a big rip off sometimes with the rackrate. i never was able to use one of my spg50s .
so finally i found out that the spg 50 are of a good use if you use them in Asia where the hotel rates are rediculous high on weekends.
for 3 persons i only got 2 rooms at 450usd each = 900usd.
i found a room for 3 persons rackrate 700usd . so with that spg50 it is now 350usd!
thats great. but the weekly rate for the same room is only 149 usd...
in the end it is a ripoff, but i saved 350usd and can make my family happy, so i will stop to cry
William, will every amex card holder get a }SPG 50? Or may be centurion card holders? that would be great.
dp
so finally i found out that the spg 50 are of a good use if you use them in Asia where the hotel rates are rediculous high on weekends.
for 3 persons i only got 2 rooms at 450usd each = 900usd.
i found a room for 3 persons rackrate 700usd . so with that spg50 it is now 350usd!
thats great. but the weekly rate for the same room is only 149 usd...
in the end it is a ripoff, but i saved 350usd and can make my family happy, so i will stop to cry
William, will every amex card holder get a }SPG 50? Or may be centurion card holders? that would be great.
dp
Jun 13, 2005, 10:13 am
#73
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Originally Posted by derpelikan
...William, will every amex card holder get a }SPG 50? Or may be centurion card holders? that would be great.
dp
dp
Sincerely,
William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services
[email protected]
Jun 13, 2005, 11:05 am
#74
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: KOA
Programs: DL Gold/MM, HH Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,280
Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker
The SPG50 is an award. My best guess is that the hotel is applying the same tenets regarding free buffet breakfast as they would on a Preferred (free) Night Award, which they are allowed to do. Personally, if it were up to me I wouldn't do this, but apparently it is their policy.
Aug 5, 2005, 3:32 pm
#75
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: BOI
Programs: UA Silver, DL, AA, WN, Marriott, IHG Plat, Hertz 5*, National Exec
Posts: 285
Using SPG50 with new AMEX stay bonus
I just received my new SPG Amex, and inside was the shiny new SPG50 coupon. When I signed up for the card, the standard stay bonus was offered - 1000 points for the first stay, 500 pts/stay for the next ten stays for the first year. Can I use the SPG50 coupon and still get the 1000 pts first stay bonus? TIA.