Okto

Well, then DO SOMETHING about it SPG!

I understand that hotels, like anything else, get bought and sold and change is a constant in life, and Starwood probably didn't get much advance notice in this case. Still, you can't pull the rug from underneath people's feet in this manner and in exchange just offer empty words which, unfortunately, permeate today's reality of "customer service".

This property is not some 2-star Sheraton by the airport. This is a destination in and of itself, for which people plan stays and commit substantial amount of points and $$ several months out.

How about this: why not reach out to those who, for example, made point reservations, or already paid for non-refundable plane tickets, and offer some sort of arrangement so they can stay at the Diplomat without incurring any additional costs?

Full disclosure: I have no reservations at the Diplomat, so I'm not asking for anything for me personally.

Eujeanie

[all reservations will be honored]

Yes, what exactly does this mean?

As Lurker knows, I did cancel my reservation and have booked a Plan B at the W (they also had C&P available for my dates) but I would MUCH rather stay at the Dip which I know and love.

joey965

Got the same email as everyone else here on Flyer Talk and called last night, but they were already gone. Called back today and was told there was nothing they could do about the reservation and I would have to rebook elsewhere. We are in our sixties, fluctuate between Gold and Platinum and are Elite Owners with Starwood Vacation. We book into the Diplomat every year at Xmas and I make the reservations while we are there for Spring Break. Plane tickets have been purchased for months. I said I would like to stay at the St Regis and they said no it is fully booked. Don't like the W's as they are better suited for a younger crowd, so then she checked into the Westin Fort Lauderdale. Says they will have to charge me extra points to book me into an Ocean Front room. Really??? That is the way they treat loyal customers? You would think since they were no longer honoring my reservation they would be giving me some extra points instead of charging me more. Our planned holiday trip has been ruined. On top of all this, I tell her I will have to think about what I want to do and call back. One minute later I get an email saying, "rest easy, your reservation has been cancelled". Are ya kidding me? No regard for what I had just told her? Needless to say, I am not resting easily. This doesn't feel good at all. What is Starwood thinking? Does upper management approve of us being treated like this?

Eujeanie

I just had a (really evil) thought.

I hope this is not true.

No one has heard from Hilton yet, just that reference above to "all reservations being honored".

It can't possibly be that Starwood wants all of us to cancel since they will derive no benefit from our stay, in other words they don't want Hilton to get our money from either the room or peripheral spending? And Starwood instead wants all of us to cancel our (now Hilton) booking, and rebook at another Starwood property for more money/points, and keep the revenue with themselves?

Could that possibly be their motivation for suggesting/forcing all of us to cancel so soon?

FlyerJ

I had a points booking at the Diplomat for December, and moved over to the Westin FLL Beach. While I loved the Diplomat, it's hardly a disaster to have to move my stay to the other Westin.

The party responsible for this isn't SPG. It's the former owners of the Diplomat (who chose to sell) and the new buyers (who chose to, essentially, fire Starwood with two months notice).

It's been clarified that standard reservations will still be honored. Starwood reward stays, I think understandably, won't be -- as frustrating and disappointing as that is. I don't see that as a conspiracy, or as poor service on Starwood's part. I see that as the Dip's new owners saying "you're out" to both Starwood and SPG members. And, after that, why would SPG pay Hilton and the Dip's new owners to put up SPG members in a Hilton for a reward stay? It's a Starwood loyalty program, after all, so it would be a heck of a stretch for SPG to provide reward stays in a Hilton, plus pay Hilton for it, plus lose all of the ancillary revenue.

I'd be much more concerned if there were no other beach/resort properties available in the area for people on points stays to move to, but so far there appears to be reward availability throughout Nov-Jan everywhere except for the St Regis. Life goes on.

KSA_USA

are you serious?

as of today the market value of Starwood Inc is $16 Billion ( thats a in B).

I also have a reservation at the Diplomat post October 2014. when I first heard of this change I just canceled my Diplomat booking and booked elsewhere.

KSA_USA

you know that Star points are worthless to Hilton. Hilton wants real money. so basically what you are suggesting is Starwood to pay Hilton on your behalf. why? because the new owner ( not Starwood) of this property wants to do business with Hilton!!!

Eujeanie

Has Hilton made a formal policy statement or contacted anyone with an upcoming award reservation to say they will not be honoring that reservation? Has anyone here with an upcoming reservation called Hilton to ask? It seems we're all just talking to Starwood, who is saying "cancel".

I was in a unique situation that I really had to cancel my Starwood award booking, but if mine was upcoming soon I'd want to get an official word from Hilton before I cancelled.

travellingcari

The Westin is usually busy but not crazy. The W can be crazy. Both are good FLL options. I haven't stayed at the Sheraton FLL Beach in a while so not sure how it's holding up (in general, I know it's no Dip).

Okto

No. The Diplomat wants real money. Or do you think that whether they are managed by Starwood or Hilton they accept points as payment? They only accept dollars as payment. When we make a points reservation, it gets converted to real cash to pay the hotel.

Not on my behalf. I already explained that I have no reservation at the Diplomat.
What I am suggesting is that Starwood convert those points into cash NOW and hand it over to the Diplomat (while it's still managed by Starwood) for the reservations that people were holding. Not much different than had the guest made a pre-paid cash reservation.
Why? Because this is somewhat of an exceptional case and it would show that they actually care about their loyal customers. Talk is cheap. Money talks.

KENNECTED

I'm asking these question to get a better understanding.

Since Starwood does not have an equal/comparable property what exactly do you want them to do? From Sunny Isles going north Hilton has put down a plan to offer the best options in the Ft. Lauderdale market.

When a Platinum/Gold member is walked that is completely different than a hotel owner deciding to switch loyalty programs. This is not horrible and not the end of the world. Hotwire room blocks have no bearing on this.

Why are you annoyed at Starwood as opposed to the new owner(s) of the hotel? How is what they said to you arrogant?

Eujeanie

From Sunny Isles going north Hilton has put down a plan to offer the best options in the Ft. Lauderdale market.

Kennected, what does this mean?

KENNECTED

I started a discussion about this in the Ft. Lauderdale master thread as I didn't want to take this thread off topic.

Hilton has either built (new hilton, new conrad) or bought and rebranded ( Bahia Mar, and Westin) to offer the most rooms amongst its brands. Meaning more options for consumers. There are two hilton hotels, two doubletree hotels and Embassy Suites and a soon to open Conrad, between 17 street and Sunrise. Not including airport hotels.

If Hilton had a hotel change hands or needed to walk guests, the transition would be easier as it has more properties and variety to choose from.

Eujeanie

Thanks, I'm glad you clarified that. I thought you meant Hilton was offering alternatives to Diplomat displacees (is that a word?), and I had not seen anything on the H website.

KSA_USA

Yes. Starwood properties will accept Starwood points as a method of payment. Hilton properties will accept Hilton points as a method of payment. they will be of course converted to cash but thats between the property and the managing company. we customers do not know what is the exchange rate. my point is Hilton will not accept Starwood points as a method of payment.

Now

when we use our points as a method of payment Starwood will reimburse the property by certain amount of dollars. this amount ranges from low $ to very high $ ( rack rate) depending on occupancy. since Starwood have no way to verify Hilton occupancy you are suggesting Starwood pay whatever amount Hilton asks. so for example you are suggesting Starwood pay Hilton rack rate for NYE points reservations. for what? for a decision Starwood didn't make? that dose not make sense to me.

I do hold a reservation at this property. when I first lean about the transition here ( thanks to OP) I immediately contacted Starwood to see what's happening. they told me paid reservations will be honored. points reservations will be moved to other properties. so I simply canceled my Diplomat reservation and made other alternatives. no hard feeling no time wasting.