jfulcher

Still no upgrades at the Sheraton NY Hotel & Towers - Only time I got one was when Lurker got involved. And I've been back 3 times since then. I know they are holding rooms back.

SkyyGuy

Last year in November, I was at the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney, AU. and got a room that looked at a building wall.
I complained, and was told there wasn't anything they could do, yadda, yadda.

I further complained through customer service, and got an email from the hotel manager, saying my next stay would be upgraded. Well, I don't get to Sydney every month, so not sure when that will be. But.. I was using points for the stay, and the front desk clerk mentioned something about that when she was looking for the upgrade.

ralfkrippner

Second stay at the Sheraton Imperial KUL within two weeks, again the mentioning of 'complimentary upgrade of one category' as a Plat. And as others have reported similar things it seems it really is a policy there to just upgrade one category instead of to the best available room...

Unfortunately this is my experience at almost all hotels I stayed since I got Plat status last year, just that usually they don't expressly say so and I never argue upon this.

Starwood should think about a new and consistent policy upon elite upgrades. Maybe something like X vouchers for advance suite upgrades upon renewal of status (for the few important stays where you really want these) and anywhere else something like 1 category for gold, 2 for plat so that you actually know what you'll get... That would defintely make me a very happy customer...

Mister Nice

ralfkrippner -

Always carry your card with you and show the desk the benefits listed on the back - Additionally, PLEASE CONTACT CORPORATE SERVICES, the only way for habitual offenders to learn the rules is to have it "pounded" into them by the Corporate gang - if it happens 2x in 2 weeks then please report it 2x in 2 weeks - Additionally - perhaps Lurker can forward your comments about this property to the hotel coordinators

kjbtraveler

Just got back from a 5 night cash/points stay.

I went to my room after checking in to find a closet sized room on a low floor with a view of laundry hanging from windows from an adjacent building.

Unimpressed, I went back to the front desk, and asked nicely if they would be able to recognize my platinum status and please try to a better room. Voila, 2 minutes later I had a larger room with a reasonable view. How nice it would have been to be offered this in the first place.

Also, even though she noted my platinum status, no talk of amenity was forthcoming (either the old or the new European amenity program). It was a long flight and I wanted to rest - didnt' want to push it.

You can't help but get that feeling that if I were on a fully paid stay, this wouldn't have happened. Very tiresome . . . .

urbanSPG

I stayed at the Palace last month for 5 days completely on award; see my mini-review for all the details, but my initial upgrade was mini-suite, and as soon as an executive opened up I was moved. I found that dealing with the SPG desk (the right side one) was more constructive.

couscous

Stayed there last weekend for a night, no recognition of my platinum status at check-in, no upgrade available, not very impressed with staff and hotel in general.

Football Fan

Westin Grand Berlin:

Well, good for you, because I just stayed there again last night, and sure enough, no recognition of Platinum status whatsoever, even though I even put a remark in the reservation mentioning it. No upgrade, no amenity.

When I asked at check-out if my platinum status shows on my profile, no apology was offered; not only that, I got the "BUT YOU GOT UPGRADED TO A GARDEN VIEW ROOM" crap. Not only is there no real garden there, but this is not at all the platinum upgrade (and there were plenty of junior suites available last night, I checked). When I said politely "but this is not the platinum upgrade", the lady just shrugged and grinned. She said "okay, I will make a note in the profile that you are a platinum member" - which is exactly what the guy said at my last stay when they did not recognize the status!!!

Not only that, but I also had to tell them for the third or fourth time at check-out to please put my company name and address on the bill - after I have it in my SPG profile already and after I explicitly asked at check-in to please make sure my company name is on the bill. This is a major hassle if I have to correct the bill every time just because the very first time I stayed there a while ago, I had the bill made out to my private address.

But it doesn't end there - I then said, well, thank you, I am going to go have breakfast now. "Your rate is exclusive of breakfast." I said "excuse me? I booked a more expensive rate just because it includes breakfast (the "guest office rate")." The lady did not believe me and I had to ask her to call and verify. She found out that it certainly did include breakfast (which is, by the way, not comparable to the Hyatt at all, in terms of offering and service) and apologized.

Overall, not a good stay!!!!

TerryK

Stayed at Sheraton Imperial KL last week, was told that they are "running low on suites" and could only upgrade me to a club room. Furthermore, since I was an upgrade, I could only receive club access, not full club privilege. The difference is in the access to full buffet breakfast at the restaurant and laundry service. This is kind of strange as I was actually assigned a room on the club level but with only restricted club privilege. I checked www.spg.com later that day and it showed multiple suites available for sale! It is an improvement in a way as I wasn't eve upgraded to the club level during my first stay. I will try Westin KL when I go there next month.

MilesAndMore

Stayed at the W Union Sq. last weekend (4th July). Called up thrice and was told that the request was on file (for upgrade to Suite) and will be considered during checkin. At checkin I was told I could not get it. I asked if all suites were taken up for the night (I checked in at 23:47), they said no, but had to talk to manager to get it. Asked the next day and was told the same. On checking with various hotel staff, i was informed during my 4 day stay that the hotel was around 60 - 70% full. It was as empty as I had ever seen it.

I don't understand why they deny stuff like this when it costs them nothing and would have meant a lot as I was travelling with my wife for the first time ever to NYC.

maybe because I don't "look" platinum or wear black armani...

Starwood Lurker

It's fine to post your experiences here; however, if I am to do anything to improve things for you, I need to know your Starwood Preferred Guest account number and the dates of your stay.

You can send it to me at the email address below.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

SpgAAdvantage

I have platinum status and have been staying weekly for a several months at the Dallas Westin City Center. All of the desk staff are great with offering the platinum amenity however room upgrades are NEVER awarded. I have several collegaues with platinum status and they are never upgraded either. The hotel is rarely full and by my estimate there are 30 normal suites plus the Americas and Presidential premier suites.

Additionally, the last few weeks there have been Mary Kay conventions near the hotel and the hotel has been full so they have stopped providing the normal complimentary bottled waters and have only given the explanation that 'The hotel is so full that the housekeepers don't feel like putting the waters out.' Which makes me think that the hotel is rarely full otherwise, particularly with enough platinum members to take all of the suites before myself or any of my co-workers.

No explanation is ever given for the lack of upgrades, and nothing is ever offered as a consolation either.

KGML

I am also a platinum preferred member and have been staying at the Dallas Westin City Center on a weekly basis since last November. I absolutely concur with the message above. I have been arriving on Sunday nights and early on Monday mornings without ever receiving room upgrades. I have not been receiving water for the last few weeks since the Mary Kay conventions began. In addition, it has been hard to fall asleep even in the heavenly beds the last few weeks since the adjoining door between the rooms is not sound proof at all. I have not been put in a preferred guest room in 3 weeks. This week, the room that I am in does not even have a heavenly bath. The shower only has one shower head. With all the heavenly shower, bed, bathrob and etc. that Westin promotes, is it even possible to not have a heavenly shower installed at a Westin?

SPGFalcon

I too have been staying at the WESTIN CITY CENTER in Dallas since last November. For all the weeks I've been staying at the hotel, I think I've been upgraded 1 time. I also have witnessed the staff at the front desk tell me a bold faced lie about the availability of Jr. Suites at the hotel. One time I called into spg while in the cab on the way to the hotel to check on the availability of the JR suite for an upgrade. The spg representative assured me there were plenty of suites available. Once I reached the desk, they said nothing was available. Thats just not right

ConsultantFlyer

Are you tied to the Westin City Center property by corporate or rate restrictions? While the Westin Galleria Dallas is a little more of a zoo at times from being "mall-attached" I have almost always had the platinum recognition, upgrades, and friendly customer driven staff at that property. Plus the seafood restaurant off the lobby has killer food and scenery! They're only a matter of a short cab-ride between each other - might be worth your looking at if you're in Dallas for an extended period.