AdamK

Hi FT hivemind,

I was recently downgraded at the Sheraton Boston at check-in from a 1-BR suite to a deluxe room. Front desk said nothing they could do, and second time it happened in a month at this hotel. I emailed my Ambassador who offered only the difference between room rates (email below). This really doesn't seem sufficient to me. If I wanted the cheaper room I would have booked it. What's the SPG policy around downgrades for SPG platinums?

Thanks!



"I confirmed you did not get the room you booked because it was not available for the duration of your stay. We tried

to put you in a room / suite that was available for your stay. Even though our hearts were in the right place, the outcome

was not best solution.

We are adjusting the rate on confirmation number xxxxx. There will be an $80.00 USD credit on your folio for this reservation."

mahasamatman

The SPG "policy" is irrelevant. Your status is irrelevant. This is plain breach of contract and you are due a 100% refund and a sincere apology (what they sent you does not qualify). If they don't comply, file a credit card dispute for non-receipt of services. Corporations should not be allowed to defraud customers like this.

Aventine

I would have just cancelled it from the get go. How dare they downgrade something you are willing to pay for and booked? They should have found you something of equal or better value. I would want a better room now or a refund and points as compensation and think you should probably find another SPG property because this one sounds bad if they did 2X in one month.

EuropeanPete

Poor show from your Ambassador. I'd ask why they consider that acceptable behavior from a Corporate perspective and if necessary request their supervisor. In these kinds of situations I'm going to assume the hotel is not an upstanding corporate citizen and so Starwood would probably be your best bet.

Starwood Lurker III

Hi AdamK,

There is no SPG policy around downgrades for SPG Platinum members.

We would suggest to open a customer service file so that the hotel management team can review and address your concern. We are glad to assist you, if you can provide the reservation details to us via private mail here or by email below.

Best Regards,

Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Keyser

this is unacceptable behavior....if they can't give you what you paid for then they should either put you in a better room or give you a full refund....i would definitely open a customer service file....what reason did they give you for the downgrade????

MSPeconomist

IMO if they cannot give you the room category that was confirmed in your reservation, they should offer the opportunity to be walked to a nearby hotel that does have such a suite available. Of course, the first approach should obviously be to upgrade you to a higher category suite.

IIRC Sheraton Boston has some one bedroom suites that are pretty horrible, dark and on low floors with views of a brick wall or something similar. The suites themselves and their furnishings are at best just basic two room units that aren't particularly attractive, so their best nonsuite room could be preferable if you don't need the separate room for a business meeting, etc., although this isn't for the hotel to determine if you reserved a suite.

This is a convention hotel that I suspect can move furniture to turn connecting rooms into a (lockoff type) one bedroom suite, so I wonder why this wasn't done for the OP.

Twice in one month is making me wonder whether the OP booked a fairly good rate for the suite and then someone later was willing to pay rack rate for a suite, so the hotel sold the suite out from under a loyal customer. It could be that a previous guest overstayed, but twice in one month would be highly unusual. The hotel's reference to the entire stay might suggest that the problem is how specific rooms are allocated rather than not having some suite available for every night of the reservation. Perhaps moving once during the stay (with a significant apology gesture of course) would have been a solution.

3Cforme

You and mahsamatman look pretty ridiculous here. Higher room type inventory can't be created - they have what they have. Innkeeper laws in various U.S. states prohibit hotels from turning out guests. If somebody extends his stay, tough - the room isn't available for the next guest.

C17PSGR

On the Marriott side, there is a Guaranteed Room Type that would provide $100 a night in compensation. I suspect that would be on top of the room type differential since you would only pay for the room you received.

https://www.marriott.com/marriott-re...s/guarantee.mi

In a few thousand Marriott nights, I've only had this happen once but when it did, I received the guarantee in cash (although it was because they only had a double and I had booked a king).

Is there something comparable on the SPG side?

Starwood Lurker

No. The web site's terms of use states: Requests for specific features such as bedding type or non-smoking rooms are simply that, and while most Properties will strive to honor Your requests, neither Starwood nor the Property guarantee that Your request will be honored.

Best regards,

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

[email protected]

MSPeconomist

I would interpret these words differently. To me a room category, and especially suite versus nonsuite room, isn't just a specific feature such as a description of particular rooms within the same room category would be. Unless one reserves a run of house room (such as for a convention rate), I would consider the room category to be confirmed. Similarly some Starwood properties abroad let one choose categories that include the words smoking, nonsmoking or (neither specified) in the name of the room category, often at different rates. If I pick the nonsmoking room category even though it is more expensive, I would expect to get a nonsmoking room and hope that the property would view it as more than just a request that isn't guaranteed. This is different in my mind from picking the (often cheaper) smoking preference not specified category and adding then requesting a nonsmoking room..

tda1986

I hope you're not suggesting that SPG considers booking and paying for a suite rather than a deluxe room (as OP did here) as simply a "request" that properties can ignore.

Quite frankly, the hotel and ambassador's responses are insulting. I'd give the hotel one more chance to offer reasonable compensation and, failing that, stop booking at the hotel and tell everyone I know to avoid the place. I'd also ask for a new ambassador.

C17PSGR

Let's hope on this one that the combined program keeps the Marriott rule rather than the SPG rule.

joakgarp

Lol chill. It's not the end of the world.

tda1986

What's not chill about giving the hotel one last chance before moving on from both the hotel and ambassador? I'm not suggesting he throw a fit or something. There are other hotels that will actually give you what you pay for--even without spending 100 nights a year at the chain.