Sep 4, 2015, 4:45 am
Last edit by: SanDiego1K
Leaving Starwood on June 1, 2016
The St. Regis Monarch Beach will be leaving the Starwood system on June 1, 2016. Reservations are still being accepted for dates on or after June 1, 2016, however, they will not be eligible for Starwood Preferred Guest membership benefits, award redemption or accrual.
Resort Pools closed Until June 1, 2016
The resort pools are closed until June 1, 2016. During this time, guests will continue to enjoy exclusive access to Monarch Beach. The beach is accessed by trams that depart the resort every 15 minutes. Additionally, beach butlers are happy to provide chairs, towels and umbrellas. For lap swimming, the Concierge can arrange transportation to a nearby pool. Please contact the resort by phone at (855) 368-2940 or email [email protected] for further information.
Starwood website
The St. Regis Monarch Beach will be leaving the Starwood system on June 1, 2016. Reservations are still being accepted for dates on or after June 1, 2016, however, they will not be eligible for Starwood Preferred Guest membership benefits, award redemption or accrual.
Resort Pools closed Until June 1, 2016
The resort pools are closed until June 1, 2016. During this time, guests will continue to enjoy exclusive access to Monarch Beach. The beach is accessed by trams that depart the resort every 15 minutes. Additionally, beach butlers are happy to provide chairs, towels and umbrellas. For lap swimming, the Concierge can arrange transportation to a nearby pool. Please contact the resort by phone at (855) 368-2940 or email [email protected] for further information.
Starwood website
St. Regis Monarch Beach - (left SPG June 1, 2016) [Master Thread]
Mar 31, 2016, 8:20 am
#616
Join Date: May 1999
Location: YEG
Posts: 1,578
Starwood is still, as always, profitable. I'm arguing that that is much more important than growth.
If Mr and Mrs X are going to spend let's say $6,000 at a luxury Southern Californian resort, then I think points earning is an important consideration - a Platinum 75 will earn 24,000 Starpoints, enough for a 2 night stay at a Category 5 property.
I've stayed at Montage before and I know it's the same standard as the St Regis, but with the advantage of ocean frontage.
For me, the Monarch Beach property is only preferable to Montage for Platinum benefits such as free breakfast and for the huge Starpoints earning that such rates permit.
Take away the points and the benefits, and the Montage is clearly superior.
I didn't realise that Anbang owns the Montage properties. Perhaps we are looking at the St Regis Laguna Beach and the St Regis Beverly Hills.
That would not just make up for losing the Monarch Beach property, it would be a huge step forward!
If Mr and Mrs X are going to spend let's say $6,000 at a luxury Southern Californian resort, then I think points earning is an important consideration - a Platinum 75 will earn 24,000 Starpoints, enough for a 2 night stay at a Category 5 property.
I've stayed at Montage before and I know it's the same standard as the St Regis, but with the advantage of ocean frontage.
For me, the Monarch Beach property is only preferable to Montage for Platinum benefits such as free breakfast and for the huge Starpoints earning that such rates permit.
Take away the points and the benefits, and the Montage is clearly superior.
I didn't realise that Anbang owns the Montage properties. Perhaps we are looking at the St Regis Laguna Beach and the St Regis Beverly Hills.
That would not just make up for losing the Monarch Beach property, it would be a huge step forward!
I am not sure if Anbang owns the Montage in Beverly Hills.
Anbang bought 16 properties from Black Stone few weeks ago. some of those properties could be a St. Regis. The Montage in Beverly Hills is not on the list.
here is the list
http://strategichotels.com/portfolio.php
Mar 31, 2016, 8:36 am
#617
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YUL
Programs: ✈ AC 1MM / S100K - SPG Lifetime Platinum = BONVoY Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,496
Starwood is still, as always, profitable. I'm arguing that that is much more important than growth.
If Mr and Mrs X are going to spend let's say $6,000 at a luxury Southern Californian resort, then I think points earning is an important consideration - a Platinum 75 will earn 24,000 Starpoints, enough for a 2 night stay at a Category 5 property.
I've stayed at Montage before and I know it's the same standard as the St Regis, but with the advantage of ocean frontage.
For me, the Monarch Beach property is only preferable to Montage for Platinum benefits such as free breakfast and for the huge Starpoints earning that such rates permit.
Take away the points and the benefits, and the Montage is clearly superior.
I didn't realise that Anbang owns the Montage properties. Perhaps we are looking at the St Regis Laguna Beach and the St Regis Beverly Hills.
That would not just make up for losing the Monarch Beach property, it would be a huge step forward!
If Mr and Mrs X are going to spend let's say $6,000 at a luxury Southern Californian resort, then I think points earning is an important consideration - a Platinum 75 will earn 24,000 Starpoints, enough for a 2 night stay at a Category 5 property.
I've stayed at Montage before and I know it's the same standard as the St Regis, but with the advantage of ocean frontage.
For me, the Monarch Beach property is only preferable to Montage for Platinum benefits such as free breakfast and for the huge Starpoints earning that such rates permit.
Take away the points and the benefits, and the Montage is clearly superior.
I didn't realise that Anbang owns the Montage properties. Perhaps we are looking at the St Regis Laguna Beach and the St Regis Beverly Hills.
That would not just make up for losing the Monarch Beach property, it would be a huge step forward!
Mar 31, 2016, 10:03 am
#618
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,744
I don't think the Montage is a reasonable alternative for a lot of people. I was checking rates for switching my stay in July. I've got two rooms at the St. Regis for under $400/night each. The rates at the Montage for those dates are $1,095/night. There is a similar rate difference for the two weekends around my stay as well.
So yes its a nicer property, but you definitely pay for it.
So yes its a nicer property, but you definitely pay for it.
Mar 31, 2016, 11:48 am
#619
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Programs: Etihad Guest
Posts: 1,549
I don't think the Montage is a reasonable alternative for a lot of people. I was checking rates for switching my stay in July. I've got two rooms at the St. Regis for under $400/night each. The rates at the Montage for those dates are $1,095/night. There is a similar rate difference for the two weekends around my stay as well.
So yes its a nicer property, but you definitely pay for it.
So yes its a nicer property, but you definitely pay for it.
Let's be honest. The Monarch Beach property had plenty of drawbacks too.
They generally hid behind their resort moniker - even at over a mile from the beach - and didn't even try to honour late checkouts.
And Monarch "Beach"? Really? If that is a beach property, then Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica is practically under the sea.
Even the failure to tell guests about the loss of SPG participation is pretty insulting. There are less than eight weeks to go.
Last edited by DCF; Mar 31, 2016 at 11:54 am
Apr 1, 2016, 6:32 pm
#620
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Programs: Etihad Guest
Posts: 1,549
The hotel has now confirmed its departure from both the St Regis brand and Starwood network with effect from 1 June 2016.
Apr 1, 2016, 6:54 pm
#621
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 598
Very sad, although it seems in a few years we will have access to the Ritz there on points/with benefits. Although I'm not sure what these benefits will be, and I know club and suite upgrades are not part of the upgrade policy at Ritz properties. 
Apr 6, 2016, 8:32 pm
#624
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,933
I have a free Cat 6 night I was going to use here for winning that card game a while back. Better use it quickly sounds like?
The Phoenician in Scottsdale is my other choice.
The Phoenician in Scottsdale is my other choice.
Apr 6, 2016, 9:33 pm
#625
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,744
In case you're wondering, yes those upcharges were more than you could just buy those rooms for cash outright.
Apr 13, 2016, 9:01 pm
#626
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Portland
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75k, Marriott and SPG Plat, Avis First
Posts: 141
I have an existing award reservation here for September. Anyone know if that will be voided?
Apr 13, 2016, 9:26 pm
#627
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Programs: Etihad Guest
Posts: 1,549
Don't worry you can upgrade your 60,000 points/night reservation to a club room for only $750/night or upgrade your points stay to a suite for only $1,000/night. Not sure if the upcharges are always that insane and I would hope you could work something out with the hotel cheaper than that, but that's what the upcharges were online for the dates I looked at in July.
In case you're wondering, yes those upcharges were more than you could just buy those rooms for cash outright.
In case you're wondering, yes those upcharges were more than you could just buy those rooms for cash outright.
Marriott and/or Ritz Carlton Rewards status is basically worthless at Ritz-Carlton hotels except from the point of view of points and status earning. The only benefits available are not to their own loyal members but to Amex Centurion and Platinum FHR bookings, which attract free breakfast, wi-fi, a one-class upgrade and a guaranteed 4 pm late checkout.
To be honest, that is the future for all St Regis properties after Marriott takes over. The only drawback at The Monarch Beach Resort will be the inability to earn points.
But that's a BIG drawback - in the example I gave above for a Platinum 75, a $6,000 stay for 6 nights at the St Regis Monarch Beach earns enough Starpoints for 2 nights in a $400 per night Category 5 hotel.
Take away those opportunities for heavy Starpoints earning, and I just can't see why anybody would choose the St Regis Monarch Beach over Montage.
In a future Marriott/Starwood world, I would book the Ritz-Carlton using AMEX FHR rather than the unflagged Monarch Beach resort. I know that I would have to book the room category that I was happy to have allocated to me.
But still, even if my only benefits were Marriott Rewards-level benefits plus purchased AMEX FHR ones, I'd not be losing anything relative to previous St Regis stays.
I'd earn a shedload of points, get my breakfast and confirmed 4 pm late checkout via AMEX FHR and be at Dana Point.
So I was wrong a fortnight ago when in an Anbang World I thought that the new St Regis Monarch Beach would be the Montage.
In fact, in a Marriott World we are going to be able to enjoy at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel pretty much what we used to get at the St Regis Monarch Beach.
It could be worse. And at least it's actually on the ocean!
Apr 14, 2016, 3:42 am
#628
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: HHonors Gold, MR Platinum, DL Platinum
Posts: 54
I agree. The Montage is much better than the Monarch beach if you take the points and SPG benefits away.
I am not sure if Anbang owns the Montage in Beverly Hills.
Anbang bought 16 properties from Black Stone few weeks ago. some of those properties could be a St. Regis. The Montage in Beverly Hills is not on the list.
here is the list
http://strategichotels.com/portfolio.php
I am not sure if Anbang owns the Montage in Beverly Hills.
Anbang bought 16 properties from Black Stone few weeks ago. some of those properties could be a St. Regis. The Montage in Beverly Hills is not on the list.
here is the list
http://strategichotels.com/portfolio.php
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...130-story.html
Last edited by jmacman; Apr 14, 2016 at 5:37 am
Apr 14, 2016, 5:24 pm
#629
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,725
Good riddance. This property was basically worthless with the pool closed and earlier with the renovations to the public areas. Happy to stay at highly regarded RC Laguna if I could just find a cheap rate. I know, I'm a dreamer...
Apr 15, 2016, 12:10 am
#630
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: ATL
Programs: UA Global Services, Bonvoy LT Titanium, National EE
Posts: 887
Currently staying here at the property and have actually had some great platinum recognition (suite upgrade with butler service and the works). Too bad it's going away, always liked this as an option in Orange County. I prefer this property to the RC up the road.