MarkS90046

I apologize for anyone who might be offended by this promotion offered by the W Hotel to GLBT travelers. However, since they didn't ask for my gay membership card when I checked in, I assume there maybe some others who may/have taken advantage of this promotion.

I completed a stay last week at the W Times Square using the Stay Proud Out Loud promotion listed on the W Website. I booked through the website. Following my stay I was surprised to find that I was credited with Starpoints for incidentals, but not the hotel costs. I also did not receive stay credits.

I sent several emails to customer service and I was first told:

As our records indicate the reservation rate at the W New York Times Square was a contract rate which is not eligible for Starpoints credit.

My second correspondence resulted in this:

Please note I have checked your reservation and see it was booked on our Website. It is a package rate and is ineligible to earn Starpoints for room revenue. I called the W New York Times Square to verify this. In the previous response my colleague was advising of ineligible charges overall.

I finally made a phone call and spoke with someone directly. I stated that this room was booked directly on their website, I did not see any limitations on earning Starpoints on this rate in the terms and conditions and that further more, I have not heard of any rates listed on their website which did not earn Starpoints or stay credits.

Following our conversation, I was given points and stay credits as a special courtesy. I interpreted what I was told as that each hotel can "determine" whether they will give these benefits. If this is the case, shouldn't it be listed somewhere on the website when you book this rate?

Is this something new or have I been missing something? I have avoided priceline, hotwire, etc. in order to make sure I don't run into this problem. Now, I guess I can run into the problem at the whim of whichever hotel I am staying at.

Can anyone shed any light on my experience?

fly co to see the yanks

it sounds like william might be able to shed some light into your situation.

ylee1969

:d :d

Starwood Lurker

Sounds to me like the hotel does not have the rate plan flagged for earning Starpoints for some unknown reason.

If you will send me the string of emails, I can look into it further.

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.

Score8

[QUOTE=MarkS90046]I apologize for anyone who might be offended by this promotion offered by the W Hotel to GLBT travelers. However, since they didn't ask for my gay membership card when I checked in, I assume there maybe some others who may/have taken advantage of this promotion.
QUOTE]

While I didn't take advantage of the promotion, it could be a bit interesting, if you were not in fact a member of this constituency to add this data point to your marketing profile.

Let's see what promotions we should send Score8...he was here for the Republican Convention, the NRA Summit, took advantage of the Valentines day promotion with his wife, attended Fashion Week, prefers a high floor and a non-smoking/King and often uses GLBT discounts...

In any event, good luck with the *points.

Bostom

Um, "why" would you apologize "for" anyone? Or "to" anyone, for that matter?

And why would anyone be offended? Or how?

I mean, it's not like they make you listen to Rosie O'Donnell all night...

MarkS90046

The reason I had apologized at the start of my message was because I didn't know if it belonged in the Starwood section or the GLBT section.

While I can't say I am a card carrying member, I do "qualify" for this promotion .

I will send William the correspondence I received. However, it was made clear to me that there was no error in loading the promotion into the system at the Times Square. I was told specifically that this promotion did not qualify and that each hotel could determine if they would reward starpoints and stay credits.

My only beef is that it should be so noted on the website and in the terms of the promotion. Do I need to check each time I select a promotional rate advertised on the W Hotel website to see if it qualifies for points/credit? That doesn't seem very user friendly.

schriste

So unless I book "Best available rate" I'm asking for trouble on starpoint credit? I just booked a 2 night weekend package at the Westin Philadelphia through starwood reservations. I guess this might not be available for earning starpoints?????

How about the other W promotions where you get a pillow or W blanket or sex guide or ...

PT22064

What exactly is a "gay membership card"? Or was that meant to be tongue-in-cheek?

Bostom

You. Are. Kidding.

Right?

Or just mad you weren't targeted for the, um, promotion?

MarkS90046

Visited the W Times Square yet again on the Stay Proud Out Loud promotion over Memorial Weekend. After spending $289 per night and paying an additional $144 per night for an Urban Suite for five nights, I was surprised to be told by the front desk that I earned 79 Starpoints. First I was told the computer automatically decides what rates earn Starpoints. In other words, the computer said no points for my rate booked on the W Website. Then, after explaining I had been through this before during my stay in March and believed that all rates booked through the W site qualified for Starpoints, I was told, no. So I stated my case one more time and the front desk person grabbed my folio from me and said he would make a copy and give it to the manager. In a very unaccommodating manner. Almost like I was the pesty guest who he knew was wrong but he would make it seem like he was doing something so I would go away.

Why do they make it so difficult for people to get their points? I paid $433 a night before taxes and this does not qualify for Starpoints? Shouldn't this have been corrected last time? I just don't understand this type of customer service. It's not what I have come to expect from Starwood properties.

sbtinme

This is getting ridiculous. I find this sort of wild confusion at the front desk to be simply unacceptable. As it sounds, the res system does, indeed, have this rate flagged somehow to be INELIGIBLE for SPG points --- that's nuts.

Given that this was brought to the property's attention some months ago, to hear that it is still occurring is very frustrating. It is my hope that someone from White Plains or Austin or wherever looks into this one very carefully once and for all.

fly co to see the yanks

while this service is unacceptable, it shouldn't be surprising given starwood's general problems with anything that involves a computer (i.e., emails, spg.com, etc.). it's been this way for YEARS, so please don't be surprised. a roll of the eyes is in order and move on.

(while it shouldn't be necessary,) a simple email to william might clear things up.

Fly Me To The Moon

For those who have used this promotion, do they check whether you actually "qualify" for this rate? (No, I'm not asking this as a joke...I'm serious). I will be checking in with my girlfriend, and don't want to get flagged for booking under an ineligible rate. I booked this rate at USD299 a few months ago for a mid-September 2-night stay. Since then, the regular rates have gone up to USD470+, so the $299 is indeed a good deal.

gleff

I'm quite certain that the terms & conditions of the rate plan don't specify that a specific sexual orientation is required to be eligible for the rate.

And I'm also certain that the rate plan doesn't say anything about two people sharing a room are required to be of the same sex.

The only issue would be if a rate plan was sent to specific members of Starwood Preferred Guest, and it specified that only those members who received it directly would be eligible for the rate plan.

I don't think this is the case, and I doubt it would be a problem at checkin in any case.

You shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Besides, it would sure be fun to be denied the rate with the explanation that you aren't G/L/B. What a great story that would make, I guarantee you could make more on it than you'd be out in incremental room cost.