FAQ: How do I book an award for someone else when I won't be present?
Feb 13, 2007, 7:07 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 73
Most of the time that I have booked for someone else they were travelling with me..The one time that I was not there, I called the front desk when I made the booking and also sent a fax explaning that the booking was a gift for my parents and was being paid with my points
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
Feb 13, 2007, 8:55 pm
#17
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 33
It is allowed and has never been a problem. If your booking on spg.com then enter into the remarks section that this is a gift for ??????.
If booking via there call centers adv them this is a gift and ask them to enter this into remarks also.
If booking via there call centers adv them this is a gift and ask them to enter this into remarks also.
Feb 13, 2007, 10:23 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 124
Possible
I reserved the room under my name and added my dads name to the reservation -- I had to call SPG to add my dad and this wasn't a problem.
My dad and mom spent 3 nights in Paris.
My dad and mom spent 3 nights in Paris.
Aug 6, 2007, 7:38 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Programs: AA,HP,MP,DL,SPG, MR
Posts: 2,092
Can you book award for someone else if you're not there?
Trust me--I tried "search" and could not get anything to come up. Can I reserve an award stay for someone in my family? Do I have to be there? If I remember from previous posts, if I put their name on the reservation with mine, they can check in and use the room even if I am not there? Help??????
Aug 6, 2007, 8:17 pm
#20
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
Trust me--I tried "search" and could not get anything to come up. Can I reserve an award stay for someone in my family? Do I have to be there? If I remember from previous posts, if I put their name on the reservation with mine, they can check in and use the room even if I am not there? Help??????
When you make the reservation just add a note in the comment field that the room is for x and that you will not be there. When you pull up the reservation online you probably won't see the other person's name along with yours, but if the comment is there, you're friends/family will be fine. Tell them what you're doing though, so that when they check in, they'll know to give your name if theirs doesn't pull anything up in the system. I usually equip the person with a copy of the reservation, just to be sure, but I don't know that it was ever needed.
Aug 6, 2007, 8:33 pm
#21
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Posts: 69
Comment Field?
AZ,
You've done this countless times? Award travel? Where oh where did you find a comment field?
You've done this countless times? Award travel? Where oh where did you find a comment field?
Yes, you can. I've done it countless times -- and even been on the receiving end a time or two.
When you make the reservation just add a note in the comment field that the room is for x and that you will not be there. When you pull up the reservation online you probably won't see the other person's name along with yours, but if the comment is there, you're friends/family will be fine. Tell them what you're doing though, so that when they check in, they'll know to give your name if theirs doesn't pull anything up in the system. I usually equip the person with a copy of the reservation, just to be sure, but I don't know that it was ever needed.
When you make the reservation just add a note in the comment field that the room is for x and that you will not be there. When you pull up the reservation online you probably won't see the other person's name along with yours, but if the comment is there, you're friends/family will be fine. Tell them what you're doing though, so that when they check in, they'll know to give your name if theirs doesn't pull anything up in the system. I usually equip the person with a copy of the reservation, just to be sure, but I don't know that it was ever needed.
Aug 6, 2007, 8:36 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DFW; Allen, TX
Programs: AA EXP/2MM, SPG Lifetime Platinum, Marriott PLT, National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,083
My wife typically "checks in" to the hotel while we were travelling "separately"
She normally checks in fine, no problems.
She normally checks in fine, no problems.
Aug 6, 2007, 8:46 pm
#23
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
After you make the reservation, go back pull it up on line. Under Personal and Credit Card Information, click on Change My Information.
That brings up all your personal information, including section four, Optional Information, which includes the comment field. Add your comment, review your changes, confirm your changes, and it's there.
Aug 6, 2007, 8:58 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Posts: 69
Personal and Credit Card Information
Wow. I had no idea. Going forward, this will save me a lot of phone calls! Thanks.
Yes, countless times. But they make you work for it.
After you make the reservation, go back pull it up on line. Under Personal and Credit Card Information, click on Change My Information.
That brings up all your personal information, including section four, Optional Information, which includes the comment field. Add your comment, review your changes, confirm your changes, and it's there.
After you make the reservation, go back pull it up on line. Under Personal and Credit Card Information, click on Change My Information.
That brings up all your personal information, including section four, Optional Information, which includes the comment field. Add your comment, review your changes, confirm your changes, and it's there.
Aug 6, 2007, 9:47 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: UA Million Miler (lite). NY Metro area.
Posts: 15,077
You can make this reservation online or over the phone.
As stated above, you are able to work around the system.
dh
As stated above, you are able to work around the system.
dh
Aug 7, 2007, 4:42 am
#26
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,031
After you make the reservation, go back pull it up on line. Under Personal and Credit Card Information, click on Change My Information.
That brings up all your personal information, including section four, Optional Information, which includes the comment field. Add your comment, review your changes, confirm your changes, and it's there.
That brings up all your personal information, including section four, Optional Information, which includes the comment field. Add your comment, review your changes, confirm your changes, and it's there.
Just a word of caution : this transaction can be rather temperemental on spg.com - particularly if you get into the sign-in sign-in sign-in vortex - and IME it can sometimes fail to execute, so when you're done I would just advise you to go back in and check your comments are there.
Last edited by Oxon Flyer; Aug 7, 2007 at 5:02 am
Aug 7, 2007, 5:40 am
#27
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: United Arab Emirates & Arizona, USA
Programs: UA MM/1P, EK Au, QR, TK, Marriott Life Ti, Hilton Dia, IC Dia, Hyatt Glob, Accor Pt, Shangri-La
Posts: 4,525
I have only done this by phone -- thanks for the tip. Although I probably wouldn't want to risk that field somehow not being recognized by the front desk when my awardee checks in. I have also done the "my guest will check in before me," but I don't think that that's necessary -- i.e., booking an award for someone else is explicitly allowed.
I gifted an award recently to a friend (at the Westin Tokyo) and they upgraded her to the club level (presumably because I am Platinum) even though I wasn't there. Nice surprise!
I gifted an award recently to a friend (at the Westin Tokyo) and they upgraded her to the club level (presumably because I am Platinum) even though I wasn't there. Nice surprise!
Aug 7, 2007, 11:40 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Programs: UA 2MM/GS; SPG Lifetime Plat; MHC Lifetime; Tar Heel forever; and I "Dig the Pig" at Piggly Wiggly
Posts: 12,152
I, too, have often gifted stays when I was not at the hotel. Either call or, as suggested above, add it to the on-line reservation. I have not, however, tried it using the new spg.com.
Are you saying you make reservation in your name and your account, and then she checks in......getting credits to your account? Hmmmmm.....interesting.
Are you saying you make reservation in your name and your account, and then she checks in......getting credits to your account? Hmmmmm.....interesting.
Aug 10, 2007, 10:07 pm
#29
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 13
I gifted 2 nights at the Danieli in Venice for my brother in law's 50th birthday. They were upgraded to the old building in a huge room. I've also reserved rooms (over the phone) for my daughter and son in law, and for my neice and there has never been a problem
Aug 11, 2007, 7:46 am
#30
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: CO Plat, Starwood Plat, Hyatt Plat, Hilton Diamond, CO Pres. Plus, Hertz #1 Gold
Posts: 1,213
Don’t know if you’re still reading this thread since you’ve already made the reservation, but I also send an email to the hotel to be sure they themselves know it, rather than just via the reservation form.