pinniped

If the clerk was willing to load your SPG number into the system, then yes, she would have seen your Gold status. (Sometimes the hardest part is getting them to even load it since you are on a Priceline stay. I always explain that it's because I want to earn credit on incidentals, although honestly I don't even know whether they're technically supposed to give you that anymore.)

If you need an accessible room, you should definitely be able to call the property directly - well ahead of your arrival - and note that in your reservation, regardless of the type of booking.

gleff

SPG gives points for incidentals on PL stays. Hilton does not.

By the way, I'm surprised that no one has commented on my contention that the SPG T&C do not state that elite benefits won't be earned on third-party bookings, provided that those bookings aren't pre-paid....

(I understand both intention and practice to be that these reservations don't receive in-hotel benefits, but my contention is that this is contrary to the wording of SPG's T&C.)

maisany

I have a PL reservation at the Westin Embassy Row in DC. Can I use SPG points in my account to upgrade my room? Thanks.

PS

I did a search and I did not find a definitive answer to my question.

Starwood Lurker

You can ask the hotel at check-in to process an Instant Upgrade Award subject to availability of the room type requested. It cannot be done in advance of checking in under any circumstances.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

FunnyScott

Thanks William. Good information to have. No Priceline for me.

jbn8

...like upgraded room and late check-out. Has anyone had any success or experiences with gold benefits on a pricelin booking?

vincom

I don't do those discount sites, from what I understand you can expect nothing...

-Vincent

PCheng

You can politely request them, just don't take anything for granted.

If the occupancy is light and the receptionist is in a good mood, maybe he will give you something.

NBSPGMEMBER

I'm a Gold member and I always book with spg.com and I never got an upgrade. I would be lucky to have a room if I were you, that's about it. I don't use Priceline or bargain sites. I've heard many comments from travelers regarding rude "check-ins" because their stay was done on Priceline. Sorry, but don't expect much more than a key and whatever room they have.

johnep1

I average about 15 successful priceline bids/stays each year and have never had a bad experience (not all of these end up at SPG hotels though). I have never thought I've gotten sub-standard service because I booked on priceline, and no desk agent has ever brought it up, other than to mention that the stay was prepaid and that I needed to leave another CC for incidentals. In fact, I have gotten some outstanding upgrades at many chains on a priceline booking.

I can see not wanting to use priceline if you're SPG plat or if you don't care about saving money (someone else footing the bill), but if you're just a gold (and who's not?) you won't see much difference between booking through priceline and through the SPG site. Sometimes you'll even get points and stay credit, but that's just a bonus after already saving more than 50%.

NBSPGMEMBER

No Starpoints are given if the stay is not booked thru spg.com or by calling the Starwood reservation center. So I really doubt that a Priceline stay will give you Starpoints and or "stay credit"...

johnep1

But you said you don't use priceline or discount sites to book, so how would you know if stays booked through those methods ever receive points/credit? How difficult is it to believe that some hotels key the stay in wrong in their computer? I've also gotten stay credit in the past for some cash & points stays. I did qualify my earlier statement by saying that points and stay credit cannot be expected, but are nice bonuses when they're given.

I don't know how you can make such a blanket statement that "[n]o Starpoints are given if the stay is not booked thru spg.com or by calling the Starwood reservation center." Something along the lines of "starpoints are usually not given on stays not booked directly through Starwood" would be better, and would actually be correct.

Boraxo

Good point. I love people who trash priceline despite having never used it (or who don't even pay for their own stays).

I recently received 3N stay credit plus points for a 1N stay at a Marriott that was booked via priceline. I didn't ask for it, it just happened (I did however, provide my # at checkin, which I always do.) Hotel clerks do make mistakes.

As for Starwood properties, my general experience is that they do treat priceline customers worse than other chains. But "worse" is a relative term, particularly as it is SPG corporate policy to do so (i.e. no room upgrades, no benefits, etc.) Specifically, as an SPG Gold, I have sometimes received a nicer room on a higher floor (but no suites) and sometimes perks such as lounge access or health club access. But these are by no means a given.

In general I find that Hyatt and Hilton provide better treatment to elite members on priceline rates, but again, it does not reflect corporate policy just my experience.

As for those of you who actually pay for your own travel and would never book priceline, I do not begrudge you your SPG elite perks - so do not begrudge me the $100s I am saving out of my own pocket in return for forgoing some funny-money points and a free bottle of water.

craz

What you can expect to get with a PL stay will be the Exact samething you'd get if you Presented your Hilton Diamond Card at Check-in on a walk-in at any SPG Prop = NOTHING

Ive used PL in the past when Everyones Rates were very high, and wasnt let down, if I needed the stay credit then Id opt for a reg res via SPG for my 1st night and PL for the rest as I usually requalify on Stays and not Nights, although there is no way to know if in fact I'll get the same Hotel. if the Rates were thru the roof as it was the last time I was in ZRH, then it will be PL all the way.

iahphx

As a gold, I find that I get (or don't get) about the same perks whether I'm booked on priceline or not with Starwood. Except at the highest loyalty levels, my experience (and I probably check into 35 hotels a year) is that upgrades are pretty random. For instance, I am no more or less likely to receive a suite on a priceline stay than I am on a non-opaque booking direct with the hotel. Indeed, I would suspect a smile and courtesy to the desk clerk is probably worth more than any gold card.

The current rush to publish ever higher non-opaque rates is likely to lead to even more business for priceline. For instance, the other week I noted on this board that the Orlando Airport Sheraton wanted more than $200 for a Sunday night. I wound up getting the Airport Hyatt (in terminal, probably the best airport hotel in Orlando) on priceline for about 20% of what the Sheraton wanted.

How the heck can anyone paying their own money possibly stay "brand loyal" in such a pricing environment? Very different than with the airline industry, where elite cards make it worthwhile to book BOTH biz and leisure trips with your preferred airline.