ebd

All:

I've had this problem a number of times and have complained with Platinum Conceirge (PC) with no results (I've even sent e-mails and screenshots through the PC to SPG IT) Can someone help? Are other's seeing this problem...

Problem:

Step 1) I book a cash & points at spg.com and the website lists the cancellation policy as a 1 day 4pm (or 6pm) cancellation to avoid a penalty
Step 2) I call PC 2 days in advance to cancel the cash & points stay (call to avoid the recredit issues already well known). I'm told that I've "past the cancellation period." I'm informed that it was a 3 day (or sometimes 7-day) cancellation. (Another side issue, when did this happen... 7 day!!!???)
Step 3) I have to go through each and every time and walk the PC through a new "mock" booking reading them the online cancellation policy
Step 4) The PC kindly agrees to cancel and refund the points after calling the hotel and insisting that I've "past," but they are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts.

This 4-step process worked fine for me up until tonight, when the PC refused to call the hotel and insisted I call the hotel myself (claiming a new policy that must have been created in the last 4 hours since I went through the 4-step process successfully earlier today). Upon doing so, I was informed that I had to write into the reservation manager explaining my reasons. I've now done so, screenshots and all.

Am I the only one that is having this problem? Additionally, each time, the 4-step process ends up taking 10 or so minutes, it should take 1, it's a simple cancellation period, it's just annoying at this point!

Finally, if the "official" (non-website) cancellation period is not 1 day for a points reservation, when did this happen? When did it go to 3 and now I'm being told, 7 days???

Thanks to all that reply. SPG Lurker, got any ideas?

biggestbopper

I sort of experienced the same problem during a recent points and cash stay at the Westin Palace in Madrid.

Stayed for over a week and (at the suggestion of the desk--make reservations in case you need the room, you can always cancel.) had reservations for two nights we didn't, in the end, need. So I canceled with the desk, and just to make sure, with SPG.

But, the cancellations (made more than 24 hours in advance) were not effective and I noticed that the points for the two nights had been taken out of my account.

I was anticipating an issue with this when I returned home.

But, now for the good news! SPG caught the problem, and my points were recredited to my account--after a couple of weeks. So, for the moment, I am a happy camper.

Starwood Lurker

Yes. This is a known problem that has its own thread. A ticket to correct the problem has been created and it will be fixed eventually.

It is regrettable that the associate did not transfer you to Corporate Customer Service. They are aware of this problem, and while they may not be able to assist in having the cancellation policy amended as far as how it appears, they can assist in getting the original one honored if you need to cancel under those terms.

It should be a one-step call to Corporate Customer Service. 800-328-6242.

There is no such thing as a boiler-plate cancellation policy. The cancellation policy for Preferred (free) Night Awards follows pretty much whatever it might be for a paid reservation. It can be same day, one day, three days, seven days or even 30 days or longer in some instances depending on the location and time of stay.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

ebd

William:

Thanks for the reply! I have written the letter to the hotel and am hoping to get the points back? Do you recommend giving a ring to corporate customer service and just dealing with them as the points still have not been refunded yet and I haven't received any response?

Thanks!

Starwood Lurker

Absolutely. Good luck.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

stephem

This is still a problem. When will this be fixed William? The terms for my recent stay were changed so that I was actually charged a deposit in advance and the cancellation period was radically altered. This happened several times as I changed and cancelled dates (and I actually wound up staying at the property), and all of these changes were clearly within the 1 day cancellation policy I agreed to.

I was smart enough to take a screen shot of my confirmation screen. The real issue is the amount of time that it takes to correct something like this. A known issue like this being left out for this long is not excusable.

to Starwood for not fixing what is a clearly actionable consumer fraud claim in my state. I'm inclined to spend about 15 minutes with Starwood trying to fix this and then let them fight it out with AMEX. I certainly did not authorize a deposit to be taken from the card on file in my account...

Starwood Lurker II

Hi stephem,

You have a PM.

[email protected]

stephem

I've sorted out the problem for this past stay, thanks for the offer via PM.

But it doesn't fix the underlying problem, which I ran into again today. I booked a one night C&P stay at the Moana Surfrider, showing a 1 day cancellation policy. I took screenshots, knowing it would probably change once confirmed. Sure enough, the reservation record now says a 3 day cancellation period.

Now I guess you can just continue to let this problem exist, but if that is the way you work it doesn't give me a ton of faith in the trustworthiness of the remainder of your IT systems. You have a clearly identified problem, you should really fix it.

Starwood Lurker

This won't be sorted out until the IT system gets upgraded later this year. Until then, my apologies for the inconvenience, but continue to contact Corporate Customer Service.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Tak

Does it mean Corporate Customer Serivice already knew this problem, so they could change it without any evidence from our side such as screeshot of the original cancellation policy?

I had similar problem before at one of Honolulu hotels.
When I made a reservation, it said 1 or 3 days cancellation notice requirement( I forgot 1 or 3), however, when I checked to see my reservation account later day, it has been changed that 2 months cancellation notice was required( it was end/new year season).

If I did not realize the change, and the cancellation date was passed, how can we say to Customer Service without any evidence from my side.
Can they just take our word?????

If there are such errors, can customer service honor the original cancellation policy or since it is error, can customer service enforce the new cancellation policy?
3 days cancellation vs 2 months cancellation is quite a big difference.

Shall you always recommend screeshot everytime when we make reservations?
You know we make a lot of reservations and a lot of cancellations.

soitgoes

What I do is just make sure to save the confirmation e-mail.
My confirmation e-mails for Cash and Points stays all list the cancel policy. For example,

Starwood Lurker II

Yes to the first part of this question. No to the second part.

To be on the safe side, I would advise you to keep a screenshot or obtain a confirmation email of your reservation. Even for a lurker, I keep all my confirmation emails, noting the cancellation policy.

If you found out that the cancellation deadline has been brought forward without any notification and it is too late for you to cancel, write to Customer Care or call them up and provide the relevant proof.

I cannot guarantee a certain procedure for such cases. But I am very sure that if you explain clearly the problem to the associate handling the issue, there should be a resolution. If not, escalate it to the supervisor.

There are two lurkers here as well if everything else fails.

[email protected]

Tak

Thank you, always!