ebd

Recent Experience regarding a platinum upgrade "discussion" at the Phonenican:

Upon check-in I was told that there were no suites available. Having a hunch that this was suspicious, I pulled out my laptop in the lobby and searched spg.com for the period of my stay. To my non-surprise I found that there were at least 4 different types of suites available and bookable.

I went back over the the front desk and explained what I was found. I was told again, that there was nothing available for my mere 2-night stay. This time, I pulled out my laptop in front of the desk employee and showed him the multiple types of suites. At that point, his story changed.

Somehow, he magically found me a suite. The "lowest" category of suite that was showing online. I inquired further why he couldn't accomodate me in the higher class of suite and was told it was not available. (Just to note, I am not discussing named suites or President suites that are excluded from the upgrade policy).

I kept pressing and finally asked:
"What if I am to book this higher class of suite online to prove that it is available"
He responded:
"Well then you can stay at in that higher class of suite since you will have booked it"
I said:
"Ok, I'm assuming my rate would remain unchanged?"
he said:
"No, you will be at the new rate that you just booked" ($750 higher than my current rate)
I said:
"Well if it's available to book, shouldn't I be upgraded to the best room available as a platinum"
He said:
"Well it's not available"

Utterly baffled at how it was not available but is available, I gave up. The room we received was quite nice (after much arguing), I'm sure the top class suite available would have been nicer... It's just an awkward place to put a guest to have to argue with the room and "prove" that something is available before the front desk does anything! I don't believe the policy is supposed to work like that.

Have other's had this experience?

G702TT

That is frustrating when you don't get the benefit you are entitled to and the check-in agent originally denied that any suites were available. Its good that you stood up for yourself.

On the issue of not getting the highest class suite, it does mention on the website that each property can define what it considers to be their best room:

Subject to availability at check-in for the length of the stay, provided the room was not booked through a pre-paid third-party channel. Specialty Suites such as, but not limited to, premium view, Presidential, Honeymoon, and multiple bedroom suites are excluded. This benefit does not apply to all-suite hotels. Best rooms are identified by each property...

KENNECTED

I'll start by asking if you are aware of the Platinum T&C's?

I don't think you should have had to pull out the PC so I feel, you should call hotel customer service to report this, so that starwood can open an investigation. This is a must. Reporting this will help to ensure that hotels (staff) are following procedures and potentially ensure another guest does not have the same experience.

Since you mentioned you saw four suites online, do you know if any of those were classified as a select standard suite? That is the class of upgrade a Platinum is entitled to. How rooms are categorized is hotel specific.

Yes, many properties go above and beyond, but perhaps this hotel's "lowest" quality suite is categorized as a select standard suite. A hotel does not have to upgrade you to the best available suite. It would be a nice gesture, but not a requirement.

ebd

Definitely understand what Platinum's are entitled to.... The desk employee seemed to indicate that "had it been available" he would have upgraded me to it, but somehow, it was not available! Been a platinum for 4 years now, etc... and would assume that his response would have been something more like "sorry, we don't upgrade into that room class as it's a special class of suite" which I've heard before and accept, etc.

I've definitely stayed at hotels where only certain types of suites were available (Hong Kong Sheraton for instance), but I don't believe this was the case.

As for opening a case, I reserve that for when a hotel makes a grave mistake (getting yelled at by the conceirge at the Sheraton Heathrow for example).

KENNECTED

By saying nothing to corporate customer service, you in essence are allowing the situation to continue.

You don't indicate this but did you speak to the Front Desk Manager or General Manager about your experience? If not you're really not doing anything to help the situation. Starting a thread here on FlyerTalk is like "preaching to the choir". Unless the management of the hotel or SPG/Starwood is alerted nothing will change.

JNelson113

Unfortunately in the last few years I've had this experience at several Starwood hotels. I became so annoyed that I let my platinum status lapse although I'm platinum again. Hoping to get decent upgrades during my upcoming trip to Italy next month.

As great as Starwood and the program benefits are, this is one area that is FAR too inconsistent and needs work. If you attain platinum, you are entitled to the benefits, period. To have to argue and pull out laptops at the front desk is a breach of this agreement.

davidporiss

I am a self-made platinum as opposed to a corporate platinum. I am new to this board. But this thread could have been me. The difference was that I do not carry a laptop and I simply have to go to the business center for the same confirmation, to proceed with the exact same fight. Let me give you a similar example. I took my wife to Milford, MA and told the front desk I would like the "New England Rate". The clerk gave me a blank stare and gave us a ridiculous quote. I went to the business office, got a copy of the New England Rate and showed it to the clerk. She proceeded to check us in under that rate, no apology or acknowledgement. So I said "and 2000 points" which we got on top of our amenity. If you do not make them pay for their mistakes, they never learn.

The Platinum shell game is played out at many Sheratons. I once went to Waltham, Ma and they automatically put me into a suite. But this is the rare exception. Most front desk personell believe that putting you on the club floor is good enough. I have had to fight for a suite from the East Coast to the West Coast. And what a fight it is. By the way, once I get my suite, it is NOT on the Club floor, then they try to charge for water. PLATINUM DOESN'T PAY FOR WATER.

We have a contract with Starwood and many of the hotels are trying to get away with not honoring it.

KENNECTED

David welcome.

I'll use your post as a gentle reminder to always carry print outs of your reservations or special rates.

Also, this proves a point, as discussed in the What's Your Favorite Starwood Brand Bar None?? thread. Sheraton's in particular and customer service can be quite inconsistent across the brands.

In regard to your "suite fight" (hey I play both sides of the field) do you know how each hotel categorizes their room inventory? Without that information its very difficult to know what a hotel categorizes as a select standard suite. There are exceptions, like those of us who have stayed at a particular hotel so often you know what rooms/suite are considered an upgrade.

sbtinme

David --

welcome to FT!

Let me quickly say that I've been perhaps the most vocal person here on FT about the truly miserable mediocrity that was offered up by the Sheraton Milford. It should never have been allowed to reflag as a Sheraton. The GM there was clueless and the front desk staff, frankly, the worst I've ever encountered. Please note, however, this hotel is no longer affiliated with Starwood -- it reflagged to Doubletree recently. God help the fine folks at Doubletree is all I can say.

All that said, I think it's prudent to remind folks that there are about 10 billion threads on this sort of thing already and it always boils down to, essentially, the same realities. One misconception continues to be that every SPG Platinum member is just as "Platinum" as the next. That's not the case nor should it be. If a hotel has 4 suites available and 31 Platinum members checking in that day, shouldn't they probably make an effort to ensure that the longest term, highest dollar paying, most loyal Plat members have a shot at a suite before the guy who just made Platinum status 3 months ago on $79 Four Points rates in Iowa?

Everyone still gets their Plat amenity at check in and everyone gets upgraded, but there aren't enough suites to go around for everyone, so the hotel must make some choices in how to assign those "best" rooms. Not every hotel goes about this the same way, as we've learned. Starwood corporate puts forth a strongly "suggested" priority list made up of that day's Plat members, but the hotel still has some liberty to make adjustments as they see fit. This is where many properties will take the time to upgrade a very loyal, frequent guest over, say, someone else who might have a higher priority on the SPG list.

William has told us time and again that in more than 95% of these types of complaints there is a valid, appropriate reason that a specific SPG Plat member wasn't upgraded to a suite on any particular visit. He might choose to comment further on that statement here.

For me, I'm upset to learn that in many of these cases, when a Plat member becomes irate or caustic at the front desk, the hotel chooses to take away a suite from a high priority Plat member (who hasn't arrived yet) and assign it to the lower ranking, complaining Plat member. That stinks for the rest of us playing by the rules.

In my experience, suite upgrades have been far more fair than what you've experienced ... according to your post.

bbbb

This is the way it should have been in the frist place and there would have been no irate plat. The T&Cs states Subject to availability at check-in. So if I get there before you it is availabile.

sbtinme

Not at all.

While the T&C definitely do advise that the upgrades are confirmed at time of check-in based on availability, the T&C by no means state that there are no other variables at play in determining the upgrade queue process. Starwood largely remains mum about this, and that's fine. It's their program, their rules, and from where I'm sitting the program works quite well.

I think most hotels get this right. IME, upgrades are generally assigned following the *wood list protocol after local loyal members are culled out first.

I'll state it again. A Plat member who gets there with $75 4Pts stays in Dubuque does not equal a Plat member who racks up 120 nights a year averaging $230/nt.

stevens397

Let me get this straight. I check in at a hotel and I'm Platinum. A screen comes up for the Front Desk to look at.

I assume it tells my status and, maybe, how many nights. I'm astounded if you are suggesting it lists all of my stays and where they were. I'd be equally surprised if it listed differing "levels" of Platinum status.

Is that, in fact, what you are suggesting?

sbtinme

Not suggesting any of that.

I'm suggesting with confidence that Starwood "helps" its properties to prioritize the upgrade process.

All of this info has been widely discussed here on FT for years.

jottoson

I have stayed every summer at the Phoenician for the past 4 years. Every year, I have to struggle to get my suite upgrade. The problem lies in the fact that they hide behind the terms and conditions of Platinum, and adhere to it most of the time. They have 50+ suites on the property. So one would expect to have an easy time at scoring an upgrade...

Think again. there are only 3 or 4 suites that they consider to be a standard suite. They are casita suites on the ground level overylooking the parking garage. The hotel also has casita suites with nicer views, main building suites, and canyone builidng suites; all of which are about the same size.

Everytime I go, i have to argue with the front desk. It should not be so difficult.

KENNECTED

Well there you have it. Many suites, few categorized as selected standard. I gotta ask, what is there to argue?

Or, are you saying, if they have a suite available they should give it to you regardless.