snufl

I've picked 2 lines in the OPs post that drew my attention.
What did the check in person mean by that? Obviously the OP thought it referred to his booking being a free stay. The receptionist should have been more clear if this was not the case.

If this was said to me, under similar circumstances, it would be like waving a red flag at a bull. It didn't help the situation, it reinforced the OP's belief that better rooms were available. IMO this was badly handled by the hotel. It should not be up to FTers to give possible scenarios as to why it happened, the hotel should have taken the time to properly explain.

My first stay in HK was at the Sheraton. From info on FT I gathered I would get either a View Room or Non View Suite, I would not get a View Suite. This seemed to be accepted here on FT as hotel policy, and that surprised me. Now that policy may have some merit and suit some, it may have changed since, but I don't think it followed Plat upgrade guidelines. To me this does give some evidence that hotels, at times, have their own interpretation of the rules.

Next visit to HK I chose the W, but it was my first ever W stay, I wasn't sure how it would fit, so I pre-booked an extra couple of days elsewhere. For less than a standard room at the Sheraton, I booked a huge room elsewhere, with what was the equivalent of "Towers" benefits. In terms of status I was a no-body but they treated me like royalty.

I loved the W and will return. If I get a suite, I'll be delighted. If I get a better room than booked, I'll be pleased. If I get what I booked because they are sold out, so be it. However if I get attitude about it being a "free" night, I'll be peeved big time. Free nights and Plat benefits are important to me and I pay extra for a lot of everyday stays to get them. If all I wanted was a room, I'd have no affiliation and be checking for the best rates everytime I booked a hotel.

holtju2

Sometimes you have to play the song and dance to make the upgrades happen. This is not only SPG program but I have plenty of similar experiences at other programs too where suites upgrades are published benefit.

I was at one W last weekend that had booked me to a non-suite room. After flipping out the iPhone at the front desk and saying that you still seems to be selling suites for tonight a suite did become available after a short wait.

Quite frankly this happen with all the chains so it is not unusual. I just try to be polite.

If everything else fails I then exercise my "nuclear" option which is to tell the front desk manager that they can cancel my stay and that I will then move to (put the name of their strongest competitor here preferably a notch better than them) if they cannot make the suite to happen. Then see what happens.

yeunganson

I am way less agressive than that. If I must absoultely need a suite and don't want to pay too much for it, I will book 1 night in a suite and the 2nd or 3rd night in points/Cash & points. It is very unlikely, they will kick you out after 1st night especially if you are Plat member.

KENNECTED

Was the suite you saw a select standard suite, or did they give a suite to appease you? Again, many variables.

Just because a person can see a suite on line that doesn't mean it's in the upgrade pool.

yeunganson

I always stayed in the Sharaton because of the good location. I never had a Ocean View Suite. I stay there about 4 times each year. It is either Garden View Suite or Ocean View Room. On other threads, it appears the proper way is to do a "1500 point" upgrade to the Sharaton Towers (which I never tried).

The W would be an alternative, but at $HK 2500 ($US 320) a night, had I stayed there it would be one of the most expensive Starwood hotels I would ever stay in. It is only surpassed by Westin Tokyo.

I was tempted to use my Platinum Free Night there this October to see if I it is worthy, but as a Chinese-Canadian and the OP experience, I fear the deck is stacked against me.

snufl

Exactly my point. I did upgrade to towers before my stay or might have booked it outright (can't remember). This gave extra benefits like the lounge, laundry etc. However upgrade was then Towers View room or Towers Non-View suite.

All I am trying to say is best available room at check in is not always the case. If this was the best I could get here, I could get better elsewhere at a much cheaper rate.

GUWonder

Hotels play games with upgrades and it's usually not because of some disconnect between what's on SPG.com and what the hotel still has available.

If considering that option, make sure to factor in whether or not the penalty-free cancellation period has expired.

werldporks

you're "FREE" to take that stance and I applaud you for it.
I, however, want what I'm entitled to.

holtju2

If the hotel cancels my stay I have never had to pay any penalties. The method only works if you have other choices. Normally I always do.

Bonecrusher

I tell them to politely honor the Platinum benefits as outlined at spg.com
THEN I start the nuclear option:
"Do you think you are dealing with a f*%$*n amateur?"
"Do you think I haven't heard your bs before?"

Going armed with data has always helped me...on the 2 occasions it didnt get me what I could have got (according to the Plat Concierge 10 mins earlier) I got 10000 points both times
Don't cop it!!
They must honor the terms of the program!!

mtacchi

Ladies/Gents.

Ok.

So I am home now, and I'll recap the events now that I am not typing into
my iphone.

1) I live in HKG, so I called resv to see if there were Fantastic Suites to buy.
Was told yes..

2) 20 Mins later, I called the front desk, and explained that as I live 20 minutes from the hotel, I could check in ANYTIME.. Was just looking for the suite. If they had a late checkout or whatever.. I was cool with coming later.
Was advised they were very full...whatever.. I'll deal on checkin.. SPG.com still showed many Corners ect..

3) I arrive at 3pm, and informed that no upgrade was possible off the basic room..I then pointed out that they were selling better rooms, at which point her reply was I was welcome to buy one.

? ...? Manager Please...

So Ethan the front desk Mgr comes out, and talks to me.. I show him the cool corners for sale and he goes to the check in girl.. they chat for a bit and he produces 2719, a midlevel corner with partial sea view..

As I said earlier.. I coudn't prove the suites, so I didn't push it.

4) On checking in to the room there was a note saying the pool was closed after 3 for the Spanish Fiesta Party... great.. no late afternoon pooling and champers for me..

Called Ethan again.. he comps breakfast.. At this point I was close to leaving.. I have a few drinks and chill.

--
This morning, the pool was open. We went up and found two lounges together, but we needed an umbrella due to the intense sun today (34degrees C), he said "No.. Cannot"...

again.. ...?? Whatever, Whenever? there is no way thats going to slide.
I unscrew the umbrella myself and move it, my wife phones Martin (another mgr on duty), he comes up.. and doesn't understand why the attendant said no either.. promises to deal with it.

At this point I'm thinking the W should be rebranded as the "C or N" for Cannot and No...

Anyway.. on check out, Note from MGR, apologising for all the issues and offering a confirmed upgrade to a Marvelous Suite if I choose to stay again.
--

Could I have called CCS ? Yes. I have before. Once with Yankee trader in FLL who was holding back a suite.. They did side with me and got my suite sorted. So I believe they can work for you if its cut and dry.

I also think one needs to take personal responsibilty and address things local if one can. Am I happy about how the whole thing went? Not at all. It was my one Friday off to use my "free weekend night" before the end of the month. It was kinda wasted.

Whatever. Its 3:40pm.. I've got a flight in 2hrs and gotta run.

Edit.. sorry, to answer other questions I'm a Gwiello (white guy)who's been in HKG 5+ yrs originally Canadian, and been Plat just about 10yrs.. not my first time @ the rodeo..

RAPC

I've seen that happen at the Sheraton Park Lane, albeit in a slightly more aggressive way by a Gold guest checking in in front of me. He was kindly advised by the agent that he would waive the cancellation fee on his booking so he could take himself to the vastly superior hotel that he mentioned.

The Gold guest didn't have much to say to that and shut up and checked in. (Different to a Platinum who thinks there may be an upgrade available, as this person certainly wasn't entitled for a suite upgrade)

docbert

A little off topic from the original thread, but...

Personally I think this is exactly what they should do. Treating the room as if you were there when you weren't is just asking for abuse. Friend/family/random person off the street could just list you on their reservation and enter your SPG number and not only do they end up with platinum privileges that they doesn't deserve, but it also allows you to collect nights/stays which actually were someone else.

In this case it was clearly not your intent to do that, but how is the hotel to know?

mtacchi

True , but often take my wife on business trips
where she arrives at hotel hours before me.
I'd be pissed if they withheld upgraded ect..

Not that they ever have. In 10 years , it's
never been an issue.

Even in Amsterdam this summer, I was staying at the
Pulitzer with a cousan to see U2. She arrived
at 6:30am. I got in at 3. They accomodated her, though
I emailed and called to make sure. (Lovely Suite too)

But the chance of abuse is there. I suppose if
SPG looked at your file and you had 25 different
names you're sharing rooms with, they could have
you for fraudulant activity.
I suspect the 99% of Plat is only having
a spouse checkin first.

mtacchi

Interesting thread drift.

Dishonest hotels vs Dishonest patrons

Whose abuse is greater ?