MileKing

Got a postcard in the mail yesterday telling me that Westin Premier ends January 31, 1999. ALL POINTS NOT USED BY THEN WILL BE FORFEITED. If you stay twice at a Westin before then, your points will be converted into the new program (no details given).

This is pretty lousy (to say the least). First, Westin and Sheraton offer a conversion deal that those with less than 20,000 Westin points can't take advantage of. Now they tell us that we have to make two stays over the next six months to keep the points we have! Another case of the airlines/hotels disregarding any business you gave them in the past. I pity those who moved all their points (including AMEX mile conversions) to Westin Premier and won't be able to use them by 12/31 as chances are (I'm speculating) they will be worth less than they were before. I can hardly wait till they tell us what they plan to do with the Sheraton program!

Rudi

it is strange that yesterday they did still confirm new membership (of my wife):
Subject: Enrollment for Gisela Martel
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 20:03:56 -0600
From: [email protected]>
To:"'[email protected]'" <[email protected]>
Good evening, We have enrolled you into the Westin Premier program and your account
number is .............. A new enrollee package along with a card will be sent to you. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive. In addition, we do participate with 15 airline partners, so if you would like to add airline partners into your account, please advise back or call 1-800-521-2000. You would then receive 500 airline miles for every Westin hotel stay. Welcome to the Westin Premier program, and if there is anything else we can help you with, please let us know.
Regards, Kevin Busenbark/ Westin Hotels

Catman

I'm wondering why Westin is ending its
frequent guest program! I just transferred
8 thousand Sheraton points to Westin to boost
for a special award stay.

Will have the two stays by the end of the year to keep the points, but I'd like to know
what these changes are NOW!

Checking out their website and will e-mail
them with my concerns. CATMAN

Catman

Addem to my previous message, I also wrote
Sheraton Club Int'l to express my disappointments and asking them what they are
doing with their program.

I'm anxious for an answer because I'll feel
better using my point (and moving up my
Hawaii trip by many months) so as not to see
my points go POOF! CATMAN

pgupta011

This used to be a great program but it has been steadily detereorating over the last few years. I hope that Sheraton Club International does not follow the same path.

Rudi

Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 21:46:10 -0600
From: <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Hello again,

..... and yes the Westin Premier program will be ending on January 31, 1999. Due to the merger with Sheraton hotels, they are creating a new frequent guest program which will act for both Westin and Sheraton hotels.

The information you receive will explain this in detail.

Regards, Kevin Busenbark/ Westin Hotels

Rudi

psychological typic after a merger:

Kevin says "THEY are ....", not WE are ....

Catman

Let's see... Westin and Sheraton Merge programs, then Holiday Inn earlier combined
their Crown Plaza with Holiday inn Brand.

Next thing you know all the hotels will combine and combine again (and even the airlines?) then we'll ahve on frequent flyer
program and one Hotel program and one car
program all tied together and (my concern)
very restrictive.

I like competition, and so far the only
combination that works for me is Marriott
having all those brands under rewards (and for the mileage people the Marriott miles program.)

Am I in the minority on this? Like my cats
I'm curious.

Rudi

even Marriott's policy isn't 100% clear. By far not all Ritz (only 5?) take part. And I like Ritz (when I can afford them ... on certain weekends ....).

Rudi

I appreciate with Sheraton and Marriott that the give me the points (Sheraton: 3 per $ which I convert to 3 UA miles), or miles (Marriott Miles: 500 plus 2'500 per 5 stays) regardless of the paid-price. And both have the same policy world-wide. So their rules are simple.

Catman

Westin responded to my inquiry late thursday
confirming your post MileKing (thanks for the
"warning") and telling me by combining with
SHeraton SCI we'll get the best of both programs.

I hope so. I like both programs separately
for different reasons.

Sheraton even responded to my inquiry.

I stay at both frequently so they told me I
should nto have to worry about points going
poof.

I will be concerned until I see in fine print
"Ok Catman, your points are fine, happy
staying."

pgupta011

I got a letter from Westin Premier today. According to the letter the program will end on Jan 31 1999, and existing points will be converted accordingly to the new program. The membership tier status in the new program will be based on the qualifying tier status at the end of 1998.

So the good news is that nobody will lose their points. The bad news is that more points will be needed for awards for reservations made after June 1999.

The letter I received is generously sprinkled with words like "unprecedented", "exciting", "enhanced benefits", "rewarding new program". I would prefer some less excitement in exchange for some guarantees that the award levels are not increasing and benefits are not being cut.

Catman

I think Westin may be stiffing some of their Premier members. Still waiting for my packet
of information about the award changes with the sprinking of adjectives that Pgupta11
mentioned.

It's nice I got the e-mail but if the award
levels are going up I may decide ot extend
my Maui business trip into a long weekend and
enjoy my Westin/Sheraton points now before
I have to work harder to get them.

pgupta011

The letter I got from Westin Premier did not provide future award charts. It mentioned that there was no point increase for award reservations made until June 1999, but the clear implication was that for reservations made after that time the number of points would increase.

MileKing

Westin must be dealing differently with each member of the Premier program. The postcard I mentioned in my initial post contains nothing about "exciting" changes that pgupta011 mentions. It does clearly state that if I don't put two stays in by the end of the year my points go poof!

As for raising reward levels, Westin levels are already too high. The restrictions seem a bit tight also. I only hope that if they do combine the programs (Westin and Sheraton), they don't destroy the good things about the Sheraton program.