Starwood Tier Status

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    Biggless
    Participant

    Does anyone agree with me that it is insane to base Platinum Starwood level on 25 stays OR 50 nights ! I am currently at 48 nights but only about 14 stays. I probably won’t be travelling again this year so will miss Platinum but I have probably spent more with Starwood than many people who stay say 25 times but only 1 night per stay. This is very unfair. A fairer system would be to base levels on so many points. Then the people who spend the most get the best treatment ?


    luckyone
    Participant

    That’s the way FF work in all major hotels but you would think that someone who stays just 1-2 night for 25+ stays a year is rather rare and crazy. At the end of the day, I am sure the hotels would have noted the number of days of stay and versus the cost spent.


    RedcapR
    Participant

    I agree with your issue with Starwood. I am a Platinum Member and I think they have the worst program of all. They are very inconsistent with their service on site and extremely inconsistent with how they distribute points. I just went to Vegas and got 500+ points for ordering room service. I begged and begged to get credited my points for planning a meeting in Sweden (with 20+ rooms, food and beverage and a meeting room) and they gave me less than 600 points for that. I am completely disillusioned with the Starwood brand and their so called “loyalty program” for this and so many other reasons. So, if it makes you feel a bit better, becoming a Platinum member will give you very little benefits, I get treated better from the other hotels with Silver and Gold levels.


    Cleancabinair
    Participant

    Unfortunately the SPG programme is American focused in its approach and the way members use their hotels. The offers can be North American Centric and do not benefit those members who are travelling the globe rather than North American continent.
    It has begun to improve with the addition of Le Meridien Hotels but not in all locations, such as Dubai & Fujuriah where most of them are excluded from the SPG programme due to the insistence of the owner who does not wish guests to benefit from their stays or to use points to redeem for awards at the hotels.


    pink1251
    Participant

    I totaly agree with your views on SPG, A fairer way would be, simply 25 stays to for Platinum , Why should loyal members be penalised for staying longer periods and increasing hotel revenues…total madness !


    RedcapR
    Participant

    I agree with you. I’ve tried to ask Starwood how they base their point systems and they have never given me an answer. I am also a member of Hilton Honors, Marriott, Radisson SAS and Priority Club and I have an idea of how many points I’ll get per stay at each of those hotel chains, for Starwood, it is still a mystery. I recently complained about my low points for the meeting I had and I was sent some random email as a cc: asking someone if they should give me some more points. That was three weeks ago and still no response. I am a Platiumum Member and I’m still not sure how their system works or what reasoning they have behind it.


    travelwell
    Participant

    i agree its a high level to acheive in one year. i do remember that in 2007 and 2008 towards the end of the year they had an offer that each stay was counted as double, so if you were short towards the end of the year you could stay once and that would count twice which made it much easier to renew at the same level. however they did not do that offer in 2009 which was a shame. i was a few stays short at the end of 2009 so decided to just book a hotel for a day or night at heathrow for around £50 to get my extra stays and nights, a small price to pay to secure platinum again as they do nearly always give me a suite when I pay for a standard room which is great service. however I do think they need to lower the thresholds a little or change the system as its more difficult each year.


    travelwell
    Participant

    there is a ton of discussion about this on SPG’s facebook page. maybe the SPG people will relaunch the double nights / double stays promo for Q4 of this year ?


    janrotterdam
    Participant

    I am surprised to read all this negative stuff about SPG. I have been travelling substantially for many many years and stay about 150-170 nights per year in hotels. They all have FF programs, of which I prefer SPG and Hilton. Easy to understand, easy to use (although I convert loads of SPG points to airline FF – very good conversion rates!!).
    The FF programs I really donot like so much would include Intercontinental, Accor and Raffles/Swissotel – esp the Swissotel FF program is hard to understand and the customer service is lacking. Having said that the Singapore Swissotel the Stamford remains one of my favourite places (although the service and personal touch was a lot better when it was still a Westin).
    Any recommendations for hotels in HK and Macau – places I have not been for many years and will go soon…


    continentalclub
    Participant

    Travelwell I’ve posted this elsewhere but you may be interested in the forthcoming Starwood promotion:

    Starwood have released pre-details of their forthcoming Every Night Counts promotion:

    http://bit.ly/bG7fjC

    Earn triple Starpoints on all your nights when you stay 10 nights or more. Earn double Starpoints when you stay up to 9 nights.

    Make Every Night Count. Earn unlimited bonus Starpoints® from Starwood Preferred Guest® when you stay between September 8 and December 15, 2010, at more than 850 participating hotels and resorts.

    * Stay up to 9 nights and earn double Starpoints

    * Stay 10 nights or more and earn triple Starpoints on all your nights

    Nights are accumulated across all your stays from September 8 through December 15, 2010.

    The Ts&Cs (at the above link) suggest that bonus points will be posted 2-4 weeks after each stay, and that all stays on eligible rates during the promotional period will qualify, irrespective of when the stay was originally booked.


    siggihaas
    Participant

    if you have platinum status stay at the Westin in Macau, beautiful large suites with huge patios overlooking the ocean and in HKG receive good service at the Sheraton Kowloon on Nathan Road. You are very centrally located in walking distance to the star ferry.


    PatJordan
    Participant

    Hi janrotterdam,

    the Regal Airport Hotelin Hong Kong appears to be pretty good, and has been favourable reviewed by Business Traveller.


    JohnPhelanAustralia
    Participant

    janrotterdam, the Sheraton Hong Kong at Kowloon is a wonderful hotel. Pay the bit extra and get a harbour view room – they are terrific. The hotel was a 1970s build, so the rooms are not huge, but they are very comfortable. Also a glass wall from the bathroom so you can look out from there to the harbour!! Roof-top swimming pool is nice too, and a short walk to everything in Kowloon and to the MTR station and Star Ferry.


    travelwell
    Participant

    Biggless, if you value platinum i would just plan a weekend stay somewhere for 2 nights and you have renewed. that is what I would do and have done in the past, selecting a hotel near home without a flight and enjoy a good weekend. book a cheap room and they will prob upgrade you for the weekend anyway… go for it and enjoy platinum. or will SPG bring back the Q4 every stay and night counts twice which makes it easier ? thanks

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