Starwood upgrade thread.

[nickfromeastryde]

As a lowly gold (thank you MasterCard promotion), is there a right way to ask for in my case an enhanced room or if available an upgrade

I have 15 nights booked in 5 properties over the next three weeks send would like to maximise the experience but I'm sure be a demanding ar&@hole won't get me far

 

[boomy]

As a lowly gold (thank you MasterCard promotion), is there a right way to ask for in my case an enhanced room or if available an upgrade

I have 15 nights booked in 5 properties over the next three weeks send would like to maximise the experience but I'm sure be a demanding ar&@hole won't get me far

There is nothing wrong with (politely) asking for an upgrade at check-in. Something like: just wondering if you may have any better rooms available for tonight... Worked for me sometimes when I was Gold.
Just remember that if you check-in early or stay more then one night your chances won't be very high, but still no harm in asking

 

[Moindardt]

As a lowly gold (thank you MasterCard promotion), is there a right way to ask for in my case an enhanced room or if available an upgrade

I have 15 nights booked in 5 properties over the next three weeks send would like to maximise the experience but I'm sure be a demanding ar&@hole won't get me far

Have you thought about doing the Platinum Challenge? 18 nights over 3 months. You are almost there.

Hotel Elite Status Match and Challenge Plans for 2015The Points Guy

 

[nickfromeastryde]

As a lowly gold (thank you MasterCard promotion), is there a right way to ask for in my case an enhanced room or if available an upgrade

I have 15 nights booked in 5 properties over the next three weeks send would like to maximise the experience but I'm sure be a demanding ar&@hole won't get me far

Currently sitting in my upgraded room in the Danieli in Venice drinking our complementary bottle of champagne. Didn't have to ask for the upgrade, it was provided upfront however there were other issues around free internet access and some other offers at time of booking that needed to be sorted out when we checked in.

All good now so will enjoy our four nights in this beautiful city

 

[boomy]

Just in case anyone missed it, there is a "stay 3 pay 2" MasterCard promo at selected hotels and no problem booking using AMEX.

 

[Alanslegal]

Currently sitting in my upgraded room in the Danieli in Venice drinking our complementary bottle of champagne. Didn't have to ask for the upgrade, it was provided upfront however there were other issues around free internet access and some other offers at time of booking that needed to be sorted out when we checked in.

All good now so will enjoy our four nights in this beautiful city

We enjoyed our stay at The Danieli back in 2011 (that is such a long time ago now ). Loved how you leave your keys with the front desk everytime you left and they hanged it up on the wall behind them. FWIW we paid EUR170 per night inclusive of breakfast

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....otel-clerk-comment-rate-44233.html#post699013

 

[yohy?!]

Sheraton Melbourne this week was upgraded to a Terrace Suite which was very very nice - first platinum upgrade love from spg since finishing the play challenge

 

[drron]

So 5 SPG properties on this part of the trip.Very varied experiences.Always book basic king room and I am platinum.
Le Meridien Atlanta Perimeter.
Received suite on SPG floor.
Breakfast offered in restaurant so didn't use the lounge.
Really liked the stay.


Sheraton Roanoke.
Received king room on SPG floor-across the hall from the lounge.
Usual pathetic US lounge.$6 for a glass of wine of poor standard-ie on sale in Walmart for $6 a bottle.Not great food selection but did have scrambled eggs and bacon at breakfast.
But at least it is cheap-half the price of the Hampton Inn the night before.


Sheraton Tysons Corner.
Received king room on SPG floor.
Poor water pressure.Tiny bathroom.
Nice lounge on top floor.Not a great variety of food but fresh and reasonable quality.
Unfortunately a fair walk to train into DC.


Sheraton Wilmington south.
An old building left as a shell from 1990-couldn't get a hotel licence.Didn't help that the developer shot dead the Governor's press secretary.
Finally sold and completed late 2011.
Received suite on SPG floor.Once again across the hall from lounge.Looks good but closed for Memorial day so received free appetisers in the restaurant plus brekkie there.Place was virtually empty.


Sheraton King of Prussia,Valley Forge.
Pathetic plat recognition.Given worst room available at checkin-base room with longest walk from desk,lowest floor and room closest to I-76.
6 types of suite available for sale and there are 58 of them.
Plus only 1 bottle water.
Will put lounge experience in my TR.

 

[boomy]

W London
Booked: Wonderful Room (2 single beds).
Received: Fabulous Room (2 single beds).
Just finished my second stay in this hotel and already have love-hate attitude towards it. It's a great hotel in some aspects but very disappointing in others.
The good:
1. Location. In the heart of town, can't ask for a better place.
2. style. Like other hotels in the W chain this one is also modern and cool.
3. The bar. Open every night until 1am it's a great place for pre or after dinner drinks.
4. The club. How many hotels can say they have nightclubs inside? Well this one has and it's open until 3am. The best part is that hotel guests don't need to queue up for selection outside which means fast track entry plus no dress code enforcement. Judging by the long queues on the weekend, both the bar and club are very popular.
The bad:
1. Room size. The rooms are TINY! Even after a double upgrade our room was still only 26 sqm! (The normal retail price for this type of room is £450, that's more then $AU1,000 per night!!!). I know the suites are decent size but this time I needed 2 beds and the suite available on the day had one king bed. The excuse Londoners like to use to justify tiny hotel rooms is the prime real estate price. Well, that's simply bull****. Same type of room in HK is 40 sqm and the real estate there is not exactly the cheapest in the world!
2. Room design. I get the W style and usually like it but when someone book a room with 2 beds they most like don't travel with their +1 so the bath and bedroom should be separated, it's simple logic.
3. Breakfast. It's mediocre, not only for W standards but for general 5* hotel standards and they dare to charge £30 pp for that! (Complementary for platinums).
4. SPG platinum benefits. Ok, so there was an upgrade from a tiny room to a same size tiny room and also free breakfast but no welcome drink at the bar (as given at other Ws) and nothing in the room to resemble platinum recognition. The only complementary thing was one bottle of water.
Conclusion:
Will I stay there again for again next time?
Well, that depends on the price and company. If I'll stay with a mate and get the 'stay 3 pay 2' promo again then I'll probably return because despite all it's drawbacks, this is one of the coolest hotels in town and all in all I had a fun stay. When I'm in town with my parents or my +1 I'll probably choose different hotel with bigger rooms and more relaxed atmosphere.

 

[Alanslegal]

Good review of the W London, boomy. I was able to get a tour of the property when it first opened and my opinion of the Wonderful Room size is exactly what you say they are, TINY. It is an uber-cool property though in a fantastic location, and the W bouncers who man the doors are hot That's what I love about W's. The fact that the newer W properties makes it feel like you are entering a nightclub (sure there are some who dislike that but that's not their target market). Three of my fav W properties; Hong Kong, Mexico City and Barcelona. The London and Paris properties just have too small of a room for me to consider and I really try hard to avoid rooms that are 20 sqm.

 

[yohy?!]

Le meridien bangkok

Upgrade to avantec suite from cash + points rate (3000 + 55usd)

2 hour coughtail and snack service in bar (mussels, rice paper rolls etc)

 

[MrJetset]

Standard. This property has an average of almost 100% on suite upgrades for Platinums.

Le meridien bangkok

Upgrade to avantec suite from cash + points rate (3000 + 55usd)

2 hour coughtail and snack service in bar (mussels, rice paper rolls etc)

 

[yohy?!]

Standard. This property has an average of almost 100% on suite upgrades for Platinums.

Precisely why i booked over the W - good to see they are still delivering

 

[BensAdventures]

Precisely why i booked over the W - good to see they are still delivering

And I find the staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful! I don't love the location compared to SGS, but I love the hotel itself.

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Upgrade at Royal Orchid Sheraton today.
Booked direct at SPG.com under our corporate rate, then BRG was accepted.

Checked in an got a 5000 baht credit plus an upgrade for the four nights. This gives me a free night in Oz with the latest Sheraton promotion (I was at SOTP last week for two nights). Will probably qualify for another free night in the coming weeks, then give my son and his gf a weekend in Surfers or Noosa.

Cheers
BF

 

[Isochronous]

Upgrade at Royal Orchid Sheraton today.
Booked direct at SPG.com under our corporate rate, then BRG was accepted.

Checked in an got a 5000 baht credit plus an upgrade for the four nights. This gives me a free night in Oz with the latest Sheraton promotion (I was at SOTP last week for two nights). Will probably qualify for another free night in the coming weeks, then give my son and his gf a weekend in Surfers or Noosa.

Cheers
BF

How did you like the Royal Orchid?

 

[Alanslegal]

How did you like the Royal Orchid?

We stayed there for four nights in April and had a pleasant stay (as a nobody status guest). The room and common areas are a bit dated but we enjoyed being on the river and having river views. In fact, it was our first ever stay by the river in our many visits to Bangkok so we enjoyed the new scenario. The restaurant had a good enough breakfast spread - though nowhere near as good as The St Regis or Sheraton Grande. There are two pools; the lower pool feels more private surrounded by trees whilst the upper level pool kind of overlooks the river - so you the river traffic go by all day long, we preferred this upper level pool. Catching the hotel's boat shuttle was fun, a bit gimmicky and it felt a bit Venice like. Asiatique is also nearby so if you want to check out that relatively new area with bars, restaurants and markets - I would recommend it. Also I recommend checking out the Rod Fai 2 Markets ... I enjoyed having a few drinks there and some food - whilst watching the place buzz by. We did come back to Bangkok a few weeks ago but spent five nights at the aLoft Bangkok instead as we kind of prefer the hectic and craziness of the Sukhumvit area.

 

[thatsthatmattressman]

Any relatively recent experiences at the Westin in Fiji? I assume continental breakfast ...but anything else for a Platinum?

 

[boomy]

Westin Sydney
Booked: Tower Deluxe
Received: The Presidential Suite

Well I didn't see that one coming. Stayed many times at this property and got plenty exec suites before but this must be the Holy Grail of suite upgrades.

I was glad to share this $4,500 p/n suite with my +1, where movie stars and heads of state like Bill Clinton and the Sultan of Brunei stayed before.

It was also nice to guest some AFFers who were in town and came to visit

 

[Aeolus]

Westin Sydney
It was also nice to guest some AFFers who were in town and came to visit

Would've been nicer if we popped open the Moet from the 2 fridges before we saw the price list!

At Sheraton on the Park for the next 3 days, how does one tell if the room allocated is an upgraded room or is the slip of paper high-fiving you on an enhanced room is just a feel good ploy?