Starwood upgrade thread.

[Cynicor]

Well this thread is a quiet place compared to the accor and HH equivalents...

Anyway- Sheraton Essen.

Booked- Club room (base type)
Received- Some sort of suite

Club lounge is really basic but seems to have self pour wine and beer all day long, along with some basic snacks.

Hotel is right near the Ubahn and only a couple of stops from the Messe (convention centre).
Friendly staff who try hard.

Only had 1 night as I was there for spiel and didn't really plan my trip that well.

 

[jackthomas]

I was hoping for some fellow AFF-er advice on the SPG program and didn't want to start a new thread.
I am currently Hilton Gold and after maintaining for 2016, am wondering about potentially aiming for status with another program, potentially SPG, Hyatt or Shangri La..
SPG is the clear front runner due to their number of hotels in Aus but wanted to have some input about whether gold was worth aiming for?

The benefits seem pretty minimal compared to Hilton Gold, and wouldn't want to lose that in order to chase SPG platinum.

 

[Cynicor]

HH gold is definitely better than SPG gold but much harder to attain legitimately too.

SPG plat is a decent level though, and well worth aiming for. I'd prefer that to my HH diamond but Hilton is the only(?) large chain with a spend target instead of stats/nights which suits my leisure travel pattern. Maybe a CC with SPG gold is your easiest way there?

Using these I have HH diamond, SPG gold and Accor plus+plat.

 

[boomy]

Property: Four Points Sydney
Booked: Premium City Side 2 single beds (requested King size bed).
Received: Maritime Suite

The hotel is undergoing massive renovations with the addition of an extra section that will make it even bigger then it's already is.
The makeshift lobby and restaurant are not very appealing and those who visit the hotel for the first are about to get a very disappointing first impression. The construction noise and longish queues at check in don't help either.

Having said all that I had a very good stay and a surprise upgrade. I booked the cheapest possible room (2 single beds) counting on my request for an "upgrade" to King but I got more then I've asked for - a suite. Well, TBH it wasn't really a classic suite, more of an extra large room with balcony, similar size to some premier rooms in other hotels but nevertheless it was very comfortable and the harbour views were priceless. It was a beautiful day and I got to spend some relaxing time on the balcony after work.

At check in I was given a choice between 250 points and breakfast, I chose the latter. 4pm late checkout was offered (didn't use it).

No SPG Plat recognition in the room, just two complementary bottles of water. No turndown service but some requested amenities were supplied quickly.

Breakfast was better then I expected, choices were similar to what Sheraton on the Park offers in the exec lounge.

To anyone who is planning a stay in the near future I recommend to request a room on high floor to avoid as much as possible the construction noise in the morning. My suite on level 10 and was relatively quiet.

 

[MrJetset]

The Maritime Suite is much nicer than the Darling Harbour Suite simply by the glass windows and unobstructed views.

 

[boomy]

Property: Sheraton FRA
Booked: Classic Room
Received: Club Suite

Very nice executive lounge which serve good quality food and alcohol until 11pm!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Property: Lr Royal Meridien Shanghai
Booked: Deluxe King Room
Received: Deluxe King 'Pure' Room

Was advised at check in I had been upgraded to a 'Pure Room' - 'What is a Pure Room?' - 'A Pure Room comes complete with an Air Purifier Sir!'

FANTASTIC!

When I asked 'So if I was not upgraded - during my sleep would I have asphyxiated by the existing air in the room'? Agent did not see the funny side at all. Gotta love hotel 'upgrades' huh? Bunch of flogs!



And:

 

[cmon0005]

Property: Lel Meridian Koh Samui
Booked: Pool Access Suite
Received: Pool Pavilion Villa with private pool.

At the time had base SPG status after 2 years of Gold.

 

[sighing]

Spent 22K points on one night at St Regis in Rome (via Vittoria). Arrived today and received an upgrade to a Junior Suite. When we got to the room we found a tastefully decorated tin of Biscotti as well as some chocolate (packaged to travel with) waiting for us..

After we returned from a day of sightseeing a bottle of non alcoholic sparkling, some delicate pastries and fresh fruit awaited. All this and butler service too.

I could really get used to this! Big thumbs up to this property and the staff who took extremely good care of us. It will be impossible to stay elsewhere when returning to Rome in future.

 

[yohy?!]

Very busy time for SPG upgrades over Xmas:

Sheraton Miyako Tokyo
Booked: Premium Deluxe
Received: Premium Luxury - refurbished room with amazing balcony views of Japanese garden
Very happy with this given I had 1 night booked from ebookers and 1 direct from SPG, new club lounge is excellent also

Westin Singapore
Booked: Deluxe
Received: Sea View Suite - very nice apart from the major construction which partially obstructs the sea view, they may need to change the name of these suites once the new office tower is finished next door.

Four Points Brisbane
Booked: Superior
Received: Premium - nothing much to write home about, very pokey rooms overall. have to pay extra for a "full" breakfast even if Plat which I'm not sure if it's a Four Points thing? Either way breakfast very poor.

 

[drron]

Good to hear about the Miyako Tokyo as we will be there in 3 months.Have enjoyed our previous stays in spite of the small rooms.The concierge staff are fantastic.

Four Points Sydney always let us have the full buffet when we choose brekkie instead of points so definitely not a brand policy.

 

[yohy?!]

Good to hear about the Miyako Tokyo as we will be there in 3 months.Have enjoyed our previous stays in spite of the small rooms.The concierge staff are fantastic.

Four Points Sydney always let us have the full buffet when we choose brekkie instead of points so definitely not a brand policy.

Highly recommend the Premium Luxury rooms - a lot more space than the lower grades. And this view:

 

[burrco]

Some recent stays (all bookings were for the relevant entry level room and all stays were six nights):

Le Meridien Barcelona: Upgraded to Family Suite
Westin Palace Madrid: Upgraded to Junior Suite
The Augustine (Luxury Collecition) Prague: Upgraded to Studio Suite
Excelsior Hotel Gallia (Luxury Collection) Milan: Upgraded to Atelier Suite (This is a superb property)

All properties, except Prague, offered full buffet and made to order breakfast. Again other than Prague all properties provided on going amenities such as bottles of wine, cakes, chocolates etc - these were provided on a daily basis at the Gallia.

 

[dajop]

Has anyone been actually downgraded rather than upgraded? Now only spg gold but I do check on the app on morning of arrival to see if any upgrade has been processed. Did that this morning for my stay commencing tonight and my room type has morphed from my original booking / what it said previously "Executive Cityside ... With Sheraton club benefits" ..... to simply "non smoking Cityside", with no Sheraton club access listed. Will see what happens on checkin.

 

[MrJetset]

Has anyone been actually downgraded rather than upgraded? Now only spg gold but I do check on the app on morning of arrival to see if any upgrade has been processed. Did that this morning for my stay commencing tonight and my room type has morphed from my original booking / what it said previously "Executive Cityside ... With Sheraton club benefits" ..... to simply "non smoking Cityside", with no Sheraton club access listed. Will see what happens on checkin.

I suspect this is SOTP? The hotel is a joke and assigns Executive rooms but then they said it's just a room type and no club access is provided.

Regardless, your pre-upgrade on the app may increase or decrease, even for Plats. That's just a reflection of what room they allocate you. Even if you screenshot it you don't have an argument because they don't have to honour it.

 

[dajop]

I suspect this is SOTP? The hotel is a joke and assigns Executive rooms but then they said it's just a room type and no club access is provided.

Regardless, your pre-upgrade on the app may increase or decrease, even for Plats. That's just a reflection of what room they allocate you. Even if you screenshot it you don't have an argument because they don't have to honour it.

Yes SOTP. And this wasn't a preupgrade. It is, as of this morning showing as a downgrade from what I booked and (pre)paid for and as shown in my booking confirmation! (Until this morning app matched exactly my booking now it is showing lower room category)

 

[Cynicor]

The Kiroro, tribute portfolio hotel.
Booked base room 2 nights on points.
Got some sort of top floor large suite.
Gold SPG.

Very new into the SPG portfolio.
Nice enough place but kiroro try to nickel and dime for everything currently. I think the conversion will sort a bit of it out over time, maybe 6-12 months.

Free shuttle to ski fields, not ski in/out and the ski storage area not the most convenient. We kept our stuff in the living room/bar area because the room was so huge.

If going for the skiing and a real BC lover, probably could do 2-3 days out there but I suggest the Sheraton is the place to stay.

If you want any beta on the BC, please PM me.

 

[MrJetset]

Yes SOTP. And this wasn't a preupgrade. It is, as of this morning showing as a downgrade from what I booked and (pre)paid for and as shown in my booking confirmation! (Until this morning app matched exactly my booking now it is showing lower room category)

Sorry, misunderstood. Management here is truly awful.

I found a coughroach in the club lounge last week. Am waiting for the property to respond.

If you don't get the room you booked then call SPG immediately. I suspect they are giving you a lower floor room and will just add club access. They seem to class higher floors as Executive even though they sell them without club access.

 

[Croupier]

St Regis Moscow, booked winter wonderland 30% off, cheapest room for a 3 night stay, was upgraded to a St Regis Suite.
Wow fantastic property, picked comp full breakfast for 2, great spread.
We also get 4 pieces of clothing pressed per day and butler service free tea and coffee bought to our room 24 hrs a day. Paid about $245 Aus per night, great deal.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Whereabouts is this place ?