Starwood upgrade thread.

[drron]

SPG-plat
4 Points Sydney.
Booked city side on Z3R
Rate~$170
Received Maritime suite
Full brekkie for 2 in lieu of 250 starpoints
Usual bennies.
Plus 4 drink coupons + 1 bottle red.
Result-a happy camper

 

[burrco]

W Hong Kong
4 Nights Spectacular Room (2 nights @Rack Rate!)
Upgraded to Cool Corner Room
Suite Upgrade certificate request not able to be fulfilled. Platinum guaranteed booking needed for two of the four nights.
Full breakfast at the Kitchen
3 Coupons for free drinks at the bar.

Bad planning on my part found me making a late booking at a fully booked hotel during the Rugby 7s. I'm a big fan of this hotel - but at rack rate - not so much.

 

[drron]

Westin Capetown.
SPG Plat.
Booked cheapest room on Z3R rate~$170.
Received westin club executive room-bedroom +sitting room +large bathroom.
Full breakfast in lounge.
+ usual benefits + points as plat amenity.

 

[dajop]

Le Meridien Bali Jimbaran
SPG Plat
Booked classic room, $130 USD
Received Aqua studio suite with lagoon access
Full breakfast in lounge
New property, nice intimate feel to it, nice to have swim up to room and enjoyed the pool, which guests can use 24/7.
Modern styled property, neat touches like bar on roof to view sunset, music played around the pool in the evening, it had whiffs of the W without the attitude or the $400/night price-tag

Westin Resort, Nusa Dua, Bali
Booked: Deluxe Room with breakfast $140/night
Received: Executive 1BR suite
500 pts amenity + free use of beach front gazebo for day + afternoon tea.

 

[bismarck]

My girlfriend is currently completing the SPG Platinum challenge; we're planning on spending a night in Washington DC as part of a trip to LOTFAP at the end of the year. Currently staying in Hilton accommodation as I'm HH Gold but wondering whether upgrades are more reliable if we use her SPG Plat?

In addition, do you get upgrade benefits when staying on free nights as the W and St Regis in DC are pretty expensive and I'd be inclined to use points as we're only staying for the one night (and there's not a lot of opportunity for us to use them otherwise).

Appreciate the advice.

 

[drron]

I have had much better upgrades as SPG plat than those I got as HH diamond.It would certainly beat HH gold in LOTFAP.

 

[bismarck]

I have had much better upgrades as SPG plat than those I got as HH diamond.It would certainly beat HH gold in LOTFAP.

I had thought so. I am planning on changing my flexible bookings over to SPG properties.

Do you know whether award notes attract the same upgrade benefits (I.e. best available room) that a paid night would receive.

 

[Alanslegal]

I had thought so. I am planning on changing my flexible bookings over to SPG properties.

Do you know whether award notes attract the same upgrade benefits (I.e. best available room) that a paid night would receive.

When I was a platinum for 5 years I experienced no differences in upgrade chances because of a booking type including many BRG bookings. I would recommend reviewing the specific hotel master threads in the FT forums for current upgrade chances because the W and St Regis in DC iirc are often frequented by 20, 30, 40 or more Platinums, Platinum 75s, Platinum 100s, most nights and if you are wanting a suite then the chances are pretty low.

 

[bismarck]

When I was a platinum for 5 years I experienced no differences in upgrade chances because of a booking type including many BRG bookings. I would recommend reviewing the specific hotel master threads in the FT forums for current upgrade chances because the W and St Regis in DC iirc are often frequented by 20, 30, 40 or more Platinums, Platinum 75s, Platinum 100s, most nights and if you are wanting a suite then the chances are pretty low.

Thanks. Very helpful advice. We're staying just before Christmas (so hopefully fewer business travellers??) but will probably try our luck with the W anyway just because it looks like a nicer hotel.

 

[burrco]

A bit annoyed at the moment. I've put in a suite upgrade request (certificate) for the Westin Melbourne for a stay starting on Thursday - the Spa Studio is showing availability - yet my upgrade hasn't cleared. Same thing that happened earlier in the year at the Sheraton Gold Coast - why do the Australian Hotels view guaranteed spg privileges as optional?

 

[mrfreeze]

A bit annoyed at the moment. I've put in a suite upgrade request (certificate) for the Westin Melbourne for a stay starting on Thursday - the Spa Studio is showing availability - yet my upgrade hasn't cleared. Same thing that happened earlier in the year at the Sheraton Gold Coast - why do the Australian Hotels view guaranteed spg privileges as optional?

They might be keeping it open for me Friday and Saturday night

Hope the upgrade request comes through for you burrco.

 

[burrco]

Looks like there was an error with spg showing availibilty for rooms that had been booked. Normally when a hotel says that I'm spectical - but the staff at Melbourne are all genuine so I'm happy to accept it at face value.

Bit of luck was with me as I ended up getting the upgrade without the certificates - meaning I'm still left with 18 of the certificates to get through by the end of the year.

They might be keeping it open for me Friday and Saturday night

.

Bad luck buddy: the early bird gets the room and I have snagged the studio for my own nefarious purposes.

 

[markis10]

Upgraded to a Club Premier at Le Meridien KUL on Sunday, booked a classic room with BRG, very happy!

 

[cmon0005]

Lost my SPG Gold 2 months ago, went to Hong Kong a few weeks ago and stayed at the Sheraton. No upgrade, and no 250 bonus..
But the good news is 2 days after my stay I've made Gold again. So here's hoping for upgrades again for my future stays.

 

[boomy]

Sheraton Tel Aviv
SPG platinum
Booked: Deluxe see view
Received: Tower suite

Includes full breakfast at the restaurant.
Nice bowl of fruits, chocolates, 2 bottles of water & a bottle of red waited for us in the room.
Small chocolates on the bed after evening turndown.
Stunning view of the Mediterranean Sea from the room.
Perfect location close to the beach.
Hotel has 2 lounges: Club lounge on level 7 is more casual & Tower lounge on level 18 for the Tower guests is a bit more fancy with better food & drink selection.
Swimming pool was recently refurbished and a nice deck was added.
When we stayed there this week, the hotel was at 95% capacity due to an international soccer tournament taking place in Israel yet service was flawless from all the hotel staff.
Got 4pm checkout and were invited to stay for dinner at the Tower lounge.

PS the new W will be finished in 2 years. Can't wait to try it...

 

[moa999]

Gold
Hongta Hotel Shanghai, Luxury Collection (Former St.Regis)
Base room w/ wifi and breakfast
Around A$150
Received high floor room with Pudong views xx02

Hotel beginning to look a little tired but very nice. Large gym and pool and billiards room. Good breakfast at top restaurant.
Separate lift to access exec lounge from 39 but didn't get access.

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

SPG platinum here, upgraded from standard room to a suite at Sheraton Towers Singapore this weekend.

 

[cmon0005]

SPG platinum here, upgraded from standard room to a suite at Sheraton Towers Singapore this weekend.

WOW, it's always nice to upgraded to a Suite.

 

[Brisbane Flyer]

Thanks mate and it was a very nice suite indeed.
Now if they do that for me in New York and Wash DC in December, I'll be very happy, so will my wife and two young adult sons!

WOW, it's always nice to upgraded to a Suite.

 

[cmon0005]

Thanks mate and it was a very nice suite indeed.
Now if they do that for me in New York and Wash DC in December, I'll be very happy, so will my wife and two young adult sons!

I've only ever had 1 upgrade to a Suite and that was also in Singapore, not in a SPG property, Marriott Orchard Road ... simply awesome room.