NEW-EST...DOLPHIN/SWAN..."questions and answers"...tips and hints!

[dis@dills]

Bump

 

[Blondie]

Yes, PLEASE! I'm not even staying at the S/D next (we moved our ressie to WL) but I have S/D envy. I'd love to see more pics of the new decor in the common areas.
Thanks!

Here ya go!

 

[madge]

This is DD, taken three weeks ago!

just seeing that one picture, and I can smell the lobby

11 more weeks, I don't think I can stand it!

 

[mrsswat]

being a starwood member, what are my chances of getting an upgrade during peak season, particularly Easter holiday? We love to have a balcony, but the standard room rate with a teacher discount is really good. So I was just thinking of booking the standard and hoping, asking nicely, for an upgrade. What do you all think? Thanks!

 

[Keokagal]

being a starwood member, what are my chances of getting an upgrade during peak season, particularly Easter holiday? We love to have a balcony, but the standard room rate with a teacher discount is really good. So I was just thinking of booking the standard and hoping, asking nicely, for an upgrade. What do you all think? Thanks!

Book standard, ask for upgrade, or pay for the upgrade upon arrival, if available. The discount applies to other room types also.
We have been automatically upgraded every visit as starwood members, not usually w a balcony. Have fun.
I make sure my reservation is posted to the starwood website. I then go in and make a preference. e.g. 35th anniversary request king w balcony if possible. Just did that for 11 days from now. Here's hoping for the upgrade. If not I will request it upon arrival and pay w cash or points.

 

[mrsswat]

thanks! I'll book a standard and if the upgrade works out, fine. If not, that'll be okay too. We'll only be staying 3 nights before moving over to our DVC and we'll be glad just to be there after winter in NJ!

 

[michboro]

I have a couple of questions about booking with Starwood points.
Are Starwood points only redeemable for standard rooms? Can you get a room upgrade if you have a Starwood Preferred Gold Card for a room booked with Starwood points?

 

[TinkOhio]

You may book an upgraded room with starpoints, too. The cost of a standard room is 10,000 points per night. The cost to upgrade to a balcony room is only 1,000 points per night extra. Well worth the cost, IMHO.

We are Starwood gold and have always been upgraded over the Easter break untill last Easter. There was a HUGE convention going on, and the place was totally booked. We wound up in a standard room with a parking lot view and it just wasn't the same. This year we didn't want to risk it and booked a balcony room! (We'll have two 16 year old boys in the room and want to be able to air it out!! )

Hope you have great trips!

 

[michboro]

Thanks for the info.

 

[MSWint]

Until the end of Sept...........

http://www.swandolphinmedia.com/pressrel/makewish.pdf

How, when do you make the donation for the chance to win? Do you do it at checkin?

 

[SingingMom]

How, when do you make the donation for the chance to win? Do you do it at checkin?

We asked to make the donation at check in.
(2 large ice cream cones!)

 

[danjoan14]

You may book an upgraded room with starpoints, too. The cost of a standard room is 10,000 points per night. The cost to upgrade to a balcony room is only 1,000 points per night extra. Well worth the cost, IMHO.

We are Starwood gold and have always been upgraded over the Easter break untill last Easter. There was a HUGE convention going on, and the place was totally booked. We wound up in a standard room with a parking lot view and it just wasn't the same. This year we didn't want to risk it and booked a balcony room! (We'll have two 16 year old boys in the room and want to be able to air it out!! )

Hope you have great trips!

Just to be on the safe side, we did just that. I booked us a deluxe room with a view and a balcony using the 10,000 plus 1,000 points per night. We even received a free night after the fourth night. This allows us to stay 8 nights instead of 7 in November. I didn't want to take the chance of not getting a free upgrade.

 

[WEN]

Hi - I'm going to the Dolphin next month. Can anyone tell me if they use the same mugs as other resorts (YOMD)? Thanks!

 

[Blondie]

Hi - I'm going to the Dolphin next month. Can anyone tell me if they use the same mugs as other resorts (YOMD)? Thanks!

They have their own mugs, more like a Starbuck's tumbler. I think the cost is $11.95. It shows photos taken at various locations around the S/D resort as the theme for the mug.

 

[Dizzle]

So how do the envlopes work? Does one contain a ice cream cone, one a spa & one a free night at the hotel?

 

[rugrats2001]

So how do the envlopes work? Does one contain a ice cream cone, one a spa & one a free night at the hotel?

In reality, you only get to open one of the envelopes, so you really have no idea what is in the others. There are more than 3 different possible 'prizes', so the three that you choose from must be a 'random sampling' of all of those available. Out of a pack of 100 envelopes, are 90 free ice cream cones? I don't think anyone knows except the manager of the hotel.

 

[SingingMom]

In reality, you only get to open one of the envelopes, so you really have no idea what is in the others.

And we were given approx five or six to choose from - so as Rugrats stated, they all COULD have containted the free ice cream cones!

 

[Love2Tvl1]

Has anyone returned from the S/D recently with new comments or pics?

 

[paras4ri]

Has anyone returned from the S/D recently with new comments or pics?

We check into the Dolphin on Thursday so we'll have info and pictures to share in about 2 weeks!

 

[dingoballs]

Paras4ri

We check into the Dolphin on Thursday so we'll have info and pictures to share in about 2 weeks!

Have a great trip! Looking forward to reading your TR & seeing the photos!