NEW-STARWOOD PREFERRED GUEST-Questions/Answers

[Mouseteacher]

WolfpackFan -

Please keep trying with the upgrade to gold. Once I received my Starwood Plat. Amex cc, I called and asked for the gold upgrade and gave my cc #. I was granted my request. I understand that it all depends on the customer rep you get. I believe a Starwood Amex cc should give you the upgrade to gold.

Good luck - polite persistence should pay off!

 

[TedO]

Hello,
Just found this thread and have been wading through it trying to see if anyone had any info about using Starwood points to upgrade a reservation made thru Priceline, but didn't see anything. We were lucky enough to get the Dolphin via Priceline for a 4 night stay over the New Years holiday. I know that all we can expect is a standard room, but I am also a SPG member with enough points for an upgrade to Club Level (3000 points for 4 nights?). Just wondering if anyone has had any luck trying to upgrade a Priceline reservation at the Dolphin (Or Swan) using Starwood points? Is this possible? Can you call Starwood 5 days before check-in or is this only possible at check-in?
Thanks for any info anyone has,
Ted

 

[MOM POPPINS]

I have received an upgrade at a Starwood hotel in the past, but I did not use points to upgrade. I was given the upgrade based on Platinum status. I do not see why you would not be able to upgrade with points though Good Luck!

 

[dreamflight99]

Did you read my post on the other thread...about the wonderful NEW promo for PLATINUM SPG's? Take a peek when you have a chance.

 

[Debbie7452]

DF and Mom Poppins...the only problem with the triple points promo is that the S/D is not listed as participating!

 

[Kathy Rittenhouse]

I just received an e-mail from SPG that said with a SPG Amex, I would be upgraded to Preferred Plus status. Does anyone know what that is? I even checked SPG's website and it doesn't list that as a category.

Help!!

 

[adisneyfan2]

I had read on the other thread about people calling and getting automatic upgrades to Gold just for having a SPG AmEx Platinum cc -- I called twice and both times was told unequivocally that Gold status is reserved for guests with 10 stays or 20 nights in a year.... Then I read some more posts and followed the advice and called a third time. This time I got the upgrade almost before I knew what happened! The agent asked if my AmEx was Platinum -- I said yes, & that was it. She didn't ask if it was SPG or otherwise, and never asked for a cc #. Interestingly, after getting the upgrade I stumbled onto this thread and started reading... Back in May someone posted a link showing the offer for a complimentary upgrade to gold status for having a REGULAR AmEx Plat cc, but NOT SPG. Good thing I saw that AFTER I called!

P.S. Preferred Plus apparently just shows that you have a SPG AmEx cc.

 

[adisneyfan2]

1. Does anyone know how SPG measures a year for reaching / maintaining SPG status? I.e., for 10 stays/20 nights for Gold status, is the year Jan-Dec, a rolling 12 months (so 10 stays in any 12-month period), or card anniversary to anniversary?

2. Dolphin trip coming up 12/27, but won't arrive until after 11pm. Paid for deluxe balcony resort view, but just got SPG Gold status, so hope for CL upgrade. What are chances of finding anything "decent" left at that hour? Is there a good time frame for calling ahead of our arrival for these requests? Also, I've read that CL needn't be on CL floor -- but is there a limited number of CL designations that can be in the hotel at any given time? (regardless of actual physical location) Actually we are less concerned about being on the actual club floor (though that would be nice), and more worried about just having access to breakfast!

3. Are there any corner King rooms with Epcot views that have adjoining rooms? Alternatively, does anyone know what our chances would be of getting an East wing Epcot view king room with a balcony AND a sofa bed? (We were told only some king rooms have daybeds too.)

Thanks everybody!

 

[jgates]

Adisneyfan2 - If you are not super fixed on a particular Club Level room/view, you can still try to get Club Level priviledges upgrade so you have access to the Breakfast/snax. Also, if you are not happy with your room after the first night, take a few minutes the next morning and go down and request a room change if available. You will be soooo wiped the first night that I doubt you will even notice much at 11pm!

Another thing might be to check website www.swandolphin.com for availability on those dates. If hotel is not booked solid and a lot of rooms are available, upgrades might still be there at 11pm at night. If not, back to the next morning suggestion.

 

[disnurse]

WolfpackFan- try via email, I was lucky with minimal effort. First email i requested it based on am ex they replied that its not for just this card and they would look into it, I hit reply, included their response and told them we have 3 am. ex cars and bingo Im gold. We do have other cards but they culdn't have checked this out that quickly and they don't have these cards in their system. They didn't even ask whose name the cards were in

 

[adisneyfan2]

Thanks for the info -- actually I'm more interested in the view than being on a club level floor. (We spend more time in our room with our special needs son than I wish we did!) I will try to call the week before, but if it doesn't work out we can always see what they have to offer. To complicate matters, we are hoping for adjoining rooms so DD can sleep with MIL next door.... As always, we have to remember that whatever our view, it can't be that bad when the view is Disney anything!

 

[disnurse]

Booked standard room, non-specified view. Should I wait till check-in to upgrade using points to see exactly what gold spg gets me or do 750/night for CL then hope for a better view.

 

[Mouseteacher]

I would consider waiting - your gold status may give you a comp upgrade. It did for us!

 

[DolphinBoy]

Woooooooo Hooooooooo !!!!!!!!!

I applied for my Starwood preferred American Express Platinum Card and got my 4000 points! I used the offer posted in this thread and I got it! Here is the URL again in case anyone missed it:

http://www66.americanexpress.com/cards/Fmacfservlet?csi=6/1177/b/52/0/308215324873/0/n


Since it is free for 1 year, I cannot think of any reason NOT to do it.

 

[ozziewags]

Good for you, DolphinBoy!!! Some of us went through a big hassle this summer trying to get our points. I am glad they have that straightened out now. Now, just get to charging and racking up those points!

PS....I live near St. Louis too.
Carol

 

[zurgswife]

If I have the points now....should I reserve a suite for next Dec 26 now???? That way I can assure myself that the room is available....

 

[sofifi97]

I had to call the Dolphin to book an extra room for my inlaws and before I finished up I asked the reservation agent if I can use my spg points to buy club level priviledges on my ressie. He told me I can only get club level privies if I stay in a club level room and that the hotel's very booked up when I chedk in so the chances are slim to none. I've read several times that this is possible, but why wouldn't a reservationist at the Dolphin know this?
Also he made a point to inform me that the Dolphin charges an $8 resort fee. I mention this because later I read a message on the Passporter board from someone who just returned from the Dolphin and asked to get this fee waived and was refused. The person didn't want to put up a fight about it (and didn't pursue it further) but I've read time and again that this is always willingly waived upon request!
What do you think, is the tide changing? Or did I (and the Passporter poster) get stuck with a misinformed and/or unwilling Dolphin employee?

Thanks for any info
sofifi97

 

[Mainebound]

I got my Amex several months ago, and never got the 4,000 bonus starpoints for my first use (or ANY use). Is this a new promotion?

 

[sofifi97]

sorry, this was a duplicate post

 

[wld]

Hoping someone can answer this one. I made ressies through DreamRes for the Swan. I mentioned I had spg card but forgot to mention the number. What is the best way to get this info to the Swan? The one email address said it was for room requests. Any ideas?

Wish me luck, I'm going for Gold!!!!