NEW-STARWOOD PREFERRED GUEST-Questions/Answers

[Disbug]

Maureen here are the SPG Customer Service Numbers:
United States and Canada: (Preferred)888-625-4988 (Gold) 888-625-4990 (Platinum) 888-625-4991

You can also email them by going to the SPG website (www.starwood.com) and clicking on the Customer Service tab at the top of the page. They have an automatic email form your can fill out.

I know you just got back and we are all anxious to hear about your trip! (Sounds like something was wrong though... sorry to hear.)

 

[poohbear7]

Thanks Denise for the info. Yes, I just got back and our first stay at the Dolphin had a bad start. The first room we checked into had a very bad odour. To make a long story short, the hotel was full. Stayed in the room the first night and I got sick. Talked to housekeeping manager the next day and she checked the room and took it out of service and arranged for another room. I started to get better in the new room and the next morning was feeling well again. The rest of our stay was great with both rooms having a great view.

 

[EKevinD]

Hey Pooh -

If you are a Starwood Preferred Guest - you might want to head over to the flyer talk website board and leave an message for the Starwood Lurker - he will diligently look into your situation in most cases.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travelfr.shtml

 

[poohbear7]

EKevinD

Thank you for the info. Yes my husband is a gold member.

 

[DolphinBoy]

Once before I heard something about being able to cash in points while on sight for some type of "Instant Reward". Like cash in x number of points for a $20.00 food credit. Has anybody heard of anything like this?

 

[disneymom57]

Yes, that is true. I don't remember the amount of points, but it can be used upon check out toward your hotel purchases. You might try spg.com for more info or just call Starwood and they should be able to tell you. I've found the best deal to be the cash and points awards. You need 4,000 pts and $60 for one night.

 

[DolphinBoy]

Thanks for the suggestion. I wanted to do the cash and awards points, but they no longer offer that for the Dolphin. I did the points for 4 nights and get the 5th free. 40,000 points for 5 nights.
I read something about the "Instant Awards" somewhere here last year but I cannot find it. I asked them about it while I was at the Dolphin last year but they told me that you had to be Platinum level. I don't think that is right. You know how it is...You talk to two different SPG people and you get two different answers.

 

[ozziewags]

Hey Dolphinboy........GO RAMS! About the instant rewards. I think you are correct. When I was there I called down and asked about points for food, massage, etc. and the front desk quoted me the totals. I was platinum, but that fact was not brought up at the time, unless they knew it by my room number or something. But I do not think you have to be platinum to use your points for rewards. I opted to keep my points building for free nights. If I were you I would ask again. Call at night and ask Andrew at the Swan. I also think James is very knowledgable and helpful at the Dolphin. Again,GO RAMS!

 

[Disbug]

I am so SAD that I cannot use my beautiful built up point account this year for cash and points... I rarely travel (okay, okay... excluding WDW) so I do not have the opportunity to build points like crazy! I have 20,000 points and I have a feeling it will take me a long, long time to save enough points for a decent stay... oh well, perhaps I can use them for upgrades? Do you think they would let you use points to upgrade to a suite if you booked through Priceline or Hotwire??

 

[ozziewags]

Hi Disbug,
I think I just read that they will no longer give upgrades to those that book through Priceline and Hotwire. Either that or I am dreaming again. Sometimes I just don't know where my head is. How do you do all that you do and still be so organized.(like mailing out mugs the night before your trip?!) I would have been a basket case.
Here's more hugs for that little one. ESPECIALLY when you are so busy with dd2! You amaze me.

 

[disneymom57]

Is it true they are no longer offering cash and points at all? I thought it might just be for this season, because it is the busiest. I know they had them for the summer and fall.

 

[DolphinBoy]

I'm with you on that one OZ. GO RAMS !!!!

In regards to the cash and point offer, I think it is because it is the prime travel season. If you look at www.spg.com , there are not many hotels participating right now. For example, I heard rumor that the Dolphin was booked the week of 3/7.
Fortunately we are going the week of 3/14.

GO RAMS !!!!

 

[Disbug]

The rumor I heard was the Swan and Dolphin would NO LONGER be PARTICIPATING in the Cash and Points Promotions... I HOPE, HOPE, HOPE I am wrong! Because in the past it has been seasonal and not available year round.

Another thing I am hoping is that once the renovations are completed at both hotels they won't turn into a Yacht Club/Beach Club type establishment with nary a discount to be had!

oz, thanks for the compliment... but I only designed a few mugs and sent them off to be produced and then mailed back to me! A few days earlier I was mailin' mugs for sure! I didn't want to forget my ideas that I had for jmcross, and crz4mm2. I am a prime candidate for Alzheimers... "I think I remember a thought I just had!"

I am doing a trip report for the Christmas disaster trip! Figured I needed the practice and I did get a few nice photos to share with everyone. So I will continue with that story shortly! Thanks so much for keeping in touch and I'm glad things are getting better over at your house, too!

 

[Disbug]

dolphinboy~! It looks like we might be going down that same time to see the Yankees vs Braves at Spring Training in the Wide World of Sports! WooHoo! My husband's idea of nirvana is watching the Yankees and his second fave team is the Braves! So, there you go...

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Completely off topic but I have to add another

GO RAMS!!!!!!

 

[Mainebound]

Originally posted by MOM POPPINS
Hi

If you go to www.starwood.com, next click on www.spg.com to take you to their website and then click on earning points, you have to know exactly what hotel you are staying at to get the number of points, but if you will click on book a room from here:

http://www.starwood.com/preferredguest/starpoints/redeem_landing.html#1

Then put in city and it will take you to a list of available hotels. I hope I did not confuse you please ask if this does not workout for you You might also be able to use the nights and flights award look for it on the same link above. Here is the amount for the Swan and Dolphin hotels:

Walt Disney World Dolphin
Lake Buena Vista , FL 18.1 Miles 10,000
Category 4
Walt Disney World Swan
Lake Buena Vista , FL 18.4 Miles 10,000
Category 4

SPG also has a promotion that if you redeem 4 nights at a category 4 hotel (i.e. 40,000 points), you get a 5th night for no points! We are doing this at the Swan in March.

--oops just realized some other helpful person posted this info above. Sorry folks!

 

[disneymom57]

Dolphinboy, I just read this on the starwood website:

Instant Awards(SM)

Redeem your Starpoints(SM) for in-hotel indulgences, from a massage to dinner and more. Choose Instant Awards(SM) for spontaneous redemptions, so you can reward yourself at a moment's notice. Simply ask which Instant Awards are available when you check in.

I also hope it is a seasonal thing, and that I can use the cash and points when I go again in May or September (off season)

 

[maggiew]

I have a question. I booked a stay at the Westin Chicago River North for a special birthday weekend in the city with my husband. I booked their special "internet only rate" that was the lowest price on the Westin.com website. It was $99 per night pre paid and came with a special $20 dining credit. I am trying to build up points for a Disney World trip to the Dolphin.

Anyway, today I received the points for our breakfast (which cost us $20 above the $20 dining credit). But I didn't receive the points for our stay OR receive a stay credit towards gold status. So I called starwood and asked about why I didn't receive credit and this is what she said:

"Under the Terms and Conditions it says that prepaid rooms are not qualifying stays."

and she referred me to the Terms and Conditions:

"Starpoints can not be earned or accrued for charges master-billed or paid by wholesale rates including WFNR, and all other rates from pre-paid channels, such as but not limited to, priceline.com, expedia.com, hotels.com, hrn.com, hotwire.com, lastminute.com, site59.com, etc. tour or tour operator or other vouchers or for certain other discounted rates including, without limit, airline vouchers or for certain other discounted rates. "

I think this is very misleading because it makes it seem that by pre-paid they mean from places like hotwire or priceline. But it should also say for prepaid stays booked through westin.com!!!!!!!!!!

I find this unacceptable and will no longer try to establish Gold level!! I will work on getting back my Silver status with Marriott Rewards. I tried to be a good Starwood member and book through Starwood even though it would have been cheaper for me just to book a hotel through priceline since we weren't picky as to the hotel for this particular circumstance (just spending a night in the city as a birthday treat). I was trying to work on Gold Status and get points for a stay at the Dolphin.

Has anyone else received credit for a stay using the starwood Internet only rate?

Maggie

 

[ehallison]

You were told wrong. Call back and talk to somebody else until you get the correct answer and they adjust your points. I have received credit at 3 different hotels for internet-only rates that I paid for at the Starwood web-site.

 

[ozziewags]

Yes, call back and ask again. If you get the same person, ask nicely if you may speak to a manager or supervisor.