Merger update from "points guy" [Integrating SPG / Marriott Rewards]

[DeniseM]

Not sure if this is the same situation, but I wanted to change around our names on our ownership, and add husband to one where he was not even listed, but I was told that it would require the titles to be completely reissued, along with whatever fees.

SPG - is the hotel program - now owned by Marriott.

Marriott does not own Vistana (the timeshare management company) - so your deed is purely a Vistana issue.

To change the names on your deed(s) they have to be re-issued, and re-recorded with the County Registrar's Office, and Vistana.

This is who I use:

L.T. Transfers
Lisa Short and Mary Pless
http://www.lttransfers.com/
readylegal@gmail.com
706.219.2709

 

[thinze3]

Does Starwood offer "Lounge" or "Club" access for elites?

Are there any perks for having Gold status as for as food is concerned - breakfast, evening Hors d’oeuvres, etc..?

 

[SandyPGravel]

Are there any perks for having Gold status as for as food is concerned - breakfast, evening Hors d’oeuvres, etc..?

Gold status can sometimes get you upgraded to club floor, but don't count on it happening.

IME : Nashville=no Sioux Falls, SD = yes

 

[DeniseM]

Not much - there are a lot of gold members, so it's really diluted - you can get gold status by buying a timeshare or with the Starwood AMEX.

However, some people have reported nice upgrades with Gold status outside the US.

 

[DeniseM]

We don't use our SPG points for hotel stays, because we very rarely stay in hotels. So is there any downside to not integrating at this time?

Of course, I assume that eventually everyone will be rolled over, even if they don't take any action on this.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I have a difficult time comparing hotel cards and points, deciphering which are really a great value and which are not.

I keep our IHG card because we get a free night each year, and we get more value for that night than we pay for the annual fee.

Same thing with the Carlson Club Visa. It's been nice staying in a $200/ night hotel room for the annual fee, and the one in Seattle usually upgrades us to a nicer room and a hot breakfast buffet for one. I have to pay for the other breakfast, which is somewhat annoying.

The Hyatt card is an amazing deal for us. There are great hotels in San Francisco and Santa Clara, some are very low points, 8,000 points for the nights we have stayed at the Hyatt House Santa Clara. It's a great value because we can transfer our Ultimate Rewards to Hyatt. With our manufactured spend, we pay about $6.00 per 1,000 UR points, so a room at the Hyatt for 8,000 points ($48) is a bargain (and we don't pay sales tax either).

Marriott and Starwood, I have never had a Marriott card. We have the Starwood Amex, but we are going to dump it in favor of the Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3X points, and we will transfer points to Hyatt more than the others.

We also love Southwest, but we have more than enough points in our SW account for now.

We have booked First Class to/from Hawaii through the UR portal. We save about 1/2 using the portal for our airfare, counting our MS exclusively. But we also get about 100K points annually with our timeshare MF's, eating out, car rentals, etc., so it's not even that much, counting in "free" UR points for our regular spending.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Not much - there are a lot of gold members, so it's really diluted - you can get gold status by buying a timeshare or with the Starwood AMEX.

However, some people have reported nice upgrades with Gold status outside the US.

This person has previously reported upgrades as a lowly SPG Gold at Westin and Sheraton hotels in the US... (but not as common as ex-US hotels)

While we have just increased the number hotels that can be accessed (yeah! just went from 2 hotels to more than a dozen in the Napa/Sonoma/Marin area) - there is now a huge increase in Platinum level Marriott folk going to compete with SPG Platinums privileges at Westin/Sheraton hotels.

 

[DeniseM]

Hi Dave - that is wonderful - which of these things did you get?

Are there any perks for having Gold status as for as food is concerned - breakfast, evening Hors d’oeuvres, etc..?

 

[DavidnRobin]

Hi Dave - that is wonderful - which of these things did you get?

We have received some food/drink benefits as SPG Gold (but never used food ones) - depending on situation and hotel. I was responding to SPG Gold benefits for US hotels for room upgrades, that are much more valuable than hotel food (at least for us). We rarely eat at the hotel as it is - still avoiding unhealthy processed foods (and sugar) for the most part.

watch out for that fuzzy math

 

[thinze3]

This person has previously reported upgrades as a lowly SPG Gold at Westin and Sheraton hotels in the US... (but not as common as ex-US hotels)

While we have just increased the number hotels that can be accessed (yeah! just went from 2 hotels to more than a dozen in the Napa/Sonoma/Marin area) - there is now a huge increase in Platinum level Marriott folk going to compete with SPG Platinums privileges at Westin/Sheraton hotels.

With Marriott, they will give you card access to the lounge even if the Lounge Level is sold out.

We just returned from the Napa Marriott and had that exact situation. Hot breakfast every morning, although not the best, and hors d'oeuvres each evening. BTW - this Marriott hotel was simply a well kept low rise hotel. It was nice, but not what I was hoping for.

 

[Ken555]

but not what I was hoping for.

This describes most of my experiences over the years with Marriott. My expectations are fairly low for the chain hotels, and SPG was a nice change, in large part, since many of them (not all) are quite good. That said, I've only stayed at a Marriott overseas a few times and that's where SPG really shines, so might need to try other Marriotts abroad.

Ultimately, it's all about the numbers.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[nokaoi9]

I am currently sitting on ~150K SPG points. If I transfer to Marriott, it would be ~450K points. Can I still convert to airline miles (Hawaiian)? If so, this is a no brainer.

 

[Helios]

With Marriott, they will give you card access to the lounge even if the Lounge Level is sold out.

SPG Plat is the same (so is Hilton Diamond).

 

[myip]

Marriott Platinum/SPG platinum

What is the benefits comparison with Marriott Platinum and SPG platinum. Should I convert the staroptions to startpoints to Marriott points?

 

[Negma]

In less than 24 hours I was given silver status on united as a new Marriot platinum! Nice Marriot perk.

 

[myip]

In less than 24 hours I was given silver status on united as a new Marriot platinum! Nice Marriot perk.

How did you get silver status on United? I just linked up my SPG with Marriott. I just got Marriott Platinum.

 

[alohakevin]

What is the benefits comparison with Marriott Platinum and SPG platinum. Should I convert the staroptions to startpoints to Marriott points?

From a points perspective the conversion is 1 starpoint to 3 rewards points and vise versa

 

[duke]

How did you get silver status on United? I just linked up my SPG with Marriott. I just got Marriott Platinum.

Log in Marriott web site: click on My Account at top of page in right hand corner, Click on Discover Benefits, Click on Whats New, Scroll down to middle of page and CLICK ON REWARDSPLUS - then Learn More.

Marriott Platinum get automatic UNITED AIRLINES SILVER STATUS through the RewardsPlus Marriott program.

 

[dioxide45]

What is the benefits comparison with Marriott Platinum and SPG platinum. Should I convert the staroptions to startpoints to Marriott points?

I don't think this is possible. According to a post in the Starwood thread on the subject, points derived from timeshare ownership can't be transferred between the two programs. Though in the past Marriott Reward points earned from timeshare conversion were said to not be able to be used for reward redemption stays in to MVC properties, but we know that MR has no way to differentiate between the points derived from timeshare conversion or those earned through hotel or CC stays.

All that said, generally using your timeshare for reward points of any kind is usually a poor value. I don't see where this new change would make it any better.

 

[Scott&Laura]

Thank you for bringing this to our attention


I am puzzled that Marriot is using ownership at 3 to 1 ratio That implies Marriott is devaluing Starwood ownership by 19.05% That seems rather brash


Is the 3 to 1 a fact or rough estimate at this time as if accurate roughly 19% of the money Marriott is using is coming directly out of our pockets That valuation seems strange coming from a company that said Starwood Loyalty was most important for its acquisition.

Did I miss something?


Scott

 

[DeniseM]

I am puzzled that Marriot is using ownership at 3 to 1 ratio That implies Marriott is devaluing Starwood ownership by 19.05% That seems rather brash

These are hotel points - not timeshare ownership.

This is like saying that 1 US dollar is worth 3 Euros - each currency has a different underlying value.

Also - there is no Starwood ownership - Starwood is Vistana now.

 

[Scott&Laura]

Thanks Denise

As I understand the major previous selling point of loyalty for Starwood as the ability to exchange and use Hotels. The percentage of Ownership usage versus exchanges will be the % of that 19.05 % However at the end of the day


Marriott is funding their purchase price of Starwood by devaluing the obligation Starwood previously had to owners who exchanged into Hotel points. By reducing their commitments to honor obligations Starwood had Marriott has reduced their obligations and that becomes positive on the bottom line


That seems to be a really bizzare message Marriott is portending to send overtly and I wonder if a mistake was made----or was the Class Action suit fine print waiver in maintenance fees tied to that.

It makes no sense to me to buy a company for known for loyal customers merely to micturate on them.


Scott

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks Denise

As I understand the major previous selling point of loyalty for Starwood as the ability to exchange and use Hotels. The percentage of Ownership usage versus exchanges will be the % of that 19.05 % However at the end of the day


Marriott is funding their purchase price of Starwood by devaluing the obligation Starwood previously had to owners who exchanged into Hotel points. By reducing their commitments to honor obligations Starwood had Marriott has reduced their obligations and that becomes positive on the bottom line


That seems to be a really bizzare message Marriott is portending to send overtly and I wonder if a mistake was made----or was the Class Action suit fine print waiver in maintenance fees tied to that.

It makes no sense to me to buy a company for known for loyal customers merely to micturate on them.


Scott

No one is forcing you to convert points from SPG to MR. SPG members haven't lost anything, they can continue to use their points in SPG just as they did before.

 

[blondietink]

Ok, so we are gold with Starwood. So, we should now sign up for the Marriott program and we will automatically be gold there also? Since Vistana timeshares are separate, I assume our 3star Elite will mean nothing in the Marriott program. Correct?

 

[DeniseM]

Ok, so we are gold with Starwood. So, we should now sign up for the Marriott program and we will automatically be gold there also? Since Vistana timeshares are separate, I assume our 3 star Elite will mean nothing in the Marriott program. Correct?

Yes, and Yes.