Earning SPG Platinum status

[PamMo]

There's an interesting thread on the Marriott board (http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158520) about earning Marriott Platinum status every year through a combination of timeshare and hotel stays, credit card purchases, etc. Starwood and SPG threads on FlyerTalk don't mention anywhere that timeshare stays earn points (unlike Marriott). Other than buying/retro-ing units, and spending dollars at SVN resorts, can anyone share their best tips for regular old Starwood timeshare owners to reach elite status?

 

[DeniseM]

Revised: I don't know of any way for Starwood TS owners to reach SPG Plat except for buying many timeshare or having many hotel stays.

I am not aware of anything special for TS owners - timeshare stays and Starwood AMEX purchases do not count toward SPG Plat.

Spending $30K per year on the Starwood AMEX will only get you lowly Gold Status - which is so common as to be nearly useless. and all developer owners get it automatically.

 

[PamMo]

Thanks, Denise. That's pretty much what I thought, until I read that thread on earning platinum elite status on the Marriott board. Timeshare stays counting towards elite status sounds awesome! (It's not like the nights are free, right? )

 

[YYJMSP]

If your units were in SVN, you could convert enough to SPG points to stay 25 times / 50 nights, and that would get you Platinum for a year now that award stays count towards status.

Not that I'm suggesting that is even remotely worth it...

 

[PamMo]

All our Star Options are from resale mandatory resorts, so no converting to Points for us. We're very happy with Starwood ownership, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something in the fine print that would be of benefit to us. I know all about buying developer unit(s) to retro our resales in for Elite status, but it isn't worth THAT much more to us right now.

 

[MichaelColey]

Timeshare stays don't count, but there are lots of other ways to get there if it's important to you.


One option: If you have a lot of credit card spend, you can essentially "buy" status through award stays using the Starpoints you earn from the CC. Spending $30k on the SPG AmEx will get you 30k Starpoints and 2 stay credits. Spending $30k on a Business SPG AmEx will get you another 30k Starpoints and another 2 stay credits. You need 21 more stays to hit Platinum. I'm assuming you have at least 5 (otherwise, why do you need status?), so that leaves 16. You can stay in a Category 1 for as little as 2k points or a Category 2 for as little as 3k points, so do 16 separate (not consecutive) one night stays in a local Category 1 or 2 on a weeknight. That's 32k or 48k points. So for $60k in CC spending (which would earn you $600 on a 1% cash back card) and the time it takes to do about 16 checkins, you could get Platinum status and still have some Starpoints left over.

I'm not saying this is worth it either, but it's an option.

Another option: Some wait for a "stays count double" promotion (which only works with paid stays, not points stays) and do 9-12 mattress runs (i.e. staying just for the points/credits) to hit Platinum.

Another option: This would only work once, but if you spend $40k on a Hilton Surpass AmEx, you get Hilton Diamond status. Near the end of that status, request a status match with Starwood (which you can only do once in your lifetime) to get Platinum.

 

[Ken555]

I think it's just a matter of time before SVN starts counting timeshare stays for SPG level. They added award stays just recently, so I suspect timeshare stays may be next (though it could take a few years at the pace they move).

I'm at a Marriott timeshare today, using xyz, for a conference and it's the easiest seven nights toward my Marriott elite level that I've ever had. It is a great feature. Unfortunately, I think I'll be just 5-6 nights from the next level by the end of the year, so for the first time I'm considering a mattress run.

 

[lorenmd]

i'm putting my daughter in a cat 2 every fri, sat for the next month. each friday is a stay and each sat is a stay and the hotel is not making her check in and out. i am then 5 stays away from platinum and i think i can get 5 myself in december with drive bys.

 

[MichaelColey]

i'm putting my daughter in a cat 2 every fri, sat for the next month. each friday is a stay and each sat is a stay and the hotel is not making her check in and out. i am then 5 stays away from platinum and i think i can get 5 myself in december with drive bys.

I wouldn't count on Fri and Sat both counting as a stay. From what I've read, Starwood's computers catch those back to back nights at a single property and treat them as a single stay. You have to alternate back and forth between two hotels or skip a day for it to count as a separate stay.

 

[lorenmd]

so far they have not taken them away. i also have 10 rooms for 4 nights in december and spg said i can count 3 of the rooms, so that would be 3 stays or 12 nights, so i'm pretty close on the nights too. i hope it ends up worth it,

 

[sml2181]

Are you sure?

As far as I know, they will allocate points for up to 3 rooms. Stays will count for 1 room only.

Maybe things have changed, (I'm plat for life now so don't count anymore) but I have almost always reserved multiple rooms, and I always received nights for 1 room only and points for up to 3 rooms.

 

[YYJMSP]

You only get 1 stay credit for the Fri/Sat scenario you describe.

You only get stay/nights credit for 1 room for the multiple rooms scenario you describe.

From the SPG FAQ:

How many rooms can I earn credit for per stay?

Members can earn Starpoints for up to three rooms per stay when 1) each room is paid for by the member and all charges are settled at check-out; and 2) one room is occupied by the member. Please note that members will only get one credit toward elite status, not all three rooms will count.

What is the difference between a “stay” and a “room night?

A "stay" is defined as one or more consecutive nights at a participating property paying an eligible rate. A "room night" is defined as one night at any participating property paying an eligible rate.
​

 

[DavidnRobin]

I disagree that SPG Gold is useless (sry DM) - it has been useful to us many times (incl US hotels).

 

[lorenmd]

well, so far they have been crediting each night if i check out and then check back in, this is not to say, if they audit my account that they will retract the credit. i may have a flurry of every other night check ins in December if that happens, but i will call them to make sure my account is accurately reflected come mid December since i am on this quest for platinum. i occasionally get benefits from gold but i found out, if you are platinum, you always get the benefit of the club level, even if there are no rooms available, you get the key card that gets you there, and that is mostly what i am hoping for. i'll let you know how it all works out. my husband thinks i'm nuts.

 

[MichaelColey]

YMMV on what gets credited as stays, but the rules (and the collective experience of others) say that it shouldn't. If you're planning this just to get status, is it really worth the risk to skirt the rules if you can just make plans that work with the rules? If they end up not counting, you will have paid for a lot of rooms for no purpose.

As for the worth of Gold status, it certainly does have some value. It's not as good as mid-tier status in some other programs, and it's nowhere near as good as Platinum status, but it does help. If you travel internationally, Gold can get some really good upgrades. My SPG Gold status has helped a few times here domestically.

I usually get status through CC spending ($30k on SPG AmEx gets you Gold with Starwood and $40k on Hilton Surpass AmEx gets you Diamond with Hilton), and I've found Hilton Diamond to be better for me. I'm really questioning the need for status, though, since I discovered timeshares. We used to stay in hotels quite a bit, but now it's mainly timeshares.

 

[YYJMSP]

Definitely YMMV

I recently gifted 3x 1night bookings (same hotel, same night) to family (I didn't stay with them, but my name shows on the reservation and the family member's name as an additional guest) and I just noticed that I got points for 2 rooms, plus the Platinum 500 points amenity for one, and credit for 2 stays/nights.

Go figure...

 

[DavidnRobin]

I disagree that SPG Gold is useless (sry DM) - it has been useful to us many times (incl US hotels).

Another SPG Gold data point... was upgraded to a suite from a standard room at the San Diego Sheraton (airport/marina) - as well as a 4pm check-out.

 

[jarta]

dman, ... "I disagree that SPG Gold is useless (sry DM)"

You can use her name. It's not a violation of TUG posting rules to disagree with her.

If you don't ever use it, it's hard to remember how good it feels when you do. Good enough bang for the buck, maybe yes - and maybe no. ... eom

 

[Antonio 8069]

I think it's just a matter of time before SVN starts counting timeshare stays for SPG level. They added award stays just recently, so I suspect timeshare stays may be next (though it could take a few years at the pace they move).

Starwood does count timeshare stays at certain properties towards SP Platinum status. The issue is complex, & I recommend reading all the do's 7 don'ts over on flyertalk:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star...lando-vistana-properties-master-thread-2.html

ps PLAT is definitely worth it!

 

[LisaRex]

Per a FTer, as of 11/11 SPG members are supposed to get platinum benefits at SVO properties. Not sure if this include view upgrade, late check-out, etc.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/17613965-post4.html

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

Revised: I don't know of any way for Starwood TS owners to reach SPG Plat except for buying many timeshare or having many hotel stays.

I am not aware of anything special for TS owners - timeshare stays and Starwood AMEX purchases do not count toward SPG Plat.

Spending $30K per year on the Starwood AMEX will only get you lowly Gold Status - which is so common as to be nearly useless. and all developer owners get it automatically.

Gold status is actually valuable if you are traveling outside USA (especially in Europe and Asia).

 

[jarta]

"Per a FTer, as of 11/11 SPG members are supposed to get platinum benefits at SVO properties. Not sure if this include view upgrade, late check-out, etc."

Horrible misinformation! You did not link the entire thread. Nothing else in the thread indicates that.

Here's the post you linked:

"Apparently the new rule is that as of 11/11, there should be platinum amenities."

Here's what the linked post was directly in reply to:

"My ONLY grumble, I have been fighting for my platinum amenity for the one night I paid for. After speaking with 3 people over 2 weeks, I am now being told this property has limited participation in SPG, and does not give amenity points. Please note, I knew the limited participation, it is on their website, and it outlines what the do not provide, and amenity points is not one of them. While this will not prevent me from returning, it IS a rather big disappointment considering I chose this property over the Equinox."

Here's what the SBP website says about SPG:

"Starwood Preferred Guest Information
Although this is a villa property, with fully equipped units, a unique exception has been made to allow this location to participate in the Starwood Preferred Guest program. Due to the nature of this exceptional villa, this location is unable to offer upgrades, late check-out, or daily newspaper. This location will credit Starpoints on all eligible dollars spent and will allow free night award stays but with the following restrictions:

May only book within 365 days of arrival
Inventory may be limited
Starpoints acquired through conversion of a vacation ownership interest may not be redeemed at a Starwood Vacation Ownership property. "

You can always post anything on the Internet. ... eom

 

[YYJMSP]

"Apparently the new rule is that as of 11/11, there should be platinum amenities."

The standard Platinum amenity for a hotel stay is usually 250 or 500 SPG points (depending on brand you stayed at), and/or a choice of a few ~$10 value items (i.e. drink/snack, movie credit, etc).

I've never been offered that at a SVO property. The only "amenity" you get at a SVO property involves you first selling your soul for up to 2hrs to the sales staff...

I wonder if the Platinum amentiy gets offered if you're paying for a room by the night, or using SPG points to stay (i.e. treating it like a hotel stay).

 

[LisaRex]

Horrible misinformation! You did not link the entire thread. Nothing else in the thread indicates that.

You can argue whether this particular FTer's claim that as of 11/11, platinum benefits would be granted at SVO properties, but you cannot accuse me of spreading horrible misinformation. Not only did I include a link to the exact quote, which also includes a link to the entire thread, but I prefaced my comment with the words, "Per a FTer" so that the audience would know that it was from a FT poster and not Starwood.

 

[jarta]

LisaRex, ... "you cannot accuse me of spreading horrible misinformation. Not only did I include a link to the exact quote, which also includes a link to the entire thread, but I prefaced my comment with the words, "Per a FTer"

Then, I guess you did read the entire thread. However, you obviously did not go to the SBP web site that the person who was having trouble getting platinum amenties posted about.

And, however, you justify your posting the link to the post alone, it is still horrible misinformation about the SBP "rule" - which doesn't exist.

Solution? Since the information obviously is not true and SPG status will not get you upgrades or late checkout (or daily newspaper) at SBP, you remove your posts about the issue and I'll blank out mine and we'll just call it a false alarm. ... eom