Starwood Hotels

[Troopers]

I'm a Starwood vacation owner, an SPG Gold member and also have an Amex Platinum. Any suggestion on how to "utilize my status" to get lower Starwood hotel room rates?

Thanks.

 

[pointsjunkie]

the best way is to check the owner's only rates on my starcentral. or so on starwood and try the 35% off or call and use the spg50 coupon's or use cash and points. and then take the lowest rate.

 

[nodge]

SVN members get 10% off the lowest publicly available rates (except "starpick" rates) at all Starwood HOTELS (including the internet only pre-paid rates). To get this deal, log onto mystarcentral.com and click on the "Starwood Preferred Guest" folder along the top of the page, then page down to find a link to the 10% off hotel discount.

I should note that you can often get a better rate if you are a member of just about any trade organization (ABA, AMA etc.) .

SPG gold status isn't worth much, except I've had no trouble getting a guaranteed 4 PM late check-out at Starwood HOTELS whenever I've asked.

SVN members are also supposed to be able to get 35% off the nightly rate at SVN TIMESHARES, but I've never had any luck getting that rate, so it may just be a myth.

Good Luck and Welcome!

-nodge

 

[DeniseM]

SVN members are also supposed to be able to get 35% off the nightly rate at SVN TIMESHARES, but I've never had any luck getting that rate, so it may just be a myth.

On our last Maui trip, we rented 2 extra nights at the WKORV and got that rate - you have to call for it. I went through owner services. So anyway, at 35% off, it only cost us an arm, instead of an arm and a leg to rent....

You get the BEST Starwood hotel rates...on Priceline! I once got the Sheraton Waikiki for less than $100 a night!

 

[Henry M.]

I'd get a Starwood AmEx to earn more points (and save a lot of money compared to the Platinum AmEx fees). I 've found SPG's AAA/Automobile Association rates are usually lower than the rates without special discounts. Many corporate rates are good too, so if you work for a large company you can try to find their SET code for Starwood.

 

[pointsjunkie]

if you spend alot of money on your amex card, there is a promotion to get 40000 starpoints if you spend $15000 in 6 months. it is the starwood amex thread.

 

[Troopers]

I'd get a Starwood AmEx to earn more points (and save a lot of money compared to the Platinum AmEx fees).

The family flys three or four a year for vacation so the Amex Platinum saves me much more $$ than the Starwood Amex would. The points earned on the Amex Platinum doesn't trade well into the Starwood system so I use them in other ways.

Thanks anyways.

 

[DeniseM]

if you spend alot of money on your amex card, there is a promotion to get 40000 starpoints if you spend $15000 in 6 months. it is the starwood amex thread.

I can't find it - what is the name of the thread? THANKS!

 

[saluki]

I can't find it - what is the name of the thread? THANKS!

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50662

 

[DeniseM]

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50662

I'm sorry - I did see the one from July. I thought you were talking about a new offer.

 

[stevens397]

R Chen-

If I read your last post correctly, you use your AMEX Platinum for plane tickets for your family. Unless you're flying Continental or United, you will do much better (like 25%) if you switch to the Starwood AMEX. 20,000 Starwood points will get you 25,000 miles - not even close to me. Of course, if you absolutely need CO or United, that's another story, but even there, you can redeem the Starpoints with a partner and get those flights, less any Elite benefits you may have with those airlines.

We've flown British Airways twice - once First Class and once Business, having turned our Starpoints to their partner, Cathay Pacific. The same tickets if redeemed directly with BA would have cost many more points. There is a lot to learn - you might try starting where I did at www.flyertalk.com.

 

[myip]

If you need united airline, transfer starwood points to USAIR . I use USAIR to book United - I have to pay $15 transaction fees through operator.

 

[Troopers]

R Chen-

If I read your last post correctly, you use your AMEX Platinum for plane tickets for your family. Unless you're flying Continental or United, you will do much better (like 25%) if you switch to the Starwood AMEX. 20,000 Starwood points will get you 25,000 miles - not even close to me. Of course, if you absolutely need CO or United, that's another story, but even there, you can redeem the Starpoints with a partner and get those flights, less any Elite benefits you may have with those airlines.

We've flown British Airways twice - once First Class and once Business, having turned our Starpoints to their partner, Cathay Pacific. The same tickets if redeemed directly with BA would have cost many more points. There is a lot to learn - you might try starting where I did at www.flyertalk.com.

I use Amex Platinum 2 for 1 (domestic and international) airline tickets when I fly with the family. There's 6 of us which requires LOTS of points to fly using points for 2+ trips per year. I found that I'm better off using the 2 for 1 program on the Amex Platinum. Also, as the family has grown, using points became too difficult because of all the various restrictions and rules. I typically fly on United primarily becuase San Francisco is a hub for them but I'm not loyal to any particular airline.

 

[Troopers]

Back to the subject thread....

I typically stay at Marriott hotels but since I finally closed on a (resale, yeah!) WKORV unit, I was hoping that this combined with the fact that I'm a SPG Gold member (via the Amex Platinum card; a resale purchase does NOT qualify for SPG Gold status) would get me better rates on the hotels. But I guess not.

 

[DeniseM]

The discounts SPG offers are mostly off rack rate, and they are often not available, so you can almost always do better on your own - what will get you better rates is reading flyertalk religiously, but unless you are a big business traveler, it might be too much trouble. It can be interesting, but they are a bit fanatical over there. (Sure glad we Tuggers aren't fanatical! ) If you ask a question that has already been asked, or is a basic newbie question, they get their panties in a wad, so I use the search function before I ask anything, and I mostly just read.

 

[pointsjunkie]

denise- glad you feel the same way as i do when i go on flyertalk. they will bite your head off. i got berated for asking an innocent question. i did not know there was a thread on it already. oh my gosh!!!! we here at TUG seem much nicer and more willing to help.

BUT i have gotten some great information from them. which i have used.

 

[rocky]

You know, one really great way to get more Starpoints when you need them is to have an appropriate number of starpoints assigned to the SVO unit you own.

For example, say you could exchange your unit for 80,000 starpoints that used to get an owner 8 or so nights at a comparable hotel about a mile or so away.

Then SUDDENLY the same hotel with the very same bed, waste can, shower head and TV remote control was worth 2,000 more starpoints a night...... 16,000 more starpoints than before!!! But your newer, bigger unit with all the same stuff + a living room and full kitchen was still worth the same measley 80,000 points.....

Now fixing that obvious error in starpoints valuations would really be a great way to get more starpoints for owners that desperately need them for their own nefarious purposes.