Discussion: SPG Lifetime™ Gold and SPG Lifetime™ Platinum status

What is the basis for making this statement? I was specifically told at the SPG event that individual hotels will not know if you are anything other than a Platinum guest unless and until you use one of those Suite Certificates, for example. I specifically asked whether the hotel would see that I’m Lifetime, and was told no by several of the SPG chiefs. I’m writing about a hotel that you make a reservation at, not SPG Central.

Now, if someone regularly patronizes a particular hotel(s), that/those hotels will certainly be offering that guest something extra, and the only thing it’s related to is how many nights, or money has been spent, at that hotel by that guest, and not because of some imagined Plat Tier standing.

I’ve met these execs at other events, and I've never been lied to by them. If you have some special source of info to show me that they lied to my face, and that individual hotels will somehow know and treat so-called “Plat50“’s, etc. or “Plat Tiers“ differently, please share it to back up your statements.

At the very least they know things like your starpoint balance. I've had hotels mention this at checkin. I'm certainly not claiming they know everything or the specific things that you say they don't, but they get more than your name and status.

Yes, they know your balance. And we’ll find out over the next year whether they actually do know things like Lifetime or other “Tier” status markers.

If you show your SPG card at check in, they will see the lifetime status indicated on it.

And yet, I’ve never shown my card at check-in, although I do check that they have my number on file, and will probably do my own check by continuing not to show it at first, and then see if there’s anything different that happens if I do. Not scientific.

But, that’s not the point. The point is what the hotel sees in the reservation. You’ve stated that hotels will know if you’re a so-called Plat50, just as they’d know that I’m Lifetime, and they’d react to that info being provided to them by SPG Central. That SPG Central intends to provide that info to hotels because they’re creating new levels within Plat, rather than just simply leaving us all as Plats. I’m simply disputing that based on what I’ve been told by SPG kahunas that a Plat is a Plat is a Plat, and that this info won’t be given in advance to hotels by SPG Central.

And while I may have a different card because of Lifetime status, if SPG were truly creating mini-tiers, then each of your so-called levels of Plat would get their own card to flash at the desk on check-in. You’re certainly free to state that you’re actually a “Plat50“ rather than just a Plat if you want to see what sort of reaction you get.

We’ll see what happens.

It's looking like I'll never get one of these cards, though I did get notice of earning Lifetime Platinum. The problem? I travel constantly, which, one would think, would make me a desireable customer. But I don't have a home, only a post office box (or a few post office boxes to be precise) and the Lifetime Plat packages are being sent FedEx.

So, drop me a note with your account number and the address where you want it sent and let me see if there is an alternative way for you to receive it.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

spgchampion@starwoodhotels.com

I generally like the changes, but really have agreed with MSPeconomist's great posts. Not that I think it will matter much for me-- as someone who has been an SPG member since 1999, and has been Gold all but three of those years, It will take me several more years to get to lifetime Gold, given the 250 night threshold. Looks like there's a limit to the value of my piddly 10+ stays a year!

It's a good time to drop all status with SPG, and their Amex card, to focus on Hilton. I believe that Plat status achieved through "stays count double" promos means that year is not counted towards the 10 years necessary for lifetime Plat. Plus, SPG point accumulation is typically measly on one-night stays, especially if you choose a potentially spartan continental breakfast which disqualifies you from earning Plat amenity points. At Hyatt and Hilton's top tiers, you get breakfast AND bonus points. At Hilton right now, I can earn 7,000 HH points plus breakfast on a $100 one-night weekend stay, counting their current promo, plus earned VS miles returned to HH, plus HH Amex Surpass card earning. At SPG, I'd earn roughly 500 Starpoints if charging to the SPG Amex.

I'm certainly re-ealuating Starwood versus the alternatives. In fact, I cancelled three SPG reservations in early February.

I must have missed that... was that in the T&C? Not that it matters for me, but that seems like a terrible exception to make!

I’m also wondering what you’re basing this on, other than belief? I’m now Lifetime Plat, and I’m sure that some of the years I was Plat were due to “stays count double”.

Therefore, I believe that those years do count. I certainly have way over the nights required.

Of course, SPG Champion could set the record straight.

I'm not going to get into the area of proprietary information and explicitly lay out what does and doesn't count, but anyone who benefitted from relaxed criteria, be it from gesture of goodwill to a stays/nights count double offer is not being "punished".

Anyone who wishes to have their account verified as being accurate as far as years at Platinum or Gold or number of lifetime nights can contact me, Thyetus, Christina or anyone else at the Customer Contact Center.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

spgchampion@starwoodhotels.com

Ever the diplomat!

Heck.... William is caught between a rock and a hard place.... remember he has to deal with status hungry sharks like us that test and test everything to the limit..... and some folks do it in ways that is at least debatable.

I think he does a great job and I commend him on always keeping his cool and having all the patience that he does with all of us.

I agree. Plus, even when it’s bad news for one of us, he tells it straight.