SPG Platinum: The Game

Starwood Preferred Guest program is a little daunting at first, many people say they only get upgrades to suites a very minimal amount of times... those people are either unlucky enough to travel during peak dates where other SPG Plats/VIPs beat them to the upgrade or unlucky to use the resources at their disposal...

Luckly, I am equipped with an iPhone, that means, as a SPG Platinum member, i receive free internet with my stay, so even though I'm abroad and my phone is left on airplane mode, i have access to SPG's website


I will describe a typical check-in

The W San Francisco - Booked a wonderful room

"I see your starwood number on file, thank you for being a valued platinum member, we have upgraded you to a nice room"

So i ask, "do you have any suites available?"

Where the receptionist would reply, I'm sorry, our suites are fully book for the evening.

So thanks to this wonderful invention called: the internet, i pull up this screen

Which the receptionist would inform you that it does not show up on their screen

at this point, you could either let it go, ask for a manager or tweet @SPG

I like managers....

After a few minutes of someone in the "back" suddenly my SPG app shows my room was "upgraded"

Published SPG Plat benefit

Bang & Olufsen

The other people checking-in next to me had similar conversations, requesting similar, to fail LOL

and YES there were 2 FULL BATHS