Triangle Trip

Following up on my last article, SPG is finally showing free weekend nights awards online at spg.com (you have three more days to earn another free night which can be redeemed before the end of September 30, 2009).

To check your SPG free weekend nights status, login to SPG’s website, select account information, than under Starpoints@ Awards, click “My Earned Award” link.

The My Earned Award page should show you the number of free weekend night awards.  Reminder, they expire end of September and are running out of rooms fast.  Use them or lose them.

Quick update: I just booked a category 5 hotel for labor day weekend.  The process took a little bit since everyone is saving their awards for the last minute august/september travel.  The spg operator has to search date by date for the hotel of choice.  I had the operator search through each weekend in september for numerous hotels until we luckily found one.  Book quick for the higher category hotels.

Following up on previous post regarding how to check status, SPG has responded with email notifications.

Previously, the only way to find out the number of free weekends awarded was to call SPG’s award winning customer service.  The e-mail I finally received was a pleasant surprise.  Another reason to bank at Starwood (more reasons why hotel points are more valuable than airline miles), they respond to demand and answer!

Westin is offering 500 SPG points in exchange for you to make your own bed (or reuse your towels).  Another way to phrase it is:  “500 SPG points in exchange for saving them costs in labor and laundry.”  A third way to put it (as Starwood Corp. would like to tell its customers):  “Help the earth and enjoy a gift from us!”

Instead of the 500 SPG points, you can choose to get a $5 gift card to be used at the Westin restaurant, lounge or gift shop.  I was recently at a Westin in Pasadena, CA and the Westin in San Francisco, and saw the card with the following message upon arrival:

You tidy, we treat

You may choose to decline housekeeping service for the following day by hanging this card on your door before 2am. In return for going green, we will deliver a $5 gift card that you may use towards any Restaurant, Lounge, or Room Service purchase within the hotel. If you prefer, you may exchange unused gift card at the front desk for 500 SPG points.

The catch here is you will need to put the tag out by the door before 2AM.  I guess the Westin staff need to determine which room will not be serviced the following day and issue your card on time.  You will not qualify for this offer if you are only staying for one night.