Recently I had to book a trip to Chicago and I requested the client book me a ticket on United – my preferred carrier.  It is here where I know the agents at my home airport by name, here where I can get the best seats and board first.  My global services status is AWESOME!  My Red Carpet Club membership provides an oasis at the airport.  But unfortunately my client’s preferred carrier is American, and their flight to Chicago at similar times was $5 cheaper.  I offered to pay the $5, but NOOOO, they had to book it on American.

So what really made me nervous is not having any status on American and having to live like the ”infrequent” travelers do.  How would I deal with being shoved in a cramped seat in the back of the plane?  What would I do if I couldn’t fit my carry-on bags in the overhead bin because I had to board the plane last?  What would I do if I was running late to the airport and couldn’t use the elite check-in line?  All these questions plagued me for days leading up to……my call to the American Advantage desk.

I hadn’t flown American in several years – at least 4 years because at that time I got married and changed my name but failed to notify AA to update my (in)frequent flier account.  Why bother if I never fly them?  Actually, it may have been longer than that because the address they had on file for me was 8 years old.

So I called the advantage desk to ask about status matching.  I figured “who wouldn’t want a super-duper Global Services member” flying with them?  I have done status matching with hotels and it worked, why not with the airlines?   But before we could deal with this question, we had to deal with the fact that the name on my account did not match the name on my reservation.  To my delight the agent was able to change my account name on the fly!!  With everything else where I had to change my name, I had to fax in a copy of my marriage certificate and write a letter requesting the change.  Here I was able to do it over the phone.  Very convenient!!

We also had to change my 8 year old address.  No wonder I haven’t been bombarded with credit card offers and other junk from AA – they were sending it all to my ex-husband.  This too was a very simple change over the phone.

Another thing the agent informed me of was that I had lost 28,000 miles from my account a few months prior.  I bet my ex-husband knew that, but I didn’t.  So she offered me a program to reclaim those miles and get them back into my account – and it was only going to cost me the price of an airline ticket for flights over 750 miles each way.  Well I jumped on that program in a heartbeat!  The flight my client booked is 783 miles each way, and my client already paid for it, so YEAH!!  I will be getting my 28,000 miles back very soon!!

Finally I got to my status match question.  Much to my chagrin I was informed that AA does not do status matching, but they do have a program where I can pay $80 and earn 5000 points by flying within a certain amount of time, and I could earn gold status the quick way.   I thought – wow, gold status would be great!  But I wasn’t planning on flying AA ever again.  (I would have to be smarter about my travel requests next time so that they could only be filled by United.)

So after I declined to participate in this acceleration program, the agent thanked me for being a Gold member.  WHAT???  When did I become a Gold member?  Like I said, it had been many years since I had flown AA, so I certainly didn’t earn Gold status.  My ex probably knows all about this, but I must have been offered Gold status due to my status in other programs and I didn’t even know it.  I don’t know how long it will last, but having it now certainly alleviated much of my nervousness about this trip.

So I get to the airport and check in, but I notice that my boarding pass shows the Gold status, but yet it has me boarding in Group 3.  I went to the gate agent to ask and she was able to fix it so that I had priority boarding.  Then I asked about a seat change.  I am flying on a puddle-jumper jet with 1 seat (A) on the left side, and 2 (B,C) on the right.  My computer bag is somewhat large and doesn’t usually fit under the A seats so I asked to be moved to a B or C.  She had to wait until 15 minutes before departure, but she was able to get me a B with and open C – best seat in the house!!!  And I am not even a real Gold member.  I guess I am what you call False Gold!!!

So as I sit on the plane, I am wildly ecstatic about how events worked out to calm all my nervous fears, but I desperately miss that complementary upgrade to first class, or at the very least I miss economy plus seating with 5 extra inches of leg room.  One thing I am still nervous about……will my False Gold status run out at the end of this month (today), or will I have it for my return trip home 5 days from now.  Wish me luck!!!

“But why, when you are working at the same place every day?” he asked.  The only truthful reply that I had was that I am obviously crazy!

So now I had to explain my reason for putting myself through the inconvenience of packing up, checking out, checking in, and unpacking EVERY SINGLE DAY this week…..”Well Sweetie, Marriott is running a promotion where I can get 2500 bonus points with every stay after my first stay, and Hilton offers Diamond status to someone who has 28 stays or 60 nights.  So I am trying to maximize benefits at both chains”.

“Why?”  he asked.  “Is it the “thrill” of going for these promotions or are you running low on points?”  Hmmm….I had to think about that one.  I don’t particularly find it thrilling to earn the maximum bonus during a promotion, but at the same time if I didn’t try to earn the maximum then I would feel like I let a resource go to waste. (Maybe I am obsessive-compulsive along these lines?)  I don’t really need the points, I have almost a half-million in my Marriott account – and this is AFTER booking several stays with points in the last few months.  So WHY am I doing this again?

The Hilton thing is a different story.  I requested Hilton match my Platinum status at Marriott earlier this year.  The reply I received did NOT make me joyous.  “We can give you Gold status for now, and if you stay 21 nights in the next 90 days we will give you Diamond status”.  OK, since I was just a lowly silver member, I was happy with the bump to Gold, but 21 nights in 90 days when all it takes normally is 60 nights (28 if your stays are only 1 night) in 365 days!  Their offer for Diamond status seemed like a penalty because of the 90 day time limit.  So to maximize the number of stays for Diamond status doing it the normal way, I need to have some time in between nights at the same hotel. 

I really would like to attain Diamond status at Hilton to compare the benefits with Marriott.  Due to Marriott’s Roll-over promotions, I have already earned Platinum status until 2012, so why not try elsewhere.  And just another 75 nights total at Marriott and I will have attained LIFETIME PLATINUM!!!  LOVE IT!! 

So this trip I am spending the first night in a Fairfield Inn (Marriott), which will count as my first stay during the promotion period.  The next night I will be in the Hilton Garden Inn to get a stay there.  The next night is the SpringHill Suites (Marriott) to get my 2^nd stay for the promotion – and the extra 2500 bonus points.  The next night will be at the Courtyard by Marriott – which I really hate but hey – another 2500 bonus points.  The last night will be back at the Hilton Garden Inn for my 2^nd stay.

Am I crazy?????   Probably.  All this LUGGING of LUGGAGE will probably throw my back into a tizzy  – which will serve as a good excuse to get a massage when I come home.

Sorry sweetie, you married a crazy person!!

On our arrival, we were impressed with the majestic building on the hill overlooking the ocean.  The upscale neighborhood that houses this hotel is full of extravagant homes on the water.   Driving up to the hotel I was looking at the house on the right saying WOW, then up further at the house on the left saying WOW…..it was like a WOW-FEST in the car.  When we pulled in the hotel driveway I could see some of the hotel rooms are actually right on the water overlooking the hotel’s marina.  How many hotels do you know that have their own marina?  Pretty impressive indeed!

We warmly welcomed by the bell staff and directed to the front desk.  Upon check-in I was told that they were able to honor my upgrade request to a suite with a fireplace (which made me ecstatic) and the bellman brought us to our room. 

Let me just pause to clarify Marriott’s policies here.  When you are a platinum member in Marriott Rewards, hotels are supposed to offer you the “best available room” regardless of the type of room booked.  I booked a regular room using my points.  I could have paid an additional $150/night on top of the points to guarantee the upgrade.  The price seemed in line with the differences in room rates shown on the website, but to spend that much money in addition to points seemed outrageous to me.  I hoped that by going in the off-peak that I could save $450 and still get a suite.

Back to the story….

So when we arrive at our room, the bellman pointed us in the direction of our bedroom, which was nicely decorated but a bit cramped.  The entry door opened into a small sitting room which had the fireplace, and the bathroom was off to the left.  The first thing I did was look out the window for the view, then my heart sank.  Our room had the bottom windows frosted to obscure the HVAC equipment that was on the roof right outside the window.  If you look way in the distance, you could see around the vent pipes and machinery to the bay, but it was all ugly for the first 20 feet out the window.

Now I was conflicted.  I was happy to have the complementary upgrade, but with the hotel being so empty, was this really the “best available” room?  I asked the bellman (who was still there bringing in our bags) if it would be possible to change the room.  He called the front desk and was told that we could have a room down the hall, also a suite with a fireplace.  So he went to get the new keys and we loaded our bags back on the cart and proceeded to the new room.

What a difference!  This room was on the ocean side of the hotel with a great view!  It was spacious and had a separate area with a dining table and chairs.  I literally did a cartwheel in the main room, that’s how much space there was.  (Yes this middle-aged former gymnast can still do cartwheels ).  So now I am consumed with questions…..why weren’t we given this room in the first place?  Why give us what was probably the worst suite with the worst view, when so many rooms were available?  Why are we not worthy to be offered the best available room?  While I was much happier with the new room, I could not get past the initial impression and these questions.  This was disappointment number 1.

Disappointment number 2 came very quickly after number 1.  My husband went out to the car for something and I asked him to inquire at the front desk about getting some slippers brought to the room.  Now I have stayed in Marriott Spa hotels before and they always offer robes and slippers.  The robes were in the closet, but no slippers.  My husband retrieved his item from the car and came back to the room with the news that the front desk was on the slipper hunt.  About 20 minutes later we received a call from the front desk saying that they couldn’t find any slippers in the hotel for us.  What?  This is a spa hotel, isn’t it?  And I was told by the person who recommended this place that they provide slippers, so why didn’t we have them?  Did the Wentworth decide to cut them for cost reasons?  Were they just out of them and more should be coming?  More consuming questions.

Number 3 happened very quickly again…..it was like a rapid fire of disappointments aimed right at me.  As a platinum member we were given access to the concierge lounge.  After the news regarding the slippers we decided to check out the lounge.  We went into a dark, room and found a staffer who informed us that the lounge would not be open this week.  We were welcome to go there anytime for cold soft drinks, but there would be no coffee/tea or food served in the lounge that week.  OK, that was strike 3 and we had only been there an hour.

Of course my husband couldn’t understand why this was such a big deal to me.  Before we met, he was a Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn kind of guy, and since he rarely travels, he’s still that kind of guy at heart.  He was thrilled with all the things the hotel did offer, and didn’t miss these “little” things because he wasn’t used to having them in the first place.  I adore my husband and thank God everyday for him – he helps me to remember what is TRULY important in life.

Since the lounge was closed, we should have been offered breakfast vouchers for the restaurant, so on our way out we stopped by the front desk and asked about the vouchers which were given to us right away.  Of course this raises another nagging question – why did we have to ask?  Shouldn’t these have just been offered per standard Marriott policy?  Was this just an oversight or were we not good enough to be offered the vouchers?

Aside from all this disappointment in the first hour of our stay, we were able to enjoy ourselves on our getaway.  We had dinner in the restaurant that night which was quite nice.  They offered a special for a 3 course meal for $30, so we decided to try that.  For the appetizer, entrée’, and dessert courses we were able to choose 1 item from the 3 selections, and even though the selection was limited we both were able to find something that enjoyed.  The quality and quantity of food was good, and we were even able to get our desserts “to go” and bring them back to our room to enjoy later.

We had breakfast the next morning in the same restaurant.  Our voucher included the breakfast buffet, coffee/tea, and juice.  The buffet was quite nice with eggs cooked to order, 6 or 7 kinds of fresh fruit, a Belgian waffle station with a choice of fruit toppings, a bread selection that included bagels, various sliced breads, muffins, croissant, and Danish.  There was also smoked salmon and other sliced meats, and assorted cereals.  The chefs (different each day) prepared my eggs just the way I like them after getting past some initial confusion as to what a “real” egg is.  I like my eggs scrambled with various vegetables and the chefs like to make me an omelet with “liquid egg product”.  So when I asked for real eggs the first day, the chef looked puzzled and held up something resembling a milk carton and said “these are real eggs”.  I explained that what I meant by “REAL” was the egg that was still in its shell.  Once we cleared up the confusion everything was great.   For the next 2 mornings I enjoyed my “real” eggs exactly how I like them.

Since the initial disappointments, everything was going fine until the 3^rd day when I decided to treat myself to a pedicure at the spa.  I have had several before, and several at Marriott Spa hotels, so I definitely had some expectations in my mind.  The pedicures here were on the expensive side – almost $100 for a 75 minute treatment (after tip, which by the way they charge you for up front).  When I arrived for my appointment, I was taken to the relaxation room (another term for waiting room) and told to wait for my appointment.  I wasn’t told where the locker room was, or given a key.  Since I was wearing my street clothes I thought getting a pedicure while wearing my jeans would not be a good idea, so I found the locker room and 1 open locker with a robe and sandals.  I didn’t have any valuables so I wasn’t too bothered by not having a key to the locker. 

I was retrieved from the relaxation room and brought into the nail spa where I was asked to sit in the chair and soak my feet.  Then I was asked to pick a color for the polish.  Now if you like the color RED, or any variant of it, you would probably be happy here.  I don’t happen to like RED, I am more of a PURPLE girl myself.  They had ONE purple color choice which was very pale.  All the other colors were reds, with a couple of blackish colors thrown in.  I have a hard time with such an expensive treatment and they don’t even have a decent color selection.  I could get a $25 pedicure at a local salon and they have 3-4 times as many colors to choose from.

I was asked if I wanted anything to drink and I asked for some herbal tea.  “Sorry, we only have regular and decaf”.  WHAT?  How can a spa not have herbal tea?  I thought it was a staple.  She did offer to go to the restaurant to see what they had, and she did come back with some chamomile tea, but why isn’t this a standard offering in the spa – especially when it’s available down the hall in the restaurant?

As I was going through the treatment, the technician never asked how long/short to keep the nails, whether I wanted them squared or rounded.  I will take the blame for not thinking of it at the time, but I could have mentioned something about how I like my nails to look.  It wasn’t until she started to put the polish on that I noticed they were much shorter than I liked, and not very evenly trimmed.  The first polish she put on was one of the reds I chose, but after seeing it on the first toe, I really didn’t like it on so I mentioned that I had my own polish in the room.  She urged me to get mine, which I did, and she started painting with that.  When she was finished, I looked at my toes and I really wasn’t happy, but I felt it was too late to do anything so I left and went upstairs.  When I showed my husband, he commented that the polish didn’t even cover the whole nail.  There was a sizeable gap between the cuticle and the polish and he said that it looked as if my nails had grown out a couple of weeks.  HUH?  If that was the case, they would look really ridiculous in a couple of weeks, so he urged me to go back and have it fixed.

The technician was nice about the whole thing.  I explained my concerns with the gap in the polish and she tried to fix it by filling in the gap.  The problem was that she was adding multiple coats of polish and when it is too thick it chips very quickly.  She was also rushing to try and finish me so she could be on time for her next appointment.  By this time I am really feeling stressed because I hate to make anyone uncomfortable, but there was nothing comfortable about this situation.  Another technician related the story of a customer she had last week who wasn’t happy and wasn’t very nice about it.  I told her that I didn’t want to be that person and I felt horrible that I wasn’t happy.  I understand that these technicians work hard everyday with people’s gross feet and I appreciate their service, but at the same time I just spent $100 on something that I was really not happy with.  If I didn’t say anything then I knew I would have a very negative reaction everyday for the next month each time I saw my feet.

I offered to come back after the next appointment so that it wasn’t a rush job.  The first technician asked the other if she would do the polish because maybe she could do it better.  I went back a couple hours later and had my toes repainted by the other technician.  This time the paint job was a bit better, but the fundamental problem was with the shortness and shape of the nail.  There was nothing at that point that could be done to fix that.

After the 75 minute pedicure that took 4 hours, I was so stressed that my jaw started to lock up.  I occasionally have TMJ issues, but nothing like this.  I couldn’t touch my cheek the muscles were so sore and tight, and I could barely open my mouth to eat my dinner that night.  So my “relaxing” spa treatment caused me much physical and emotional discomfort.  I don’t think I will be back there.

The final disappointment came later that day when I stopped by the front desk to request a late checkout.  The normal checkout time for this hotel is 11am.  Platinum members are usually able to request a checkout as late as 4pm.  My request was for 2pm and I was told that the best they could give me is 1pm.  Now I could see if I were checking out on a Friday before a big weekend crowd arrived, but I was checking out on a Wednesday.  The hotel was hardly busy and I would think they could have sucked it up to give me the extra hour I requested.

I don’t want this to seem like a whining report.  There are several things I liked about this hotel.  The primary thing was the location.  Ocean view, close to parks, golf (not that we did this in January), and downtown – all within a few minutes drive.  The sunrise coming over the ocean was breathtaking!  I love that they offer FREE high speed Internet:  wired in the room and wireless in the common areas.  If your room is above the lobby, you have free wireless in your room as well.  We were close enough that we could get a decent signal and both my husband and I could surf at the same time.  The décor was tasteful and provided the New England charm that I like.  The bathroom had a separate shower stall and air jet tub, double sink and a door to separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom.  The fireplace was gas, very nice and created much ambience as well as heat. The staff was friendly and displayed that “spirit to serve”.   Even with the pedicure debacle the staff did their best to make it right.

The things I didn’t like – already mentioned previously: initially being offered the worst suite in the hotel, no slippers, concierge lounge closed, spa experience, price.  Another thing that was noticeable; while the décor was attractive it was starting to look worn and shabby.  The carpeting throughout the hotel and in the room definitely had some wear and staining.  The wallpaper had a multitude of scuff marks was starting to peel at the seams.  Housekeeping did a decent job of cleaning, but in 2 out of the 3 days forgot to replace the toilet paper and towels.  Also, there really needed to be a magnifying mirror in the bathroom.

If I had gone at a different time, this review may have had a different result.  I can’t say that I would or would not recommend this hotel.  I also can’t say that I would or would not return for a 2^nd visit.  I think my indifference says it all.

Ratings: (out of 10)

General Impression:                             8.80

Room/Amenities:                                 7.84

Bathroom:                                            7.85

Concierge Lounge:                                5.20

Restaurants/Food Service:                    9.25

Optional Services:                                8.13

Overall Rating:                                     8.09

If these programs are able to keep customers loyal in the travel industry, why not apply them to any industry?  A few days ago my husband and I went through the Starbucks drive thru for a coffee.  When I pulled up to the window to pay, I was told it would be a few minutes while my decaf finishes brewing.  After the guy took my money and closed the window I said to my husband jokingly “they are making ME wait????  Don’t they know who I am???”  He said “sorry honey, you don’t have platinum status here”. 

So then I started thinking, what if Starbucks had a loyalty program such that one could earn platinum status?   Grocery store chains offer a “club” where members receive discounted prices on certain items.  Members of the club don’t have to do anything special (except give away personal information) in order to receive membership and discounts.  At hotels and airlines, one may stay or fly a certain amount to receive the benefits of the various status tiers.  Why not apply these concepts to coffee, or anything else for that matter?  In places where there is a Peet’s or Dunkin Donuts right across the street, how could Starbucks win the business going to their competitors?  Here’s my proposal.

Starbucks club members would swipe their membership card every time they purchase something.  This account would accumulate “STAR BUCKS” which can be redeemed for free items.  Accumulating a certain amount of “STAR BUCKS” within a year would qualify for PLATINUM Starbucks status.  The perks of platinum status could include bonuses on their STAR BUCKS earnings (say 25%), a separate queue so they are served faster, and free upgrades to the next size (pay for a grande, receive a venti).  There could be intermediate status tiers like Gold or Silver, each one luring the loyal customer to try to achieve the next level of status.  Who is happy with silver when for a few more lattes they can be Gold?  And who is happy being Gold when Platinum is just around the corner? 

There you have it.  A country who isn’t addicted enough to coffee now can have a program which will not only feed the caffeine addiction, but also the addiction to status.  Starbucks, are you listening????

Do you have a Director of Wow in your organization? How about a Wizard of Whatever?

While attending a convention recently in Oklahoma City, I had the good fortune of staying at a hotel that boasted those two employees along with a number of other creatively titled staff members.

My travel companions and I arrived at the Renaissance Convention Center Hotel & Spa to find a lobby packed to the seams with conventioneers waiting to check in.

As we approached the front desk, I glanced at the clerk’s official nametag. I looked again, this time more closely. Instead of “front desk clerk,” it read Director of First Impressions. We commented on the appropriateness of the title as she looked up our reservations in her computer.

When the adjoining rooms we’d requested weren’t available, she quickly introduced us to her boss, the Director of Wow – yes, that was the official title on her nametag – who apologized and gave us vouchers for a free breakfast buffet the next morning. Mind you, we hadn’t complained – the request wasn’t of much importance to us – but the Director of First Impressions anticipated our possible displeasure and took action to forestall disappointment.

In another area of the lobby, the Wizard of Whatever, a.k.a. the concierge, was busy helping guests with their questions, directing them to nearby restaurants and such. Another Director of First Impressions walked up and down the line passing out cups of hot chocolate to the conventioneers, many of whom had been on the road or in an airport for hours and were tired and impatient.

This emphasis on customer service was impressive.

General Manager Jeffrey Oliasami says he came up with the idea of re-titling jobs after reading John DiJulius’ book “What’s the Secret To Providing a World-Class Customer Service Experience”.

“The book says you’ve got to make sure those who work in the customer area understand what their job is. Our primary job is to impress guests, so we took it from there,” Oliasami says.

His employees’ titles come from their individual job descriptions, Oliasami says. “We’re here to make a good first impression. We want to wow our guests. It’s a total shift in mindset.”

Employees who come in direct contact with guests, such as desk clerks, valets and receptionists, are called Directors of First Impressions. The front desk manager is the Director of Wow. The front office manager is called the Chief Experience Officer, or CXO. “He has to make sure the experience of each guest is at 100 percent,” Oliasami says.

The Director of Customer Loyalty ensures guests in the Marriott Rewards program know they are appreciated. The Wizard of Whatever does whatever the guest asks. “If they need tickets to an event, he finds them; if they want to know the best place to eat, he helps them out,” Oliasami says.

The bellman is now an Experience Guide. Even the housekeeping department’s titles have changed. Members of the cleaning staff are Daymakers. The support staffers who deliver towels, sheets and other supplies are the Just Do It team, “because when something needs to be done, they just do it.” Oliasami says.

The new titles have made employees more aware of their impact on customers, Oliasami says. “It’s created a whole new way of looking at customer service. If you get employees to believe what their true job is, they can do it.”

Oliasami, who has worked for the Marriott hotel system for more than 25 years, informally calls himself “the coach,” but has kept his official title because guests still want to speak to a general manager at times.

He came to the Renaissance 18 months ago with the express goal to improve customer service. He implemented the new nomenclature about four months ago, and it is still a work in progress.

“Our employees are involved. They are coming up with titles. It’s created a lot of excitement among the staff,” Oliasami says.

The reaction of guests has been positive as well. “They laugh. Sometimes they say, “Wow, that’s different, but it makes sense,’ ” he says.

Oliasami’s hotel is the only one in the Marriott chain – and as far as he can tell the only one in the nation – using such titles. “The way I look at this new idea is that we are giving every associate with guest contact a title with a promise of guest satisfaction,” he says.

It seems the approach is more than just a promise.

After I arrived home from my stay at the Renaissance, I discovered I’d left a favorite item in the room. I thought it unlikely I’d ever see it again, but called the hotel anyway.

Within 15 minutes, a message was left on my voice mail that my possession was safe. I wasn’t able to answer the phone immediately but saw on caller I.D. that over the next hour, the employee had called twice more. I finally had a chance to return her call. “I’m sorry to keep calling you,” she said, “but I wanted to confirm your address before I got off work tonight so we could ship your package out first thing in the morning.”

I was wowed.

A discussion has come up on another forum debating the issue of promotions to earn status.  Marriott offered a promotion to allow members to earn double night credit toward elite status for this year, AND roll-over any nights above their current status for credit in 2010 for status in 2011.  Starwood offered a similar promotion allowing members to choose to earn double nights for this year OR to apply the double nights to get a head start on status for next year.  These promotions have the possibility to create a divide amongst the “true VIPs” – those who actually stay and pay for the number of nights to attain VIP status; and the “false VIPs” - those who would not have attained the status if it weren’t for the promotions.  And then there’s the “Super VIPs” – those who greatly exceed the minimum requirements for status.  If everyone is now a VIP, are the rewards for spending half your life in a hotel diminished?

While it is great for business to have members attaining and retaining VIP status, the question arises about the “quality” and availability of these benefits to the “true VIPs”.  If room upgrades are offered to all VIPs on a first-come, first-served basis, then the likelihood of the upgrade diminishes as more VIPs are contending for the upgrade.  Because the number of upgraded rooms is fixed, it is simple math and statistics to prove this point.  If VIPs are granted access to the executive lounge, the more VIPs in the lounge, the less chance you will find a seat, the more chance that your favorite food/drink will be unavailable.  Some hotels offer special parking for VIP’s, the same logic applies.  Other VIP benefits like bonus points are not subject to physical limitations so the number of VIPs receiving the benefit does not diminish the availability for another VIP.

So what’s fair?  Would it be fair to somehow distinguish between the “true” and “false” VIPs and tailor the benefits to each?  Personally I dont think so.  If I was given Platinum status as a gift having not earned it based on the traditional rules (which has happened – see Status Matching article), I would not want to received diminished benefits because it was a gift.

What might be a more fair approach is to reward the “Super VIPs” with something additional.   For example, Marriott Platinum status requires 75 nights paid per calendar year.  What about the person who pays and stays for 150 nights?  Is it fair that this person receives additional benefits above and beyond traditional Platinum?  Personally I think so.  The revenue generated from such a traveler would warrant some additional benefits.  Now we can raise the question as to whether or not this person is a “true Super VIP” – did they attain this status through promotions?  When you reach this level I dont think it matters – the majority of your nights would have to be paid.

The problem that I see (based on my research for the loyalty article) is that hotel chains do nothing to reward the “Super VIP” customer.  Once you attain the top tier status, there is no additional incentive to continue to stay.  There is a possibility that with these promotions, the “true VIPs” might stay the minimum number of nights to retain their status and spend additional nights at other chains to build status elsewhere.   I would expect this to be the case especially if they perceive that their current benefits have been diminished.  On the other forum I mentioned, there have been several posts from those who had already attained the top tier status asking if they should try to start building status at other hotel chains. 

In some cases the VIP benefits are enough to keep a customer loyal to one chain, but would a “Super VIP” tier do more to encourage those who stay an insane number of nights to stay at one chain? 

So my questions to you:

If you were to stay 200 nights in hotels in a given year such that you could earn top tier status at multiple chains:

   How would having a “Super VIP” tier impact your decision to stay with one chain?  Would you be    more likely to stick with one chain?  Or would this not impact your decision?

   What minimum nights would you expect for this Super tier?

   What additional benefits would you like to see for this Super tier?

I am looking forward to your feedback…….TravelPrincess

I know this economy is tough on the travel industry.  I am an exception because my travel has increased this year, and because of this I was able to earn Platinum status at Marriott very early which has allowed me to experiment with other hotel programs.  I found it very interesting that the points earned per stay vary widely between programs, but the points earned are relative to the points required for free stays.  Being a member of multiple programs, I had no idea how they stacked up against each other.  This is the reason for my research.

This year I have stayed at Starwood, Hilton, and Marriott properties.  I would have liked to include Hyatt in this analysis, but since it has been over a year since my last stay I will leave that off the list for now.  I had been used to the Marriott system of receiving 10 points for every dollar spent.  My first stay at a Starwood hotel took me a bit by surprise when I looked at the points I earned.   I spent $2700 (including taxes) for 15 nights and I received about 6700 points.  This would have been about 25,000 points with Marriott or Hilton not including bonuses.  So this prompted me to look into the redemption of points, which then prompted me to compare these 3 programs so that I can make some informed decisions about where to place my loyalty in 2010.  I hope my research can also benefit others.

Overall Look at the Brands

Marriott has over 3000 hotels world-wide with their 10 brands which include:  Marriott, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, Marriott Conference Centers, TownePlace Suites, SpringHill Suites, and Marriott Vacation Club.  In November 2009, Marriott also announced another brand called the Autograph Collection, which is their partnership with independent hotels where Marriott Rewards members can earn and redeem points.

Hilton has over 3300 hotels world-wide with 9 brands which include:  Hilton, Conrad, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood Suites, and the Waldorf-Astoria Collection.

Starwood has 960 hotels world-wide with 9 brands which include:  Le Meridien, aloft, element, Westin, Sheraton, Fourpoints, St. Regis, W, and The Luxury Collection.

Attaining Status

The first thing I considered when comparing these programs was the cost of attaining status.  Each program requires a certain number of nights or stays or points to attain Silver, Gold, Platinum/Diamond status.  Hilton is the only chain that allows status to be earned based on points earned, so for the purpose of comparison I just looked at nights/stays.    

For Hilton, the first tier requires only 4 stays or 10 nights.  A stay is defined as the number of consecutive nights at the same property regardless of checkin/out activity.  Since a stay can be 1 consecutive night, Silver status can be earned in as little as 4 nights.  If you assign a cost per night of $100 on average, Silver status can be earned with a minimum of $400.  Gold status can be earned with a minimum cost of $1600, and Platinum with a minimum of $2800.

Starwood does not offer a Silver status tier, yet its Gold tier is half of the requirement of Marriott’s, and it’s also lower than Hilton’s.  Gold status at Starwood will cost a minimum of $1000 and Platinum status will cost a minimum of $2500.

Contrast that to Marriott which has lofty requirements for elite status.  Stays are not considered for qualification, only nights are considered.  The Silver status requires 10 nights which in our scenario would cost $1000.  Marriott’s Gold level is equivalent to many other programs top level.  This level requires 50 nights or $5000.  Platinum requires 75 nights – $7500.

Top Tier Benefits

For this area I looked at the benefits received by those who hold the top tier:  Platinum or Diamond.  All three chains offered very similar benefits.  One of the positive’s for Hilton is that they offer an option for Free High Speed Internet in lieu of the amenity/points option.  This is one area that Marriott Rewards members are clamoring about.  In some Marriott hotels the fee to use the Internet service can be as high as $15/day in the US and $20/day or more internationally.  In some places the fee will be discounted if you buy a weekly or monthly package, but mostly it’s a daily rate that expires at noon the next day, so most of the time you don’t even get the full 24 hours of access.

Starwood does not claim to give free internet on their website, but my experience has been that in some cases Platinum members will receive free HS Internet.  One time at a Sheraton, I was given an ID/PSWD to access for free because of my Platinum status.  Another time at a Westin, I complained about the lack of services for Platinum members and they gave me the Internet service for free.

Earning Points

Hilton Honors members receive 10 points for every dollar spent at all their brands.  Members can also “double dip” and receive airline miles as well.  Diamond members receive a 50% bonus on base points and can elect to receive a fixed bonus at check in ranging from 250 to 2000 points depending on the brand.   Gold members receive a 25% bonus on base points and the option for a fixed bonus per stay.  Silver members receive a 15% bonus on base points and no option for a fixed bonus per stay.

Marriott Rewards members receive 10 points for every dollar at all brands except Residence Inn and Towneplace Suites, where they receive 5 points for every dollar.    Platinum members receive 50% bonus on base points and the option of a fixed bonus or amenity when they check in.  The fixed bonus points range from 200 points at all brands except full service brands, and 500 points at full service brands.  Gold members receive a 25% bonus on base points and Silver members receive 20%.  Platinum is the only tier which receives the choice for a fixed bonus per stay.

Starwood Preferred Guest members receive 2 points for each dollar spent at all their brands.  Platinum and Gold members receive a 50% bonus on base points (hence their advertisement of 3 points per $), but only platinum members receive a choice of a fixed bonus of 250 to 500 points depending on brand.  Since SPG does not offer a silver option, there are no bonuses.

Some brands allow the earning of points on charges other than the room base rate, such as meals, room service, parking, etc..  For the purposes of this analysis, these factors were not considered.

Redeeming Points

Here’s where it gets interesting!  In the side-by-side comparison Hilton definitely requires more points for a free night in every category.  These point values listed are the ones Hilton announced in 3rd Quarter 2009 to take effect in January 2010.  Under Hilton’s soon-to-expire redemption plan, they had a category called “opportunity” for the lowest point value of 7500 for a free night, then the rest of the categories ranged from 1-6.  It seems that in the new plan they removed the “opportunity” category and this is the new category 1.  The old 1 is the new 2, etc…so the categories now go from 1 -7. 

The range in values is because the hotels offer the possibility for lower redemption rates.  The lower rates could be based on time of year or excess capacity, so I included them as the minimum number of points for a free night in that category.  Hilton calls them “point stretchers”, Marriott calls them “point savers”, and Starwood has lower rates outside of “peak season”.

I am not accounting for any differences between the brands for a specific category.  Some might say that Marriott’s category 6’s are better than Hilton’s, or vice versa, but diving into this area is beyond the scope of this analysis.

What I didn’t expect was that while SPG requires lower points at the lower categories, by the time you get up to the higher-end hotels, the point required basically match that of Marriott.  But since SPG only gives 2 points per $, it means a lot of stays and a lot of money to earn enough points to stay at the better Starwood hotels.  I did the analyses looking at this cost for both Category 1 and 7 hotels.

Cost for a ‘Free” Night at Category 1

Since I am a numbers person, I decided to identify just how much is this free night costing.  So if you look at the minimum number of points required for a free night, the amount of base points earned per $, you get an idea of how many $ you need to spend.  I did this in the case of a non-elite or non-VIP member who does not receive bonus points, and from the perspective of the top-tier guest who receives bonus points.  I did not include the fixed bonuses or any other points that could be earned through purchases other than hotel nights.

Again, I was very surprised with the Starwood result here.  Even though you can get a free night with only 2000 points, at 2 points/$ base earnings, you have to stay 10 nights.  With Marriott, I am using the 10 points per $ because I am looking at minimum cost, but keep in mind that there are 2 brands where you will only receive 5 points per $.  At 10 points/$, the Marriott numbers stand out for having the lowest cost for the free night.  At 5 points/$, the Marriott numbers would be the worst.

Cost for a “Free” Night at Category 7

This analysis wasn’t such a big surprise.  In looking at the redemption rates it’s easy to see that Starwood requires the same number of points for redemption as Marriott, but you only earn 20% of the points you do at Marriott.  I expected the cost for the “Free” night in this category to look really ugly for Starwood.  And it does. 

At 10 points/$, Marriott wins in both situations where a top tier bonus is earned and where no bonus is earned.  At 5 point/$, double the number of nights and the cost – the Hilton numbers look the best.

Conclusion

To sum up the analysis:

1.  Starwood has the lowest cost to attain elite status, followed by Hilton, then Marriott.

2.  All 3 chains are comparable in the benefits offered to top tier members.

3.  Hilton gives the most points/$ with 10 at all brands, Marriott gives 10 at most brands, and Starwood gives the least at 2 points/$.

4.  Starwood has the lowest point redemption requirements at the lowest category hotels, but those values are on par with Marriott for the higher categories.  Hilton consistently requires the most points for redemption.

5.  Marriott has the lowest minimum cost for a free night at Category 1 hotels, followed by Hilton, then Starwood.

6.  The same result applies for a free night at a Category 7.

Based on this analysis, I will probably ditch my Starwood status and concentrate on Marriott and Hilton.  I do like how I have been treated at Starwood Hotels:  they matched my platinum status with Marriott so I received lounge access, room upgrades, bonus points, and overall VIP treatment.  I liked it so much that I spent 25 nights there in 2nd Half 2009, enough for Gold status.   But something is wrong when the Platinum amenity bonus is more than the base points earned for a night, and since I won’t be platinum next year I will miss out on that bonus.  I am counting on a strong travel year in 2010 so that I might attain top tier status at Hilton as well as Marriott.

I would love to hear your feedback on this article:  was it helpful?  Should I have included other comparison points?  All comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Copyright 2009 – TravelPrincessDiaries.com

Do you have Gold or Platinum status with a particular hotel chain?  Chances are you might be able to leverage that at other chains and retain your platinum treatment!

This year I had a business trip to India where the closest Marriott was a Courtyard in the city center.  My office was 14km outside the city, and if you have ever driven in a city in India, you know how long it can take to go a few kilometers.  The company’s preferred hotel was the Meridien, just outside the city and near the airport.

When I learned of this trip I was quite disappointed to learn that it was not feasible to stay at the Marriott, so I called Starwood Preferred Guest to inquire about their program.  I mentioned that I was a Platinum at Marriott and they offered (upon proof of my status) to give me the same status (also Platinum) at Starwood.  This status is only good until the end of this year, and after that I need to earn the status like everyone else.

So when I checked into the Meridien,  I was wisked away to the “special” floor for “special” guests, upgraded to a suite, given access to the executive lounge, and given a fruit basket in my room every couple of days.  My collegue with no status had a regular room, no lounge access, no fruit basket.

Not bad for making a phone call!!  So, if you are forced to stay in a different hotel chain for whatever reason, it is worth a call to see if they will match your status.  It could make all the difference in your comfort for that trip.

See you in the lounge!!

Travel Princess

My past several stays at Courtyards have been less than stellar to say the least.  There is one in particular that I used to frequent on the west coast that seemed to have a problem every time I stayed there.  One time, I checked in and went to my room only to find the door to my room was open.  I suspiciously went inside checking in the closet, under the bed, and in the tub for a possible predator.  Thankfully there wasn’t one, so as I went to close and lock the door I discovered why it was open in the first place.  The deadbolt lock was sticking out and wouldn’t retract into the door so it could be closed.  Now you would think someone prior to my arrival would notice something like this – wouldn’t you?  Since my body clock was on 1am at this point, I was not too happy.  I was promptly moved to a different, better room, but why did I have to go through the hassle in the first place?

The next time at the same hotel, there was a problem with the thermostat and the tub drain.  It was a very sleepless night because the A/C unit sounded like a diesel truck, and I could not turn it off.  I kept turning the thermostat to “OFF”, but it wasn’t controlling the unit properly.  So to top it off in the morning I noticed the water rising above my ankles when I was in the shower.  I reported both problems to the front desk in the morning and when I returned to my room that evening, it was obvious that the A/C unit was fixed, and that they had worked on the tub drain.  The reason the tub drain was noticeable was because there was a thick, black, gritty residue in the bottom of the tub that would not rinse away with water.  I tried to use a wash cloth to push the residue down the drain, but it just left black smudges on the bottom of the tub.  Not knowing what this chemical was, I was not willing to stand in it to take a shower the next day, so I reported the problem to the front desk who offered to change my room.  When I got to my new room, the thermostat had the same problem as the first room.  I kept keys to both rooms, so I slept in the original room and showered in the new room the next morning.

Anyway, these types of experiences definitely put a bad taste in my mouth about this specific hotel, but there are other reasons why I don’t care for the chain anymore.

1. When there is a problem in the evening, it seems that the ONLY employee in the hotel is the person working the front desk.  They can’t fix maintenance or housekeeping issues, all they can do is change your room (if the hotel is not sold out).  And they can’t even leave the front desk to bring you your new key, so you have to make the hike down to pick it up.
2. In most of these hotels there is only 1 elevator on 1 side of the building.  If they put you in the 2^nd or 3^rd floor and your room happens to be on the other side, you have quite a hefty walk schlepping your luggage to get to your room.
3. I don’t like the bathroom layout.  The bathroom has the tub and toilet, then the sink is outside that room.  I can see the obvious advantages when there are multiple people staying in the room, but for me, 99.9% of the time I am alone, and  that layout provides very little counter space for toiletries, especially when they put the coffee maker and mugs on it as well. 
4. The lighting tends to be very dim – everywhere.  It’s hard to see details of your face in the mirror behind the sink, and the other lights in the guestrooms provide barely adequate light when they all are turned on simultaneously.  The lobby and the restaurant are not bright and inviting either.  The word “vibrant” is not a word I would use when describing the décor or the atmosphere at this brand.
5. The hot food on the breakfast buffet is not the best quality.  The scrambled eggs definitely taste like “liquid egg product” that comes in the same type of carton milk comes in. The bacon is paper thin and crumbly that sometimes I can’t even pick it up without it disintegrating.  I know I could place an order for eggs, but I never do because I can’t see what they are doing to my eggs in the kitchen.

So since it had been a while, I decide to try this chain again, this time in the Midwest.  The staff was very courteous.  It was obvious there was a trainee working the front desk so things took a bit longer, but there was no issue for me.  My request of a first floor room was honored, but the only one they had available was an accessible room.  That didn’t bother me, so I drove around, got to my room and the first thing that hit me was the temperature.  It was freezing in that room!  I noticed that the thermostat was off, so I promptly turned up the temperature.  After hearing some clicking noises and nothing else after 10 minutes of trying to fiddle with it, I called the front desk to report the problem and they said they would send maintenance.  15 minutes later, maintenance shows up, and after him fiddling for 10 more minutes, he decided he couldn’t fix it so I called the front desk for a new room.  The trainee offered me a room on the 2^nd floor and also offered to help bring my luggage up there.  I thanked her for her offer because I figured there would be an elevator nearby I said it was not necessary.  I forgot about the single elevator thing.  So she came by to bring my new keys and insisted on helping me with my luggage up the stairs because sure enough it was a hefty hike to the elevator and back. 

My new room was adequate, but that’s about it – dim and uninviting.  Breakfast was just as I had remembered – fake eggs and disintegrating bacon.  The lobby seemed lifeless except for the people checking out.  Even the exceptional staff couldn’t overcome the “blah” I feel when I stay in a Courtyard.

Sometimes it takes something going wrong to determine just how good the service is at a hotel.  Sometimes you get surprised as soon as you walk in the door.  Here are a few examples that have happened in the last few weeks:

Hilton Garden Inn – Naperville, IL. 

I requested a first-floor room because I hate waiting for the elevator.  My request was granted and when I checked in and got to my room, I immediately went over to the window to make sure it was closed and locked.  Being on the ground floor, having a window that doesn’t lock is an obvious safety concern.  I could not get my window to lock and stay shut, so I called the front desk. She sent the manager over and he could not get the window to lock either, so he gave me 3 options:

     1 – I could stay in that room and he would get something to block the window from being opened

     2 – I could move to the room next door

     3 – he could give me a suite on the 3^rd floor

Hmmmm…..tough decision here…..I think I will take the suite.

It was no big deal to move because I hadn’t unpacked anything yet.  He went and retrieved keys to my new room and personally escorted me to the suite – and what a nice suite it was.  1 and a half baths, huge living room that I could have done cartwheels in (maybe backflips too, but I am a bit too old for that now), big bedroom with the full bath that had a Jacuzzi tub and separate shower stall.   I’m impressed. 

Given that the manager did not have to upgrade me, I think it is an example of his desire to offer the best possible service to keep the  guests coming back….and come back I did – the very next week.

So a week later I check in and this time I requested a room on the 2^nd floor.  My request was granted and I made my way to my room.  Not enough space to do cartwheels, but a nice, standard room nonetheless.  I didn’t have any problems until the next morning.  I turned on the shower and the water never got hot.  I kept waiting, but it never happened.  I was not in a position to call the front desk and wait until the problem was resolved, so I took a cool shower and packed up because I was checking out.  On my way past the front desk I mentioned I had no hot water and asked if it was just my room or a bigger problem.  The assistant manager told me it was a bigger problem that was being investigated, and for my trouble she offered to buy me breakfast.  Wow!  I didn’t even have to fight her – she just offered it.  Well I was running late and couldn’t take the time for the breakfast, but I mentioned that I had another reservation in a couple of weeks and she offered to give me breakfast at that time.  I then told her that I actually had 2 reservations separated by a couple of days during that week and she said she would give me breakfast BOTH days!   Again, she didn’t have to offer breakfast for that morning, she certainly didn’t have to offer it for a future stay, and she really did not have to offer it for 2 future stays, but in doing so she showed that my business is important, and being important makes me want to stay there again.

Marriott Wardman Park – Washington DC

I was “wowed” as soon as I set foot in this hotel.  This was my first time staying here and the sheer size of this hotel was a bit overwhelming.  This hotel claims to be the largest in the city, but to me that’s not a good thing.  It usually means that there is no time for personalized attention.  Well, I was happily proven wrong. 

Right from check-in, I was pleasantly surprised.  I happened to be staying here on points.  I made 2 reservations; one for Saturday night only, the other for Sunday – Wednesday.  I did this because I wasn’t sure of my travel plans and sometimes changing reward stays at the last minute can be problematic.  My goal was to stay in the same room for all 4 days.  I was informed that I had been given a standard room for the first night, and a suite for the other 3.  If I wanted to keep the same room, the obvious choice would have been to stay in the standard room the first night and all the rest.  But I would be giving up my suite for the 3 nights.   Courtenay at the front desk worked her magic and was able to get me the suite for all 4 nights!.  SWEET!! 

When I got to the room, it was so big that I could have done an entire floor exercise routine!  It had a huge dining area with table and chairs, next to the sitting area with a sofa, loveseat, and 2 chairs, foyer area with a desk and some antique reproduction pieces, large wet bar/counter with a refrigerator, the bedroom and the bathroom.   It also had a nice balcony that overlooked the grounds/garden area, which were beautiful this time of year.  But amidst this perfection there was a problem….the French doors to the balcony would not close or lock.  Since I was on the first floor again, it was an obvious security concern, so I called the main number and my request was promptly taken care of.  Between the first night and second, I had called the main number a few times to ask questions and to request a few things.  On a few occasions, Aretha picked up the phone.  She was the one who had maintenance fix the door. 

One thing I always request is a robe and slippers.  Marriott’s have seemed to stop offering slippers recently so I wasn’t surprised when I was told they didn’t have any.  The next day I called to ask about internet service pricing and Aretha answered again.  She asked if I needed anything I mentioned that I wanted slippers but was told that they don’t have them.  She said “let me see what I can do.”  Wouldn’t you know that not only did she give me free internet service, but she also found me some slippers!  I called her back and told her she was AWESOME!!  She has an “in” with housekeeping and told them to check their special stash and they came up with some slippers.

OK, so you are probably thinking “who cares about slippers?”  It’s a little thing but it’s huge at the same time.  To go out of her way to find them for me when the standard response is “we don’t have them” is HUGE.  The same with the internet.  I had access to free internet in the concierge lounge, but in the room there is a fee.  She wanted to make life as comfortable for me as possible and just extended the free access to my room.  All these things tell me that my business is important, and if I feel important then I will be back.

So because of these recent experiences, which were at different hotel chains in different parts of the country, I am a believer that high quality service and attention to detail are coming back into fashion.  I have been waiting for this for quite some time.  Let’s see how long it will last.