Well it’s a new year and time for a new Starwood SPG promotion to help you rack up those Starpoints in 2010.  This time it’s called “More Nights = More Rewards” and promises double, triple, or quadruple Starpoints based on the number of nights you stay at a participating property between January 5 and April 15, 2010.  Look at the picture to the right.  You’ll notice that one or two night stays get you double Starpoints.  Three night stays nab you triple Starpoints, and four night or longer stays bank quadruple Starpoints.

The bonus points are awarded for EACH night’s stay.  For example, if you have a four night stay you are then entitled to quadruple Starpoints for each of the nights in your stay, not just the fourth night.

In honesty, I think this SPG promotion delivers some relatively weak sauce.  You’ve got to be a pretty hefty spender or a consecutive-night frequent traveler to hit the quadruple bonus Starpoints and really maximize this promotion.  If you’re like me, double Starpoints is the best you’ll get in this promo, and that’s just peanuts.

But it doesn’t hurt to register and get some bonus Starpoints in case you end up staying Starwood between January 5 and April 15, 2010.  Put your mouse clicker right here: http://www.spgpromos.com/morerewards/index.cfm?EM=Q110_CS

Happy 2010!  I celebrated the ball drop in Los Angeles and stayed at the Sheraton Downtown LA.  It was a bit of a zoo, but what do you expect for new year’s eve?  Wishing you all a healthy, fun, and prosperous 2010.  :-)

Sheraton Downtown LA Lobby

If you’re like me, you’d much rather redeem your SPG Starpoints at an upper tier property than at some airport hotel.  The two experiences just can’t be compared.  If that’s the case, then there’s great news for you!

Starwood Preferred Guest has once again eliminated peak season award redemptions in 2010, much like it had done in 2009!  That means for category 5, 6, and 7 properties you will only need to redeem the off-peak points for stays at any time during the year.  For example, in the chart to the right, you’ll notice that category 5 hotels can range from 12,000-16,000 Starpoints per night depending on season.  Well in 2010 all you have to worry about is using 12,000 Starpoints.

This is a move by Starwood’s SPG program to maintain the program’s value to its loyal travelers.  To some level, I see this as a slap in the face to Hilton, which just recently devalued its loyalty points by 20% or more.  I wouldn’t be surprised if some switching takes place in 2010!

Many SPG members received communications from Frits van Paasschen (CEO) announcing, “We’ll continue to stay focused on what matters to you in 2010.  In fact, we’re pleased to announce that peak season Starpoints pricing will be eliminated again for next year.”

As a side note, there are three hotels in Italy that still require peak redemption: Cala Di Volpe, Hotel Pitrizza, and Hotel Romazzino.  They are part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection and my guess is they are the cream of the crop.  All the more reason why I would want to experience these hotels at some time in my life!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I will be in LA staying at the Sheraton Downtown.  Normally I stay at the Westin Bonaventure but figured I’d give the Sheraton a shot this time around.  See you in 2010!

Hotel Romazzino, Costa Smeralda

If I weren’t already going to Los Angeles for New Year’s Eve, I would probably check out the New Year’s Eve party at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco.  It’s called Passport to the World, an upscale A-list party that transforms the meeting rooms at the hotel into various continents/regions around the world.  Asia, South America, Antarctica, and Europe are just a few on the master list.

Here’s an official description . . .

This glitzy, landmark event truly embodies what this great city of San Francisco has to offer!  Come experience for yourself the exciting and diverse mix of music, fashion, art, culture, sophistication, and charitable causes as we take you into 2010 in style at the largest and most amazing event in town.

Just reading off the flyer, it looks like there’s going to be 15 DJs, 40+ bars, a fashion show and live band, and live art.  Wait, what the hell is live art?

If you’re interested in ringing in the new year at Passport to the World at the Westin St. Francis, get your tickets right here: http://alistsf.com

But don’t drink and drive!  Get yourself a party room/suite at the hotel instead.  I hear there’s special rates for party-goers of $229 (regularly $399) if you ask for the special ALIST room rate when calling the Westin St. Francis.

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!  I hope everyone’s holidays are full of good cheer and festivities.   I’ll be at Lake Tahoe carvin up slopes and trying not to eat it after not snowboarding for a couple years.

A friend of mine who works at Starwood sent me a corporate holiday e-card. A bit cheesy, but thoughtful nonetheless.   I’m going to pay it forward and pass it along to you all . . .

About a month ago, I was doing a distribution channel analysis for class on The Andaman, a stunning resort in Langkawi, Malaysia that offers both beach and rainforest proximity.  I just found out that this property has joined Starwood’s Luxury Collection portfolio of hotels and will certainly receive a nice boost in distribution breadth.

Starwood already has a Westin and a Sheraton in other areas on Langkawi island, but The Andaman will offer a product that’s a bit more ritzy and indigenous to the local area.  This makes it especially fitting for a Luxury Collection, which prides itself on offering some of the world’s most unique properties with an emphasis on history and heritage.  The resort hotel will have 186 rooms and suites that are surrounded by the clear waters of Datai Bay and a historic rainforest.

For you SPG folks, The Andaman will be a category 4 (requires 10,000 Starpoints per night).  In case you’re not so familiar with Langkawi and where the heck it is, here’s a Google map.

The addition of The Andaman is so recent that it’s not even on Starwood’s Luxury Collection list of new additions.  Check out what else is coming down the line here.

Source: Hospitality Biz

I made a quick weekend jaunt to Toronto from Ithaca, NY to take advantage of my last few days here in the bitter cold that is Northeast USA.  As a first timer tourist to this Canadian city, I decided to stay at the Sheraton Centre Toronto.  This is a gynormous 1,000+ room monstrosity situated perfectly in downtown Toronto with convenient access to just about everything.

Equipped with my two coats, gloves, ear muffs, and hand warmers, I braved the bitter cold and meandered around downtown.  All of a sudden I came across a public waste/recycle bin on the sidewalk that double as an advertisement for the Sheraton (see image to the right).  I thought it was a clever way to raise awareness that the hotel is environmentally friendly. 

Since people actually “use” this advertisement to recycle their trash, it just seemed more impactful to me than a billboard advertisement with no functional use.Back at the hotel, the Sheraton Centre Toronto also offered $5 credit on food and beverage or 500 bonus Starpoints if you decline housekeeping service for a night.  They give you hangers to place outside your door if you choose this option, and I actually noticed several guestrooms taking advantage of this program, which started as a pilot program in Hawaii back in 2007.

While I didn’t take any pictures of the green aspects of the hotel, I did take some great shots from the club lounge and the seasonally festive lobby.  Take a look!

Sheraton Centre Toronto - view from the Club Lounge

Sheraton Centre Toronto - Club Lounge

Sheraton Centre Toronto - Lobby

People are pissed about Hilton’s loyalty points devaluation next year, and I don’t blame them.  As some of the company’s most loyal guests consider bringing their loyalty elsewhere, the likes of Intercontinental, Marriott, and Starwood are woo’ing them with promotions and all this chit chat about how their points will remain at the same value.  Here’s a quote from Bob Behrens, VP of Marriott Rewards:

“We are not making changes that would negatively affect the Marriott Rewards point structure.  In fact, we are looking for ways to make things more positive for our members next year.”  This was in a recent Hotel Check-In article on USA Today.

But is it just corporate greed and P&L accountability that’s driving these devaluation decisions?  Probably.

But then I came across an article on how a few big league scammers are finding zero risk ways to accrue points at no net expense.  I’m talking about hundreds of thousands of points.  Read this entire WSJ article or the remarkable excerpts below:

At least several hundred mile-junkies discovered that a free shipping offer on presidential and Native American $1 coins, sold at face value by the U.S. Mint, amounted to printing free frequent-flier miles. Mileage lovers ordered more than $1 million in coins until the Mint started identifying them and cutting them off.

Coin buyers charged the purchases, sold in boxes of 250 coins, to a credit card that offers frequent-flier mile awards, then took the shipments straight to the bank. They then used the coins they deposited to pay their credit-card bills. Their only cost: the car trip to make the deposit.

One FlyerTalker, identified by his online moniker, Mr. Pickles, claims to have bought $800,000 in coins. He posted pictures of the loot on FlyerTalk.

He says his largest single deposit was $70,000 in $1 coins. He used several banks and numerous credit cards. He earned enough miles to put him over two million total at AMR Corp.’s American Airlines, giving him lifetime platinum-elite status — early availability of upgrades for life and other perks on American and its partners around the world. He also pumped miles into his account at UAL Corp.’s United Airlines and points into his Starwood Preferred Guest program account.

And people wonder why points get devalued.

Today was a big day for Vegas with the opening of the first hotel, Vdara Hotel & Spa, in the CityCenter complex after five years of development planning and construction.  The development is co-owned by the Las Vegas-based MGM Mirage and Dubai World, the investment arm of the Persian Gulf state.  ”It’s going to be party central around here for a few weeks,” said Jim Murren, CEO of MGM Mirage.

I wonder if they’ll party so hard they fall behind on their debt like Dubai.  By the way, does anyone else find the irony in Dubai’s delinquency when it is a criminal offense for residents to fall into debt?

In other Vegas news, the WSJ reported that Harrah’s is continuing its plan to purchase the Planet Hollywood.  Apparently Harrah’s has been negotiating to acquire more of Planet Hollywood’s $860 million debt, which is in default.

Picture: LV Review Journal

Starwood's Cyber Monday online promotion

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  A big thank you to all you readers and followers.  Here’s wishing you have a great break with friends and family.  Gobble gobble!

Now how about a Starwood deal?

Starwood is quickly positioning itself as a web savvy company.  In addition to its plethora of social media tools and sites, Starwood is now offering a special promotion for Cyber Monday.  For those who aren’t familiar with what that is, think of Black Friday but in the context of online shopping from your office desk next Monday.  Why should the brick and mortar retailers have all the fun?

Here’s the scoop on the online Starwood Cyber Monday promo . . .

For just three days starting on Monday, November 30 and ending on December 2, book a stay at one of the 50 Starwood resorts at savings of up to 45% on stays from Jan. 1 through April 30, 2010.  Here’s the link that you want to keep handy for next Monday:  http://www.starwoodexclusiveoffers.com/cybermonday-preview

The cancellation policy looks tough on this Cyber Monday promo though.  It looks like there’s no refund on cancelled reservations so make sure you’re definitely going or get trip insurance.

Just in case the 50 or so upscale Starwood resorts  just aren’t what you’re looking for, there’s always Hotels.com and its holiday sale.  Hotels.com was perhaps the industry pioneer of marketing online promotions specifically for Cyber Monday and Black Friday.  For the third year straight the website will hold online sales on both dates that will include over 200 properties in more than 100 locations selling at 50% off regular rates.

Just saw that Expedia is also having a Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale.  Get $25 off a hotel booking of $150 or more, book before Nov 30, and travel by Dec 21.

Goodbye White Plains, hello CT waterfront!

I had to read the news on WSJ twice before I actually digested the info.  It looks like Starwood is going to relocate corporate headquarters from White Plains, NY to Stamford, CT.  The WSJ article reports that Connecticut lured Starwood by offering government incentives worth up to roughly $90 million.  After reporting losses after each quarter this year, those incentives were probably like sweet, sweet nectar.

Here’s some additional info from the online sources . . .

Starwood will move to Harbor Point, a large mixed-use real estate development under construction in Stamford’s south end, which is currently home to accounting firm Deloitte.  The landlord, a local firm called Building & Land Technologies will shoulder some of the cost of the estimated $40 million renovation of the 250,000-square-foot space.  Starwood said the move would save 20% annually in rent.

The relocation, slated to be completed in 2012, will bring an estimated 800 jobs to the state, Connecticut Governor Rell said.  The incentives include a $9.5 million loan, as much as $5 million in sales tax relief and up to $75 million in tax credits.

“After an extensive search for new office space for our worldwide headquarters, it became clear that this particular space in Stamford was an ideal choice,” said Frits van Paasschen, president and CEO of Starwood. “Not only did the state of Connecticut provide meaningful incentives that translate to a savings of 20 percent per year in rent, but we will also have the opportunity to design office space that reflects Starwood’s leadership in global hospitality, design and brand-building, as well as our commitment to the environment and our communities.”