A couple of days I wrote about the SPG offer in the Asia-Pacific, where the promotional mailer and the website stated that if you booked by March 31, 2012, you could get an upgraded room for $20 over the ‘standard rates’. As the offer is made out to be, it just needs to be prepaid. However, when I tried comparing, all I could come up with was 60-80$ upgrade offers, no less. The Loyalty Traveler had a similar experience with this promo.

I wrote to SPG to bring this aberration to their notice, and here is what I heard back a while back:

Here is the response I received today:

I immediately contested this:

To which SPG responded with finality:

I immediately looked up the T&C again. Everyone out their running a promotion stuffs the fine print to protect themselves against exigencies. However, here, it seems like the terms being advertised are differently being interpreted by the chain than by everyone else (the audience?!?)

Now, this is something I’d have not expected of Starwood, ‘misselling’ is the word? Their website is full of $20 upgrade promotions, and now their response says $20 is not applicable. I’m not clearly appreciative of this business practice.

Have you guys had any luck with the $20 upgrades on a consistent basis? Or is it just a hit and run for you guys as well. Do share your experiences here.

 

Related Posts:

• $20 upgrades at SPG properties across AsiaPac (Book by 3/31, use by 12/31)–Works or not?

 

Live From A Lounge is also present on Facebook, Twitter and available via RSS.