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

by Ajay 3 Comments

If you’re looking to visit any of the Asian countries in 2012, SPG has been offering a promotion valid till March 31, 2012. The chain is offering a 20$ upgrade on publicly available best available rates to Club Rooms, Suites and Villas on the use of promo-code: DALYUP. Here is a link to the promotion from Starwood Asia Pacific.

What do you get? An upgraded room as per the category you choose, access to the club lounge, which also means free complimentary breakfast and evening hors d’oeuveres.  Essentially, an upgrade which would usually be offered to the platinum elites of SPG, and sometimes, depending on the hotel front-desk, to the Gold elites as well.

How does it work? If you choose the upgrade offer, you need to prepay for the duration of your stay, which is a non-refundable rate, and will also turn up when you are browsing the rates tab at the hotel of your choice.

However, on checking up the promotion for various properties, I found the offer was not working out as being publicised. Either I am missing something, or there is a technical glitch or something is wrong somewhere.

Check out the rates I looked up for the Westin, Kuala Lampur for a random date in September. It shows the best available rate to be MYR 510 (~USD 164)

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When I picked up the Upgrade offer, for the same date, it shows a room rate of MYR 675 per night (~ USD 218), however still cheaper than the approximately MYR 800 (~ USD 258) for the night if you booked without the offer.

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I hopped on to another hotel to check the price as well, this time in Jaipur where the best available rate looked like INR 5000 (USD 100):

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However, when I picked up the upgrade offer, the rate shot up by USD 84, ex taxes (INR 4200):

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Here as well, the rate went up massively. I do have a couple of more examples but they all turned up for a massive spike in the rates and not the $20 as the promotion stated. However, almost always, the rates were considerably lesser than the regular rates offered for booking an executive room/villa/suite via SPG.com.

In their own interest, SPG has included terms which state that limited rooms are offer on this promotion and there maybe blackout dates applicable. However, trying to book at 7 hotels I did not come around a single hotel where the rates had the promised $20 difference. I shot off an email to SPG to clarify as well, and will report back with their responses.

However, in the meanwhile, please feel free to check out the offer, since if the $20 rate upgrade rate is found, I feel it is a good proposition. Do share your experience with booking up if you decide to use the offer.

The following hotels are participating (sorted by brands):

Westin

Sheraton

W hotels

St. Regis

Le Meridien

The Luxury Collection

Four Points

Aloft Hotels

 

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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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Comments

  1. Using the above link, I tried several variations of dates for Bangkok SPG properties, and the “Lowest Standard Rate” by far was the better rate … YMMV!

    Reply

  2. I looked up the Sheraton Seoul D Cube for a stay in December, and the special upgrade rate did not even show up (even though I went through the promotion link). 🙁 Please let us know what you find out. Thanks.

    Reply

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