My Starwood New Year Stay Dilemma in Bangkok: Paid, Award, SPG50 or Cash & Points?

Dec 28, 2012

New year seems to be quite popular time for hotels in Bangkok. I just arrived here the other night and started to look for options to stay on 31^st. All the Marriott hotels are sold out, Grand Hyatt is sold out, InterContinental Hotels Group properties are sold out and only higher category rooms available at the Millennium Hilton hotel that I don’t like due to its location.

spg-nye-w

Starwood had availability at both St Regis (only high cat rooms – no awards) and at the newly opened W hotel. W was selling base level rooms at 9000 THB rack rate for the night or 10K Starpoints.

Four options:

1. Pay 9K THB that is after taxes/service fees 10530 THB ($344). This rate would earn 1176 Starpoints not including Platinum amenity.

2. Issue SPG50 award for 1000 Starpoints for 50% discount off of the rack rate of 9000 THB. Rate would be 4500 THB and 5265 THB including taxes/fees ($172). This would earn 588 Starpoints.

3. Cash & Points. 4000 Starpoints and $60 cash portion. This is not available for the 31^st, but could be available by requesting it directly from the property.

4. Just use 10K Starpoints for an award for 31^st.

Paying 9K THB doesn’t make any sense as there is availability using SPG50 for half the rate. Using 10K Starpoints for a night is not a deal if compared to SPG50. You would need to value Starpoints at less than 2 cents per piece to go this route.

It is almost a draw between SPG50 and Cash & Points if the latter option is available. SPG50 requires 1000 Starpoints to issue, but you earn points for the cash portion.

$172 + 422 Starpoints (1000 for the award + 588 earned) or 4000 Starpoints + $60?

Conclusion

You should always consider all the options when planning a stay at Starwood property. You cannot find the SPG50 rate online, but you have to call or use the chat function to find it out.

Would love to try out this only Starwood property in Bangkok that I haven’t checked out yet, but not sure if the stay is going to happen. The property is not fully operation yet and none of the suites (the main Platinum benefit) are ready before February 1.