Reader Question: SPG Elite Benefits Not Honored On Third Party Bookings?

Apr 12, 2018

A LoyaltyLobby reader dropped me an email about SPG Gold benefits when the booking was made on third party platform.

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You can access SPG’s website for elite benefits here.

Here’s the email from the reader:

I’m absolutely gutted with my recent experience of booking a hotel stay via third party.

I’m an SPG Gold member and always used to book the stay directly via the hotel website. However, this time booking through a third party source (Club1Hotels), I was shattered to find that I cannot avail the SPG Gold member benefits. SPG has emailed me to inform that to get those benefits, the booking must be done via an SPG channel.

Though this may sound a basic information, I wish to send this out to you since no other LoyaltyLobby reader should go through this experience.

Here’s the email that the reader sent to SPG:

Comments: Hi there, i have an upcoming say with four points sheraton in brisbane. the stay was booked through Club1Hotels website. how can i let the booking reflect on spg app and avail the gold member benefits please. looking forward to hearing from you. rgds

And here’s the reply from SPG:

Conclusion

There are very few programs that officially extend elite benefits for third party bookings because all the chains are trying to drive more direct reservations due to commissions paid to OTAs.

I have had, however, good luck getting elite benefits honored on those occasions when I have used OTAs (like right now when I am staying at an Accor affiliated property in Luang Prabang), but you must do this when you arrive to the property and not in advance with the loyalty program.

Just present them your card and request them to add it to the reservation purely to earn points for incidentals (even when that doesn’t apply) and request late check out and possible room/suite upgrades at that time and see what happens.