This is it… today is the last day of Starwood Preferred Guest existence 😦 August 18th marks the day where every SPG property becomes Marriott. We have been fortunate enough to be top elite statuses in all the international hotel brands and I have to admit that out of all the hotel programs in the world… Starwood treats their loyal customers the best.
Therefore, I like to take a moment today and reflect on some of the most amazing moments we had at a Starwood property…
#3: St Regis Dubai
Here’s a fun fact, it’s not even a SPG property anymore! Like the Monarch Beach Resort, this hotel left the program this year, so it’s not redeemable via Marriott too.
Nevertheless, when we were in Dubai couple years ago, the staff went above and beyond in recognizing our loyalty. Heck, they knew we were super nervous about Skydive Dubai and offered to arrange transportation for us there.
Yes, coming back in one piece after jumping off a plane is most important, but entering into our 1000+ sq-ft room certainly made us feel alive.
On top of that, the St. Regis even assisted us in letting Etihad Airlines Chauffeur know what time to arrive at the hotel. Especially since there were two cars picking us up, it made our life easier and made the check-in boarding process feel a lot more seamless.
#2: St. Regis Osaka
Back in 2014, did you know this used to be only a Category 5 hotel?! That means for only 12,000 points per night, you got to stay at the most luxurious hotel in Osaka Japan. And then in 2016, it got announced to be a Category 6 hotel. Even worse, it is now a Category 7 hotel! As a side note, it’ll be a Category 8 hotel under the new Marriott program in 2019.
When we got the insane complimentary upgrade to the Sakura Suite, I remember our reaction at the little details of our room…. including the hidden T.V. in the living room.
The Japanese breakfast for Platinum members every morning was also out of this world.
I guess it makes sense why it’s such an expensive redemption hotel now…
To this day, we still think back on this trip. It certainly made our Osaka stay a memorable experience.
#1: St. Regis New York
Ah yes, the hotel that started it all. This historic five-diamond property opened in 1904 and defines what luxury is suppose to be for the Starwood brand.
For our stay, the hotel generously did a surprise upgrade for us to the Madison Suite. On any given day, this room costs over $2000 USD / night!
Essentially, our room feels like a luxury New York apartment every morning.
With a 300,000+ USD Bentley Mulsanne car taking us everywhere around New York City.
Certainly beats walking to NYC subway in the rain 😉
Well there you have it, the top three most memorable moments in our Starwood hotels stays….. overall, I’m optimistic about the future of Marriott, but I have a feeling status recognition will slowly diminish for members in the years to come. If that prediction comes true, at least we’re fortunate enough to look back on these memories and appreciate what Starwood has done for their loyal guests.
Thank you Starwood. I will always remember you.
Warmest regards,
❤ Chai Bear World
Chai Bear World 