For years I eagerly analyzed new SPG promotions and planned out my hotel stays in advance for maximizing the offers. These days I rarely get excited about new SPG offers. SPG Bring on the Nights was released two weeks ago and I am only now feeling like writing about another tepid promotion offer for Starwood Hotel stays.
Bring on the Nights offers 2,500 bonus points every five nights, up to 10,000 bonus points. In short, the offer is 500 bonus points per night after five nights with an additional 5,000 bonus points after 25 nights between January 5 and April 30, 2014.
15,000 bonus points after 25 nights or as few as 5,000 bonus points after 9 nights is an offer that pales compared to the average SPG bonus points offers in the past.
In 1999, in one of my first SPG bonus points offers that attracted me to the loyalty program was one where I received 7,000 bonus points after three stays. This Bring on the Nights offer does not move me at all. I can earn free nights at a category 1-5 hotel with every two stays at a Marriott brand or have breakfast for two with Hyatt and extended stay suite upgrades as a Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond member.
Starwood Preferred Guest is the program that five years ago I used to figure I would average 1,000 bonus points per night from promotions for one-night stays. That does not happen too often anymore, especially since I dropped from SPG Platinum to Gold elite.
Both Hyatt and Starwood have set their promotion bar for maximizing offers this past year at a level equivalent to the frequency of stays and nights comparable to 75 to 100 hotel nights a year. That kind of frequency offers little incentive to a leisure traveler and most business travelers who do not live out of hotels.
Registration will open in the next week or two for Bring on the Nights. SPG members can receive a text message notification of registration. SPG members must register by February 28, 2014 for this offer.
SPG Bring On The Nights Terms and Conditions
Text Message Reminders: SPG® members who reside in the U.S. or U.K. can opt to receive a text message reminder to register for the SPG Bring on the Nights promotion when registration begins. Submit keyword “BOTN” to 44264 in the U.S to opt in. Submit keyword “BOTN” to 447950080934 in the U.K. to opt in. Opted–in members will receive three text messages from Starwood for this campaign. One message will be sent right after opting in, asking you to respond with keyword “YES” to verify that you would like to receive the registration reminder text. Once you do so, you will also get a text confirming that you have been opted in. Then, when promotion registration has begun, you will get the reminder text with registration information. Message and data rates apply. Supported carriers in the U.S. are AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, Nextel, Boost, U.S. Cellular and Alltel. Supported carriers in the U.K are Three, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Virgin and Vodafone. If your mobile operator is not participating, you may not receive a reply to your message. To receive help information, text “BOTN HELP” to short code 44264 in the U.S or text “BOTN HELP” to 447950080934 located in the U.K. You may also opt out at any time by sending “BOTN STOP” to 44264 in the U.S. or by sending “BOTN STOP” to 447950080934 if located in the U.K. We will not share or use your mobile number for any other purpose. We will only use information you provide to transmit your text message.
Member must register online at spg.com/bringonthenights by February 28, 2014, midnight EST. Member can earn 2,500 bonus Starpoints® after every (5) eligible paid nights, up to a maximum of 10,000 bonus Starpoints after 20 eligible paid nights. Member can earn an additional 5,000 bonus Starpoints once he/she has stayed 25 eligible nights. Member may earn a maximum of 15,000 total bonus Starpoints for nights from January 5, 2014, through April 30, 2014 (the “promotion period”).
Starwood promotions do not offer much incentive for me these days. SPG Bring on the Nights is a 3-star offer designed for members who would stay at Starwood Hotels anyway. This is not an incentive offer to attract guests to the Starwood brands with promotion bonus points.
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Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
Loyalty Traveler shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
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