Starwood’s Summer Value hotel rates sale didn’t go off smoothly last week. There were numerous examples of rates available at many hotels lower than the Summer Value sale offer. Another quirk was the fact that the timer on the screen counting down the days and hours before the sale ended ran down to the final hour last evening while the fine print at the bottom of the Promotion Offer Page stated the sale ended at 11:59pm EDT on August 5, 2008 which is tonight.
· Reservations are prepaid, non-refundable and non-changeable.
· Book by 11:59pm EDT on Monday, August 11, 2008 for stays by September 30, 2008.
· Thursday, Friday, or Saturday arrival necessary for discount rates. Some hotels may have minimum stay requirement. (Terms do not mention Sunday, and the previous Summer Value sale included low room rates for Sunday.)
Starwood has extended the sale for another week and the terms and calendar are now aligned. This is Day 1 of the 7-day sale and the sale ends at 11:59pm EDT on August 11, 2008.
My observation from dozens of searches is the sale fares show up during regular default searches on the Starwood Preferred Guest booking sites and there is no need to follow the promotional offer link above to get the lower rates.
Bookings are non-refundable and non-changeable so make sure your plans are firm before booking.
My observation was several hotels in the San Francisco Bay Area had their lowest rates since 2006 with this offer. W Silicon Valley ($87), Sheraton Palo Alto ($99), and Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf ($149 is a bargain for high season August and September. Winter can be $129.) These rates are in the region of low off-season winter rates.
Other hotels like the W Hotel San Francisco, The Palace, and Le Meridien San Francisco have been $20 to $100 cheaper at times in 2008.
Bargains are there, but you have to look carefully.
