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Starwood Resort WOW Packages Five Day Sale to Nov 30

Starwood Resorts is offering a five day sale on hotel package rates at 35 hotels in North America. The beauty of package rates is the opportunity to get discounts on items like breakfast, parking and prepaid hotel stay credit for Spa, Golf, and other activities.

The downside of package rates is the ability of the hotel to bundle items and call the rate a discount when there is actually a very small discount or none at all.

Starwood Five Days to Get Away CyberMonday bonus is something I have seen on a number of blogs today, yet the CyberMonday hotel deals are almost all just straight copy from the hotel marketers. I have not seen a travel blogger actually analyze the deals.

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Here is my look at St. Regis Monarch Beach, a California Orange County coastal hotel at Dana Point. Starwood Lurker named this hotel in 2011 as the most requested award stay hotel in the USA.

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Starwood’s Five Days WOW Package includes $100 daily resort credit and free parking ($35 daily value).

This package bundle provides $405 in added value in this WOW package on a 3-night stay ($300 resort credit + $105 for 3 days valet parking).

St. Regis Monarch Beach Luxury Ocean View room

Dec 4-7, 2012, 3-night stay

  • WOW Package is $576 per night after tax and resort fees. Package includes valet parking and $100 daily resort credit.
  • AAA package rate is $477 per night after tax and resort fees. Package includes $75 resort credit per stay.
  • Prepaid nonrefundable rate with no extras is $455 per night after tax and resort fees.
  • CyberMonday 5-day sale WOW Package is $99 more per night and provides an extra $75 hotel credit daily and valet parking compared to AAA package rate.
  • Prepaid rate is $121 less per night than WOW package rate. You can pay for parking and not feel pressured to spend $100 per day, although my experience at this hotel is $100 per day goes rather quickly.
  • Actual Savings with Starwood Five Days Sale package = $11 per day compared to AAA package rate or $14 per day compared to prepaid rate for guests who valet park and spend $100+ per day at the resort.

4 Comments

  • dwonder November 26, 2012

    One of the worst properties for Platinum treatment for SPG members in my 12 plus years with Starwood
    St. Regis Monarch Beach
    I wouldn’t stay free of charge
    Shameful management bad service
    There resort fee is a rip off for a health club spa that closes at 7 to 8 PM in the evening
    when we checked in
    For reservations call 1800 nobody cares
    Accept when taking payment for your stay!

  • John K November 26, 2012

    Come now, it isn’t THAT bad. Just because they won’t upgrade you to a suite room, going to complain?

    I’ve read both good and bad review on this property, and from my own personal experience, it’s a very nice property. Albeit, many of the complaints stem from the 25/day resort fee (which can be reduced to 15/day with platinum and gold as well if you choose the internet option for your welcome gift) and the 35/day valet fee, which can be averted if you park just outside the street on stonehill dr, which is like 5 minute walk.

    All else, if you expect TOO much out of your “platinum” status, you’re going to get fried…not just here, but anywhere else.

  • Ric Garrido November 26, 2012

    @John K – I usually mention the free parking on Stonehill Drive in my posts on St. Regis Monarch Beach. I don’t mind walking a block to save $30 a day and I even know exactly where my car is located when I want to dash away.

    My only ocean view junior suite upgrade happened in 2005 on my first stay. I did not like the ground floor patio balcony. I like the pool view. Ocean view was the best.

  • SEG November 27, 2012

    As you’ve stated many times, my experience is that it’s rare to find a package that is actually a “deal” compared the hotel’s lowest rates (AAA or otherwise) and adding the extras separately. Also, some of the inclusions in packages are items that you may get free as part of your status in a hotel program (internet or breakfast for example) or don’t want… so it makes the a la carte rate that much better.

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