ConsultantFlyer

Just got this from the W Silicon Valley:

To make your first stay in Wonderland for 2005 even more wonderful, W Silicon Valley wants to give you an extra 2005 Starpoints(R) when you stay any Friday, Saturday or Sunday night now through February 2005 for $99! Consider it a wink and a kiss of thanks. Enjoy the wonder of it all!

Here's the link:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotel...wh_1300_402723

Unfortunately every weekend I tried comes up with "Rate not available" - perhaps the rates are getting uploaded tonight and will work come tomorrow?

Certainly gives a very compelling reason to stay when you factor in the 500 Platinum amenity points + bonus points on the base $99 rate.

KathyWdrf

But considering how our Starpoints have recently been devalued (because of category upgrades of many hotels), maybe it's not so appealing after all.

I'd rather get the cheapo $49-$59-$69 weekend promo rates and the normal Starpoint earnings and bonuses for those rates. I already collect plenty-o-Starpoints using my Starwood Amex.

Boraxo

The rate code is "THRIVE."

I like the rooms here (all "suites"), though there isn't much of anything within walking distance of this hotel. But the location isn't bad if you have Monday a.m. or Friday p.m. business in Fremont, Milpitas or perhaps San Jose or Menlo Park.

Normally you would get 300 points/nt on this rate, so I think it's a good deal if you need some points to top off your account. But perhaps not so good for a mattress run since - as KathyWdrf notes - we often see $49/59 rates at this property.

On a sample booking, I didn't have any trouble finding a room at this rate for this weekend.

SkyTeam777

How far is this property from SFO airport and what are easy/affordable ways to get from there to downtown San Fran and to/from SFO airport ?

SkyTeam777

Can you combine it with the Winter Weekenders promo too?

Starwood Lurker

Nope.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

ConsultantFlyer

SkyTeam777, if your intent is to use this property as a "staging area" for trips to/from downtown San Francisco, you'd be better off looking at a different property since the W Silicon Valley is actually in Newark (30 minutes outside San Jose). Even if you were to travel in the off-hours - i.e. non-rush hour, the trip between Newark and San Francisco would be a 1.5 hour trip. As for combining it with the winter-weekenders the answer would be no, since these are both separate rate plans.

number_6

It is about 20 miles from SFO and similar distance to downtown SF. A car is essential, it is in the middle of nowhere (close to Sun, but otherwise a nice view of marshland but nothing else). Drive to Bart and take Bart to SF would be about 45 minutes, Bart to SFO would be 75 minutes -- really not viable. This isn't the hotel for you if you want to be in San Francisco. Hence the cheap weekend rates (vs. the $149+ rates at the SF hotels). Even Palo Alto is not convenient from this hotel due to the bridge. The W plan was based on Sun filling the hotel, and when Sun tanked so did this property.

joeyvegaz

I was doing the math...and those who claim this is not a good deal must be confused. $115 ($99 + Taxes) earns you 2205 starwood points for one night. That is 22 points per dollar. On a normal mattress run...if you stayed at, say 2 hotels at $50, as a normal member you would get 200 points ($50 X 2 points X 2 hotels) and 2 nights and 2 stay credits. As Gold you would get 300...so for $100 you basically get 7.5X points. And as a Platinum...I am unsure, but being a Platinum certainly certifies you as a *Wood expert, and you are sure to have already calculated this deal. Regardless of how much it costs to normally stay there...it is an amazing offer. Perhaps not in terms of nights (unless you stay for an extended period) and stays...but for sheer points, it is one of the best I have seen.

Boraxo

It really depends on how you value the points. For example, I received 8000 points for listening to a 90 minute timeshare presentation instead of a $75 hotel cert. That gives you an idea of how SPG values the points.

Also take a look at award costs. For example:

Category 4 (most US Westins) cost 10K per night.
Category 5 (most top end) cost 12K per night.

As noted in your example, SPG Gold will receive 2305 points for one night @$99. So it would take 4-5 nights (total cost: $400-500+tax) to earn enough points for 1 free night at a Westin. Not bad, but not as good a deal as the recent 3/1 and 5/1 promotions. Why? Because as Kathy pointed out, this hotel often has weekend promo rates of $49-69/nt. So with the recent 3/1 and 5/1 promos, you could spend as little as $150-250 and receive 1 free cat. 4 night + 450 points.

While a 2K/nt bonus is quite nice, it is not particularly useful if you don't really need a room in Newark and would rather spend $49 instead of $99.

KathyWdrf

And to add to what Boraxo just said, remember that this hotel is a "mattress run" hotel for a lot of us. Earning Starpoints is often secondary to earning or maintaining status for those who have very little business travel and are usually or nearly always paying out of their own pocket.

I value Starpoints (normally) at between 2 and 3 cents each. Often I do get more value out of them (sometimes considerably more), but I like to value them conservatively.

So an extra 2005 Starpoints is worth roughly $50. Subtract that from the $99 rate, and you have a $49 special. I'd rather pay the $49 rate myself.

On the other hand, if you can expense the $99 stay, or get it reimbursed, then go for it! ^

bHbZ

No luck on any Sunday night in January or February. Could all the rooms at that rate be booked already?

UPDATE: Finally got my Sunday night reservation (2/6/2005). Please disregard my message above.

rbAA

I see that the "Thrive" rate is available but the "rate details" do not mention any 2005 Starpoint bonus. Is is a targetted promo or can anyone join in the fun? I need to plan out the 25 stays needed to requalify PLT for the year and this rate is not too bad given the bonus.

Also, last time I stayed at the W Silicon Valley (the $29 Leap Year Do,) there was a 500 point bonus for using the video checkout.

Mul

The other option is to use CalTrain to SFO. Take the CalTrain from Palo Alto to Millbrae hub, and switch to Bart to SFO. That should be faster vs. using Bart from Union City to SFO directly. Of course that may vary on traffic condition on the Dumbarton bridge.

rbAA

Well the 2005 bonus points just posted for my 1/14 stay at the W, Silicon Valley, CA. I had to send a copy of the email offering this bonus as apparently, no one at the hotel nor spg CS had a clue about this.

Now if my 500 points bonus for video checkout would post (their rev mgr said this expired though it is still posted in the room brochure for Fall and Winter starting 2004) I would be able to close out this stay from my pending file.