School of SPG 3 – SPG Platinum benefits

SPG Platinum benefits are achieved on reaching SPG Platinum Preferred Guest status.

SPG Platinum Preferred Guest is the next status level after SPG Gold Preferred Guest, and is awarded after 25 eligible stays or 50 eligible nights in a calendar year (‘Qualifying Period’).

SPG Platinum Preferred Guest Benefits

SPG Platinum Preferred Guest brings the following benefits:-

• Earn Starpoints at a rate of 3 per US Dollar spent, or 4 per US Dollar if Platinum 75 (i.e. already stayed more than 75 nights in a Qualifying Period).
• An upgrade to best available room at check-in – including a Standard Suite.
• Complimentary, in-room premium Internet access.
• Complimentary health-club, Club-Level and Executive-Level access.
• Guaranteed room availability when your room is booked by 3pm, 72+ hours prior to arrival.
• SPG Nights Benefits: after 50 eligible nights in a calendar year, you will be able to choose a benefit from a selection of options such as 10 x Suite Night awards, gift Gold status to a friend or 5 x Elite Qualifying Nights.
• SPG Nights Benefits: after 75 eligible nights, earn 4 Starpoints per US Dollar spent (including partners like Uber), choose your check-in time using My24 (e.g. check-in at 9pm and checkout at 9pm)
• SPG Nights Benefits: after 100 eligible nights, access to SPG Ambassador service.
• SPG Lifetime Platinum: after 500 eligible nights, and 10 years of Platinum status.

SPG Platinum benefits SPG Preferred Guest Member benefits

How get the best out of your SPG Platinum Benefits

• Ensure your book your stay through ‘SPG Digital Channels’ (i.e. the SPG app or websites) because you receive free PREMIUM Internet as Platinum. As the SPG terms and conditions state: “Complimentary in-room, premium Internet access when you book on SPG digital channels. This is in addition to your welcome gift.”

• Ensure you select Starpoints as your welcome gift, then you can receive TWO benefits (Premium Internet and bonus 125/250 Starpoints)

SPG Platinum benefits are particularl useful when staying in Dubai

Dubai is a fantastic opportunity to make the most of being SPG Platinum, as there are so many SPG (21) hotels such as:-

1. Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai
2. Sheraton Grand Dubai
3. Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai
4. Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai
5. Sheraton Dubai Creek and Towers
6. Le Meridien Fairway
7. The St Regis Dubai (newly opened)
8. Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre
9. Sheraton Mall of the Emirates
10. The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Resort and Marina
11. Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina
12. Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel
13. Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa
14. Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort and Spa (newly opened)
15. Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort
16. Ajman Saray, a Luxury Collection Resort, Ajman*
17. The Westin Dubai Al Habtoor City (opening soon)
18. W Dubai Al Habtoor City (opening soon)
19. Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa
20. Aloft Sharjah (opening soon)
21. Four Points by Sheraton Sharjah (opening soon)

Two of the best benefits of being SPG Platinum are lounge access and room upgrades.

Starwood chains such as Westin, Sheraton and Le Meridien tend to have better Executive or Club lounges. Lounges offer Happy Hours (free booze!), snacks during the day, and breakfasts – all of which add to the visitor experience and can even save you money. Two of the best lounges in Dubai to try are Sheraton Grand Dubai  and Sheraton Dubai Creek.

Platinum upgrades are especially worthwhile at hotels such as Le Royal Meridien Dubai or Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre. Both of these hotels offer Platinum wings, including stunning suites, dedicated check-in desks and amazing lounges.

SPG Platinum Preferred Guest – elite status qualification notes

‘Stay’ means single or multiple nights, with one check-in and one checkout. So check-in on the 12th and checkout on 14th means 2 x nights (12th & 13th) but counts as 1 x stay.

‘Night’ means one calendar day/night, so check-in on 12th and checkout on 13th means night of 12th counts as 1 x night (and 1 x stay).

Award redemption stays/nights (where Starpoints are used to pay for stays in SPG hotels) also count towards elite status.

It can take a few days (often up to 48 hours after checkout) for stay credits to be updated onto the SPG system. For example, if you were staying at 5 different SPG hotels over 5 nights, and your 50th Qualification night (that moves you up to Platinum) was the first night/first hotel of your stay, you may not receive Platinum status until the 3rd or 4th night of your stay.

This is part of a series of articles on how to maximise Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) – our favourite hotel loyalty program.

Do you have any queries or questions about SPG? Feel free to drop us a comment below and we’ll try to answer it for you 🙂