The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Ka’anapali has a newer tower with larger rooms. They don’t upgrade elites to the new tower – though they’ll gladly upsell. That tower now has a club lounge.
Here’s the problem.
- Platinum members and higher get Westin club lounge access.
- There’s no exception, like at Ritz-Carlton (lounges aren’t an elite benefit) and J.W. Marriott resorts (which also consider the lounges ‘too nice’ to give as an elite benefit)
- This property doesn’t honor club lounge benefits for Platinums.
Marriott’s elite benefit cash guarantee doesn’t apply to Westin lounges, so there’s no penalty for non-compliance.
Now, some properties have ‘hotels within a hotel’ and by long-standing practice dating back well into the Starwood Preferred Guest program hotels don’t have to upgrade you to a ‘different hotel’. I stayed at Sheraton Hong Kong & Towers and at the Sheraton Saigon which had this concept. However, the Westin Maui doesn’t appear to operate their newer tower as a separate hotel.
So what do they do for Platinums? You get a breakfast voucher for two market items and two drinks to go or $15 credit against the cost of the breakfast buffet, which is appalling.
Marriott isn’t the only chain that disappoints their most valuable guests, and Westin Maui isn’t the only property in Hawaii to do so. Hyatt Centric Waikiki is another great example. These are exactly the hotels that you want to go above and beyond. You earn your points and status on business trips, slogging it out on the road, and the ultimate reward is that special trip to Hawaii. When you arrive and find your loyalty worth so little, that puts a damper on the whole enterprise.
Now, it’s precisely because these properties are that reward that they attract a disproportionate number of elites and award stays. So chains may need to do more to compensate owners, but it is crucial for the value proposition of the programs that these stays are delivered right rather than leaving a bad taste in their members’ mouths, feeling that their loyalty just wasn’t worth it.
Frankly what do you expect? When Marriott gives Platinum to anyone willing to pay for their top tier Amex credit card it dilutes the value. Frankly, Platinum benefits should drop to the “Gold” level (just like Hilton shouldn’t honor Diamond by having Aspire to the extent they do for people that earn it). It’s also a numbers game. I’m lifetime Titanium and frankly don’t expect any benefit (outside of maybe an hour later check out). If I want a nicer room I book it and same with lounge access. I’ve stayed in Marriott’s before where half the hotel was Platinum or higher. No way any hotel owner should be expected to give away their premium benefits to that number of guests.
Just like with airlines, credit cards have ruined the loyalty programs for hotels. They simply can’t, and shouldn’t be expected to, honor all the benefits for those who get status that way as it is too many people. I know people contrast with Hyatt but one MAJOR difference is there is no way to get Globalist without earning it. Now if Chase starts offering a $500-$600 Hyatt card that gives maybe Explorist and includes like 20 nights and/or an option to upgrade to Globalist with maybe $50,000 spend I bet Hyatt will quickly run away from the benefits Globalists currently receive.
All a numbers game. I got most of my elite status miles/nights/points in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s with 100,000-200,000 base miles a year and 150-200 hotel nights. There weren’t nearly as many top tier (or high level qualifying levels like Marriott Platinum even though not top tier) then and, consequently I almost always got upgraded on flights and at hotels. That ship as sailed and the constant articles about hotels not honoring benefits that people “deserve” or whining about the lack of airline upgrades is simply wasting your breath – never going to change so just accept reality.
Boycott Maui. Let ’em eat poi poi….
at least you got something. It’s Hawaii so enjoy your time being there.
Hawaii sucks anyway.
@AC:
As far as credit cards ruining programs, you do realize that it takes both parties to sign these agreements. You can just as easily (and probably should) blame the brands themselves for cheapening their product to the point of them being laughable and worthy of zero consumer investment.
Maybe the most valuable guests are the people who pay for the expensive rooms and don’t want freebies. Why would I want hang around a bunch of people in a lounge who didn’t pay for it if I actually paid the price for the room/lounge?
It is the same with planes. Why force people who actually paid for business or domestic first to have to sit with people who didn’t pay for it and are being upgraded?
Deregulation caused this mess with the airlines and the stupid miles programs.
Interesting that both of your examples are in Hawaii. The Hyatt surprises me because Hyatt is normally better than that. As to anything Bonvoy, expect little to nothing and you’ll never feel let down. I miss when Marriott actually cared about guests.
You’re 100% correct that it’s absolutely vital for resort hotels to honor all elite benefits because that’s why we strive for status, not so we can enjoy the benefits of our status on a stay at the Courtyard Boise airport.
“no way to get Globalist without earning it” — I get it from AA CK, regardless of how much $ I spend at Hyatt (very little). As an aside, I have had no problem with top RCs as AE+
Hawaii is overrated, overpriced, and overtouristed. The service isn’t good, the food isn’t good, and there are countless other places to visit that are just as if not more beautiful where half the residents don’t have a permanent attitude problem to thank you for choosing to visit.
@Christian. Oh come on! Leave the poor Courtyard Boise hotel alone!
It’s got the roomiest five room suites that I’ve ever seen. The museums, art galleries & five star restaurants within walking distance are phenomenal. The Rolls Royce chauffeur driven motor cars to & from the Courtyard & airport are soooo nice. Let alone the three hour complimentary Swedish massage in their world class spa which Condé Nast voted #1 in the entire world! And don’t get me started on their Hong Kong trained professional tailors that whipped me up a new three piece suit in just 47 minutes. Yes, 47 minutes! Did I rock that board meeting or what?! This hotel is just a hidden gem! and really, really, really hidden.
@mark – what a stupid comment to make…. Ever wondered how you got to CK with AA in first place? You missed the whole point that GLoB requires a significant amount of spend somewhere (Hyatt stays or Hyatt CC or AA CK) while both Bonvoy Plat and Hilton Diamond can be had by paying under $650 AF, which even a high schiol graduate with hi income and a parent willing to pay $650 can easily have.
Use some of your brain to upgrade your intelligence status the same way you use your (or someone else’s) money to upgrade your AA status.
@Connor – Avoid Nassau in the Bahamas.
@Gary – Did you ask Marriott Corporate to respond to this issue and if you did what was the response? Also, what is the purpose of the Club Lounge in the newer tower?
This is what I don’t understand. You can cheat me out of my benefits (namely breakfast) most of the year when I’m traveling for work. I can always bill someone for breakfast. But I expect better from a hotel chain when I go to redeem my hard-earned points for my one week of vacation.
The worst part of the Hyatt Centric in Waikiki is that it’s not a franchise. This is a HYATT-MANAGED property.
Hotels won’t honor elite status as long as elite customers allow it. When elites start boycotting offending hotels, service will improve.
The Maui property is a joke, with poor service, no benefits, and a clientele that is like package tours. Won’t ever stay there again.
The lounge is called the Lanai and it’s marketed as a separate benefit. If you get upgraded to that tower, you still don’t get Lanai access. You have to have paid for it. They are working on making that tower a unique experience where you actually check-in at the Lanai…. BTW, The Lanai is amazing and worth the money 🙂
“no way to get Globalist without earning it”
Yeah except for all the free status given out to corporate travel managers to distribute to their teams of corporate willy lomans
Status no more, it’s cheaper and less of a let down to just pay for what you want and avoid the resorts that have screwed you over on benefits.
My husband and I stayed at the Westin Maui Kaanapali in 2021 and we got the same awful $15 credit which barely bought two cups of coffee. They also nickel and dime you for everything. Glad to see they haven’t even kept up with inflation . We won’t ever be going back to this hotel because of the disappointment.
Platinum’s are basically like Hilton Diamond bottom feeders
Take a credit card get status have no loyalty.
Hotels are just looking for anything they can to get them to go away.
So I suppose this works for the owners.
With Marriott rolling over and playing dead it will continue
All MARRIOTT want$ is the cash revenue stream.If guests shut up and accept it they are golden
They have said forever their elites feel overly entitled
I have three words for the Westin Maui.
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