Where to stay when you leave.
Sometimes, Excessive Complaining Can Be a Good Thing
2/14/2008 at 10:30 AM
Tags: Starwood Hotels, Barcelona Hotel Guide, Loyalty Program Guide
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Le Méridien Barcelona is one of the Spanish city's more popular hotels, mostly because of its location off the hotspot entertainment boulevard of La Rambla. (Well, perhaps at least until the W Barcelona debuts later this year.)
But the hotel has not been without its problems. When Starwood, which bought the Le Méridien brand in 2005, began assimilating its Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program to the hotel chain, members complained that their status didn't seem to hold much weight in garnering upgrades at the hotel, noting that staff frequently said suites were not available, despite such rooms capable of being booked online.
SPG members--who usually are able to enjoy the unabashed perks of the program--took the snubs as insults and then took to the Internets to complain about it. It's easy to see why, when "the breadth of the program and the rewards offered is what sets SPG apart," says one non-Starwood-employed insider. "There are no blackout dates and awards are attained and redeemed with fewer points than other rewards programs."
Word got around, and if 2007/2008 reviews are any indication, it appears as though Starwood recently corrected the issue at Le Méridien Barcelona. This is good news, as despite any loyalty program problems, guests continue to love this hotel for its comfort and history of housing famous guests. This March, the hotel is set to complete a $36-million renovation, which includes new guest rooms, conference facilities, a grand ballroom, fitness center and lobby bar.
Meanwhile, Starwood continues to be the Don Juan of Spain. In addition to the W Barcelona, it is constructing six other hotels in Spain, including the Frank Gehry-designed Hotel Marqués de Riscal in La Rioja. Starwood also has a number of existing conquests peppered throughout the country, including such properties as The Westin Palace Madrid and the Hotel Alfonso XIII in Seville, which we hope has cleaned up its act since our last visit.
[Photo: Cbcarveth]
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