Kimpton Hotels Summer Relief for Flyers' Frustrations

Hotel Monaco, Denver, Colorado

Kimpton Hotels is marketing two hotel summer promotions to provide frustrated airline flyers a bit of cash relief for additional baggage fees and hospitable hospitality treatment for stranded passengers. And registration is not necessary for these Kimpton Hotels offers.

WE GOT YOUR BAG

"We Got Your Bag" is an offer to provide the guest up to a $25 room credit if you are an airline passenger with a receipt to present at hotel check-in showing the airline charged you for checking a second bag. The promotion is limited to one bag only (I assume per hotel stay, since checked baggage charges can occur numerous times over the summer for frequent travelers, although this is not specified in the published terms. )

The $25 room credit is based on a Best Available Rate. The offer states some restrictions apply, however, there is no mention in the published terms concerning the flight dates. It seems to me that any flight within the promotion dates might be available for a room credit.

Kimpton has 43 upscale boutique hotels in major cities of the USA. "We Got Your Bag" promotion runs from May 22 to September 9, 2008.


STRANDED IN STYLE

Kimpton Hotels will offer a passenger of a canceled flight a complimentary "Stranded in Style" amenity with proof of a cancelled flight at check-in.

Soothing - comforting amenity such as bath salts or eyeshade
Pampering - bottle of wine or in-room movie
Relaxing - designer lounge socks
Indulging - cocktail or appetizer

These deals are not huge value offers, but after the treatment millions of airline passengers will experience this summer with the nickel and dime charges, or more like $15 to $40 charges, a little hospitality relief shows Kimpton Hotels remains In Touch with the public.

Kimpton Hotels Website

Kimpton InTouch Frequent Guest Loyalty Program

Radisson Points Calculator also HHonors Triple Dips

Fisherman's Wharf hotel district, San Francisco

The Bay is two blocks away and Alcatraz can be seen in background

I came across the Radisson online advertisement when reading Gary Leff's View from the Wing blog today. Last Friday, I mentioned in my post I was searching for this Radisson ad claiming its free nights earning advantages over the other major loyalty programs.

I made screenshots of the Radisson calculator pages and then started my analysis of their "Do the Math" hotel loyalty program comparison calculator.

Ironically, I see the Radisson calculator makes the same HHonors "Triple Dip" error as the Inside Flyer calculations for Hilton HHonors. The calculator applies the HHonors elite bonus to the total points earned for Double Dip "Points and Points" earnings option when the elite bonus only applies to base points.

Seeing the Hilton HHonors points discrepancy again in the Radisson calculator output made me doubt my earlier analysis of HHonors and the Inside Flyer charts. I pulled out my HHonors account statements and the way my account statement shows points being earned in my past stays with Points and Points selected is the way I calculated the Points and Points earnings in the previous post.

The math was shown in the previous post so I'll not repeat it again until the end of this piece.

Instead, I want to look at a real example of a the value of a free night using hotel points compared between programs.

San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf has the distinction of having a hotel from each of the six loyalty programs compared by Radisson with their "Do the Math" points calculator.

A real comparison of similar properties in the same location is possible using the hotels of San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf. It is possible to compare different brands in the same neighborhood, and the Fisherman's Wharf hotels are all clustered in about three blocks.

Hotel Loyalty Program Comparison for San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hotels

The factors used for my Loyalty Traveler comparison include:

1. Using the "Do the Math" calculator, input 50 nights at $150 night to determine hotel points earned by an elite frequent guest in the hotel loyalty program. These point values are used as the member's account balance for comparison of free nights an elite member in each loyalty program can redeem for booking the respective loyalty program branded San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf hotel.

2. Hotel Brand's loyalty program redemption rate for a free night using points and how many nights can be redeemed at the standard rate. (Marriott PointSavers, HHonors Point Stretchers, and Priority Club PointBreaks may offer lower redmption opportunities at various times and locations during the year, but these will not be considered here.)

3. Published "Best Available Rate" for this Friday, June 13, 2008 as shown on the hotel branded website to compare the actual cost of the lowest priced room available for the six different hotel brands,

4. TripAdvisor popularity ranking. I also looked at the TripAdvisor traveler rating, however, they were all the same value of 3.5 of 5 for all six hotels.

The points available for redemption are based on the Radisson "Do the Math" calculator and 50 nights at $150/night.


Radisson Hotel Fisherman's Wharf (sorry, I've never photographed this hotel)
Gold Points Plus Category 4 = 45,000 points or 67,500 Flex rate
225,000 points = 5 free nights if standard award available or 3 free nights on flex award.
Price for 1 night stay on Friday June 13, 2008 = $169

(TripAdvisor #100 of 238 hotels)

Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf
Gold Passport Category 3 = 12,000 Hyatt points
48,750 points = 4 free nights
Price for 1 night stay on Friday June 13, 2008 = $209

(TripAdvisor #39 of 238 hotels)

Holiday Inn Fisherman's Wharf
IHG Priority Club = 25,000 points
112,500 = 4 free nights
Price for 1 night stay on Friday June 13, 2008 = $209
(TripAdvisor Popularity #92 of 238 hotels)

Marriott Fisherman's Wharf

Marriott Rewards Category 6 = 30,000 points
93,750 = 3 free nights
Price for 1 night stay on Friday June 13, 2008 = $219
(TripAdvisor #57 of 238 hotels)

Hilton Fisherman's Wharf
HHonors Category 6 = 40,000 points
140,625 = 3 free nights and no blackout dates for Gold members
Price for 1 night stay on Friday June 13, 2008 = $225
(TripAdvisor #111 of 238 hotels; TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 3.5 of 5)

Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf
Starwood Preferred Guest Category 4 = 10,000 Starpoints,

but, if Cash and Points available a free night is only 4,000 points and $60.
22,500 points = 2 free nights on points or

Cash & Points 5 free nights for $300 and 20,000 points.
Price for 1 night stay on Friday June 13, 2008 = $233 or

Cash & Points is available for 4,000 points and $60.

(TripAdvisor #117 of 238 hotels; TripAdvisor Traveler Rating 3.5 of 5)

The Do the Math calculator may not be all it portends to be, however, their statement that Radisson GoldPoints earns free nights faster than other programs seems conditionally accurate. If the Radisson Fisherman's Wharf required a flex award then the programs are all fairly comparable. The price at $40 less than the other chain's hotels is certainly a value compared to the other major brands.

Personally, I favor the Cash and Points award option with Starwood Preferred Guest.

Here is the "Do the Math" calculator issue explained:


I question the accuracy of the Hilton HHonors points calculation for 50 nights at $150 night earning 140,625 Hilton HHonors points.

This is how the calculator functions:
50 x $150 = $7,500
Hilton HHonors Points and Points preference gives 10 base points/$1 US. $7,500 x 10 = 75,000 HHonors points.

Points bonus of 5 points/$1 for $7,500 = 37,500 bonus points.

HHonors Double Dip Points and Points total = 112,500 points.

50 nights = Gold elite status in HHonors and earns a 25% bonus.
112,500 x 25% = 28,125 points.

HHonors Gold member with 50 nights and $7,500 eligible spending earns 140,625 Hilton HHonors points.

I think there is a calculation error in that the HHonors program rules for elite member bonus points applies only to base points and not the 5 points/$1 bonus points given when the member selects a Points and Points earning preference for Double Dip.

The calculation should be:
HHonors Gold elite member with 50 nights at $150/night = $7,500 in points-eligible hotel spending and Points and Points earning preference for Double Dip.

$7,500 x 10 base points/$1 = 75,000 base points
$7,500 x 5 bonus points (points and Points) = 37,500 bonus points
25% Gold elite bonus on base points = 75,000 x .25 = 18,750 elite bonus points

Total HHonors points earned by Gold elite member for 50 nights at $150 night = 131,250 HHonors points.

I do not think the calculator is programmed correctly for Hilton HHonors earnings.

Hotel Valencia - Santana Row "Jewel in the Silicon Valley"

Hotel Valencia, A Preferred Hotels and Resorts "I Prefer" loyalty program member hotel


Santana Row shopping district

I first became aware of the Santana Row high end shopping district of San Jose when the original buildings burned down in a huge fire just as the shopping street was soon to open in 2002. The street Santana Row reminds me of the shopping centers of the fashionable shopping centers of Las Vegas with the palm trees and Disneyesque facades. There is a Borders bookstore amid the Gucci and Burberry shops. The real pleasure of the street is the Hotel Valencia, a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts. and a participant in the "I Prefer" hotel loyalty program.


Hotel Valencia courtyard fountain

This hotel is urban boutique and chic. I could try to think of descriptors for the rooms, courtyard, bar, and public spaces, but their website is accurately descriptive in parts I reviewed and the hotel is impressive for an urban boutique hotel as may be seen in photos. This is the premier hotel in the San Jose area as far as I have seen in the Silicon Valley. I guess there is also the Four Seasons in East Palo Alto if you really seek a luxury hotel in Silicon Valley, and the Four Seasons is within walking distance of IKEA or a ride to Stanford Shopping Mall. Hotel Valencia is a comfortable hotel getaway in the middle of the city.

Even the reviews on TripAdvisor are mostly highly favorable of the Hotel Valencia experience.


View to west from 7th floor Cielo restaurant patio


5th floor Ayoma Spa. The pattern effect on the walls is created by metal grate covering ceiling lights and is featured on all room floors. The lighting design is so inexpensively clever.


Rooftop 5th floor swimming pool and hot tub overlooks Santana Row on the right and the hotel courtyard on the left.



Mood lighting in the VBar.


Hotel Valencia, Santana Row, San Jose, California
Member of "I Prefer" hotel loyalty program.