So I almost ended 2014 with 27 stays and 49 nights at Starwood Properties. Really that was just fine, I had enough stays to qualify again for Starwood’s top tier Platinum Status, and I was pretty happy about that. Sadly thought, the push for Platinum with Starwood meant that I didn’t requalify for Hilton Diamond status after having it for the past 10 years and I ended up 8 stays or 20 days short in that program so I’m stuck with Gold. In any event if you hit 50 nights with Starwood in one year you get a perk that I’ve not had before and thought could be worth it to get. When you qualify with nights versus stays they provide you with 10 Sweet Suite night upgrades. Since I’ve never had this perk before, I’m not 100% sure it’ll be that great but for one more night’s stay it might be worth it to attain. Here’s what the award provides me.

 

 

So on December 31^st, nothing like waiting till the last minute, I decided a mattress run was in order. Now I really didn’t have time to stay at a hotel, we had friends coming over to celebrate the New Year, nor did I really want to schlep to a hotel family in tow for one last night. The really good hotels in San Francisco were running $300-$500/night. So I found a pretty good deal at the local Sheraton Dublin $93/night AAA rate and I booked it at 11 AM that day. Now the challenge was I had to work and didn’t have time to check in, so my wife the trooper that she is, and the ULTIMATE supporter of my habit obliged me and said she’d check us in. So off she went and 45 minutes later she was checking into the hotel.

I know many of you will say that not only is this wasteful of my money, time and many many other things….And you’re welcome to your opinion, but I thought if for a $100 bucks I could get a chance at some pretty amazing suites when I travel whether for work or vacation, it could be worth it. I’m a gambling man as it is, and a $100 investment seems worth it to me.

I’ve never in my life checked into a hotel room with the intention of not using it before, I’ve had hotel rooms I’ve only stayed at for 2-3 hours before, and no not for that reason. Keep your mind out of the gutter!! But many times the drive from a clients is super far from the airport and I have a 6 AM flight, you do the math. In any event this was my first mattress run and I was not even the one doing it. Thank you again wife. She said it was odd checking in, they asked if she had luggage, and she said “nope just my purse.” They went on to apologize for upgrading her to a Club Floor Room that was close to the freeway. The agent went on to ask if she was a light sleeper, since it was noisy. Again my wife said “No.” How weird is this?

She took a few snaps of the room and it looks fine, minus the incredibly close and incredibly noisy freeway, but hey it was NYE, and we’d not be staying there. I know weird, right?

 

 

 

 

 

She also took a stroll to the Executive Lounge and here’s what she found. At noon there wasn’t any breakfast out, but they had a large selection of cold and hot drinks, as well as a few snacks too

This was by far the oddest stay I’ve ever had. My wife felt super weird checking in and leaving a ½ hour later. She would love to have napped or showered, and just hang out, bit no time. Tons to do before a party and just no time. I think I’ll for sure plan better for next year, and hope that my gamble for sweet suites pays off.