Yes, it’s come to this. During my 10-day adventure on a special project at work I’m blogging about the arrival of my Starwood Preferred Guest Gold membership card. I picked the Le Meridien Bora Bora for the “design your own card” choice. Now I have to go there. In addition to the card, I received 4 “You Made my Stay” certificates to give to employees for exceptional service, and a brief guide describing the program’s benefits. I really believe that SPG’s entry level status may be among the best of the major hotel loyalty programs with their recent addition of perks like a choice of internet access, a complimentary cocktail, or bonus Starpoints.

Tuesday was a big day at work for more reasons than a special project too. As you probably know, NASA delivered the retired Shuttle Discovery to Washington Dulles for display at the National Air & Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. On the way to Dulles, the NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, an ex American Airlines 747-123 made several passes around DC. I expected one pass around town, but there must’ve been 3 or 4. Imagine my surprise when I looked outside the office window to see the Shuttle and her 747 carrier heading directly over. A colleague was able to snap some decent photos.

I’m trying to round up a few more shots. I still remember the first launch of Shuttle Columbia. It was big news, and it makes me just a tiny bit sad that we currently do not have a manned space flight program we can call our own.

Now that about 2.4 million bloggers have weighed in with what a great deal the US Airways Dividend Miles hotel transfer bonus was or wasn’t, I thought I’d throw in my 2 cents. Like all things in the traveling life, this is a YMMV situation. Ric has one of the best analyses of anything miles/points related I’ve ever read. That said, I moved some Starpoints over to Dividend Miles. Why? I have a specific reward in mind, and I’ve been concentrating on pumping up my Dividend Miles account. For me, 37,500 Dividend Miles for 20,000 Starpoints seems like a swell deal. For you? Well, not to sound cliche’, but your mileage may vary. Spend those miles wisely.

All that said, this is just one more reason why I think the Starwood Preferred Guest program is evolving into one of the better values out there for travelers. Look for a post in the near future as to why I feel that way.

Well, I received the email this past week that I knew was coming. What was that, you ask? It was the email from Starwood letting me know that I did not have enough stays or nights last year to retain my SPG Platinum status. My 18 or so months of Platinum status were great, and I’m going to miss being Platinum for sure. I’ve had some great suite upgrades, and other special treatment throughout my time as Platinum. I mean, who wouldn’t love a room like this?

Then you can read about my favorite sweet suite upgrade ever here.

After treatment like that, how could one let something like a demotion to SPG Gold happen? Well, I’m just not traveling as much this year, and it wasn’t worth it to me to do a few targeted “matress runs” to make sure I maintained the status. Believe me, I thought about it, but in the end I decided to just reflect upon my time as Platinum fondly, enjoy my upcoming year as a Gold (who will now get free internet…awesome!), and share the story about how valuable I think Starwood Preferred Guest continues to be even at a lower elite status level. SPG Platinum, I’ll miss you, but I know SPG will still be kind to me.

Leverage your stays at Starwood hotels by applying for the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express. If you apply for and receive a card from Amex through this link, I will receive a commission.

If you ever had the pleasure of visiting the historic Hotel Washington back in the day and thought it was grand, you should see it now. The Hotel Washington is now the W Washington DC, and like most W Hotels that I’ve had the pleasure to visit, very nicely done. I recently spent one night at the W DC to celebrate my 42nd birthday, complete with meat overload dinner at the nearby Fogo de Chao. I booked a “Cash and Points” stay for $90 dollars and 4,800 Starwood points. The going rate for rooms was $250 and up for my Saturday night stay.

Getting There

Since this was a “staycation” of sorts, we just cabbed it from our home in northwest DC to the hotel. For out of towners, the closest Metro station is Metro Center which services the Blue, Orange, and Red lines. From Reagan National (DCA) just take the Yellow Line to Gallery Place, and switch to the Red Line for the short hop over to Metro Center. (Note: Reader John points out that if you board the Blue Line at DCA, you can take that to both McPherson Square and Metro Center without changing trains at Gallery Place. I concur. Judging by the map, it “looks” to be a bit out of the way to take the Blue Line. In reality, it’s 8 stops to McPherson Square and 9 to Metro Center vs 7 stops to Metro Center (including 1 train change) if you take my suggested route. I live here and am accustomed to the Gallery Place gauntlet. For someone with bags and lacking familiarity with the Metro system, it would probably be less of a hassle to take the Blue Line even if it is 1 or 2 more stops. YMMV.)  I would plan on $15 dollars if you’re taking a cab from DCA.

Checking In

We arrived at the hotel around 3pm on Saturday afternoon. The lobby area was very quiet at that time and we walked right up to the front desk where we were pleasantly assisted. Once seeing my DC driver’s license, the agent questioned “just here for a staycation?” To which I replied that we were celebrating my birthday. Hey…..it seemed slow, I thought I might score a nice suite upgrade for myself. Alas, that was not to be, we were upgraded from a “Wonderful” room to a “Spectacular” room, but the desk agent did walk over to the lobby bar to bring us 2 glasses of champagne in honor of my big day. And with that, we were off to our 9th floor room. One item of note, the original elevator shafts from the old Hotel Washington remain in use, so the elevators are quite small in comparison to your average hotel, but they have been equipped with modernized lifts that require you to tap your room key on a reader in order to select one of the floors to get to your room.

The Room

Our 9th floor Spectacular room was typical W trendy with modern furnishings, an LCD TV, desk, and pretty cool bathroom. The original “bones” of the Hotel Washington are obvious though, because the room itself was quite small. Not European Hostel small….but if you aren’t familiar with old hotels, you might be surprised by the size of the room. Other than that, the bed was uber-comfortable, the desk area was well lit, and both wired and wireless internet were available for a fee of $14.95 per 24 hours. Thankfully, the internet is free to SPG Platinum members. Additionally, 2 hours of complimentary access is available to all in the lobby area. All in all, the room, while smallish, was very comfortable and certainly suitable for a short stay. Frankly, the hotel has a unique character coupled with the W cool factor. I snapped a few photos.

That last shot is on the window side of the bed looking towards the closet and chaise lounge. On the other side of that frosted glass is the shower. Be advised that if you are going to have friends over while one of you showers and gets ready, your guests could be in for a show. Since the room isn’t big enough for more than 2 people, that probably won’t be an issue, but consider yourself advised.

Around the Hotel

There are numerous great restaurants near the hotel including the ever popular Old Ebbitt Grill, the Occidental (at The Willard), and Bobby Van’s Steakhouse. Old Ebbitt is the most reasonably priced of those 3, but be warned it is VERY popular. If you want to dine their, make a reservation using Open Table or be prepared to wait on popular nights. The hotel’s on J&G Steakhouse receives good reviews but I have yet to dine there. Mrs MJ on Travel and I went for meat overload at Fogo de Chao, the Brazilian Churrascaria near the hotel. I hadn’t been in a while…as in years, and suffice it to say dinner was really good!

No piece on the W DC would be complete without mentioning its fabulous rooftop bar, P.O.V. The views of the sights in DC are just awesome. The White House seems close enough to almost touch! There is both an indoor and outdoor lounge on the roof. Frankly, the indoor lounge features some nice views of its own. Sorry for the poor iPhone image at night, but you get the idea.

The Bottom Line

A W with a more unique flavor than most, thanks to being converted from the old Hotel Washington, the W Washington DC gets the MJ on Travel seal of approval. If business or pleasure bring you to DC, consider the W. You won’t be disappointed.

OK, staycation might be a little strong, but Mrs MJ on Travel and I will soon be spending one night in a local hotel, the W – Washington DC. If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting the hotel, it’s the fully restored and W-ized version of the old Hotel Washington. Frankly, it’s one of my favorite W Hotels, and that’s not just because I’m biased towards my home city. The rooftop views of DC are awesome, not to mention, DC could always use a little W cool and now we have the W!

What gives? Don’t tell anyone, but I’m soon to turn 42. Why not celebrate with a great dinner and a night at DC’s fabulous W Hotel? I’m all about it so that’s what we’re going to do to ring in my birthday! I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday night in DC. Who says being off the road for a bit can’t be fun? And yes, you can count on a full review of our stay right here at MJ on Travel.

Widely blogged about, but I didn’t want to let the day end without saying something. Today’s announcement of several enhancements to the Starwood Preferred Guest program starting March 1, is welcome news indeed. Platinum members of the SPG program will now receive complimentary continental breakfast as one of their amenities. This is one area where SPG has lagged behind in benefits for top tier members. Further, SPG is adding enhanced benefits for continued loyalty beyond the 50 night minimum for Platinum status. At 50 nights, you receive 10 confirmable suite upgrades. At 75 nights, you start earning 4 SPG points per dollar spent, and access to what Starwood calls a “Your24″ benefit – check in at 9pm and you don’t need to check out until 9pm the next day.

These are all great enhancements for top tier elites, but I think the changes for SPG Gold members are just as great, especially for entry level status. SPG Gold will now receive a check-in amenity and can choose from 250 bonus points (125 at aLoft, Element, and Sheraton Four Points), complimentary high-speed internet, or a complimentary beverage at the hotel bar. That represents a pretty nice enhancement at the Gold level if you ask me.

Starwood has also introduced a lifetime status benefit. Your loyalty will be rewarded with lifetime Gold status after 250 nights and any 5 years of elite status in the program. With 500 nights and any 10 years of Platinum elite status you will receive lifetime Platinum status. Great news for loyal guests. You can read all about these changes and others here.

In summary, I think these are really terrific enhancements to a perennial favorite hotel loyalty program. I’m especially impressed that Gold members can now have access to complimentary high-speed internet. These changes are a great development for the SPG program. Will these changes finally spur Marriott Rewards to turn things up a notch with their elite program? I certainly hope so.

Just a friendly reminder. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post about hotel promos, Starwood’s latest promotion is now open for registration. I just registered, and so should you!

Click here to do so.

One of my MJ on Travel resolutions for 2012 is to put myself on a “get well” plan for paying better attention to hotel bonus promotions and sharing my experiences with those here on the blog. All of this has already been widely blogged about, but just in case you missed it, here’s a summary of the latest promos from the 3 programs I frequent most. Not to mention… practice in posting makes better posts.

Starwood – Double SPG points on 2-night stays and triple SPG points on 3-night stays. Registration opens tomorrow (1/9). According to this FT thread, the link to register is here. Should work tomorrow.

Marriott – Q1 Megabonus. Varies by account. Go here to see what your offer is. Mine was 1 free night after every second paid stay with a max of 2 free nights.

Hilton – More Points promotion. 1,000 bonus points per night, and a 2-night weekend stay earns 5,000 bonus points. Click here for the terms and registration.

These are the 3 programs I’m likely to use. Feel free to comment to the blog if you are aware of other great promos at these chains and especially others.

Hat tips to Points, Miles & Martinis as well as Loyalty Traveler.

I just completed a 3-night business related stay at the W – Seattle, and thought I’d share a few details of the stay with you. I think it’s important to note that the hotel’s lobby and restaurant are undergoing a major renovation that will not be completed until March 2012. I found the rest of the hotel to be just fine, but the lobby scene is a big deal at most W hotels, including this one. Just know it will be a little quiet there until March 2012.

With that out of the way, on to some details regarding my stay.

Getting There

The hotel is accessible by public transportation, but our business needs this week required a rental car. Be advised that parking at the hotel is $37 dollars per night plus tax.

Checking in

Arriving at the hotel just before noon, there were no crowds waiting to check in. I was immediately assisted and within a minute or 2 was on my way to room 2320, a “Fabulous and Cool Corner Room.” Oddly enough, this was the exact same room I was given during my last visit to the hotel in March 2010. Also, the hotel was offering a “green” option of opting out of housekeeping for up to 4 days in exchange for 500 Starpoints per day. I went for that….but for just 1 day!

The Room

Well, the room was unchanged from my last visit. It was fabulous and cool. Touché. Seriously, it was a good room, with a partial bay view. It seemed more spacious that normal rooms because of its location on the corner, which includes a long “hallway” of sorts at the entry then along the windows before you get to the “living” area of the room. I really like this particular style of room, which was equipped with a large LCD TV, chaise lounge, and of course, great W bed. The work area was very large, well lit, and comfortable. I receive complimentary internet access as a Starwood Platinum, otherwise, access is $14.95 for 24 hours. In a change from my prior visit, access is complimentary in the lobby area. Since I was unable to post pictures during my last visit, here are a few shots of the room. My apologies for the lighting in some of the shots.

I really liked the bath at this hotel. It’s not uber-modern like many of the more recent W’s, but the lighting and furnishings were to my liking.

Around the Hotel

The lobby of the typical W is the first thing I talk about at most W’s, and I’m sure this one will be the same and then some when renovations are completed in the spring. The hotel has a video presentation running with artist renditions of the way the lobby area and restaurant will look when done, and I think it’s going to be good. In the meantime, the hotel has established a temporary bar and restaurant offering a limited menu on the second floor. I was also able to get in a couple of good workouts at the hotel’s gym which was well-equipped with cardio and strength training equipment.

I also identified a couple of great spots for dining and imbibing. One, great for watching a game and drinking a beer, and the other (which I try to get to every time I’m in Seattle, is a pretty darn nice spot for great oysters, other seafood, and steaks. The Owl & Thistle, slightly hidden near Pioneer Square is a wonderful spot. Try the Ninkasi IPA with a Reuben! For finer dining, I always seek out The Brooklyn, on 2nd Avenue, between University and Seneca. I like this restaurant a lot, and this visit just reinforced my feelings. Steaks and a Bakers Dozen of oysters really hit the spot!

The Bottom Line

This hotel is a favorite of mine in Seattle and I look forward to visiting again, after the lobby remodel (or “Re Wonder” in W language) is complete. The staff was very pleasant and helpful, and you need not “wonder” whether or not I’ll be back. You bet I will!

I normally wouldn’t get caught traveling this coming week, at least not for work, but that’s what I’m about to do. There are some pressing last-minute needs with a project I’m running at work, and frankly, I’m under the gun to finish the “road work” portion of this project before the end of the year. Therefore, Sunday morning at 5:45am, I’ll be in a cab heading to DCA to catch Alaska Airlines to Seattle.

As much as I don’t want to travel this week, I’m actually looking forward to sampling Alaska Airlines’ product (coach unfortunately). I’m also looking forward to returning to the W Seattle. I really enjoyed my last stay there, and I’m sure this one will rock too! Though I understand the lobby area is being renovated which is unfortunate as that was one of my favorite parts of the hotel.

In any event, look for a full review of my experiences with Alaska Airlines and the W Seattle this week. Wish me luck!

I recently completed a 4-night business-related stay at the beautiful W Atlanta – Downtown. In my many visits to Atlanta, the stars simply never aligned with my schedule and their room rates until this past week. Not to mention, I’ve grown kind of comfortable with my usual Buckhead or Midtown stays. But the time had finally come, and I was pleased to be staying at the hotel, and I’m even more pleased to report that I had a very enjoyable stay! The hotel was simply phenomenal.

Getting There

I’m a believer in public transit, and a frequent customer of Atlanta’s MARTA rail, so that was my mode of choice for this trip. The hotel is about 2 blocks from MARTA’s Civic Center rail station. You could also walk to the hotel from the Peachtree station, but be prepared for a longer walk. The hotel is located in what appears to be an area that has had a lot of development cash expended on it. Lots of new buildings.

Checking In

When you enter through the main doors you have a choice of turning right to head to the lobby Living Room bar or left for the welcome desks. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there was something about the lobby that struck me as a little more “cool” than I was used to…..if you can imagine that. In any event, there was no wait to check in and I was ably assisted by a very friendly staff member who did a great job of appearing to be genuinely pleased to welcome me to the hotel. There was the usual discussion about the hotel, Platinum amenities (points baby!), and etc. I also got the best news I’d had in a while. I’d scored a Platinum upgrade to a WOW Suite. It was going to be a good week.

The Room

Well, they don’t call it a “WOW Suite” for nothing, because “wow” was the first thing I said when I walked in. In short, the room was just about damn awesome. Actually, it wasn’t just about ….it just was. And large. A large dining table greets you upon entry and there is a large coat closet to the left of the door. Beyond that is a large living area with 2 sofas and chairs completely surrounded by floor to ceiling windows. My view was oriented north towards Midtown, but it was great.

Passing into the bedroom, I was struck by how dark it was, but after a bit of fumbling I finally figured out how to turn on all the lights! It wasn’t exactly blinding, but at least I could see…..and what I saw, I liked. A chaise lounge was by the door with a great view of the city and the desk area was large. The bedroom was equipped with a 37″ LCD TV (as was the living area). If I had a complaint about the room, it would be that the desk area simply did not have enough light or power outlets. I could live without the outlets, but light…..I need a lot of it to work. Of course, I doubt that most people who book a room like this care! It didn’t help that the weather was overcast for the first few days of my trip so there was no real natural light to help. By the way, there’s wireless internet and I found it to be pretty speedy throughout the week. The comfortable king bed was like all W beds….awesome! I slept great every night of the week. There was plenty of closet and other storage space and a nice laptop safe as well.

And then, there was the bathroom built for 2, complete with large walk-in shower and double vanity. Seriously, the bathroom, while laid out in a long and somewhat narrow way, seemed almost as large as my first apartment.

Around the Hotel

The fitness center, SWEAT, was very nicely equipped with several cardio machines and very nice weight lifting equipment. It was always in use during my visits, but not overly subscribed. It’s on the 16th floor, along with the pool, WET, and the Bliss Spa. The 16th floor also serves as the dividing line between the hotel from ground level to to 16, and private residences from floors 17 and up. There is a nice-looking bar area at WET but it is unused in the cold weather months. I’m going to look forward to staying at the hotel again during pool season.

The big bar scene spot at the hotel is called Drinkshop. I never made it there, but I’m sure it’s pretty typical W cool. The hotel’s restaurant is BLT Steak, and you know I made it there. I’ve always heard good things about BLT Steak, but have never had the opportunity to dine there. I rectified that by heading there for dinner on my first night in the hotel. I enjoyed a nice salad followed by the bone-in ribeye accompanied with cauliflower mashed “potatoes.” I’m sure they didn’t call it that, but that’s what they are! No matter, my meal was just terrific. It’s easy to see why BLT Steak has been mentioned so positively by friends who’ve dined there. BLT was the highlight of my dining for the week. There are a few restaurants very near the hotel, and many more just down Peachtree Street. One night I walked across Centennial Olympic Park all the way to CNN where there are a lot of restaurants as well. There are lots of possibilities, and there’s always the Acura service to drive you if you aren’t in the mood to walk.

I really enjoyed this hotel’s living room lobby bar area as well. Most nights during the week I concluded my evening there with my laptop. Wireless internet is free in the lobby by the way.

The Bottom Line

I thought the hotel was just fantastic. Of the 3 W Hotels in Atlanta, this is the only one that was built from the ground up to be a W. I don’t know if that’s part of the hotel’s appeal to me or not, but I really liked the way the property was designed. Every staff member I came into contact with was beyond friendly, never failing to greet me as I passed by the front desk each morning in search of coffee. The W Atlanta – Downtown gets the MJ on Travel seal of approval. I’ll be back, and if business takes you to downtown Atlanta, don’t hesitate to consider this fabulous hotel.