One of my favorite Starwood promotions is the Birth Year discount rate. The basic idea is pay full rate for the first night and the second night rate is based on your birth year. Some hotels offer a third night birth year rate, but those seem to be far fewer than in years past.
Starwood Birth Year rates are only available at select hotels in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean. These rates are frequently unavailable even at participating hotels and some properties limit the rate to weekend nights.
Birth Year can be a great savings or a mediocre savings or no savings at all. The best value tends to be in a place where rates are sky high anyway and the Birth Year can drop the nightly rate by $50 to $100 over a two night stay.
My birth year is 1960 so I would pay $60 for the second night. I am looking at a deal for my parents that would cut their second night rate to $32 based on a birth year date of 1932.
Here are some sample rates for one hotel in Victoria, Canada. This may not be an aspirational property, but for someone visiting Victoria in peak season with peak hotel rates, there are some good deals to be found with the Starwood Birth Year rate.
Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Gateway
This is one of the few hotels in British Columbia that allows a three night Birth Year rate. Sample dates for Sunday to Wednesday, August 11-14 show the lowest available rate at $143CAD with AAA with day before arrival no penalty cancellation.
- Traditional 2 Queen Beds = CAD $147 prepaid, nonrefundable.
- Traditional Queen Bed = CAD $159 flexible rate, day before arrival no penalty cancellation.
- Family Room, 2 Queen Beds = CAD $177, prepaid, nonrefundable.
- Suite, King Bed, kitchenette = CAD $197, prepaid, nonrefundable.
- Suite, 2 Queen Beds, kitchenette, balcony = CAD $219, flexible rate, day before arrival no penalty cancellation.
Starwood Birth Year Rates at Four Points Sheraton Victoria Gateway
- Birth Year rates all have day before arrival cancellation with no penalty.
- Traditional 2 Queen Beds = CAD $169 Birth Year rate for 2nd and 3rd nights.
- Traditional King Bed = CAD $194 flexible rate, day before arrival no penalty cancellation.
- Family Room, 2 Queen Beds, kitchenette = CAD $209, prepaid, nonrefundable.
- Suite, 2 Queen Beds, kitchenette, balcony = CAD $229, flexible rate, day before arrival no penalty cancellation.
Four Points Victoria Birth Year rates August 11-14, 2013.
For me the Birth Year rate of $60 for the second and third nights at the Four Points Victoria reduces the three night rate for a 2 Queen Beds suite from CAD $657 (flexible rate) for three nights down to CAD $349 for three nights with the second and third night at $60 per night. The cancellation policy is the same for both rates at one day before arrival cancellation allowed with no penalty.
My parents can book this hotel room for three nights at CAD $293.
The AAA rate at $143 for one Queen bed in a small standard room would be $429 for a three night hotel stay. Starwood Birth Year rate reduces the cost of this hotel to less than $350 for three nights in a suite for me and less than $300 for my parents.
There are some good savings with Starwood Birth Year rates in some locations.
Starwood Birth Year rates.
One of the drawbacks of the Birth Year rate are the subset of hotels that charge an extra $100 + Birth Year for this offer. The Birth Year rate can still be a bargain on dates when many of these hotels are over $300 and $400 per night.
***Hotels that charge $100 + your birth year for your second and third night include:
- Hotel Ivy, Minneapolis
- Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel
- The Westin New York Grand Central
- The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, Vermont,
- The Liberty Hotel, Boston
- The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, Florida
- The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
- The Westin Resort & Spa, Tremblant
- W Atlanta – Midtown
- W Atlanta – Buckhead
- W Chicago – Lakeshore
- W Dallas – Victory
- W Fort Lauderdale
- W Retreat & Spa – Vieques Island
Ric Garrido, writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler, shares news and views on hotels, hotel loyalty programs and vacation destinations for frequent guests.
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