St. Regis San Francisco Upgrade

I posted earlier in the week that I'm headed to San Francisco for the weekend.  I checked my SPG app last night (if you haven't already, you should download here) and found that I've already been upgraded two categories from a "Superior" to a "Grand Deluxe" room.  The room retails for an additional $100 per night ($580++) so a nice proactive upgrade. 

The SPG iOS app is a great resource

You check check the status of your stay by logging into the SPG app, clicking on "upcoming stays" and then the specific reservation you want to review.

I typically get upgraded 1-2 categories as a Starwood Platinum but have found that as a Gold, I was upgraded 1 category a handful of times in the US and almost every stay outside the US.  While most people think of "earning" elite status at a hotel chain as staying a certain number of nights across a year, there are other ways.

Two Category Upgrade

Starwood offers two "easy" ways to get Gold status vs. actually staying in Starwood properites (10 stays or 25 nights for Gold).  You can spend $30,000 in a calendar year on the SPG Amex card.  Or you can get get the Amex Platinum card, call the number on the back of your card and get Starwood Gold immediately.  Gold certainly won't guarantee an upgrade but it's better than nothing.  Starwood has always treated me great as both a Platinum and a Gold.  I'll have more on the hotel next week.