Dead Sea, Israel, Master Thread

[arih]

HI i am going on my honeymoon to isreal and i will be staying one night in the dead sea
can someone tell me wich hotel to stay at ?    thank you

[Dan]

Do you have Starpoints?

[arih]

thank you for responding
i only have 800 starpoints

[Dan]

Time to open a Starwood AMEX and stay for free at the Le Meridan!

[arih]

what about a hotel in jerusalem ?

[Deal Guy]

What date are you looking at?

[moish]

its almost impossible to book the le meridian. everytime i go to the website it shows no availibility for the next few months

[Deal Guy]

its almost impossible to book the le meridian. everytime i go to the website it shows no availibility for the next few months

What dates are you looking at, Moish?

[moish]

lets start the other way. why dont you tell me any day available for the next 3 months

[Dan]

lets start the other way. why dont you tell me any day available for the next 3 months

They have a minimum stay length.  You need to book for the minimum stay and then call SPG to lop off the days you don't want.
I remember having to do that at a few Israel SPG's a couple years ago.

[Deal Guy]

They are gaming the system, and we have to put a end to their practices, both in Yam Hamelach, and in Eilat!

[Dan]

They are gaming the system, and we have to put a end to their practices, both in Yam Hamelach, and in Eilat!

They are gaming the system, but we've lost 8 Israeli SPG's since 2007...don't want to lose any more!

[Deal Guy]

Explain me why this is acceptable??

 On Spg.com we get this:
   http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/search/results/standard.html?localeCode=en_US&iATANumber=&city=Dead+Sea&stateCode=&countryCode=IL&numberOfRooms=1&numberOfAdults=1&arrivalDate=05%2F23%2F2010&departureDate=05%2F28%2F2010

 and on the hotels own fattal.co.il website we get this:
  http://www.fattal.co.il/RoomListLtr.aspx?In=2010-05-23&Out=2010-05-28&Region=4&Hotel=58,&Rooms=1&Ad1=2&Ch1=0&Inf1=0

[Dan]

Explain me why this is acceptable??

 On Spg.com we get this:
   http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/search/results/standard.html?localeCode=en_US&iATANumber=&city=Dead+Sea&stateCode=&countryCode=IL&numberOfRooms=1&numberOfAdults=1&arrivalDate=05%2F23%2F2010&departureDate=05%2F28%2F2010

 and on the hotels own fattal.co.il website we get this:
  http://www.fattal.co.il/RoomListLtr.aspx?In=2010-05-23&Out=2010-05-28&Region=4&Hotel=58,&Rooms=1&Ad1=2&Ch1=0&Inf1=0

They're crooked.
But just book this
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/search/results/standard.html?localeCode=en_US&iATANumber=&city=Dead+Sea&stateCode=&countryCode=IL&numberOfRooms=1&numberOfAdults=1&arrivalDate=05%2F23%2F2010&departureDate=06%2F02%2F2010
and then call SPG to take off the dates you don't want. Works like a charm.

[SuperFlyer]

They're crooked.
But just book this
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/search/results/standard.html?localeCode=en_US&iATANumber=&city=Dead+Sea&stateCode=&countryCode=IL&numberOfRooms=1&numberOfAdults=1&arrivalDate=05%2F23%2F2010&departureDate=06%2F02%2F2010
and then call SPG to take off the dates you don't want. Works like a charm.

why not call up directly, whats the point doing it online first?

by the way, I'm sure some (or all of you) got this email of spg to design your own card. So instead of putting your address, you can just add "Guaranteed Upgrade" or "Complimentary spa access".

I'm sure it will do the job some places.

[Deal Guy]

They're crooked.
But just book this
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/search/results/standard.html?localeCode=en_US&iATANumber=&city=Dead+Sea&stateCode=&countryCode=IL&numberOfRooms=1&numberOfAdults=1&arrivalDate=05%2F23%2F2010&departureDate=06%2F02%2F2010
and then call SPG to take off the dates you don't want. Works like a charm.

Yes it almost always works, but there are times that it doesn't. Last summer when I tried one of the Tel Aviv properties in August they had a 2 day minimum, and did the same, but the spg agent could not cancel one night since they saw the 2 night minimum in August. I had to do many phone calls with spg and the hotel, till we worked something out, and it's possible that one of the Sheratons didn't even want to budge, but luckily the other caved in.

[Deal Guy]

why not call up directly, whats the point doing it online first?

by the way, I'm sure some (or all of you) got this email of spg to design your own card. So instead of putting your address, you can just add "Guaranteed Upgrade" or "Complimentary spa access".

I'm sure it will do the job some places.

How can you substitute that instead of your address?

[SuperFlyer]

How can you substitute that instead of your address?

That let you fill in whatever you want, ashame that dont let choose a custom made pic as background...  ...I would have been shareholder, or some super title that implies that I'm there in the name of SPG to check out there service...

[Deal Guy]

Ialready got to custom design 2 months ago, so I guess it's too late!

[Deal Guy]

They're crooked.
But just book this
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/search/results/standard.html?localeCode=en_US&iATANumber=&city=Dead+Sea&stateCode=&countryCode=IL&numberOfRooms=1&numberOfAdults=1&arrivalDate=05%2F23%2F2010&departureDate=06%2F02%2F2010
and then call SPG to take off the dates you don't want. Works like a charm.

Dan, I knew that you would have an answer and solution to the above dates. But here is where I am angry at them:

 Spg.com for July 5-20: Total cheapest price FOR 2 ADULTS "5,475.00 AND NO SPG AWARD AVAILABILITY !
     http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/search/ratelist.html?corporateAccountNumber=&promotionCode=&lengthOfStay=15&wheelchairPreference=0&roomOccupancyTotal=002&requestedChainCode=MD&requestedAffiliationCode=MD&theBrand=SPG&amenityType=&workflowId=815fe2d1-022f-40aa-aedc-f9070e9b9258&submitActionID=search&searchCode=&arrivalDate=2010-07-05&departureDate=2010-07-20&propertyID=1882&ciDate=07%2F05%2F2010&coDate=07%2F20%2F2010&numberOfRooms=01&numberOfAdults=02&roomBedCode=&ratePlanName=&iATANumber=

 and now fattal.co.il for July 5-20: Total cheapest price "3,570.00 AND THEY DO HAVE STANDARD ROOMS!!
 http://www.fattal.co.il/RoomListLtr.aspx?In=2010-07-05&Out=2010-07-20&Region=4&Hotel=58,&Rooms=1&Ad1=2&Ch1=0&Inf1=0
  
  ISRAELI CHUTZPA!!