As regular
visitors to this website will know, I tend to use InterContinental
Hotels Group as much as possible and currently enjoy their highest
level of status. However I was given a complimentary Starwood
Preferred Guest gold card in February 2005 and, with my IC Royal
Ambassador card safely in the bag again for 2006, I thought I'd take
the opportunity to sample the Sheraton in Salzburg. As I walked
round from the station, right past the door of the Crowne Plaza, I
felt a twinge of traitorous unease
Little did I know that a sublime stroke of good fortune awaited me
When
I introduced myself at the Sheraton's check-in desk, the clerk
rather excitedly said "Ah, Mr *******, I have really, REALLY good
news for you!" "Oh?" I replied, a little casually. "Because the
hotel is completely full tonight, you have been upgraded to ... the
Presidential Suite!"
And very nice it was too, although not really any
more so than my recent stays at the
IC Aphrodite Hills or the
Willard. Still, not bad at
all for my first Starwood booking using that complimentary gold card