Your (Loews) first benefits announced.

[Tizzy_Meliss]

Well, the rep was wrong:

Dear Tizzy Meliss:
YouFirst is Loews Hotels’ way of acknowledging and thanking our most loyal guests in meaningful ways that will enhance their stay. The Program offers many benefits at all levels of membership: For example, Blue, Gold, and Platinum members enjoy free Internet access during every stay at a Loews hotel. Our Platinum members even enjoy a $100 credit to be used for spa, golf, or food and beverage experiences each time they visit. In order to maintain your platinum status, you must have at least 10 qualifying stays at a Loews Property within a rolling 12-month period.


To learn more about all of the benefits of being a YouFirst member, please visit our web site at www.loewshotels.com/youfirst.


We look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Your Friends at Loews Hotels

So I'm losing my suites, but I get free internet!

 

[calgarygary]

Well, the rep was wrong:


So I'm losing my suites, but I get free internet!

Unfortunately they have confirmed what is in the terms and conditions of You First (yeh right, don't we all feel like they have put us first). We can hope that they are getting sufficient feedback to alter this part of the program. Remember, many business people might travel for a full business week but only do so a couple of times a year and they will likely be as upset as ourselves.

 

[Disneyhappy]

Unfortunately they have confirmed what is in the terms and conditions of You First (yeh right, don't we all feel like they have put us first). We can hope that they are getting sufficient feedback to alter this part of the program. Remember, many business people might travel for a full business week but only do so a couple of times a year and they will likely be as upset as ourselves.

I agree- I have to think that the number of businesss travelers who make platinum with Loews are limited to those that frequent the few cities serviced by Loews. I would think Loews analyzed the data prior to making these changes and they have a good idea ofhow many platinum members they will actually retain.

But as I think about it, Loew's program is still more generous than Marriott Rewards. (I do not know how it compares to any other rewards programs out there.) With Marriott, it is easy for me to maintain Silver Elite which requires a minimum of 10 nights per year ( I currently have 18 nights) because there are over 2700 Marriotts chains and I can find one in every city I travel. However, my benefits are limited to late check out and check cashing privleges. Although not a Silver perk, I usually get upgraded to club/conceirge level if available. I also get a 20% bonus on reward points on my Marriott credit card. Marriott Gold requires 50 nights per year and Platinum requires 75 nights per year. Marriott Platinum does not compare either to Loews Platinum. You get an automatic upgrade but this does not include suites.Also, free continental breakfast, club access, and a welcome gift. No free internet access.

In restrospect, Loews program may have been too generous and we all got spoiled. That said, I still think they coulld have made it more lenient than they did. I can understand the big cost involved with all of those welcome gifts, so only limit that asspect of the program. Guests will still stay on site at Universal for FOTL with or without the welcome gift. At the same time, make platinum achievable for the more loyal leisure guests. Get rid of the $100 room credit but leave the suite upgrades. Do they really sell out those suites?
Sorry to ramble. It is so frustrating when benefits are taking away. I have become used to it (even expect it) from Disney. This simpy took me by surprise and I know many posters here have more invested into Loews than I do.

Five stays a year at Loews is a slight possibility but it will be difficult if my work does not take me to their limited locations. One can only hope that most people will also find it difficult to maintain platinum so more suites will be open for Gold members at check-in. It's not free but $50/night is still less expensive than paying for 2 rooms.
OK- I'm officially done rambling!

 

[patster734]

Unfortunately they have confirmed what is in the terms and conditions of You First (yeh right, don't we all feel like they have put us first). We can hope that they are getting sufficient feedback to alter this part of the program. Remember, many business people might travel for a full business week but only do so a couple of times a year and they will likely be as upset as ourselves.

Depends upon what they put after the You First logo:

You First out the door
You First down the drain
You First we step on

 

[Tizzy_Meliss]

Depends upon what they put after the You First logo:

You First out the door
You First down the drain
You First we step on

Ain't it tha truth.
Wonder how long it will take for places like TripAdvisor to hear about, and all the other travel sites where guests can leave comments to write letters in. The more upset members the bigger the chance of it changing.

 

[calgarygary]

Ain't it tha truth.
Wonder how long it will take for places like TripAdvisor to hear about, and all the other travel sites where guests can leave comments to write letters in. The more upset members the bigger the chance of it changing.

Flyertalk has a thread started about this change where the OP commented upon stays vs. nights but so far, no other posts. As that is a forum drawing serious business travellers trying to get the most out of their flights/stays/rentals, I'm sure that companies pay close attention to it.

 

[Tizzy_Meliss]

Maybe we'll have to go talk about then.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Loews central reservations stated the special welcome gift is decided by the managers of the hotel and is usually something local. I will find out in Phila in August what the unitguely Phila local gift is. Soft pretzels? Pat's cheesesteak? Drive by shooting?

 

[damo]

I agree that it probably isn't any worse than any other hotel rewards program out there. I do like the free internet!

 

[tlinus]

Loews central reservations stated the special welcome gift is decided by the managers of the hotel and is usually something local. I will find out in Phila in August what the unitguely Phila local gift is. Soft pretzels? Pat's cheesesteak? Drive by shooting?

HEY!!!!

That's not nice!!























Its Geno's, thank you very much!!

 

[macraven]

For platinum, I was told about the $100 resort credit, but not about the "special welcome gift"??

I will be platinum for this summer trip, but probably will drop a level...
Thats okay..I'll take the $100 resort credit..We use the breakfast buffets anyway, so the $100 will be well spent!

Any infor on platinum special welcome gift?????????????

Thx.........

which hotel are you staying for your summer trip?



i figure Loews will decide and implement whatever they choose to do.
i'm not going to fret over it.
when i do universal, the fotl is what is important to me.

i'm sure people will come back from their trips and talk about how it went for them with the new loews program.

i'm not getting excited over that program, i have other programs i can use for universal.

i would guess by the end of august we will have more info posted from loews and their program, also comments from guests that have stayed there.
there will info on other websites, not just the dis.

 

[Disneyhappy]

[/B][/I]
HEY!!!!

That's not nice!!























Its Geno's, thank you very much!!

No offense intended! I know many prefer Geno's but there is something about Pat's Steaks for me! Perhaps because it was the first real Phila cheesesteak I ate when I moved to the area.

 

[calgarygary]

No offense intended! I know many prefer Geno's but there is something about Pat's Steaks for me! Perhaps because it was the first real Phila cheesesteak I ate when I moved to the area.

When I first saw the "Hey that's not nice," I was sure it was in reference to the drive by's! I can totally relate to someone being upset about where they get their cheesesteaks though. Imagine out here in Alberta we're stuck with choosing between Subway and McD's for a cheesesteak. How bad is that.

 

[lindalinda]

I think that in 2010, they think they will be pretty well booked, even the suites, because of Harry Potter stuff. And that might be true, but I think it will be temporary. I just wouldnt expect many upgrades in 2010 to be available at check in.

There was talk about a new hotel on the other side of IOA in harry potter theme. Anything ever come of that or was it just potter dust?

 

[d4est]

When I first saw the "Hey that's not nice," I was sure it was in reference to the drive by's! I can totally relate to someone being upset about where they get their cheesesteaks though. Imagine out here in Alberta we're stuck with choosing between Subway and McD's for a cheesesteak. How bad is that.

Micky D's makes a cheesesteak?

 

[Disneyhappy]

Micky D's makes a cheesesteak?

That's what I thought, too! Calgarygary - Come to Philadelphia and we'll take you on a tour of all the famous Cheesesteak places and you decide which is best (and please don't say McD's!!!!)

 

[patster734]

Micky D's makes a cheesesteak?

In Hawaii, McD's was selling double and triple meat bigmacs when we were there a few years ago. Imagine the calories in those!

 

[Tizzy_Meliss]

and McD's for a cheesesteak. How bad is that.

That's blasphemy!

In Hawaii, McD's was selling double and triple meat bigmacs when we were there a few years ago. Imagine the calories in those!

540 in a single and 29 grams of fat, can't imagine a triple! My arteries just hardened thinking about it.

 

[patster734]

540 in a single and 29 grams of fat, can't imagine a triple! My arteries just hardened thinking about it.

I know I wasn't brave enough to go for double or triple.

 

[Subi WRX]

For platinum, I was told about the $100 resort credit, but not about the "special welcome gift"??

I will be platinum for this summer trip, but probably will drop a level...
Thats okay..I'll take the $100 resort credit..We use the breakfast buffets anyway, so the $100 will be well spent!

Any infor on platinum special welcome gift?????????????

Thx.........

When I spoke to a rep, she said that they were just the typical welcome gift, they would just not be offered to as many people now that not everyone gets them. Milk and cookies, beer and nuts, etc. I'd like to know how that is "more of what I want" like the program promised me in the email.