Good rate vs. Loew's "qualified stay"

[Eclpz314]

Here's the latest I've heard. I'm doing a lot of research in planning our July 10-day trip to RPR. The Loew's listed price is $319 per night. With the AAA discount it would be $255 and APH is $223. I went ahead and booked the $223 APH rate and through earlier email to RPR was advised to check with Loew's about membership "qualified stay" with either of the rates. I called Loew's last night and spoke with Charlene. I am a Loew's gold member working towards platinum, and was a little disappointed when she said the "qualified stay" would only be counted if I paid full price....meaning $319 per night. It can't be a special rate advertised by the hotel, AAA, or anywhere else. This stay would've given me a "platinum" status IF I wanted to pay that much per night. I weighed out the pros and cons and decided to stick with the APH rate anyway. There's just too big of price difference between $223 and $319 to make it worth going for platinum. That's almost $100 per day savings that can be spent on fun stuff while there! This could just be another one of those confusing issues that everyone talks about--you know, the ones we get five different answers from five different people. I'm not going to chase it any further........just begin planning other parts of my trip!

 

[damo]

AAA rates are published rates that give you the qualified stay. It is the only rate (other than rack of course) that does. Phone and talk to another person. I just booked this week and this was what I was told and had been told the same thing by another reservationist.

Now saying that, we stayed last year with entertainment rate and they must of been qualified stays since we are now gold members.

I was also told that you will only be upgraded if you book using rack or AAA.

 

[Eclpz314]

Ok, guess I'm not ready to throw in the towel yet. When I rec'vd the email from RPR a few weeks ago, it did mention the AAA rates as being "published" rates and then advised me to call Loew's cust. ser. to find out for sure about the benefits. So I called the Loew's 888 number that was sent to me. That's the one I called last night and was told neither of the rates would count for "qualified" stay. I think if I do get the ok to use AAA and still count for the stay, I will ask them to email me a copy. I don't mind joining AAA again if it will keep everyone happy. That's what I had originally planned to do until Charlene at Loew's said it wouldn't count anyway. I really wish they all would give the same answers to the program.

 

[Eclpz314]

THANK YOU DAMO!!!!! I called Loew's again last night and the new person I talked to confirmed that the AAA rate ($255 club)will count for a qualified stay. And you're right, it is the only published rate besides rack rates that counts. She modified my ressie with no problem. She excitedly mentioned that I wil become a platinum member during the stay and how nice it was to have a 10-day stay at RPR. I asked her about the suite availability and she advised not to request it now for July because RPR only has 2 king suites on club level and there's a possibility I could get the suite but actually be on a different floor even though I would still be considered "club level". I decided to stick with the 2 qn.bed room for now and just ask about suites the day we check in. I can't believe I forgot to get the cust. ser. reps name........guess I got kind of excited too.

 

[damo]

That's great. We booked the standard two queen bed room and are hoping to upgrade to club. Now club with King suite sure would be sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Eclpz314]

I hope you can get club Damo. One of my sons was really pushing for "one of those rooms with the doorbell" like we saw last year, but I'm afraid that would really be too expensive. I'm just glad to have the RPR ressie settled. I joined AAA today and realized I can buy airfare through them also. Looks like the rest of the planning should be easy. All I have to do now is buy the pref. APs for us and we'll be all set. I want to get them while the fan rate is still $169.

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

promo rates count too! I called the royal pacific and asked them if my "STAY AND PLAY" (please note it only counts if you book it directly from a loews hotel) package WOULD count as a "qualified stay", she told me that yes it would count. She said that any rate that is a published or promo rate will count. The only catch is it has to be available for everyone. Fl res rates DO NOT count, APH rates DO NOT count, fan club rates DO NOT and entertainment rates DO NOT count. She did say rack rate counts , promo rates count , and AAA also counted(but she said AAA was kind of in the gray area.)

She gave me this number to call loews 1-800-LOEWS-12. The reservationist said they could answer any questions.