Author Topic: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG  (Read 6526 times)

Offline aussiebochur

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Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« on: July 10, 2010, 02:43:13 PM »
Starwood free Offbeat Travel guides.
According to this FT thread it is supposed to be a complimentary travel guide for those that earned a free night with the spg promo and is limited to one per free night.
But in fact anyone can enter their spg number and receive one and it doesn't seem limited to only one (not sure it'll let you do all 30,000). They are emailed in PDF format.
You’re first asked for your Starwood member number, then your destination and origin cities (for info on time zones, exchange rates and other tips). It then asks for your travel dates in order to include any specific events for that time. If youre not sure when you are going make the dates very broad.
And then you have the option to specify a Starwood property for that city. As reported in the above FT thread, not specifying a property will not yield info on all the properties but rather non at all.
Then you will be emailed you're personal travel guide (they even ask what name you want on it).

I'm not sure how this compares to the much raved about, wouldnt go anywhere without, Lonely Planet guides, but this is free and free is good.  ;D

 

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2010, 03:09:41 PM »
Here is one for Melbourne.
This one is for Paris.

Perhaps people can share theirs and thereby save others time, is it shayech?
And if you are going to take from others then do the the right thing and contribute something as well.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2010, 03:29:44 PM by aussiebochur »

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2010, 03:52:10 PM »
It says Melbourne
Got the links mixed up, should be good now.
I chose Melbourne because I just wanted to see what the guides are like and I happen to know the city quite well. Surprisingly it only has info about the inner city and suburbs with barely a mention of the attractions that most people would want to see.
I just saw now that they have numerous other guides for other towns around Melbourne so it can be a bit tough to get all the info for in and around the place you're going.
Then again, this is just one city and others could be different.

I haven't had a good read through the Paris one but it looks OK. Anyone care to share how it comes up against the others. (Dan, your chance to plug Lonely Planet ;) )
« Last Edit: July 10, 2010, 04:03:02 PM by aussiebochur »

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2010, 04:00:53 PM »
Dan, being that you probably spent the most time there (or the only one that wrote a report) this one is for your judgement, Kaui.

Offline leibima

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2010, 11:55:22 AM »
I am traveling to Los Cabos in Mexico (staying at the Hyatt), but they could not find a city by that name to generate the guide. Any ideas?

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2010, 12:28:07 PM »
Check out the picture they have for Qiryat Shmona
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Offline moish

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2010, 05:49:19 PM »
its a joke. i ordered one for st petersburg russia and it was word for word literally from ehats written on wikitravel. also, by the events it showed me events for st petersburg florida. if i would have paid $20 for it id be pretty upset

Offline Eli

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #7 on: July 12, 2010, 08:09:01 PM »
Starwood free Offbeat Travel guides.
According to this FT thread it is supposed to be a complimentary travel guide for those that earned a free night with the spg promo and is limited to one per free night.
But in fact anyone can enter their spg number and receive one and it doesn't seem limited to only one (not sure it'll let you do all 30,000). They are emailed in PDF format.
You’re first asked for your Starwood member number, then your destination and origin cities (for info on time zones, exchange rates and other tips). It then asks for your travel dates in order to include any specific events for that time. If youre not sure when you are going make the dates very broad.
And then you have the option to specify a Starwood property for that city. As reported in the above FT thread, not specifying a property will not yield info on all the properties but rather non at all.
Then you will be emailed you're personal travel guide (they even ask what name you want on it).

I'm not sure how this compares to the much raved about, wouldnt go anywhere without, Lonely Planet guides, but this is free and free is good.  ;D

 

Aussie, I don't mind that you do it, but when quoting from another website, like VFTW, I think it would be appropriate to state the source. Unless Dan doesn't allow it?
-Eli

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2010, 08:24:28 PM »
Aussie, I don't mind that you do it, but when quoting from another website, like VFTW, I think it would be appropriate to state the source. Unless Dan doesn't allow it?
I think so too, and would be more than glad to do it but I'm still unclear about "competition sites".
If Dan is cool with it then ill do it.
Seems like the thread that was discussing this got deleted. I think SD references get automatic deletion and the whole thread went with it.

Offline Dan

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2010, 10:10:58 PM »
If it's a site like most deal sites where they also never say where they lifted it from, then it's simply reciprocal.  They don't say their source or allow links to competing sites and neither do I.

If it's an FT thread then that's fine.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2010, 02:54:22 AM »
I prefer the "let's go guides", easy reading and fun, but more backpackers type of info.

But let's not kid ourselves, hayse dd chassidim, even when flying first, and sleeping in 5* hotels suits, are still backpacker @ heart (or should I say: @ pocket)

Offline Dan

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #11 on: July 13, 2010, 03:16:53 AM »
Generally I like Lonely Planet, with notable exceptions in Israel and Hawaii.
Fodor's Full color guides are nice as well.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Eli

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #12 on: July 13, 2010, 05:00:44 AM »
I'm doing SIN and HKG as part of my trip next week and CX provided a 4 page nice quick info guide on each.

Here you can see their guides on every city they have!

http://cityguides.cathaypacific.com/index.php?type=others&lang=en
« Last Edit: July 13, 2010, 05:05:09 AM by Eli »
-Eli

Offline Eli

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2010, 11:27:29 AM »
And now free travel guides from Continental. I haven't checked any of them out. Post here if you think they are useful.

http://tinyurl.com/CO-Travel-Guides
-Eli

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Free Offbeat Travel Guides from SPG
« Reply #14 on: May 01, 2011, 12:26:30 PM »
New SPG Offbeat Guide link (old one isn't working anymore)

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