Above: the Westin Resort and Casino in Aruba
By the Caribbean Journal staff
As the hurricane season begins in the Caribbean, one hotel company is offering a contingency for travelers to the region.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced that it will offer a “Storm Guarantee” for guests with a confirmed reservation who are unable to travel due to an airport closing, a cancelled flight or the closing of a Starwood property.
The guarantee gives the option of a full refund or complimentary guest room upgrade on guests’ next visit, according to the company.
As travelers plan their sun-and-sand infused escapes for the summer, we wanted to set a firm Starwood Hotels & Resorts guarantee that ensures a no risk cancellation policy to put our guests at ease,” said Dawn Parisi, Area Director of Sales and Marketing for the Caribbean at Starwood Hotels.
The company said in-house guests would also not be penalized for early departures in the event of a storm.
The guarantee applies to storms that are “validated by the National Hurricane Center.” Destinations must be placed under a hurricane watch or warning for the policy to be in effect.
Starwood has 10 Caribbean hotels participating in the guarantee.