Picking Hotel Distribution Channels

This post aims to explain the reasons why average consumers go through OTAs, while seasoned travellers largely prefer to make their reservations with the hotel directly. 

Why book with OTAs?

One of the major reasons why travellers book hotel stays through an Online Travel Agency (OTA) like Agoda over the official hotel website is due to perceived cost savings. It is also not uncommon for these OTAs to pay out some sort of benefit (e.g. points or rebates) in order to encourage loyalty. As the competition between agencies intensify, consumers are faced with price differences as well as confusing terms and conditions in relation to cancellation terms. Websites like Trivago do a pretty good job at aggregating prices across distribution channels to make price comparisons simpler. Such websites are also prevalent across flights and consumer products.  

OTAs are great if you're looking for a place to rest your head while travelling. Especially so if you have a fixed budget and have relatively no preference over the brand of accommodation provider. For example, someone who has never visited Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) may choose to stay near the Petronas Twin Tower due to its iconic value and centralised location. As such, one may choose to search for accommodation options based solely on location and price constraints. Photographs on the booking website as well as TripAdvisor provide a wealth of information for these travellers. 

Why book with hotels directly? 

With the aforementioned benefits associated with booking through OTAs, why then would people choose to potentially pay a higher price (in absolute terms)? Reservations that are made directly with the hotel (without the use of a travel intermediary) are largely eligible nights and stays that count towards earning a preferred status. For example, completing ten stays that are booked through Expedia with a participating property of the Starwood Preferred Group (SPG) will not grant you any status at all. Conversely, should these stays be booked directly with the participating property, you would have earned yourself a shiny Gold status that gives you significant benefits for at least a year (refer to this post for SPG Gold benefits and how you can get it in ONE stay).  

Additionally, most reputable hotel chains offer a Best Rate Guarantee (BRG) meaning they will match the price of the same room (with similar cancellation terms)  found on other third-party websites. In fact, the Intercontinental Hotel Group offers the first night free should you find a better rate elsewhere.

That being said, the process of getting approved for a BRG can be tedious and frustrating since hotels usually give a better cancellation policy when booking directly through them, therefore rendering a lower rate found elsewhere useless for this purpose. You should always peruse the terms and conditions of individual hotel chain's BRG (or equivalent) carefully before submitting a claim form in order to minimise any potential discontentment. More importantly, the BRGs are there as an assurance for travellers and therefore should not be taken advantage of - bearing in mind that a violation of T&Cs may lead to the termination of your loyalty program membership. 

Which distribution channel should I choose? 

There's no hard and fast rule in choosing which distribution channel for accommodation booking. This is similar to picking which credit card to use for optimal benefits. For consumers who prefer to go through OTAs for a seemingly cheaper rate,  there are many other ways to augment the benefits. For example, Hotels.com awards one free night with every ten nights purchased (of course, terms and conditions apply to such statements). Consider a scenario where you book 10 nights for a Deluxe room at a particular property, you will gain 1 night at a Deluxe room free. This is equivalent to an approximate 9.1% discount. Alternatively, HotelClub gives you up to 7% cashback (in HotelClub reward dollars) when you book directly with them. 

There are also 5% to 10% discount codes that float around the internet that travellers are able to utilise to drive room prices down even further. Websites like TopCashback allows you to earn up to 15% of your hotel bookings back. However, these websites may be tricky to use for first-timers as it will require you to click through to the OTA via these Cashback Saving websites. Also, using a promotional code that isn't listed on TopCashback for example, will render the 15% cashback ineffective. Whilst there are many other similar websites such as eBates, you need to find one that offers you the highest cashback for the OTAs or websites you use. I personally like these two as you will be able to transfer the balance into a verified PayPal account. Some of these sites only pay out cheques which may be tricky for all of us living outside the US. I've used both websites in Singapore and I've not faced any trouble with them at all. I personally prefer TopCashback as it allows you to transfer your existing balance out at any time. 

Assuming a $100 a night room for 10 nights with HotelClub, the internal Membership Rewards will give you up to 7% back - effectively $70 for $1000 spend. With TopCashback, you should get back approximately $150. However, these cost savings do not stop here. If you combine this with the right credit card, you can get even more bang for less of your buck. 

The ANZ Travel Visa Signature Card in Singapore gives 2.8 Travel$ per S$1 spend on certain websites. Conveniently, HotelClub and Hotels.com are on that list amongst other websites. Therefore, S$1000 spend will give you 2,800 Travel$. You may choose to redeem 2,750 Travel$ for $50 cash credit. Awarding 2.8 Travel$ per SGD gives you an effective cashback rate of 5.1% on top of the savings you're already getting from the OTA and TopCashback method. Getting $200 (and 50 Travel$) back for $1,000 spend on accommodation gives you an approximate 20% discount off travel spending. 

With all those benefits, why should I book directly with hotels then?

Going back to my previous point about status benefits, booking directly with hotels can also gain you certain advantages/benefits. Since hotels do not need to pay high intermediary fees when you book directly through them, they are able to offer other perks. For example with Hilton Hotels & Resorts, there are various offers that you can always take advantage of. Right now, there's a 25% off weekend stays in Asia Pacific promotion going on. Hilton HHonors members will earn points for eligible spend in participating hotels and resorts. As a Hilton HHonors Gold member, spending S$1,000 (approximately US$800) will earn me 14,000 HHonors Points (10 base points, 5 bonus points for MyWay benefit and 2.5 bonus gold status points per eligible US dollar spent). 

Being a HHonors Gold member also means that I get a complimentary room upgrade (subjected to availability), late check-out and free breakfast amongst other benefits. Additionally, when using my points to redeem for free nights, I get every fifth night free. That is a 20% cashback (or rather, points-back) in its own way. Coupled with the right promotion and credit card for hotel expenses, one can easily rack up bonus points in participating hotel loyal programs.

For hotel promotions, please refer to my previous entry on Conrad Bali where I racked up 25,750 HHonors Points from staying just two nights (excluding credit card points and eligible spend). For credit card promotions to earn HHonors Points in Singapore, please refer to this post to see how you can earn up to 19.31 HHonors Points per S$1 spend on the American Express Rewards Card. Combined with base earnings from Hilton Hotels & Resorts, spending S$1,000 can net me at least 33,310 (14,000 + 19,310) HHonors Points (before other promotions) which is sufficient for 7 (six and one free) nights at the new DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru property at 5,000 HHonors Points a night. 

To summarise both options, booking through an OTA can get you back approximately $200 for $1,000 spend while booking directly with a hotel like Hilton will earn you eligible nights that will get you a desired status at hotel chain. It can also get you seven free nights at a low redemption rate property on top of other status benefits you may receive. I personally like to book directly with hotels to earn eligible nights that count towards the retention of loyalty status (with some exceptions). However, if I decide to stay in some place that does not participate in any loyalty programs of my choice, I will most definitely choose the method that saves me the most money.

At the end of the day, you'll need to pick a method that best suits your spending habits and personal preferences. Leave a comment below if you need any tips that you think I may be able to offer regarding your next hotel reservation and I'll be sure to help you. 

OCBC 360 Account [Singapore] - 3.05% p.a.

Unlike most Singaporeans with a POSB/DBS account, I've grown up with an OCBC one. In fact, I do not even think I have a current POSB/DBS account. As a silent warrior of the banking industry, OCBC was never someone's first bank choice (unless of course like me, you enjoy a shorter ATM queue). However, all that is about to change with the new OCBC 360 Account. 

For all of you out there, your money generally grows at 0.05% per annum in a savings account (exceptions do apply). For the savvy consumers, many have turned to the Standard Chartered BonusSaver ("Bonus$aver") Account for a bonus rate of 1.88% p.a (up to S$25,000). However, this rate is only offered when you charge a mininum sum of $500 to your BonusSaver World MasterCard Credit or Debit Card.

To put things into perspective, a bank account with S$25,000 will earn an annual interest of $12.50 ($1.04 per month) with an ordinary savings account with most banks. Conversely, the same principal amount of money will earn $470 ($39.17 per month). As you can see, the difference in interest rate payments is substantially different! 

With the new OCBC 360 Account however, you will be able to earn a maximum of 3.05% p.a. (up to S$50,000). However, this bonus rate is not without its conditions. What really stands out for me is the progressive bonuses that one can enjoy from fulfilling a set of simple tasks. 

To further simplify the above diagram, you will earn the following interest on the OCBC 360 Account.

1. Do nothing and get 0.05% p.a.
2. Credit your monthly salary (at least S$2,000 after CPF) and get extra 1.00% p.a.
3. Pay 3 bills (e.g. Credit Card from other banks) and get extra 1.00% p.a.
4. Spend S$400 each month on your OCBC Credit Cards and get extra 1.00% p.a.

Essentially, if you complete only Task 1 to 3, you will get 2.05% p.a. interest on that month. If you complete all four tasks (although the first one doesn't really count), you get 3.05% p.a. interest for that month. Pretty straightforward!

Personally, getting 2.05% p.a. is already sufficient for me to make the switch. I do not own any OCBC Credit Cards since I think they generally do not appeal to me (with the exception of the FRANK! Card) but having 2.05% p.a. interest without doing anything extra is excellent for me. 

Using our previous example of having S$25,000, putting your money into the OCBC 360 Account can yield you an annual interest rate of $762.50 ($63.54 a month). If your principal sum is at S$50,000 it will yield you the following annual interest rates under the different deposit or saving accounts:

• Generic Savings Account (at 0.05% p.a.) - $25 (REALLY!) 
• Standard Chartered BonusSaver Account (at 1.88% p.a. for first S$25,000 then 0.10% p.a.) - $495
• OCBC 360 Account (at a maximum of 3.05% p.a.) - $1,525 

Do yourself a favour and make the switch. More details (including everyone's favourite terms and conditions) can be found via this link. 

The Big Win (IHG): A Mezzo Analysis

The IHG Big Win presents each IHG Rewards Club guest with a customised set of "goals" to meet in order to enjoy a huge payout. Some of these bonus payouts are over 100,000 points. 

In my case, I was presented with a pretty lacklustre set of offers with a total potential payout of only 31,000. My set of offers is summarised as follows:

1 night win - 1,000 Points
Stay 4 nights - 3,000 Points
Book 2 stays with IHG directly - 2,000 Points
Stay at 3 different IHG brands - 7,000 Points
3 Saturday nights - 8,000 Points
Big Win - 10,000 Points
Total - 31,000 Points

As such I have initially decided not to participate in this round's Big Win offers.

However, since I only need one additional stay to earn 27,000 points (on top of base earnings), I have decided to participate in the Big Win despite it being relatively uninspired. Essentially 3 stays will gain me 28,000/31,000 of the potential bonus points. 

Singapore Reward Nights Redemption
(Rates in S$ have been selected on a day that typically does not reflect peak demand prices.)

1. Holiday Inn Express: Singapore Clarke Quay - 20,000 Points (S$180++)
2. Holiday Inn Express: Singapore Orchard Road - 20,000 Points (S$207++)
3. Holiday Inn: Singapore Atrium - 25,000 Points (S$163++)
4. Holiday Inn: Singapore Orchard City Centre - 35,000 Points (S$256++)
5. Crowne Plaza Changi Airport - 40,000 Points (S$234++)
6. Intercontinental: Singapore - 50,000 Points (S$267++)

As shown in the list above, the points required for a free night do not always correlate positively to the price of room. Since the ceiling for reward nights redemption in IHG is 50,000 Points, there are some properties in the world that offer rooms/villas that typically sell for almost S$1,000 at this rate (e.g. InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa Hotel). Therefore, it is always good to conserve IHG points for more expensive properties in order to get more bang for the buck. 

InterContinental Singapore Staycation

The InterContinental Singapore officially opened in 1995 and has since then been a characteristic landmark of Singapore. Decorated in Peranakan and Colonial style, this iconic property has remained an exemplary example of impeccable hospitality over the years. 

While many first time visitors to Singapore may choose to stay around Orchard Road and the Marina Bay area, seasoned travelers will know that the MRT network in Singapore is extensive and it's really easy to get around places pretty quickly. Surrounding this tastefully old-fashioned hotel is a treasure trove filled with rich cultural heritage, excellent food, affordable shopping and a side of the city that visitors don't usually associate with. It is also situated conveniently above the East West Line (Bugis MRT) and the newly opened Downtown Line. 

The IHG mobile application allowed me to export my reservation confirmation into Passbook. This in reality serves minimal purpose since they can easily look up my reservation using my name on the credit card. Whilst the official check-in and check-out times are 3pm and 12pm respectively, rooms may be available earlier (or later) if you email in advance to ask. Correspondence between the InterContinental Singapore team was professional and timely - something you would expect from a leader in hospitality. 

For this stay, I stayed in a non-smoking Club InterContinental Room with Club InterContinental Lounge access and benefits. I arrived at the main lobby area to check-in but was met with a large crowd. I then approached the concierge who showed me to the InterContinental Club for an expedited check-in. I was offered a drink while I waited for the staff to verify whether my room was ready. The friendly staff then ran through all club benefits (including but not limited to Afternoon Tea, Cocktail Hour, Breakfast) with me. As a Platinum IHG member I was also given two free drinks at the Victoria Bar downstairs, a 3pm late check-out and some dining benefits. It is worth noting that InterContinental Hotels have a separate (paid) loyalty program that complements the IHG program - InterContinental Ambassador. 

I received a handwritten welcome letter alongside a Club InterContinental letter detailing all Club benefits at check-in. Although I have received welcome letters from General Managers of other luxury hotels, none of them were actually handwritten like this one which I thought provided a really nice personal touch. 

Being almost two decades old and having a colonial theme meant that the rooms were not going to be swanky like the W Hotel. I was given a corner room in the main hotel building and was also told that it will be slightly bigger. Honestly, I was initially taken aback by the antiquated look of the room. Compared to the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport that I stayed a couple of weeks ago, this room was indeed on the other end of the spectrum when measuring the modernism of interior décor. 

However, the room was indeed very spacious. Apart from the huge reception area as shown in the photo above, the bedroom and bathroom were large as compared to other luxury properties in Singapore. The Peranakan tiles inspired carpet was classy and although the room décor was slightly dated, it was well maintained. There was also a pillow menu boasting seven different kinds of pillow, ensuring that every guest gets the best sleeping experience.

Nonetheless, I did have one minor issue with the room. Whilst the curtains managed to block out most of the light to ensure darkness for sleeping, some light still managed to seep through the sides. This may pose as an issue for light sleepers wanting to sleep in. This was also prevalent in the bathroom so I highly suggest closing the bathroom doors to minimise the light coming through in the morning. 

The bathroom was extremely roomy boasting a separate shower area and a deep bathtub that overlooked certain areas of Bugis, allowing for a glance over the Marina Bay and City Hall area. Bathroom amenities were provided by Agraria, a boutique brand from San Francisco that provides for InterContinental Hotel & Resorts worldwide. I was not a huge fan of the Lemon Verbena scent as it vaguely reminds me of detergent but some may find it uplifting to some extent. 

I had a stroll around the property briefly before heading to the Club for Afternoon Tea (2.30pm to 5pm). The lobby lounge exhibited an air of elegance and was stunning from the second level. Natural light streamed in from the glass ceiling on the sides, illuminating the entire area in a luminous amber while refined and almost opulent chandeliers hung from above, completing the entire symphony of grandeur. 

Being a huge lover of natural lighting (in the comfort of air-conditioning), I particularly liked the area outside of Man Fu Yuan - one of the finest Chinese restaurants in Singapore that serves authentic Cantonese cuisine and delicate Dim Sums. 

Entering the main area of the InterContinental Club, it is evident that the interior décor of the Club has been heavily inspired by authentic Peranakan-style furniture. It was quiet as some executive level guests tucked themselves away in little corners on their laptops. Tea was served in beautiful teapots with real tea leaves and tea snacks included focaccias, wraps, cookies and some tradition Nyonya snacks. I liked how there was ample space between couches and tables. 

However, this was a problem when it came to Cocktail Hour (5.30pm to 7.30pm). After calling for a turndown service, I arrived at the InterContinental Club at 6.30pm, the entire area was taken up and I had to eventually share a table with a guest. That being said, it was not an unpleasant experience but you should definitely head down the Club early if you would like a table (or the comfy sofas) on your own. The beverage menu for Cocktail Hour was quite extensive as it covered a handful of popular cocktails, mocktails, wines, beers and other beverages. I thought the Singapore Sling was pretty delicious and I highly recommend you begin quenching your thirst with that. Canapés such as cheese, Dim Sum, pastries, salads, fruits and other nibbles were also served alongside alcohol. 

Upon returning to my room, the turndown service has already been completed. Water and shampoo was replenished, extra bath towels were given, curtains have been drawn and slippers were placed on the side of the bed. Laundry bags were also placed on the bed for easy access should you require any laundering or pressing done. While the turndown service was completed in a timely manner, I thought the Pan Pacific Singapore did a much better job in comparison. The latter allowed for a guest to request for turndown services through the press of a button and the rooms were turned down to almost a brand new state. 

Overlooking the busy streets of Bugis, I took a long and deep soak in the tub before calling it a night.

The next morning, I chose to have breakfast at the Olive Tree restaurant instead of the InterContinental Club as I was interested in a more extensive breakfast buffet (6.30am to 10.30am). Upon reaching the restaurant at approximately 9am, there was a line waiting to enter the restaurant. I waited approximately ten minutes which was not half as bad as I thought it would be. 

Unlike other restaurants where you had to either wait in line for an omelette or to come back later to pick it up, the Olive Tree staff will send your order to your table as long as you have your table number handy. The restaurant was packed and the wait for a cooked to order item had an at least 5-7 minutes wait. Quality of food was average in my opinion and the variety was limited. The Pan Pacific Singapore still has the best breakfast that I've had in Singapore so I highly recommend them for a weekend staycation.  

I then went to check out the hotel facilities after breakfast. The hotel pool (on level four) was pretty small and the tanning areas were rather limited. That being said, it was still a rather quiet area that one could enjoy a leisurely swim. 

The hotel gym (on level three), like most hotel gyms, was dated and lacked a variety of gym machines. However, I have to say that the InterContinental Singapore gym did have a handful of threadmills available for her guests alongside some decent workout machines. Let's be honest though, who's going to use the gym when you're on a staycation? Then again, if you're here on business and don't already have a global gym membership, it's easy to burn off those Peranakan goodies from the previous day right here. 

As I made my way back to the room, I realised an uncanny resemblance of these white washed walls to a particular scene in the movie Titanic. As mentioned before, albeit having an old fashioned colonial design, the interiors were extremely well taken care of and did not show signs of age through wear and tear at all. 

As I spent some time in bed catching up on my weekly reads and some television, I realised that guests of the InterContinental Singapore were able to download an extensive range of newspaper/magazines for free via the PressReader Application. I already have a subscription to this service so it does not really apply to me but I'm sure international travelers will appreciate the flexibility of reading the newspaper from home on a tablet of your choice.

Whilst I know that some hotels and good libraries around the world do offer similar privileges, I was quite surprised that this was not mentioned at check-in or at the InterContinental Club. I really enjoy the PressReader subscription (for US$30 a month) and I think it's a really good investment but more on this another time.

I enjoyed one last glance of the grand lobby as patrons enjoyed their Sunday brunch. Although the InterContinental Singapore has lived up to its standards by ensuring a high level of service and attentiveness to details, I don't think I will be back soon. With the same price to pay, I think the Pan Pacific Singapore or the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport serve as better candidates for the perfect weekend staycation in Singapore. 

However the Club room privileges do provide a nice touch of luxury and privacy for discerning guests or simply travelers who enjoy a more intimate setting. If you're a business traveler or simply a traveler who is searching for an alternative area to stay in (apart from Orchard or Marina Bay), I would definitely recommend the InterContinental Singapore for some good old fashioned luxury whilst you immerse yourself in the grandeur of the property and the rich heritage of the Bugis area. 

Book your next InterContinental stay here. 

InterContinental Singapore
80 Middle Rd, Singapore 188966
Website | Email

Miles Chasing: A Perspective

Credit cards provide mile collectors a wide range of earning opportunities base on the category of expenditure. Whilst many has turned to simple to manage credit cards that promote cash backs (e.g. UOB One Card), the rest of us dwell in an ominous area of points or miles maximisation. Mile collectors know that 1,000 miles can fetch approximately $20 in the virtual black market which is equivalent to 8% cash back at optimal earning capacity. In the case of redeeming a First Class or Suites ticket, this value increases drastically. 

For example, a return ticket from Singapore to Paris costs $12,300 ($13,062.10 incl. taxes) on Singapore Airlines some time in April. It costs 215,000 miles to redeem the fare portion of this ticket ($12,300). However, redeeming for miles online gives you a 15% discount on total miles required. Essentially this equates to requiring only 182,750 miles. Simple mathematics will value 1,000 miles in this scenario at roughly $67.31. 

Neglecting conversion fees, this is equivalent to 26.9% cash back at optimal earning capacity for almost all credit cards. In fact, some credit cards targeted at extremely high spenders or high income earners (e.g. American Express Centurion) can earn up to 7-8 miles per $1 when spending at platinum partners (almost doubling the aforementioned cash back rate!). 

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To put it in another perspective for the same example, you would need to spend $372,727 on a credit card (giving you 3.33% cash back) in order to have $12,300. Whereas if you were earning miles at an average optimal rate (where $1 = 4 miles), you only need to spend $45,688. 

That being said, air miles are only valued the most with the redemption of First/Business class tickets. It's a arduous journey for many of us and it's easy to lose sight of things when you are bent on maximising miles. Unless you're willing to strategise and spread categorical spending across different banks and credit cards, it is best to stick to one or two cards for ease of payment and usage. After all, most would agree that credit cards are supposed to make your life easier and not become an instrument for making money out of it. 

TravelPony - A Hidden Oasis (for Some Cities and Some Hotels)

While I am sure that many of us travellers are familiar with the big names of Online Travel Agencies (e.g. Expedia, Booking, Hotels, HotelClub), many are not aware of TravelPony.

TravelPony is extremely different from other OTAs for various reasons and I definitely will not suggest this as a substitute over the aforementioned agencies for the exact same reasons.

1. Only some major cities are covered. For example in Asia, only hotels in Hong Kong and Singapore are bookable. 
2. Only a very limited number of hotels within these limited cities are covered. 
3. You can only pay in USD (as of now) which is not a bad thing if you have Credit Cards that gives you bonuses for transactions in a foreign currency. 

In the following example, I will look at one-night accommodation available in Singapore three days later (29 March to 30 March). At TravelPony, I am presented with only five properties that are available (click on the image below). 

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These rates are in USD and for some reason, applicable taxes and service charges are included in some of the listed prices. Looking at the prices for Hilton Singapore hotel, it is currently USD$222 before taxes (and USD$240 after) for a Deluxe bed without breakfast.

However, on Booking.com, it is USD$232 before taxes (and USD$273 after) for the same room without breakfast. Therefore, booking on TravelPony essentially gives you a rate that is 14% lower. 

Additionally, when you book on TravelPony for the first time using my affiliate link, you get USD$35 off your first booking (with no minimum spend). Essentially this reduces the amount you have to pay to approximately USD$205, giving you an estimated overall saving of 25%.

It's sometimes incredible how low the room rates can go on TravelPony and I have used it with my previous stay at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport with absolutely no issues. It seems like the rate gets better as the date draws nearer. If you're paranoid about things, go ahead and email the hotel in advance to confirm. However do remember the limitations with using this over the major OTAs as covered above. 

Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) - Going for GOLD

The Westin Singapore officially opened its doors (again) in November last year after an absence of 12 years. To many frequent travellers, the addition of a new Starwood property spells excitement as there is more to choose from. Like other Starwood properties, The Westin Singapore participates in the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) program which allows you to earn Starpoints on eligible hotel spend. 

There are three main tiers in the SPG program - Preferred, Gold and Platinum. Within the Platinum category, there are further sub tiers to reward the frequent and business travellers. Unlike other hotel programs that expire with every year (through a re-qualification process, you may reach a lifetime status under this program, disabling the need to re-qualify for Gold or Platinum statuses - a major incentive to remain to SPG! However such lifetime statuses are difficult to qualify and usually requires a minimum period of 10 elite years. 

Amongst other benefits, the SPG Gold tier allows for a 4pm late checkout, an upgrade (that does not include suites) and a welcome gift (in the form of bonus Starpoints, a welcome drink or complimentary internet access). Full details on the Gold tier benefits can be found here. The usual qualification process requires 10 eligible stays or 25 eligible nights in a calendar year. However, if you hold a World MasterCard in the Asia Pacific region (excluding Japan), you can qualify for the Gold status with as little as just one eligible night stay.

You may sign up for this promotion here.

Upgrade to the Gold status will take up to 4 weeks after your stay. For a cheap way to gain this status, you may consider the Aloft Kuala Lumpur property at Kuala Lumpur Sentral or the Sheraton Singapore if you do not wish to leave the country. Do remember that you need register for the program first, and you have to book directly with the hotel (not through Agoda or online travel agents) in order to qualify for this promotion. Also do note that status earned after 1 April of each year will last longer in absolute terms. 

Additionally, if you book before 6 April 2014, you may qualify for the Book Early or Stay Longer promotion (in Asia Pacific properties only), giving you up to 50% and 10% off respectively. So go on and get your well-deserved Gold status with SPG and enjoy your Gold benefits for a year.