Starwood Preferred Guests- beware!

I love Westin hotels, Sheraton and Four Points are okay and overall, I have been really happy with the Starwood Preferred program, but they have been making me a little upset recently with some of their policies.  I often book rooms for a group of people that I am traveling with- for example my husband, daughter and I stayed in a Sheraton hotel and also booked a room for my parents.  They checked in at a different time and used their own credit card.  Because of this, I was not able to get credit or points for that reservation.  While I understand the policy- I could be booking rooms for perfect strangers and racking up the points, my side of the story is that my parents would not have stayed at the Sheraton if I had not booked the room.  My other gripe was that often I have done this same thing and gotten credit for the stay, so it seems to be mood dependant on whoever checks you in as to whether or not you get the credit, frustrating to say the least. 

That's my little gripe for the day about the Starwood Preferred Guest- certainly there are good sides too, but I thought I would post this just so those who do take advantage of these kinds of frequent flier programs could be aware.

Happy Travels!