Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - Room upgrades may include suites - Australia only?

Just saw this post (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2012/06/24/marriott-rewards-elite-room-upgrades-now-may-include-suites/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+boardingarea%2Fviewfromthewin g+%28View+from+the+Wing%29)on the 'View from the Wing' blog.

The Room Upgrade paragraph at marriott.com (http://www.marriott.com.au/Channels/rewards/member-benefits/platinum-au.mi) now says:

For Platinum Elite members the best way is up! So every time you check in, we'll do our best to upgrade you to a premium room - at no additional charge – for your entire stay. Upgrades may include rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors, or suites, subject to availability identified by each hotel. See terms and conditions for details.


Very interesting. The US site still has the 'suites excluded' language.

INCORRECT............. it is standard language in the US/Int'l website:

Upgrades may include rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors, or suites, subject to availability identified by each hotel.

https://www.marriott.com/rewards/member-benefits/platinum.mi


Just saw this post (http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2012/06/24/marriott-rewards-elite-room-upgrades-now-may-include-suites/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+boardingarea%2Fviewfromthewin g+%28View+from+the+Wing%29)on the 'View from the Wing' blog.

The Room Upgrade paragraph at marriott.com (http://www.marriott.com.au/Channels/rewards/member-benefits/platinum-au.mi) now says:

For Platinum Elite members the best way is up! So every time you check in, we'll do our best to upgrade you to a premium room - at no additional charge – for your entire stay. Upgrades may include rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors, or suites, subject to availability identified by each hotel. See terms and conditions for details.


Very interesting. The US site still has the 'suites excluded' language.

It is a change, however, compared to the previous wording which explicitly excluded suites from the upgrades. The German-language version of the Marriott Rewards page still lists the previous wording:

"Die Upgrades basieren auf Verfügbarkeit und Suiten sind von diesem Angebot ausgeschlossen."

So maybe we see a change for the better...breakfast 7 days a week and at resorts as well as the return of EEOs would be the next things on my list.

Greetings - Dirk

ya mean you want Marriott to follow the existing Hilton/Starwood perks!?

So maybe we see a change for the better...breakfast 7 days a week and at resorts as wel..............

Would be a wise decision from my point of view. I just started to move business from Marriott to Starwood just because this features...Suite-Upgrades and the breakfast issue. Will "cost" Marriott about 70 nights this year from me...

Greetings - Dirk

since they won't keep up with the competition, they'll be losing more business from others who get to choose where to spend their coins.............

Would be a wise decision from my point of view. I just started to move business from Marriott to Starwood just because this features...Suite-Upgrades and the breakfast issue. Will "cost" Marriott about 70 nights this year from me...

Greetings - Dirk

The old language still appears on this page:

https://www.marriott.com/rewards/member-benefits.mi

In the ¶¶¶ note at the bottom.

Interesting the new language has totally eliminated, "best available," and added, "premium room." Also more interesting is that, "upgrades may include rooms on high floors..." Since I have noted a high floor in my preferences, am I going to be considered upgraded if I get a room on the 6th floor in a Marriott with 10 floors???

The language also says, "See Terms and Conditions for details." I could find nothing different in the T&Cs regarding upgrades, except that they are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Maybe they are still working on that language.

What is even more concerning is upgrades are, "subject to availability identified by each hotel!" This is definitely new language. To me that means you can't call the Platinum Line when you are not upgraded and have them intervene! If a hotel doesn't want to upgrade you because they may sell the rooms available for upgrade, there is nothing you or MR can do about it.

So I think the hotels that are good about upgrading Golds and Plats will continue to do so, and the hotels that are not so good about it, will no longer be held accountable.

Regards,

RIP...

and how are "we" supposed to verify that there actually was availability to be upgraded to when the FD says there isn't ????????????????


What is even more concerning is upgrades are, "subject to availability identified by each hotel!"

The availability phrase also seems to allow hotels to opt out by not putting suites into the group of upgrades identified by hotels. So some hotels could almost just give better rooms in the same category, depending on whether high floor, etc. is a separate category/rate at the property.

and how are "we" supposed to verify that there actually was availability to be upgraded to when the FD says there isn't ????????????????

By checking Marriott.com. I actually witnessed another Plat checking in before me, pull up the room availability information on his iPad while he was checking in, only to be told be the Front Desk Manager that Marriott.com was not always accurate and CL rooms were sold out later in the week.

Regards,

RIP...

by checking Marriott.com which is not always correct leads me confused!

By checking Marriott.com. I actually witnessed another Plat checking in before me, pull up the room availability information on his iPad while he was checking in, only to be told be the Front Desk Manager that Marriott.com was not always accurate and CL rooms were sold out later in the week.

Regards,

RIP...

So I think the hotels that are good about upgrading Golds and Plats will continue to do so, and the hotels that are not so good about it, will no longer be held accountable.

Exactly...

So I think the hotels that are good about upgrading Golds and Plats will continue to do so, and the hotels that are not so good about it, will no longer be held accountable.With " by Marriott" added to the end of that statement I would agree wholeheartedly, but then again I have never gone to the mat (to Marriott) about not getting an upgrade except back when I first made elite status back in the 90s. Hotels will still be held accountable by us as they are now.

I just won't stay at hotels that are stingy with upgrades. Fortunately I have not run into any problems of this nature in recent memory. Of course checking out FT before booking always helps and alleviates the need to come back here and rant afterwards.