SPG App showed nice room upgrade - downgraded at Check-In
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,510
I think the rudeness to Sharon was uncalled for.
#32
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: AA LTP 2MM, Marriott/SPG Rabid Plat w/Ambassador, HHonors Gold
Posts: 696
I would say this is would be dependent on hotel policy, and how much they prioritise income and Plat treatment.
Even if you pay for a suite, the Plat coming later could already have one pre-assigned and your suite just happens to be unoccupied. Or you could be taking it from the Plat. Each hotel will have it's own criteria and priorities for doing what it does with unoccupied rooms. How it deals with them might even change day to day.
The T&C give a guideline of "at checkin". Hotel's don't follow that even now, I doubt they'll follow a cut-off time. Even airlines don't. I've seen passengers upgraded just after the doors are shut...
Even if you pay for a suite, the Plat coming later could already have one pre-assigned and your suite just happens to be unoccupied. Or you could be taking it from the Plat. Each hotel will have it's own criteria and priorities for doing what it does with unoccupied rooms. How it deals with them might even change day to day.
The T&C give a guideline of "at checkin". Hotel's don't follow that even now, I doubt they'll follow a cut-off time. Even airlines don't. I've seen passengers upgraded just after the doors are shut...
Now, if it had been confirmed with an SNA, that's another matter entirely.
Also, I agree with the point that learning about a 'pre-upgrade' through the app is not exactly the hotel flaunting the upgrade. To see this, you really have to navigate to a tab on the reservation that you have to go hunting for, it's not like the property is flashing in your face. There's really no reason to ever go to this tab if you're not seeing if you might've gotten 'pre-upgraded', and if you'd rather not know until it's confirmed, just don't look. Some of us would rather know, even though it's not guaranteed at that point in time.
#33
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: YYJ
Programs: AC SE*MM, Bonvoy LT Plat, HH Gold, National EE, Sixt Plat, Hz 5*
Posts: 2,434
Funny... I've never even noticed that feature in the app. Lol. Then again I usually book same day. I find that impacts my upgrades negatively because the system doesn't "pick me up."
#34
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
Yeah, if you go into the reservation details and look at room type you will see if they prepared an upgrade for you during the normal overnight prep work. I've certainly seen upgrades and then show up and gotten what I've booked. Sadly a few months ago I saw a preupgrade to the Presidential Suite, but I had to cancel the reservation. Bummer.
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,986
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,986
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,986
But if you're OK living with insects, maybe they'd let you.
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta Diamond, WOH Globalist, Marriott LT Titanium, MSC Dia, Nespresso Club, ZTL Queen in Italy
Posts: 304
I can't find any reference to OP using an SNA. If he/she had, they would have received an email confirming the upgrade. OP just happened to notice a room upgrade when checking the app which went away when suite was reassigned to what was presumably a paying customer.
#39
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, BAEC Silver, TK Miles & Smiles Elite
Posts: 2,203
I often check the reservation on the app to see if they've already assigned me an upgraded room. I've seen the upgraded room type change in the hours before check in also to a lesser category. I just take it as an indication that somebody at the hotel is looking out for me and trying to secure me the best possible room based on availability so the FD agent doesn't have to use their discretion and go searching for an upgraded room. But I also understand the conditions of being an SPG Platinum and if I end up getting the room I paid for then I would accept that there was nothing better available.
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Someone in the their infinite wisdom decided it would be good to tie the system the property uses to manage their rooms with the app/website. So when the property chooses to pre-block someone into a particular room that data comes available in the app/website. If an event comes up where they are not able to deliver that room, the guest loses out.
Over the years I've learned to not even count on what I am told at the front desk when checking in. I suspect many FDCs have never been in one of their rooms and to believe their claim "this is a great room" may not be true. I was once told the room was a single king bed, when I got to the room it was two queens. The FDC even tried to deny my claim as I stood between the two beds! The screen is not always correct, be it at the front desk, your PC, or your cellphone.
Over the years I've learned to not even count on what I am told at the front desk when checking in. I suspect many FDCs have never been in one of their rooms and to believe their claim "this is a great room" may not be true. I was once told the room was a single king bed, when I got to the room it was two queens. The FDC even tried to deny my claim as I stood between the two beds! The screen is not always correct, be it at the front desk, your PC, or your cellphone.
#41
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 598
It's a disappointing experience, but completely fair/allowed by program rules. I do find it interesting, however, that I have seen pre-upgrades for some hotels but not others...maybe the systems are a bit different by property/brand?
#42
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,368
Some hotels routinely preassign rooms while other properties do not do this and instead assign rooms when the guest appears at the front desk to check in.
#43
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,748
Or you (svo242) may not be on the hotel's internal VVIP list, thus not warranting the pre-upgrade, which is why you don't see it .
#44
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador
Posts: 598
I also once had an odd tech snafu where 2 rooms showed as upgraded to suites, then one of the rooms was shown was a standard room again on the app, and then when we checked-in, both rooms were still suites!
Last edited by svo242; Sep 25, 2016 at 12:09 am
#45
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,265
Frankly, SPG should probably just de-link the advance room type assignment from the app and continue to show the category booked, just to avoid the inevitable whining that it generates. Then none of this would happen.
Mind you, all this is going to be a moot point pretty soon! Looking forward to Marriott's generous upgrade policy... NOT.
Mind you, all this is going to be a moot point pretty soon! Looking forward to Marriott's generous upgrade policy... NOT.