Originally Posted by
Armani
You were very fortunate to receive the upgrade. Was this a recent stay? I had planned to use points there last fall and noticed several reviews in Trip Advisors and on Marriott's Insiders stating the poor treatment of Platinums at this facility. When I checked the website for award availability, only the studios (no kitchen, sleep 2) could be booked for points. The cost to upgrade to 1BR or 2BR was $75/100 per night (Note: cash cost for 1BR was only $10 more than studio). I contacted the GM at the hotel to ask whether there was a chance to get a platinum upgrade to a 1BR or 2BR and he replied that there was no chance to be upgraded even if rooms were available. His attitude and the hotel's policies caused me to look elsewhere. It is supposed to be a beautiful propery and platinums previously received upgrades there on a regular basis prior to the implementation of the new RI policies not to upgrade to 2BR. I could understand not being upgraded to 2BR, but not even to a 1BR in low season was unacceptable.
It was the weekend of Janury 8. I had a studio booked and was upgraded to a 1 BR. I didn't know any of the hotel's reputation going in. I just was looking fr something on the beach and GOV rate is not the easiest to come by. When Sand Key wasn't available atthat rate, I tried this. Was very happy.
When did the policy of not upgrading to a 2BR go into place? I had a few weeks in October at the RI in Hartford and got an upgrade to a 2BR on 2 occaisions.