Originally Posted by
shawneve
Considering this hotel for an upcoming family trip to Europe. (5 days in London)
Booking two rooms with points. (Plat member)
Currently it does not appear to work out as I have 5 of us with 2 teens and a 12 yr old.
All of the rewards rooms have max occupancy of 2 even the Superior and Premier rooms that have a cash upcharge. A suite is bookable with a L950 upcharge. (no thanks)
I already have a points booking that works at the Kensington but really want to stay here.
My hope is that post Aug 1, I will be able to use SNAs to secure one of my rooms to a suite. (occupancy works and Chamber Club access for three in that room, I will "officially" be in the other room granting that room Chamber club access) Hopefully SNAs will be functional at Marriott hotels right away, and Chambers Suites are an option.
My plan is to make another booking at this hotel, apply the SNA and if it clears I would cancel the Kensington booking, if not, I cancel this one. (Cancellations allowed up to 1 day before arrival)
Anyone see any issue with this strategy?
1) Will you have your annual 50+ nights in toward your elites status for 2018? If not it appears (note I said appears) that you will not have 5 SNAs. As best I can tell from reading the SNA material and anecdotal evidence from SPG members, SNAs are not really a Plat or PP benefit although they do have parallel milestones. SNAs are awarded after achieving 50 and 75 nights
STAY thresholds. So for me as a LTP, soon to be LTPP, I personally do not expect to see any SNAs unless they count my CC nights, which by their use of the word "STAYS" I ASSUME they will not. I am an realist and when I make assumptions tend to do so on the negative side thus lowering my expectations; if they differ, then I will be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed, which is a nice segway to...
2) There are a lot of people who have made or are making assumptions that have not or may not held/hold up. Doing so is setting oneself up for disappointment and possible tirade of FT rants that Marriott screwed me over; when in fact one's assumptions led to that.
3) Another huge question with regard to this particular property is, going forward to whom will they grant access to the Chambers Club?
Right now it is Plat and above, but under the new program if they keep it PLat and above then the Chambers Club will be swamped. Or will they up it to access only for PP and Ambassadors, just Ambassadors, or restrict it to only Chambers Club rooms/suites. I stay here annually and look forward to finding out the answers to these questions, AND am making no guesses or assumptions at this point. My next stay won't be until fall 2019 so I have plenty of time to find out. FWIW I usually pay for my stays at this hotel as I can usually find fairly reasonable rates by London standards, and sometimes St. Ermin's too. Sorry, Kensington is not on my radar so no comment on it.
Enjoy your stays in london, and for sanity's sake you may wish to plan on using you SNAs later in 2018 or sometime in 2019.
Update: I just noticed your subsequent post while I was writing the above (which i left unedited). Sounds like a pretty good plan as I guess you already have SNAs ro are sure you will by then. Having a back-up plan for Kensington gives you insurance, so you are good to go in that regard.
If you have insight or feedback about what I said about 50/75 night STAY accrual toward SNAs in
#1 above, I would appreciate it.
Thx - Bob