Originally Posted by
calbino
Another point to ponder about is, are local going for staycation being treated differently from tourist from overseas. I had pratically 0 suite upgrade for all my local stays despite asking nicely each time during check in and app is showing availability. My overseas stays however yield better results with suite upgrade. Or maybe it's just my luck!
I don't know if it will continue after August, but legacy Marriott has a mini-program in Asia-Pacific called Club Marriott. It's aimed mostly at locals wanting a dining loyalty program, though it also has marginal hotel benefits. See here:
https://www.myclubmarriott.com/.
Many of the Marriott properties in Asia-Pacific, including the Marriott on Orchard Road in Singapore, have great dining options that are popular with locals. This is unlike North America, where many or most hotel restaurants are only frequented by business travelers with no other options or hotel guests who don't want to leave the property.
I would hope a Marriott Rewards platinum or platinum-premier would take precedence over a Club Marriott member, but you never know.