Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
Your post is unnecessarily hostile. Among other things, its seem bizarre to suggest there isn't a single thing from the MR program that is better than the SPG program. I've identified valid points which are purely objective. I was very surprised to see that SPG doesn't offer the same benefits for those who don't get their guaranteed room type or get walked as the Marriott side.
As for the suites issue, I don't know how you can make such a broad brush statement. My two suite upgrades on the SPG side this year have been fine but they were both open studio style rooms with a couch. In contrast, on the Marriott side in the past month alone, I've had (a) a 2000 square foot suite with a dining room, living room, and multiple bathrooms, (b) a two room ocean front suite, (c) a two room suite with the best view in town, and (d) two different top floor two room suites with mountain views. That's just this month and all of those are in major world cities with SPG properties. I did get great treatment in a large two room suite at a CY in a rural area where the nearest SPG options was several hundred miles away.
And as to the Ambassador, I'm still looking for someone on the MR side to describe what they have received from their Ambassador -- without a request. As far as I can tell, people request upgrades through their ambassador, add names to reservations, get assistance with multiple rooms, and get assistance with rewards reservations. Additionally, people also request some assistance with special events such as anniversaries. With the exception of a one or two posters, I'm not seeing anyone on the SPG board who has received anything more than this either. I'm not trying to beat up the program -- I keep looking for ideas so I can benefit.
And ... since you don't stay at MR properties and certainly haven't spent 50 nights at MR properties since status matching, I don't know how you can draw a comparison. Otherwise, you're drawing on a sample set of one. Frankly, I can't remember when the status matching took place but I've certainly spent 100+ nights at Marriott properties since then as well as 50 at SPG properties. Once the novelty wore off, its obvious to me.
I don't mean to be hostile at all. I respect you (even when we disagree) on most topics but certainly disagree with you wholeheartedly on this issue. Just because we disagree doesn't mean anyone is being hostile.
I stay mostly at SPG properties but also at MR properties. I have stayed most recently at Ritz Carlton Kyoto, Ritz Carlton Boston, Courtyard New Haven, and Renaissance Providence. I've stayed more than 20 nights thus far with Marriott. I was upgraded to suites at all of those except for the Courtyard, where I usually was upgraded to a much larger room. But I'd never compare a suite at a Courtyard (or Four Points) with a suite at a Ritz Carlton or even the Renaissance--because they aren't even remotely close.
As to your suite judgments, I reiterate that the brand of hotel makes a huge difference. It's curious that we never learn the identity of the specific hotels at which people get upgrades or don't get upgrades. I find that likely to be because the hotels that don't upgrade don't have many suites to start with or have crappy suites anyway. I also assume that your 2000 square feet suite is at a paltry non upscale hotel since you never bother to identify it, while your junior suite SPG experiences have been at much nicer hotels. The fact that one doesn't identify the hotels makes the judgments derived awfully questionable to me. Yours included.
You've spent 100+ nights at Marriott and 50+ with SPG and assume that somehow should make you an expert on upgrades. Not if you stay at less upscale or midscale properties. There aren't many suites at most of those, and the suites that they do have are not what I'd called aspirational.
You've wrongly assumed I don't stay at MR properties. Yet I have, and yet I've often been upgraded. I've even submitted some Expert Reviews for some of those hotels based on numerous stays.
Also, not sure what your pronouncements below--most of which are inaccurate or questionable--have to do with Ambassador status?
(a) that there's no qualitative difference on average between W/Westin/Renn/Marriott/Autograph properties although they do have different electrical outlet standards near the bed and at the desk, different thermostats, and different carpet/color schemes.
Sorry, but W hotels are considered luxury hotels and with rates to match...just like Edition. There is a difference. You may not have stayed at the better Ws and perhaps stayed at the better Autorgraph or Renaissance, but your pronouncement here is just wrong. Suites at some of these are nicer than others. Suites at urban examples of W (most Ws are either urban or in resort destinations), Westin, Renaissance, and some Autographs are going to be nicer than suites at less urban Marriotts, Renaissance, Sheraton, and Autograph.
(b) W's certainly on average get a trashier/posers who can't afford a room/6 to a room while sneaking in a cooler crowd than MR properties but also have a better pool if its not overrun by day guests who otherwise can't afford to stay there.
Your judgments aside, W's have higher average rates than JW Marriott. Still not sure what this has to be with Ambassadors.
(c) It's nice to be able to get breakfast at a resort or LC and nice to find occasional SPG properties which are more convenient.
It's nice to get a breakfast benefit at any SPG hotel, including St Regis, Luxury Collection, and resorts. This is another example of how SPG Plat benefits were always better than Marriott Plat benefits. Any SPG Plat can get breakfast at St Regis or Luxury Collection or W. No MR Plat Premier gets breakfast at Ritz Carlton or Edition. You're helping to make my point that SPG Plat benefits always have been better.
(d) That elite recognition for a Plat Premier at MR properties is better than recognition as a Plat at SPG properties. Both are often inconsistent. maybe its that VIP recognition you refer to but I don't how an FD at an SPG would know you are an SPG 100. Perhaps you can explain.
I find this to be a truly shocking assessment--aside from the fact that I'm struggling to figure out how this applies to Ambassadors!
You seem unable to understand that front desk recognition isn't the only level of recognition or service improvement. Marriott does its recognition entirely through the FD recognition for its Plat and Plat Premiers,. SPG does the same recognition for its Plats--it just doesn't distinguish at the FD between Plat25, Plat50, Plat75, and Plat 100. For Plat100 Ambassador guests, those are identified as VIPs in daily management meetings with all hotel departments, not just Front Desk. As a Plat100 I am often recognized by name by valets, front desk, housekeeping, and restaurant staff. Even at a Four Points, but not always. Almost always at a St Regis.
Your point makes no sense...and is just wrong.
(e) My Ambassador plays a minimal role in my guest experience. Perhaps that's because I'm not calling them and asking them for things but with 150 actual nights in the past year, I don't have time to call them and don't know what to ask for ...
Your Marriott Ambassador isn't necessarily anything like an SPG Ambassador. They haven't begun to cross train yet. Still, perhaps your guest experience isn't so great because you don't spend enough or don't stay enough at hotels that better execute Ambassador requests. You don't seem to understand how the Ambassafor program works IMO.
There are innumerable examples on the SPG Ambassador threads showing how Ambassador can add to the SPG experience. You seem to have ignored them all.You seem to instead focus on the complaints that the Ambassadors don't do much for some Plat100s. Those Plat100s are likely those who don't spend as much or who stay at more misscale type hotels.
(f) Most importantly, engaged GM's make the biggest difference for an elite status guest and they are not unique to either legacy program. The GM at W Miami Brickell is great and the GM at W Scottsdale is abysmal. The GM at JW Camelback is great; the GM at JW Cabo is not.
Absolutely the can--but not every awesome GM makes for a great hotel experience, either. We still largely agree here. A great GM usually makes everything better. The management meetings better identify the VIPs. The management teams deliver better service. And the better GMS are often at better brands. But that doesn't speak to the Ambassador as much as how individual hotels execute on behalf of Ambassadors for their elite VIP guests.
When you are an Ambassador level guest staying at a good hotel with a great GM, the experience truly can be amazing. I know. I've had great experiences at the StR San Francisco (where I often see the manager), the StR NYC, the StR Bora Bora (where I met a few times with the GM), the RC Kyoto (where I met the GM), the RC Boston (where I spoke with the GM), the StR NYC, the Gritti Palace Venice (where I met the GM), the W Boston (where i met a senior manager), the W SF, the W Bogota (where I met senior managers), the W Punta Mita, the StR Punta Mita, the Excelsior Gallia Milan (where I met the GM), and even the Four Points Chelsea and Four Points Midtown (where I met both GMs), etc.
I also had a very poor experience at the Liberty Boston--despite speaking with the lackluster and unimpressive GM. Go figure. That's why I now stay at the W and Ritz Carlton.