Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
Glad to hear that. Wondering why you didn't point that out to the poster with an issue rather than telling him he had to wait.
Didn't think it was necessary since it didn't seem like waiting until August for an October stay wasn't a perfectly viable and certain option. I also don't know for sure how widespread my experience and those I mentioned are. I’m sure not all Marriott/RC/Edition properties will respond so favorably to an SPG Ambassador reaching out before the new program. In my cases, I was fortunate...and/or it’s a very positive sign of things to come for you!
And ... curious what experience you have with the Marriott Ambassador program that allows you to state what Marriott Ambassadors can or can't do or what benefits are available in the Marriott program presently to those with ambassadors. I confess, I've relied upon your representations and never asked my Marriott Ambassador for assistance with SPG properties.
There are only a few threads at all mentioning "Ambassador" in the Marriott forum until June 16. You and I have had plenty of exchanges in some of those already. I've been following the threads on "Elite Concierge" started by Marriott since the Starwood acquisition was first rumored in late 2015 and completed in fall 2016.
When will Ambassador benefits kick in for people from the Marriott side? (started June 16, 2018...with 24 replies)
I think I have ambassador status (started June 24, 2018)
Is there something like SPG Ambassador? (How do i get special requests?) (started Sept 28, 2017...with 19 replies)
Booking confirmation... Not Guaranteed: "Ambassador (M0) (started Aug 22, 2017...with 3 replies)
Marriott Ambassador vs Platinum Premier (started Mar 17, 2017...with 11 replies)
Elite concierge services (started May 19, 2016...with 89 replies)
Who Gets an Elite Concierge? (started Dec 16, 2016...with 14 replies)
Then there are your own comments in those threads, along with several others, that detail a particularly unascribed set of benefits that don't seem to make much of the Marriott Ambassador "status" or experience:
Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
And, to answer your question, there is a Marriott Ambassador program and some of us have them (I have a nice metal charter member card too
).
All that being said, I'm not sure whether our Ambassador's work a lot of magic but maybe I'm not asking for the right thing.
Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
I guess that M0 must stand for an Ambassador. I had my Ambassador try to get an advance upgrade at a property (we'll see ... didn't work last time) and my reservation also shows U1 (upgrade requested).
Of course, the problem is that few hotels know what an X4 is (I'm assuming there must be a flag for the GM for an X5) so it seems unlikely they will know what an M0 is. Perhaps there is a flag somewhere???
Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
I'm a charter member as well with 2000+ lifetime nights and 125+ nights per year.
But ... what are the travel issues she constantly fixes? I've only used my ambassador on a couple of occasions to add names to reservations.
What else should I be using her for?
Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
Has anyone had any experiences in the past couple of months with their "Elite Concierge." Mine seems to have ghosted and wondering if they've just abandoned the program by pulling back resources.
Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
Just looked, I've had around nine suite upgrades this year. I asked for a couple of them but most were given to me without asking. About 1/3 of them were upgraded before I got there and I could see it in my res. Not sure what the magic is although I'm a regular at three of the nine.
Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
And ... if my main travel pattern was to hit very high end hotels with family or friends every six months or so, I would get the concierge/ambassador issue (although it seems the posters references to the properties were handled at the property level).
Mine, however, is two average FS Marriotts and a CY this week. One of those, where I have never stayed at before, has a good reputation and I just saw that I've already been upgraded. The others are satisfied with average. And ... as Vicki says, I'm not looking for a lot -- an upgrade that is precleared, a concierge lounge that exceeds the basics,. etc.
Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
But ...
on the topic of my concierge, I'm still not sure what I should expect. I stay 150 nights a year (or more) and most are not dream destinations
...
I want the desk to know I'm a Plat Premier rather than a plat, I like suite upgrades when available, I expect hotels to have a lounge with offerings that meet brand standards, and I like getting cards and messages from the GM's. All those things show me that the GM is engaged and the staff is trained so I can feel at home during the next 10-12 hours. When I get to the Seattle Airport Marriott, the JW Miami, the Chicago Renaissance, the JW Chicago, the Marriott Waikiki, the Waikiki Courtyard, the San Diego Marquis, the Budapest Ritz, the Santiago Marriott, and the Atlanta Renaissance, I know the GM's there are engaged. In contrast, several others -- and particularly CY managers are not.
For people like me in the SPG world, what does the Ambassador do that people want?
Seems like most of the issues I care about are really GM issues not something I expect from my concierge. Next week, I'm at two FS's and a CY. What should I ask for?
It seems your tune has changed considerably based on those earlier posts when you just had a Marriott unofficial "elite concierge" to miimc the SPG Ambassador and you didn't know how you were supposed to take advantage of that? You apparently didn't think much of your ghosting concierge who then became your "ambassador" that didn't do much.
I've followed what the concierge/Ambassador in the Marriott program can do for quite some time.