I really don’t know what to think anymore. After 1100 nights in SPG/MR hotel rooms over the past 10+ years, with all the alcolades (Lifetime Plat, 5 years Ambassador, soon to be lifetime Titanium or whatever) over the past year, Marriott can’t seem to distinguish a “valued, extremely loyal” customer from the once-a-year traveler using a HotWire or Priceline rate. I don’t get it. 8 trips in this year and they seemingly enjoy putting me on the 2nd floor next to the elevator and garbage dump. Also, had many nights where the room type reserved somehow was “unavailable” and all you get is the blank stare.... sorry. Give me a break. It’s time MR or BonBoy gets their crap together and treat the customers that go out of their way to spend 80, 90, 100+ nights a year like valued customers. The drop in customer service that I’ve seen over the SPG days rivals the drop in temps that we’ve seen in the recent polar vortex.

As an SPG loyalist till the day it died, I can say that 90% of the time SPG made it known that they knew you were coming. They had your keys already made, 50-75% of the time I was upgraded to a suite without asking, nearly 100% of the time you were on the club or top floor, you’d walk into the room on many occasions to a bucket of beer or a basket of candy, and they’d call you to check in on you. Oh and you got the room you reserved! Enter Marriott.... you walk in, next to no recognition, no feeling of “we were waiting for you”, they key you into room 101 or 201 (in a 5-10 story hotel) and you’re off to listen to kids partying all night in the room next door on their bottom-of-the-barrel rate. Special.

Over the past year... not a single suite upgrade, not a single “extra” to make you feel wanted, and a whole lot of rooms on floors (and in locations) that I was never put in when with SPG. It’s like a memo went out to disregard status and loyalty. That’s what it feels like. Just tonight, I checked into a Courtyard and was greeted by a very friendly woman. I hand her my info, she thanks me for being a Plat Premier, and Keys Up my room. As she was doing that, I was chit-chatting with her about how I miss the SPG upgrades. She hands me my keys and, your guessed it, 2nd floor next to the elevator of a 5 story hotel. For informational purposes, I asked her if they knew the elites were coming (like they used to with SPG). She said that they get a list of the PLATS coming but do absolutely nothing with it. I then asked if they automatically upgrade plats and she said NO. She then asked me if I wanted a better room! I said, YES. Next thing, she upgrades me to an executive room on the top floor. Why the hell didnt they do that in the first place? I just dont get it. The customer service in regards to elite room selection is bordering on ridiculous.

Sorry for the rant. I dont rant much but this company has a way of making their most valued customers like nobodys. A smart person once said that it costs a hell of a lot less to keep a customer via good customer service than to find a new customer to replace said customer. 2019 is a transition year for me. If I dont see any improvement, I will branch out and take my 100 nights elsewhere. I have lifetime titanium so it's not like I can achieve anything else.

To SPG... it was good while it lasted. thanks for the memories.