Originally Posted by bhrubin

I'll give you a few so you don't have to peruse my profile more:

(1) I have been upgraded very often to some of the most amazing suites at even some of the best properties. Including the Deluxe Suite at the StR Punta Mita (Nov 2015), Royal Overwater Villa at the StR Bora Bora (April 2016), Imperial Suite at the Hotel Imperial Vienna (Oct 2017), Makassar Suite at the Prince de Galles Paris (Oct 2017), Wow Suite at the W Seattle (June 2017), Astor Suite at the StR New York (Mar 2018), Kioicho Suite at the Prince Gallery Tokyo (May 2018), Presidential Suite (with some paid upgrade) at Suiran Kyoto (May 2018), Kamogawa Suite at the RC Kyoto (May 2018), Royal Suite at the StR Bal Harbour (Nov 2018), Wow Suite at the W Hollywood (Nov 2018), Garden Suite at the StR Bahia Beach (Feb 2017 and Feb 2019), Bay View Suite at RC Coconut Grove (Feb 2019)...and the Metropolitan Suite at the StR San Francisco just about every time I've been there for too many stays to count. All of those were either paid or award entry level room bookings.

(2) I have been treated like gold at almost every place I've been, especially when things have gone awry. Service is most often demonstrated when something goes amiss and the hotel has to take care of it/fix it.

(3) I have had most rooms and suites always pre-cooled to 67 F or so as my Ambassador always requests. I sometimes do remind the hotels to be sure when I think about it or get prodded. Not every hotel gets this done, though--even though I know all are reminded by my Ambassador. The RC San Francisco in Nov 20198 confirmed and copied me and my Ambassador that their engineers had checked my room earlier that morning...and yet I arrived and the air con was off and ultimately didn't work well. I had to switch rooms...and the hotel comp'd me a night as recovery for the obvious miss on their part.

(4) I am often recognized by staff, even at hotels at which I've never before stayed, demonstrating that I am discussed as a VIP at the morning staff and management meetings. That the parking valet at the RC Coconut Grove knew my first name on being told my last is just one example of this. That's happened at several (but not most!) hotels. It's always impressive when it happens IMO.

(5) I often get treated to things that other guests don't seem to get. Nice welcome amenities--not always indicating that my Ambassador had anything to do with those, but it's obvious that the hotel doesn't usually do this for everyone. So whether it's my status or an action by my Ambassador doesn't much matter to me.

(6) Points issues--I just ask my Ambassador and she always corrects it/takes care of it.

(7) Concierge requests--I can email my Ambassador all my requests and she has the concierges email me back to follow up. As a result, it is less important that I don't have the concierge emails in the first place. My Ambassador also has helped follow up from me when I haven't heard back in a timely manner.

(8) Trouble applying SNAs--this happened a lot in the old SPG days. Ironically, it hasn't happened to me with Marriott but once!