My question in all of this then, should Marriott change the wording of their terms and conditions?
Just after the merger there were a lot of complaints about the wording for elite member upgrades and they specifically changed the wording to what it is now. Seems like the old bait and switch to me, people complain so they change the wording to explicitly state that Elite members will be upgraded to a suite, yet in reality this is never ever their intention.
Yes, I get it that it is not realistic and that relatively low level elites are quite far down the food chain, but Marriott terms and conditions should reflect this.
If I sign up for something, I read the terms of the contract and expect to receive what I've signed for. If your work contract states that you WILL receive a bonus at the end of the year and you've brought in a lot of business, then the company turns round and says, sorry you can't have it, you're gonna be pissed, cause it's in your agreement. Also, yes I get that this is FirstWorldProblems, I was just looking for some clarity on Marriott terms and Hotel reality, when I'm on my own I have no requirement for a suite, but when I'm with my family I expect one, otherwise there is literally no point being part of a loyalty programme.