Originally Posted by
rylan
Sounds like yet another 'Bonvoy' enhancement.
Maybe - but I'll bet $1 that it's property-specific (or at least owner-specific). Yeah, not that confident. But I guess I'd expect, regardless of IT, that if Marriott wanted to do this system-wide they would do it internally, not contract it out. Seems more like a renegade owner action, probably trying to solve an issue with his properties' occupancy and revenue.
Originally Posted by
KosherKimchee
If they sell a suite for the price differential listed above a standard room, good for them. When they start selling suites for say only $10, $20, $30 buck upsells per night, they are telling loyal (Marriott elite) guests that their loyalty is worth less than that same $10 to $30. Dont think I need an MBA to know that isnt a smart message to send to your most loyal customers.
IF Marriott is selling upgrades for a fraction of the price, I would kind of agree with this. But if they are offering those upgrades to both elites and non-elites at the same price, then what's the problem? It simply becomes a new price for a suite, and they can set those prices however they want.
When United started selling cheap seat upgrades a few years back, they screwed over elites. There were many documented cases of elites not getting the offer, or an offer higher than a non-elite (even on same fare code and ticket price, sometimes even on same PNR). It was a deliberate slap in the face of it's best customers. We don't know that's the case here.
But again, is it Marriott or a franchisee? And if the latter, does Marriott even know about it? Looks like it might be outside of the Marriott walls.