My cruise line provided a room at the Sheraton Buenos Aires for 1 night pre-departure. I booked a second night on my own, just to be safe. When the hotel reached out to me before my departure, I explained that I was actually staying 2 nights and that the second night would be paid for by the cruise company. They said they had noted my reservation and that it wouldn’t be a problem. When I arrived at the hotel, the Front Desk Clerk told me that I had been upgraded to a 1 bedroom suite. I explained again that I was actually there for 2 nights and he said he saw the reservation and it was not a problem.
The next day, I walked around a bit to explore and returned to the hotel around 2:00 PM. My room key didn’t work 🙄 so I headed down to the front desk and asked the lady to reactivate it. She told me I was only booked for one night and had to check out. So, again I explained that I was there for two nights and that the cruise line was paying for the second night. This caused a conference between all 3 clerks on duty and she said I had to move rooms as my elite benefits didn’t apply. I was moved to a basic room with two twins. I then went to the lounge to grab lunch and - you guessed it - my key didn’t work. Back to the front desk and I explain the situation again to another clerk. She whispers quietly to me that, while I’m not entitled to lounge access, she’s going to make a one time exception, but that I shouldn’t tell anyone. I thanked her for her help. The rest of the stay was uneventful (the hotel is 50 years old and desperately needs a refresh - everything is dated and worn, although the hotel is well-maintained).
So, is it correct that elites (I’m LTT) are not allowed any elite benefits when they’re not personally paying for the room?