Colin

no useful information? I've literally shared a dozen solid ideas to position yourself for a premium suite over the scores of globalists wanting the exact same premium suite, many of which work at this exact property where the manager has a predilection for not granting globalist award+TSU guests further upgrades. but, you do you.

ElevatorEnthusiast

You basically stated that one would need to find an issue with their previous stay that was severe enough to affect the past stay in order to "provide" an angle. Frankly, if I spent 10 years going back to a property where there were so many darn issues, I'd be kicking myself, premium suite or not, "but, you do you".

beachfan

I’m calling BS on that.

my game is fine. I’ve gotten heritage suites at the Gritti Palace last 4 times on points stays, all stays of 5-7 nights. As well as lesser suites 4 of the previous 5 times. Among many other successes. Which isn’t relevant to anything here other than your insult.

Colin

"basically" is a tell of dishonesty

* get the manager’s name and lookup his LinkedIn profile to find something useful
* be charming & funny at check-in, make a silly joke about a swanky suite. flirt
* lookup the price differential and suggest a upgrade fee that’s a third of the differential and explain it’s a splurge after a rough year
* past guest wanting same suite as last trip
* a special birthday/anniversary occasion with a vague request for a "nice room" or "nice view"
* a genuine relationship from a past trip with a person who has the power to grant your request
* a service recovery from a problem on a prior trip
* a service recovery on the current trip like AC not working well or neighbor is loud with a request for remedy w/o a specific request for a free $500/n upgrade knowing there's unlikely another standard suite available
* staying on a Prive rate plan

ElevatorEnthusiast

So, which of these have you used to get a premium suite upgrade at the Andaz? Have you used the same tactic over and over again during the past 10 years? At some point, a property will call BS on these "angles" - "why do we keep giving this guest suite upgrades year after year?" or "why do they keep complaining about issues and still returning?" Out of this list, the only two that seem like they aren't limited in the number of times you could use them are having a relationship with someone at the hotel (only possible for some people as property leadership can't be best friends with everyone, and not useful advice to the majority on this forum) and offering to pay for the upgrade (I would not consider this a true upgrade as you paid for it). Again, you've rattled off a list to make yourself seem like an expert but have not actually explained the actual reason for your claimed success rate. If you don't want to actually help readers of this thread by giving up your secrets, fine, but don't attack others who ask reasonable questions about upgrades and antagonize them because of their "game."

Colin

after all this, being accused of hoarding secrets is the Orwellian up-is-down exit that I'm taking

zzrayzz

got upgraded to ocean view suite (back in 2014 when they opened <1yr) by their director of rooms (pretty sure it was because my girlfriend/now wife went to the same alma mater)

Cmag211

Additional data point for those interested: by the time we checked in later in the day the suites were no longer showing available. However, we were offered to move to an Ocean View Suite the last two days of our stay, which we declined - my wife didn’t want to deal with moving everything, but I appreciated the gesture.

I’m torn on the suite - it’s really big and the bathroom is nice, but truly no view at all (no surprise) and feels a little “cavernous” with the low ceilings and minimal decor. Next time if I came back with just my wife, I’d probably save my TSU and go with the smaller room, but overall we’re happy with it.

The rest of the property has been fantastic. It’s not crowded at all, service has been much better than expected after reading recent reviews, and there are tons of included activities which have all been fun. Breakfast is one of the best (buffets) I’ve had - maybe only second to the St Regis Bangkok. The poolside food and cocktails are better than expected, albeit very expensive. Get the tsunami fries!

Final note, the pool areas are super impressive and pictures don’t do them justice.

canyonleo

I'm not torn (knowing the property well and having stayed in all room types)... I'll never stay at the Andaz suites (they are basically "in the basement" and have zero view, not just no good resort view but actually no view of anything, and the worst one is a view of a wall and sewer drain. But a just regular room with ocean view is beautiful in trade-off of a larger space). JIMHO

redbirdsj

It's simple for me. With kids, I want the suite with the close-off living room, extra space, extra half bath and generally shorter walk to amenities (ground floor) where I'll be spending all my time while on grounds. Just two adults, or maybe adults with very young kid(s) who need to spend time napping in the room, I'll take the view.

dgross

I am also onsite, using a friend's "Guest of Honor" points booking. We were upgraded to ocean view room on the 7th floor of the Makai wing. It is nice. Have been to the Andaz numerous times, but this is the first time we stayed in a room. I don't miss being in the suite, the view from the room is wonderful. The only suite that I would want would be the x39 / x40 suites in the Makai wing, as they have wonderful views - but I don't expect to ever get those suites without paying for them.

josephstern

I do love a good view, but I spend so little time in the room during the day that I'll easily trade a view for space at this hotel.

When it's dark, and I'm in the room, I want the space.

canyonleo

If you get the Andaz suite closest to the elevator, it will always be dark, due to the view of the wall (and smell, due to the sewer) lol.

But, I do agree with you, I'm not even on property but for a few hours of the day.
Yet, I do watch sports on some of the weekend days (at like 7a or 8a so can't do the pool bar)... and then I might work on the balcony or at a desk a little before others wake up and like to see the sky sunrise colors.

#tradeoffs

dgross

I am not in the room during the day but I wake up a couple hours earlier than my wife. So I spend those couple hours on the balcony, on the computer, watching the sunrise.

dgross

First Humpback Whale of the season spotted off South Maui.

https://mauinow.com/2022/09/14/first...ff-south-maui/