Dec 4, 2018, 10:44 am
Last edit by: HHQX888
Ambassador Service general email address: [email protected]
Ambassador Service general phone line (USA): (866) 924-9885
Europe: +353-21-4861 222
USA: +1-866-924-9885
Asia : +86-20-38157156
Ambassador Service general phone line (USA): (866) 924-9885
Europe: +353-21-4861 222
USA: +1-866-924-9885
Asia : +86-20-38157156
Marriott Bonvoy ‘Ambassador Elite’ Level : experiences (2020 and earlier)
Sep 22, 2018, 1:53 pm
#826
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
So I had the first opportunity today to deal with a different (backup) Ambassador since my assigned Ambassador is off on weekends. The Ambassador who helped me this morning was so nice and friendly and made calls to the hotel I was considering to arrange a paid upgrade to a specialty suite on an award stay. The hotel had told me when I called that it would only be available through an Ambassador request.
Honestly, if I had realized how valuable an Ambassador was I would have achieved it several years ago. I had 3 years in a row that ended with over 85 nights.
There has been so much naysaying about Ambassador Status, but I have been very pleased with this benefit so far.
Honestly, if I had realized how valuable an Ambassador was I would have achieved it several years ago. I had 3 years in a row that ended with over 85 nights.
There has been so much naysaying about Ambassador Status, but I have been very pleased with this benefit so far.
Sep 23, 2018, 3:35 am
#827
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Thai, Cathay, Lufthansa, Delta, SPG, Hilton, IH, LHW
Posts: 292
I guess if/when I no longer qualify for Ambassador Service, I'll argue that I should be given an extra month or two due to the delays I've experienced in receiving a published elite benefit.
Alternatively, if Ambassador Service is supposed to be so special and so valuable, Starriott should offer a bunch of points to those of us who were forced to wait so long for contact from an Ambassador.
Alternatively, if Ambassador Service is supposed to be so special and so valuable, Starriott should offer a bunch of points to those of us who were forced to wait so long for contact from an Ambassador.
My Ambassador has done zero pro-active contact with any property over the last 3 months. So yes, an extend would make sense...but an extend of a non-existant service is pretty useless too. Lately I prefer to contact myself the property letting them know my level that they can check in the system. I feel way better doing the job of my Ambassador...reading the above, I'm really curious how Marriott will justify the 20k spending for such a poor service!
Sep 23, 2018, 10:22 am
#828
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BC, Canada
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium Elite, VSE/MVC Chairman's Club
Posts: 546
I have been 100+ nights on the SPG side for at least the last 5yrs, so I am entitled to Amb to the end of 2018 based on 2017 nights, so that's the issue I question with the status no longer showing.
for 2018 to date, I'm showing 108 nights (93 SPG, 8 VSE now that those count, and 7 Marriott). I have 15 more SPG nights and 10 more Marriott nights currently booked over the rest of 2018, so the SPG only nights will get to 108. it will likely be higher, as I haven't fully booked out Nov and Dec yet.
Sep 23, 2018, 10:57 am
#829
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I have the same Ambassador I had from before, and he continues to be a bit of a dud. I don't think I've really experienced anything unusually good during a stay that I can attribute to his intervention.
anyways, the issue that I have has to do with the status level displayed. after the merge, it correctly showed PP with Amb status, and LTP (as I don't expect the LTPP to update until sometime in Jan). then a few weeks ago, the Amb status stopped being shown. I've asked him to look into this, but it sounds to me like he isn't following up on it, and just blindly assuring me I have Amb status now, and have more than enough SPG nights this year to requalify for Amb status for next year (as the lack of a $20K USD spend is not relevant this one last time).
anyone else have their Amb status no longer indicating?
suggestions on how to get someone to actually look to make sure this isn't yet another IT issue that needs to be resolved? the last time I contacted general help it took them two weeks to respond, and by then the issue had been resolved already.
on the plus side, I have to say that everything else appears to be working and correct now in my account.
anyways, the issue that I have has to do with the status level displayed. after the merge, it correctly showed PP with Amb status, and LTP (as I don't expect the LTPP to update until sometime in Jan). then a few weeks ago, the Amb status stopped being shown. I've asked him to look into this, but it sounds to me like he isn't following up on it, and just blindly assuring me I have Amb status now, and have more than enough SPG nights this year to requalify for Amb status for next year (as the lack of a $20K USD spend is not relevant this one last time).
anyone else have their Amb status no longer indicating?
suggestions on how to get someone to actually look to make sure this isn't yet another IT issue that needs to be resolved? the last time I contacted general help it took them two weeks to respond, and by then the issue had been resolved already.
on the plus side, I have to say that everything else appears to be working and correct now in my account.
I think you’re blaming the wrong person, I’m afraid. The Ambassador isn’t the one who fixes website and status issues. He or she is at the mercy of the IT team. In the meantime, you still have Ambassador status—as evidenced by the fact that your Ambassador is telling you that you do—so the correction that eventually will happen has no practical impact on your Ambassador experience.
I am sorry that your status isn’t being accurately reflected, but you still have the status and have been confirmed of that fact by your own Ambassador. I don’t quite see how that makes your Ambassador a dud? I understand how it makes the Marriott IT team look like a bunch of duds, of course.
Sep 23, 2018, 11:02 am
#830
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
The last two properties, Baronette Renaissance in the Detroit suburb of Novi and the Marriott Detroit airport, have recognized me as "platinum" when I'm platinum premier ambassador. No extra recognition or amenities offered -- not even a suite upgrade at the Marriott -- for a platinum premier ambassador.
Sep 23, 2018, 11:28 am
#831
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
The last two properties, Baronette Renaissance in the Detroit suburb of Novi and the Marriott Detroit airport, have recognized me as "platinum" when I'm platinum premier ambassador. No extra recognition or amenities offered -- not even a suite upgrade at the Marriott -- for a platinum premier ambassador.
The Baronette Novi Renaissance has 149 total rooms—and just 6 suites.
It’s important to recognize that hotels with so very few suites (especially in the single digits) aren’t going to provide suite upgrades very often—to anyone. It’s important to remember that all hotels categorize their “best” rooms/suites as speciality suites, most of which understandably are not considered part of the Platinum suite upgrade pool for suite upgrades on arrival or for SNAs. When hotels such as these above with so few suites are considered, it should be no surprise that the specialty suites includes almost all or actually all of their 2-6 suites!
And, of course, we can’t get a suite upgrade into one of 2 or 6 suites if those are sold. But with so few suites, it is not surprising nor unrealistic that the hotel doesn’t include all or most of those in its Platinum suite upgrade inventory.
So whenever we stay at hotels with so few suites, we shouldn’t be surprised if our Platinum or SNA upgrade choices are more likely to be premium rooms rather than proper suites. I’m not debating whether or not this is how it should be as much as trying to explain that this most certainly is the way it is for most hotels with few suites.
I say this for our new legacy Marriott friends who are now trying to enjoy suite upgrade benefits for really the first time. The suite upgrade benefit isn’t as much of a help when a hotel simply doesn’t have that many suites. I advise you to reset your expectations in such circumstances. Legacy SPGers like me and so many others can recount plenty of examples of the same thing happening at the Sheraton New York Times Square and innumerable other Sheraton, Westin, Four Points, Tribute, and even some Le Méridien hotels with few suites.
I also think that legacy Marriott hotels are less likely to understand or respect this new suite upgrade benefit as well as their legacy SPG counterparts. That particularl difference may diminish in time, however, as the different brands adjust and learn how to best implement the new suite upgrade benefit in practice.
Last edited by bhrubin; Sep 23, 2018 at 3:11 pm
Sep 23, 2018, 11:52 am
#832
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
And while the legacy MR properties mostly recognize PPE vs Plat, it's still a mix. As a general rule, an FDA knowing the difference between PPE and Plat is an indication of an engaged GM who wants employees trained. When the FDA greets me as a PPE, I almost always get a suite (sometimes pre-upgraded, sometimes at the desk) -- even when the hotel has suites in the single digits.
Sep 23, 2018, 12:02 pm
#833
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Every hotel is entitled to set aside its top rooms/suites as "specialty suites," and everyone seems to understand and respect that.
When a hotel has many suites, the top suites (Presidential and other one off suites, as well as the highest but rarest suite category) often are among those "specialty suites." And those are almost never included in the pool of suites available for complimentary Platinum suite upgrades or SNA upgrades. So a certain percentage of top room/suites is never included or available for the Platinum suite upgrades. No one is surprised that the StR San Francisco never makes its 1 Presidential Suite or 6 St Regis Suites available for upgrades, after all--because they also have many Astor Suites and Metropolitan Suites.
But when a hotel has few suites, those few suites often are included as "specialty" for that hotel. It's relative because the hotel just as so few suites. But when we apply the same percentage rule as applied with the hotel with many suites, the hotel with fewer suites ends up having all of its few suites in its "specialty" category that are not usually available. So they are being consistent--they just have so few suites that all of their suites tend to be in the specialty category unavailable for Platinum upgrades.
Does that make sense?
Again, I don't mean to justify this. I just mean to explain why it is. Whether or not anyone likes it.
And while the legacy MR properties mostly recognize PPE vs Plat, it's still a mix. As a general rule, an FDA knowing the difference between PPE and Plat is an indication of an engaged GM who wants employees trained. When the FDA greets me as a PPE, I almost always get a suite (sometimes pre-upgraded, sometimes at the desk) -- even when the hotel has suites in the single digits.
Sep 23, 2018, 1:20 pm
#834
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
BHR makes a really good point-
We almost always use our SNAs at St Regis Hotels- for 2 reasons— 1st it gives the most “bang for our buck” and 2nd we have the best chance for an upgrade-For instance at the St Regis NYC with 171 regular rooms and 67 suites- our odds are way better.
To date, the only time my SNAs didn’t clear were 8 nights at Suiran in Kyoto. With so few suites that was a strategic error on my part though we lucked out when the hotel upgraded us for all 8 nights to their Presidential Suite ($3500/night value on an award stay )
When a Hotel only has s handful of Suites the possibility of an upgrade is diminished.
We almost always use our SNAs at St Regis Hotels- for 2 reasons— 1st it gives the most “bang for our buck” and 2nd we have the best chance for an upgrade-For instance at the St Regis NYC with 171 regular rooms and 67 suites- our odds are way better.
To date, the only time my SNAs didn’t clear were 8 nights at Suiran in Kyoto. With so few suites that was a strategic error on my part though we lucked out when the hotel upgraded us for all 8 nights to their Presidential Suite ($3500/night value on an award stay )
When a Hotel only has s handful of Suites the possibility of an upgrade is diminished.
Sep 23, 2018, 1:22 pm
#835
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,808
I would say Suiran only have a handful of rooms 
Sep 23, 2018, 1:38 pm
#836
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Sep 23, 2018, 2:25 pm
#837
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: DL Gold, UA nothing (ex-GS), Marriott lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 920
Where can I find the number of suites a particular property has? I’d like to try to maximize my upgrade odds.
Sep 23, 2018, 2:37 pm
#838
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Go to the Marriott website page for the property (not the property’s own web page) and on the homepage scroll down to Key Amenities, under which there should be a boxed link for All Hotel Details. That link takes you to a Hotel Details page. On that page under Property Details is usually listed the number of floors, the number of rooms, and number of suites.
Last edited by bhrubin; Sep 23, 2018 at 3:10 pm
Sep 23, 2018, 2:57 pm
#839
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
The Detroit Metro Airport Hotel has 247 total rooms—and just 2 suites.
The Baronette Novi Renaissance Hotel has 149 total rooms—and just 6 suites.
It’s important to recognize that hotels with so very few suites (especially in the single digits) aren’t going to provide suite upgrades very often—to anyone. It’s important to remember that all hotels categorize their “best” rooms/suites as speciality suites, most of which understandably are not considered part of the Platinum suite upgrade pool for suite upgrades on arrival or for SNAs. When hotels such as these above with so few suites are considered, it should be no surprise that the specialty suites includes almost all or actually all of their 2-6 suites!
And, of course, we can’t get a suite upgrade into one of 2 or 6 suites if those are sold. But with so few suites, it is not surprising nor unrealistic that the hotel doesn’t include all or most of those in its Platinum suite upgrade inventory.
So whenever we stay at hotels with so few suites, we shouldn’t be surprised if our Platinum or SNA upgrade choices are more likely to be premium rooms rather than proper suites. I’m not debating whether or not this is how it should be as much as trying to explain that this most certainly is the way it is for most hotels with few suites.
I say this for our new legacy Marriott friends who are now trying to enjoy suite upgrade benefits for really the first time. The suite upgrade benefit isn’t as much of a help when a hotel simply doesn’t have that many suites. I advise you to reset your expectations in such circumstances. Legacy SPGers like me and so many others can recount plenty of examples of the same thing happening at the Sheraton New York Times Square and innumerable other Sheraton, Westin, Four Points, Tribute, and even some Le Méridien hotels with few suites.
I also think that legacy Marriott hotels are less likely to understand or respect this new suite upgrade benefit as well as their legacy SPG counterparts. That particularl difference may diminish in time, however, as the different brands adjust and learn how to best implement the new suite upgrade benefit in practice.
Sep 23, 2018, 3:26 pm
#840
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,409
I'm not going to get into debating the suite inventory. I will say that wasn't my point. My point was that in 6 stays since August 8/18, only 3 of the 6 have recognized my platinum premier ambassador status and provided noticeable benefits. My point was and is that there isn't enough difference between platinum, premier premier and platinum premier ambassador -- and that starts with the name. Marriott could and should have differentiated the elite benefits better, even something as simple as complimentary room service breakfast akin to what Hyatt has its for its top-level elites.
Once again--as I posted here not too long ago--Hyatt does not give room service breakfast as a published benefit for its top tier (Glob) elites. A few (very few IME) properties will offer the choice of room service as an above and beyond gesture, but it should not be expected. In fact, I'm having a hard time recalling the last time I stayed in a Hyatt that did offer me the choice of a room service breakfast. This includes multiple PH and multiple Andaz stays within the last couple months.