Dec 19, 2018, 10:39 am
Last edit by: RedSun
IF YOU HAVE A PREPAID RATE, PLEASE READ THIS WIKI!
Recommended SNA Best Practices:
- According to the Marriott Lurkers in this forum (see post #220 in this thread), as confusing as it sounds, the SNA system is separate from the reservation system, so if a suite is showing as currently unavailable or available on the website, that does not necessarily mean it is currently unavailable or available for SNAs.
As of March 2019, there is an IT bug on Marriott's website that prevents SNAs from being applied to many if not all prepaid reservations. One member has identified a workaround that enables you to "trick" the website into allowing you apply SNAs to prepaid reservation. Several members have reported success using this workaround to apply SNAs to their prepaid reservations. Hopefully Marriott will fix this IT bug in the near future.- After SNAs are redeemed, they are removed from member's account. But they are in pending mode and will only be processed (confirmed or denied) about one week (normally 5 days) prior to actual stay. Any change to the reservation during this pending period may detach the SNAs. Check with reservation agent again to have SNAs re-attached again.
- After SNAs get cleared and confirmed, they are locked with the reservation. Any further changes to the reservation may break the confirmed SNAs. It is a hazard to ask agent to process SNAs again since the SNA processing window is closing
- If your SNA clears, be sure to take a screen shot of what suite category you are assigned in the app and be prepared to show this to the front desk at check-in. Several members have reported being confirmed in certain suite categories when there SNAs have cleared or during mobile check-in only to be assigned lower a category room at check-in. Members who have taken screenshots of their initial SNA assignments have had success in getting properties to honor those original assignments after initially getting assigned inferior rooms at check-in.
- If you are assigned a lower category of room than any of the options offered during the SNA application process and/or if the hotel refuses honor the representations they made at any point during the SNA process, be sure to submit a formal complaint to Marriott and ask for your SNAs used during your stay to be reinstated. If you have followed the screenshot best practice, your screenshot should go a long way towards getting Marriott to eventually refund your SNA, although it may take a long time for customer service to process your request.
Non-Participating Brands:
Not all hotels participate in Suite Night Awards. Suite Night Awards are not redeemable at the following brands (subject to change at any time; see Marriott Bonvoy Terms and Conditions for full details): The Ritz-Carlton®, Protea Hotels®, Aloft®, Element®, Design Hotels™, all-suite hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, EDITION®, Ritz-Carlton Reserve®, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Clubs® and Marriott Grand Residence Club properties. In addition, Suite Night Awards are not redeemable at select Participating Properties. Contact Member Support for individual hotel Suite Night Award participation.From post # 220.
The system is not checking what is available for sale at any marriott.com web site, so you should not be using the web sites as a guide for what is and is not available for SNA approval.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International
FOR ANYONE TRYING TO ADD SNAs TO PRE-PAID NONREFUNDABLE BOOKINGS THAT MARRIOTT IT
CURRENTLY DOESN’T SEEM TO ALLOW, HERE IS A WORK-AROUND. GOOD LUCK!
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30575978-post541.html
All, I believe that I've found a way of getting around Marriott's IT issue where SNA's cannot be used on advance purchase rates. It takes advantage of another error in the Marriott IT system (go figure) where changes in different windows are not handled properly. It seems to work for me - would be great if someone else can confirm.
For this to work, in addition to a pre-paid reservation where SNAs are disabled you need a rate at a hotel where SNA's are eligible - so go book a bog-standard fully flex rate at your local Westin or whatever which you can cancel later if you don't currently have any flexible rates booked.
Log in to Marriott.com and click on "My Trips" (obviously this won't work for people whose trips are still not showing). Open "View/ Modify" in a new browser window/ tab on the flexible reservation first, and then open "View/ Modify" in the non-refundable reservation in another new window/ tab. Go back to the flexible reservation and click on "Start Upgrade Request" and it should take you to a webpage for the pre-paid reservation where you can finally select your SNAs.
For this to work, in addition to a pre-paid reservation where SNAs are disabled you need a rate at a hotel where SNA's are eligible - so go book a bog-standard fully flex rate at your local Westin or whatever which you can cancel later if you don't currently have any flexible rates booked.
Log in to Marriott.com and click on "My Trips" (obviously this won't work for people whose trips are still not showing). Open "View/ Modify" in a new browser window/ tab on the flexible reservation first, and then open "View/ Modify" in the non-refundable reservation in another new window/ tab. Go back to the flexible reservation and click on "Start Upgrade Request" and it should take you to a webpage for the pre-paid reservation where you can finally select your SNAs.
The link for selecting your benefit:
https://choice-benefit.marriott.com/
How to cancel an Award request:
Suite Night Award requests may be canceled until 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, as long as the Awards have not already been confirmed for use on a reservation. Once your Awards have been confirmed, you must cancel the entire reservation to receive credit back for all the Awards; however, after 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, a reservation cancellation will result in the forfeiture of all Suite Night Awards applied to the entire reservation. This is in addition to any other cancellation fees applicable to the reservation itself.NOTE: Always detach the SNA before cancelling a reservation. It's the only way to ensure your SNA is returned to your account immediately. Otherwise, you could be waiting hours/days to see your SNA again.
FAQ : Suite Night Awards - SNA - questions and discussion thread
Nov 30, 2019, 11:42 am
#1846
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
No. SNAs are (in theory) automatically allowed by a black box system and has to be for the full period of a stay only.
Nov 30, 2019, 8:36 pm
#1847
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,602
Not Able To Use 5 Suite Nights Awards
Just booked 5 nights at a Marriott in Bethesda and tried to apply my 5 remaining suite night awards, and found that this was another property that does not honor these awards; I must have tried at 5 hotels during the year and either the hotel did not accept these certs or I was unable to obtain the upgrade. However as a Life Titanium I was upgrade at almost all the hotels I tried to use my certs! I have not found these certificates to be of much value.
Dec 2, 2019, 2:23 pm
#1848
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist, United Silver, American Airlines Platinum
Posts: 39
Just completed a 1 night stay at the Four Points Sheraton, Downtown San Jose. Just as a warning to other travelers, Marriott's program means absolutely nothing and it is up to the discretion of the hotel. At this hotel, it appears that the pool of possible upgrades (not availability, but possibility) for complimentary upgrades and SNA upgrades are different.
They have three tiers of rooms, Base, Junior Suite (larger room with a pullout couch), and Suite (1 bedroom). Randy, the general manager, informed me that their suite was a "specialty suite" and could not be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade. Yea, it is up to the hotels discretion to classify rooms as they see fit, but for a non-luxury business hotel to classify their standard suite as a specialty suite is against the spirit of the program. I checked to see if the Suite was obtainable via SNA, and it appears that they are. I have always used SNA's to browse what rooms I could possibly be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade, but now it appears I have to contact each hotel individually to verify if its even possible. The website is obviously not helpful, as the standard suite gave no indication that was a specialty suite. It is such a headache to use the benefits outlined in what appears to be a legal contract, but is essentially digital toilet paper. Availability cannot be easily predicted, but the limits of what is possible through the program should be clear. Anyone else wishing they worked on their Elite status with Hyatt instead of Marriott?
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
They have three tiers of rooms, Base, Junior Suite (larger room with a pullout couch), and Suite (1 bedroom). Randy, the general manager, informed me that their suite was a "specialty suite" and could not be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade. Yea, it is up to the hotels discretion to classify rooms as they see fit, but for a non-luxury business hotel to classify their standard suite as a specialty suite is against the spirit of the program. I checked to see if the Suite was obtainable via SNA, and it appears that they are. I have always used SNA's to browse what rooms I could possibly be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade, but now it appears I have to contact each hotel individually to verify if its even possible. The website is obviously not helpful, as the standard suite gave no indication that was a specialty suite. It is such a headache to use the benefits outlined in what appears to be a legal contract, but is essentially digital toilet paper. Availability cannot be easily predicted, but the limits of what is possible through the program should be clear. Anyone else wishing they worked on their Elite status with Hyatt instead of Marriott?
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
Dec 2, 2019, 3:36 pm
#1850
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Just completed a 1 night stay at the Four Points Sheraton, Downtown San Jose. Just as a warning to other travelers, Marriott's program means absolutely nothing and it is up to the discretion of the hotel. At this hotel, it appears that the pool of possible upgrades (not availability, but possibility) for complimentary upgrades and SNA upgrades are different.
They have three tiers of rooms, Base, Junior Suite (larger room with a pullout couch), and Suite (1 bedroom). Randy, the general manager, informed me that their suite was a "specialty suite" and could not be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade. Yea, it is up to the hotels discretion to classify rooms as they see fit, but for a non-luxury business hotel to classify their standard suite as a specialty suite is against the spirit of the program. I checked to see if the Suite was obtainable via SNA, and it appears that they are. I have always used SNA's to browse what rooms I could possibly be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade, but now it appears I have to contact each hotel individually to verify if its even possible. The website is obviously not helpful, as the standard suite gave no indication that was a specialty suite. It is such a headache to use the benefits outlined in what appears to be a legal contract, but is essentially digital toilet paper. Availability cannot be easily predicted, but the limits of what is possible through the program should be clear. Anyone else wishing they worked on their Elite status with Hyatt instead of Marriott?
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
They have three tiers of rooms, Base, Junior Suite (larger room with a pullout couch), and Suite (1 bedroom). Randy, the general manager, informed me that their suite was a "specialty suite" and could not be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade. Yea, it is up to the hotels discretion to classify rooms as they see fit, but for a non-luxury business hotel to classify their standard suite as a specialty suite is against the spirit of the program. I checked to see if the Suite was obtainable via SNA, and it appears that they are. I have always used SNA's to browse what rooms I could possibly be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade, but now it appears I have to contact each hotel individually to verify if its even possible. The website is obviously not helpful, as the standard suite gave no indication that was a specialty suite. It is such a headache to use the benefits outlined in what appears to be a legal contract, but is essentially digital toilet paper. Availability cannot be easily predicted, but the limits of what is possible through the program should be clear. Anyone else wishing they worked on their Elite status with Hyatt instead of Marriott?
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
It makes a mockery of the program and one might expect it is intended, but there we go.
Dec 2, 2019, 4:02 pm
#1851
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
New rules say that hotels have sole right to decide which rooms (categories, or presumably individual rooms) to put into the upgrade pool. I have been told on a few occasions in the last year that suites are not included.
It makes a mockery of the program and one might expect it is intended, but there we go.
It makes a mockery of the program and one might expect it is intended, but there we go.
Too bad.
David
Dec 2, 2019, 4:05 pm
#1852
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
Dec 2, 2019, 4:46 pm
#1853
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: SJC (AA PLT 2MM - Marriott LTT - Avis Preferred)
Posts: 2,030
Just completed a 1 night stay at the Four Points Sheraton, Downtown San Jose. Just as a warning to other travelers, Marriott's program means absolutely nothing and it is up to the discretion of the hotel. At this hotel, it appears that the pool of possible upgrades (not availability, but possibility) for complimentary upgrades and SNA upgrades are different.
They have three tiers of rooms, Base, Junior Suite (larger room with a pullout couch), and Suite (1 bedroom). Randy, the general manager, informed me that their suite was a "specialty suite" and could not be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade.
They have three tiers of rooms, Base, Junior Suite (larger room with a pullout couch), and Suite (1 bedroom). Randy, the general manager, informed me that their suite was a "specialty suite" and could not be upgraded into via complimentary upgrade.
Four Points San Jose, CA [Master Thread]
Yes, absolutely we do upgrade Platinums. That said.... roughly 80% of our peak occupancy are SPG members (vs. a national average of 40%), and of that, roughly half of those are Platinums.
Numerically speaking, we have 9 suites in the upgrade program, and roughly half of those are sold in advance. That leaves about 4-5 per day we can use as upgrades (and roughly 35 Platinums vying for them). Plus...we hold a couple of them for sale through the day, only releasing them late at night when we're convinced they aren't going to be sold. Since we sell out 5 or 6 nights per week, they end up usually being sold later in the day.
So the "aircraft equivalent" is an elite heavy, popular route....your chances, no matter your status, are slim, unless you buy the upgrade in advance.
Numerically speaking, we have 9 suites in the upgrade program, and roughly half of those are sold in advance. That leaves about 4-5 per day we can use as upgrades (and roughly 35 Platinums vying for them). Plus...we hold a couple of them for sale through the day, only releasing them late at night when we're convinced they aren't going to be sold. Since we sell out 5 or 6 nights per week, they end up usually being sold later in the day.
So the "aircraft equivalent" is an elite heavy, popular route....your chances, no matter your status, are slim, unless you buy the upgrade in advance.
Dec 2, 2019, 5:04 pm
#1854
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist, United Silver, American Airlines Platinum
Posts: 39
Looks like their small percentage of suites available to begin with played a part in your SNA not being honored. Post from the GM is 6 years old, but still relevant:
Four Points San Jose, CA [Master Thread]
Four Points San Jose, CA [Master Thread]
Minor correction to your post, I never used a SNA because my stay was impromptu and booked last minute.
Dec 2, 2019, 5:10 pm
#1855
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,939
Dec 3, 2019, 10:04 am
#1857
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,770
I booked 4 nights at Le Meridien Barcelona for March, 2020 (reservation made on MB website), however Marriott website does not allow me to apply SNA towards this reservation. I called MB, and agent told me that hotel does not have rooms available to SNA. I was able to apply SNA on previous reservation for 2 nights, which I canceled to book the 4 nights. There are Junior Suites and Prestige Suites available to book for the 4 nights.
I know this hotel does permit SNA, so I'm confused exactly what the hell is going on. I have no trust in MB CSR ability to provide accurate information.
I know this hotel does permit SNA, so I'm confused exactly what the hell is going on. I have no trust in MB CSR ability to provide accurate information.
Dec 4, 2019, 5:33 am
#1858
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: HH Diamond, Bonvoy Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 8
Applied for a sna for W south beach via the work around, I received a confirmation of applying it but not the standard we are looking for a room daily email. Is this solely because it’s a prepaid rate?
edit: 30 minutes after posting this it got confirmed lol
edit: 30 minutes after posting this it got confirmed lol
Last edited by pthom009; Dec 4, 2019 at 6:44 am
Dec 4, 2019, 8:00 am
#1859
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA MM 1K, AA MM Gold, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 3,236
Provo UT Marriott. None of their suites are eligible. FD said that "Sales" controls their suites and they're only used in conjunction with room blocks/conferences.
Dec 5, 2019, 1:43 pm
#1860
Join Date: Nov 2019
Programs: UA Gold, AA, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hilton Gold, Hertz Gold, Avis PP, and others
Posts: 27
5 SNAs cleared for Sheraton Lisboa for an Executive Queen Suite.
I really don’t need a suite, but the staff wouldn’t state the likelihood of a complimentary room upgrade once I checked in. Fair enough. I booked a Premium Deluxe Queen room on points and only wanted a bump to the Club Level (supposedly better views), not a full suite. Decided to see what would happen if I used 5 of my SNAs. I was surprised I cleared. Titanium Elite, if that matters.
I really don’t need a suite, but the staff wouldn’t state the likelihood of a complimentary room upgrade once I checked in. Fair enough. I booked a Premium Deluxe Queen room on points and only wanted a bump to the Club Level (supposedly better views), not a full suite. Decided to see what would happen if I used 5 of my SNAs. I was surprised I cleared. Titanium Elite, if that matters.