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
Apr 18, 2021, 9:29 am
#2416
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,808
Couple of questions :
1 which Westin is this?
2 how did you apply snas for both rooms? As far as I know you cant apply sna to multi room bookings and iirc you can only apply 1 sna even though you have multiple bookings
3 are you sure the "family suite" they offer you is not 1 suite connected to another room?
some hotels did this. Offer multi room suite by connecting 1 suite to another room.
1 which Westin is this?
2 how did you apply snas for both rooms? As far as I know you cant apply sna to multi room bookings and iirc you can only apply 1 sna even though you have multiple bookings
3 are you sure the "family suite" they offer you is not 1 suite connected to another room?
some hotels did this. Offer multi room suite by connecting 1 suite to another room.
Apr 18, 2021, 10:17 am
#2418
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London
Posts: 9
Westin Mina Seyahi in Dubai
I booked two separate reservations and was able to request SNAs for both bookings. Both reservations confirmed upgrades. We made the second booking a couple weeks after the first.
The family suite of two connected rooms is exactly what we were given. I don't mind having connecting rooms, but they charged me for two rooms plus two SNAs. Does this seem fishy to anyone else?
I booked two separate reservations and was able to request SNAs for both bookings. Both reservations confirmed upgrades. We made the second booking a couple weeks after the first.
The family suite of two connected rooms is exactly what we were given. I don't mind having connecting rooms, but they charged me for two rooms plus two SNAs. Does this seem fishy to anyone else?
Apr 18, 2021, 3:28 pm
#2419
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Westin Mina Seyahi in Dubai
I booked two separate reservations and was able to request SNAs for both bookings. Both reservations confirmed upgrades. We made the second booking a couple weeks after the first.
The family suite of two connected rooms is exactly what we were given. I don't mind having connecting rooms, but they charged me for two rooms plus two SNAs. Does this seem fishy to anyone else?
I booked two separate reservations and was able to request SNAs for both bookings. Both reservations confirmed upgrades. We made the second booking a couple weeks after the first.
The family suite of two connected rooms is exactly what we were given. I don't mind having connecting rooms, but they charged me for two rooms plus two SNAs. Does this seem fishy to anyone else?
Apr 25, 2021, 10:45 am
#2420
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,316
Lots of data points on SNA value shared through the Bonvoy forum. Most recent example was using SNAs at the Wailea Marriott Resort. If you use points for your room, no SNA's available. If you choose the points plus $100/night upgrade option, the SNA's become available. That turns the SNA into a paid upgrade. Clearly not the point of the program. We are getting a room upgrade through titanium status, so I guess it works out in the end?
TLDR, SNA's increasingly have no use, YMMV.
TLDR, SNA's increasingly have no use, YMMV.
Apr 25, 2021, 10:55 am
#2421
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,316
Anyone know how the SNAs work (in the instance that there aren’t any game playing);
1) does the system clear you into your highest category choice or lowest when choosing multiple options.
2)how are ties broken among members with same status level.
I know these don’t clear often, but I rarely get the base room on an award stay, even if it’s just one category.
Any merit for holding out for suites for the first couple of days then expanding the request to include view rooms at T- 48 hours? Westin Hapuna over Memorial Day, so I’m prepared for minor upgrades only, but wondering if folks will be booking the top suites.
1) does the system clear you into your highest category choice or lowest when choosing multiple options.
2)how are ties broken among members with same status level.
I know these don’t clear often, but I rarely get the base room on an award stay, even if it’s just one category.
Any merit for holding out for suites for the first couple of days then expanding the request to include view rooms at T- 48 hours? Westin Hapuna over Memorial Day, so I’m prepared for minor upgrades only, but wondering if folks will be booking the top suites.
Apr 26, 2021, 3:59 pm
#2422
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,770
I booked 1 night at JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort with 35K FNC and applied SNA for 1-bedroom Suite. SNA request was denied day before check in. Suite was available on the app.
during check in, I was offered upgraded view room. When I asked if suites were available, front desk agent took a quick look and said nothing was available. I did not pursue further. Hotel occupancy was low on Sunday night.
App showed 1-bedroom suite available for cash booking when I checked after we were in our room. I hate when hotel staff flat out lie about upgrade.
I definitely do not recommend JW Marriott Las Vegas.
during check in, I was offered upgraded view room. When I asked if suites were available, front desk agent took a quick look and said nothing was available. I did not pursue further. Hotel occupancy was low on Sunday night.
App showed 1-bedroom suite available for cash booking when I checked after we were in our room. I hate when hotel staff flat out lie about upgrade.
I definitely do not recommend JW Marriott Las Vegas.
Apr 26, 2021, 4:39 pm
#2423
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
Anyone know how the SNAs work (in the instance that there aren’t any game playing);
1) does the system clear you into your highest category choice or lowest when choosing multiple options.
2)how are ties broken among members with same status level.
I know these don’t clear often, but I rarely get the base room on an award stay, even if it’s just one category.
Any merit for holding out for suites for the first couple of days then expanding the request to include view rooms at T- 48 hours? Westin Hapuna over Memorial Day, so I’m prepared for minor upgrades only, but wondering if folks will be booking the top suites.
1) does the system clear you into your highest category choice or lowest when choosing multiple options.
2)how are ties broken among members with same status level.
I know these don’t clear often, but I rarely get the base room on an award stay, even if it’s just one category.
Any merit for holding out for suites for the first couple of days then expanding the request to include view rooms at T- 48 hours? Westin Hapuna over Memorial Day, so I’m prepared for minor upgrades only, but wondering if folks will be booking the top suites.
1) cleared into the highest level room available (per William)
2) first come, first served based on date you applied the SNA, and I don't think any priority was given to status
No idea how it works with Marriott.
Apr 27, 2021, 6:41 pm
#2429
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
No conflict, but I always wait until after BRG is approved to apply the SNA in case the approval doesn’t go through, or you have to change something on the reservation. The BRG team also modifies the reservation, so I’d be worried that the SNA might drop off.
Apr 27, 2021, 8:34 pm
#2430
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Manhattan, Palm Beach Island, San Francisco, Boston, & Hong Kong
Programs: Lifetime United Global Services, Delta Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Ambassador, & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,165
Father’s SNAs
Sorry for the sinple question. My father has 10 SNAs expiring soon that he does not plan to use. Is there a way for me to use them and still allow one of us to earn EQNs/credit without him being with me?
For example, he makes the booking on his account and lists me as a guest. Then he applies the SNAs and they clear. Is it valid for me to check in and attach my Bonvoy number to the booking to earn points and the EQN? Would I earn the EQN if he paid points for the stay?
Thank you.
For example, he makes the booking on his account and lists me as a guest. Then he applies the SNAs and they clear. Is it valid for me to check in and attach my Bonvoy number to the booking to earn points and the EQN? Would I earn the EQN if he paid points for the stay?
Thank you.