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
Feb 12, 2024, 5:06 am
#4306
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: BCN
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium & LT Gold
Posts: 126
Does this still hold true in 2024 with NUAs? Have a stay later this week at the JW Bonnet Creek Orlando and while the options all look solid, of course would love the Luxury suite to clear if available (it's available to book for my dates, and yes, I know the wiki comment about web inventory not being the same as SNA inventory)
Feb 12, 2024, 9:32 am
#4307
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: New York
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Delta Skymiles Platinum
Posts: 650
Hi.
I have a confirmed booking on points at a Sheraton for 5 nights. I used 5 SNA for the 5 nights and at time of request, clicking on the little bell on the app, a villa and suite were available.
I requested the SNA for the villa only. Email was received to confirm this.
i also received another email to say the SNA have been approved 3 days prior to arrival to confirm the villa.
one day later I was told by customer relation manager via WhatsApp that they have an error in their inventory and that only the suite is available.
at the time of writing I know the villa is available as I can see it on the app. My email confirmation also specified the villa . And so did their system at time of request.
what would be your best course of action?
thanks!
I have a confirmed booking on points at a Sheraton for 5 nights. I used 5 SNA for the 5 nights and at time of request, clicking on the little bell on the app, a villa and suite were available.
I requested the SNA for the villa only. Email was received to confirm this.
i also received another email to say the SNA have been approved 3 days prior to arrival to confirm the villa.
one day later I was told by customer relation manager via WhatsApp that they have an error in their inventory and that only the suite is available.
at the time of writing I know the villa is available as I can see it on the app. My email confirmation also specified the villa . And so did their system at time of request.
what would be your best course of action?
thanks!
Feb 12, 2024, 10:10 am
#4308
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,808
I had a downgrade last year at the W Hotel in Union Square in Manhattan. The property e-mailed me saying there was an "error" and I was being downgraded to a smaller suite. I shot back a scathing e-mail, telling them that is no way to treat a Titanium member but probably more importantly I threatened to out them with bad reviews both here and on Trip Advisor. Within the hour I was back in the original suite they had confirmed. YMMV but it's worth a try.
Returning the SNA and Marriott will consider the case closed.
Most of the time if not all, these lame "inventory error" or "system error" excuses was caused by the someone in reservations being greedy and try to sell those SNAed suites.
If these errors are genuine, then it should affect those suite paying guests as well.
But yet we hardly ever hear these issue here on FT.
Also, if Marriott really care aout their elite members, then any issue with SNAed room/suite means the hotel have to further upgrade the members up to their presidential suite if necessary not just returning SNA.
Mar 18, 2024, 11:59 am
#4309
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LA
Programs: AA, DL, UA
Posts: 543
Does it matter when we waitlist the NUA in terms of priority?
Like for example, if I waitlist 6 months in advance as a Titanium, does that mean that I am ahead of other Titaniums who waitlisted 3 months in advance?
I am asking because it seems that everything I edit my room types for the NUA, it cancels the request and puts in a new one (which will change the timestamp).
Anecdotally I've noticed I seem to have a better success with SNAs/NUAs that are waitlisted several months in advance as a Titanium. Not sure if the algorithm will go by elite level (eg: Ambassador, Titanium, then Plat), and then by timestamp (whoever waitlisted first within that group).
TIA!
Like for example, if I waitlist 6 months in advance as a Titanium, does that mean that I am ahead of other Titaniums who waitlisted 3 months in advance?
I am asking because it seems that everything I edit my room types for the NUA, it cancels the request and puts in a new one (which will change the timestamp).
Anecdotally I've noticed I seem to have a better success with SNAs/NUAs that are waitlisted several months in advance as a Titanium. Not sure if the algorithm will go by elite level (eg: Ambassador, Titanium, then Plat), and then by timestamp (whoever waitlisted first within that group).
TIA!
Mar 19, 2024, 11:28 am
#4311
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 371
Also what happens if you modify an existing nua request? The emails that follow seem to indicate that the original request is canceled, and then a new request is created. In other words I believe this will be treated as a new request and you just lost your original spot in the queue.
Mar 23, 2024, 8:26 am
#4313
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,195
I suspect (but can't prove) that hotels are playing a bit with what happens with a reservation after an NUA/SNA upgrade is confirmed.
I'd applied five SNAs to an award redemption reservation at the AC Hotel Paris Porte Maillot earlier this month. Several days before arriving, I received email confirmation of an upgrade to a larger Familiale Prestige room, which had a separate sofa bed and sitting area, and I noted it as confirmed in the Bonvoy mobile app.
Just before check in, I noticed the room type in the app had changed to a Chambre Prestige. Roughly the same size, but only a curtain separation between a small loveseat and the sleeping area.
When I asked about the swap at check in, I was told I'd been given a "double upgrade." The room was fine, but I suspect I was actually slightly downgraded after the SNA/NUA upgrade, as the standard rate for the Familiale Prestige room is more than the Chambre Deluxe. More transparency as to what actually happened would have been nice; I think I was "twice upgraded" (and not to the same level), not "double upgraded."
The stay itself was quite pleasant.
I'd applied five SNAs to an award redemption reservation at the AC Hotel Paris Porte Maillot earlier this month. Several days before arriving, I received email confirmation of an upgrade to a larger Familiale Prestige room, which had a separate sofa bed and sitting area, and I noted it as confirmed in the Bonvoy mobile app.
Just before check in, I noticed the room type in the app had changed to a Chambre Prestige. Roughly the same size, but only a curtain separation between a small loveseat and the sleeping area.
When I asked about the swap at check in, I was told I'd been given a "double upgrade." The room was fine, but I suspect I was actually slightly downgraded after the SNA/NUA upgrade, as the standard rate for the Familiale Prestige room is more than the Chambre Deluxe. More transparency as to what actually happened would have been nice; I think I was "twice upgraded" (and not to the same level), not "double upgraded."
The stay itself was quite pleasant.
Last edited by Seattlenerd; Mar 23, 2024 at 10:22 am Reason: Corrected room type name