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, 2021, 9:05 pm
#2311
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
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lol, if you're already booked into the same suite you've waitlisted for, it should not be possible for the SNA to clear. It should only clear (i) as an upgrade, (ii) into open inventory. Then again, I probably should have cancelled the SNA yesterday, but I didn't want to mess with the reservation and figured there was no chance it would clear.
Feb 13, 2021, 10:03 am
#2312
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,808
lol, if you're already booked into the same suite you've waitlisted for, it should not be possible for the SNA to clear. It should only clear (i) as an upgrade, (ii) into open inventory. Then again, I probably should have cancelled the SNA yesterday, but I didn't want to mess with the reservation and figured there was no chance it would clear.
In your case, I believe the hotel have another available suite at that category for the SNA to get cleared.
I guess the hotel will just proudly claim that they generously give you upgrade you to the suite
Feb 13, 2021, 11:18 am
#2313
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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David
Feb 15, 2021, 4:59 pm
#2314
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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Closing the loop, the property did not charge me the extra $75 for the upgrade (I didn't ask why). I'll also give them kudos for an excellent breakfast benefit - ordered off the menu and all charges were waived.
Feb 16, 2021, 2:01 pm
#2315
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Madrid
Programs: Accor All Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy Plat, iberia Plus Plat
Posts: 38
How much time does it normally take for Marriott to return back the SNAs after the booking cancellation?
I thought it was immediate but it seems it is not
I thought it was immediate but it seems it is not
Feb 16, 2021, 5:42 pm
#2316
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Feb 16, 2021, 11:43 pm
#2317
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Madrid
Programs: Accor All Diamond, Marriott Bonvoy Plat, iberia Plus Plat
Posts: 38
As I did try to cancel SNU 5x and always got a message that the booking was updated correctlt but no SNU returned to my account. Finally I cancelled the whole booking to check if this would work in this way but neither.
Feb 17, 2021, 7:09 pm
#2318
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Thank you for your reply. It seems then that I will need to contact Marriott IT back 🙃
As I did try to cancel SNU 5x and always got a message that the booking was updated correctlt but no SNU returned to my account. Finally I cancelled the whole booking to check if this would work in this way but neither.
As I did try to cancel SNU 5x and always got a message that the booking was updated correctlt but no SNU returned to my account. Finally I cancelled the whole booking to check if this would work in this way but neither.
Feb 17, 2021, 9:40 pm
#2319
Company Representative, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 1,088
Thank you for your reply. It seems then that I will need to contact Marriott IT back 🙃
As I did try to cancel SNU 5x and always got a message that the booking was updated correctlt but no SNU returned to my account. Finally I cancelled the whole booking to check if this would work in this way but neither.
As I did try to cancel SNU 5x and always got a message that the booking was updated correctlt but no SNU returned to my account. Finally I cancelled the whole booking to check if this would work in this way but neither.
Have the SNAs returned to your account?
Feel free to contact us if you need help.
Best Regards,
Christina Z
Specialist, Social Media
Marriott International
[email protected]
Feb 20, 2021, 10:21 pm
#2320
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Well this is a surprising disappointment. Booked for two nights in March at Sheraton Waikiki, and while all three suite types (Malia, Kai, Ohana) are for sale (and at deeply discounted rates), there are no suite options for SNAs. Only higher category rooms (e.g., "two queen partial ocean view") are on offer.
I know this property has historically been very good about upgrades, but dropping all suites from its SNA pool is pretty poor form.
I know this property has historically been very good about upgrades, but dropping all suites from its SNA pool is pretty poor form.
Feb 21, 2021, 5:02 am
#2321
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
Well this is a surprising disappointment. Booked for two nights in March at Sheraton Waikiki, and while all three suite types (Malia, Kai, Ohana) are for sale (and at deeply discounted rates), there are no suite options for SNAs. Only higher category rooms (e.g., "two queen partial ocean view") are on offer.
I know this property has historically been very good about upgrades, but dropping all suites from its SNA pool is pretty poor form.
I know this property has historically been very good about upgrades, but dropping all suites from its SNA pool is pretty poor form.
Feb 21, 2021, 8:22 am
#2322
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Join Date: Apr 2013
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They usually only put the Malia Suite in the SNA pool which is small compared to Kai and Ohana suites. However, I’ve never seen that happen before. Must be due to Covid, even though I can’t fathom why. My experience is “if they have a suite, they will upgrade you”. Good luck.
Just as a datapoint, they SNA'ed me into the Ohana Suite a few years ago. I ended up cancelling the trip, so have never stayed here before, only visited.
Feb 21, 2021, 9:11 am
#2323
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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FYI, I hate to admit this, but even as an Ambassador and frequent guest, I was rarely pre-upgraded. Almost all my upgrades were done at check-in. In the rare instance that they didn't have a suite for me, they would ask me to come back to the front desk the following day and they would try to get me into a suite then, which they usually did. They have 4-5 suites per floor, so your chances are very good.
Feb 22, 2021, 1:48 am
#2324
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: DTW / SJC
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 764
So I guess YMMV on upgrades, possibly depending on the agent, but hopefully these issues are temporary. (And I realize this is getting off-topic and likely belongs in the property thread, but despite the upgrade variability I wouldn't hesitate to stay at the Sheraton again; excellent staff, nicely renovated rooms, and I really like the pool...at least with low occupancy levels).