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
Dec 16, 2018, 10:23 am
#436
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: Delta Platinum & 2MM, Marriott Lifetime TIT, Hertz Pres Club, IHG Gold, *A Gold
Posts: 1,253
Currently have a 5-night award booked at Athenee Bangkok. I've requested SNAs be applied. Upon initial booking, only two double bed rooms were available. Now a single king bed room is available. I'd like to switch, but when going through the process the website indicates my SNAs will be returned. Reading some of the problems with returned SNAs in this thread has me worried. Should I be? Can I count on them being returned promptly so I can reapply to my new room type? Stay begins in less than 2 weeks.
Dec 16, 2018, 10:31 am
#437
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
Currently have a 5-night award booked at Athenee Bangkok. I've requested SNAs be applied. Upon initial booking, only two double bed rooms were available. Now a single king bed room is available. I'd like to switch, but when going through the process the website indicates my SNAs will be returned. Reading some of the problems with returned SNAs in this thread has me worried. Should I be? Can I count on them being returned promptly so I can reapply to my new room type? Stay begins in less than 2 weeks.
Dec 16, 2018, 12:11 pm
#438
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: Delta Platinum & 2MM, Marriott Lifetime TIT, Hertz Pres Club, IHG Gold, *A Gold
Posts: 1,253
Is the priority 1st come, 1st served or does status matter? Does a paid booking rank higher than an award booking?
Dec 16, 2018, 12:45 pm
#439
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
The SNA process was designed and operated as a black-box process. NO ONE has a clue how it works internally or why it works at all. You put in the request and it may or may not be approved without any way to prove why. If the newer rooms are more important to you then switch. If it doesn't make a big difference then leave it alone. There have been several posts where the SNA was declined and yet they still got an upgrade at check-in. Roll the dice...
Dec 16, 2018, 6:16 pm
#440
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
That being said, I am of the strong opinion that SNAs are also probably cleared to some degree by elite status tier: Ambassador SNAs clear first (with earlier submitted SNAs having priority), Plat Premier SNAs clear second (with earlier submitted SNAs having priority), etc, all based on availability for the appropriate rooms/suites. It’s automated, so it’s all worked into whatever the formula prioritizes and what inventory is available based on the Marriott central booking engine.
Dec 16, 2018, 7:29 pm
#441
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 495
As already indicated, SNAs are cleared by an automated process that is governed by a black box algorithm that we never will know. We only know that earlier application of SNAs improves one’s chances, so applying them earlier is to your advantage.
That being said, I am of the strong opinion that SNAs are also probably cleared to some degree by elite status tier: Ambassador SNAs clear first (with earlier submitted SNAs having priority), Plat Premier SNAs clear second (with earlier submitted SNAs having priority), etc, all based on availability for the appropriate rooms/suites. It’s automated, so it’s all worked into whatever the formula prioritizes and what inventory is available based on the Marriott central booking engine.
Dec 16, 2018, 7:39 pm
#442
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Dec 16, 2018, 8:05 pm
#443
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
But, but, but... SNAs don't even start clearing until 5 days before. Are you sure it wasn't just an upgrade processed by the property or did you get a message stating it was an SNA upgrade? Many have stated even if the SNA was denied they still got upgraded (sometimes beyond what the SNA would have provided) at check-in. Some properties will pre-block elite upgrades days in advance.
Dec 16, 2018, 8:12 pm
#444
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 495
But, but, but... SNAs don't even start clearing until 5 days before. Are you sure it wasn't just an upgrade processed by the property or did you get a message stating it was an SNA upgrade? Many have stated even if the SNA was denied they still got upgraded (sometimes beyond what the SNA would have provided) at check-in. Some properties will pre-block elite upgrades days in advance.
Dec 17, 2018, 1:52 am
#445
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO, TPE, HNL
Programs: UA GS 4MM, RCC life member (paid), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, CLEAR
Posts: 1,822
As already indicated, SNAs are cleared by an automated process that is governed by a black box algorithm that we never will know.
. It’s automated, so it’s all worked into whatever the formula prioritizes and what inventory is available based on the Marriott central booking engine.
Dec 17, 2018, 2:10 am
#446
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
You still manually can be upgraded by a hotel, but that has nothing to do with the SNA automated process. That’s why hotels that pre-upgrade some of us to better suites above the SNA options often have to re-upgrade us after the SNA process clears and concomitently “downgrades” us inadvertently.
Last edited by bhrubin; Dec 17, 2018 at 9:21 am
Dec 17, 2018, 5:33 am
#447
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Fortunately/unfortunately a personal relationship with a property can override any program rule. Properties are allowed to go above and beyond when they want. We only hear the excuse "corporate says no" when they want to blame someone else for perceived service failures. All too often once we get a particular step up in benefits that's what we expect every time from every property.
Dec 18, 2018, 10:50 am
#448
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: louisville,ky usa
Programs: Delta Platinum, HH Diamond, , AA Gold, Bonvoy Titaniu
Posts: 619
Not sure if this belongs here or in the Moana Surfirider thread-
I just booked 2 night for cash at the Moana Surfrider-- When I attempted to use SNAs, the only choices shown were for typical room upgrades-- for example "partial ocean view double room" was a choice. There were 8 rooms listed, ranging from partial to full ocean view, but no suites of any kind whatsoever. I called support (but not from my usual phone, so I think I just got the not platinum line). After a brief hold, I was told that "as a resort, the Moana Surfrider does not offer suite upgrades, room upgrades are what is available for SNAs at resort properties". This sounded unlike anything I had hear before. I asked if there was a written policy available that he could send me, but he wasn't able to that. He said he was reporting to me what the property told him by phone.
Has anyone else been told this?
I just booked 2 night for cash at the Moana Surfrider-- When I attempted to use SNAs, the only choices shown were for typical room upgrades-- for example "partial ocean view double room" was a choice. There were 8 rooms listed, ranging from partial to full ocean view, but no suites of any kind whatsoever. I called support (but not from my usual phone, so I think I just got the not platinum line). After a brief hold, I was told that "as a resort, the Moana Surfrider does not offer suite upgrades, room upgrades are what is available for SNAs at resort properties". This sounded unlike anything I had hear before. I asked if there was a written policy available that he could send me, but he wasn't able to that. He said he was reporting to me what the property told him by phone.
Has anyone else been told this?
Dec 18, 2018, 10:53 am
#449
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
The property just made that up, and it beggars belief that Marriott support now asks each individual property what the T&C’s are...
Dec 18, 2018, 11:17 am
#450
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Not sure if this belongs here or in the Moana Surfirider thread-
I just booked 2 night for cash at the Moana Surfrider-- When I attempted to use SNAs, the only choices shown were for typical room upgrades-- for example "partial ocean view double room" was a choice. There were 8 rooms listed, ranging from partial to full ocean view, but no suites of any kind whatsoever. I called support (but not from my usual phone, so I think I just got the not platinum line). After a brief hold, I was told that "as a resort, the Moana Surfrider does not offer suite upgrades, room upgrades are what is available for SNAs at resort properties". This sounded unlike anything I had hear before. I asked if there was a written policy available that he could send me, but he wasn't able to that. He said he was reporting to me what the property told him by phone.
Has anyone else been told this?
I just booked 2 night for cash at the Moana Surfrider-- When I attempted to use SNAs, the only choices shown were for typical room upgrades-- for example "partial ocean view double room" was a choice. There were 8 rooms listed, ranging from partial to full ocean view, but no suites of any kind whatsoever. I called support (but not from my usual phone, so I think I just got the not platinum line). After a brief hold, I was told that "as a resort, the Moana Surfrider does not offer suite upgrades, room upgrades are what is available for SNAs at resort properties". This sounded unlike anything I had hear before. I asked if there was a written policy available that he could send me, but he wasn't able to that. He said he was reporting to me what the property told him by phone.
Has anyone else been told this?
Your SNA choices for the Westin Moana, however, are what they are. With 749 total rooms and only 42 suites, it is worth noting that suites account for less than 6% of all rooms. That’s a pretty small proportion of suites for any hotel that might otherwise upgrade into proper suites.
My rule of thumb is to assume that hotels will upgrade for SNAs and complimentary Platinum upgrades on check-in into the top 10-15% of their rooms. When suites don’t account for that proportion of a hotel’s inventory, I assume that SNAs and Plat upgrades will usually include only much nicer room categories but rarely any true suites—even junior suites. That looks to be true at the Westin Moana, as it is often at most non-luxury brand hotels that routinely have much less than 10% of their rooms as suites.