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FAQ : Suite Night Awards - SNA - questions and discussion thread

Old Dec 19, 2018, 10:39 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: RedSun
IF YOU HAVE A PREPAID RATE, PLEASE READ THIS WIKI!
Recommended SNA Best Practices:
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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 DOESNT SEEM TO ALLOW, HERE IS A WORK-AROUND. GOOD LUCK!

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30575978-post541.html

Originally Posted by EuropeanPete
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.

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.

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FAQ : Suite Night Awards - SNA - questions and discussion thread

Old Sep 11, 2018, 6:27 am
  #76  
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Originally Posted by w1lde1
Hi, follow on question as I am a platinum member also. Surely we get upgrades whenever they are free so how does this differ please? Also how long do the vouchers last for, is it 12 months?
SNAs can be confirmed up to 5 days before arrival. It just gives you a leg up over others vying for the same upgrade. They are especially useful at hotels that don't have many suites. I would never go to the Moana Surfrider without applying SNAs and yet my suite upgrade is at best only 50% of the time. (They only have 3 suites in the SNA pool.)
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Old Sep 11, 2018, 2:06 pm
  #77  
azj
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,574
Booked a 4 night reservation and applied the SNA's. I needed to modify the reservation by one night and their brilliant website wouldn't let me. I thought it would be easy to just cancel and rebook, which I did, but now it won't let me apply the SNA's. My account reflects them and the instructions are there to apply them, but when I attempt that, there is no way to do it. I called the Plat line... after waiting 30 min on hold, finally got someone. First, she couldn't see the reservation. Then she tells me that because I earned the SNA's in the SPG program, they're not eligible for Marriott properties. I pushed back on that assertion and she put me on hold to ask someone. I've now been on this call for over an hour and I'm still on hold. THe rep just came back on the line telling me I can't apply the SNA because I'm within 5 days of the booking. Only I'm at 8 days to check-in. The only solution she offered was to transfer me to Marriott, which I thought I had been talking to this whole time, since, you know... I dialed the Marriott Plat number.

Update 1... still on hold and have logged out of my reservation via the SPG entry into the website and logged into the Marriott entry and my reservation shows canceled! 1:22 on this call now.

Update 2... back on hold after being told my reservation was randomly canceled and that she rebooked it. She also advised that SNA's are not eligible for prepaid reservations made on the website. I'm insisting I not get charged for any of this and will rebook a non prepaid room. I'm at the 1:45 mark at this point.

Update 3... 2 hours later, I have no reservations. I'll rebook with a non prepaid rate and hopefully apply the SNA's. So pis sed right now.

Update 4... after all that BS, I rebook my room and I get this lovely message when attempting to apply the SNA, even though there are the entry level suites available to book and I had successfully applied the SNA's at this property in the original booking. Is this more of Marriott changing the rules as we go? Suite Night Awards cannot be applied to this reservation because there may be not Standard Suites or other premium rooms available during your selected dates, or the hotel may not participate in Suite Night Awards.

Update 5... I called the hotel directly and explained the situation as well as my frustration. Long story short, she upgraded my reservation to a suite! I can be happy with that. =)

Update 6 - the SNA link to apply them to my new booking is sitting right where it ought to be, inviting me to use my SNA's to upgrade to an even larger suite. Marriott... get your IT together!
I should have just left my original reservation as is and stayed the extra night that I don't need anymore.

Anyone else experiencing this?

Between this, their incredibly glitchy website that often has wrong account info (still) and how this whole thing has unfolded, I'm beyond frustrated. How long is long enough to let them get their act together?

Last edited by azj; Sep 12, 2018 at 6:44 pm
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Old Sep 11, 2018, 3:11 pm
  #78  
 
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Your use of SNAs is either approved for your entire stay or not, and you cannot use SNAs unless you have enough of them for the entire stay.
Thanks for that clarification MSP, that adds some understanding to my mind.

Forgive the ensuing rant.

I like the idea of the SNA, but their execution leaves much to be desired. Five SNAs does absolutely nothing for me as my stays tend to be three or four nights. What am I supposed to do with the one or two left over aside from letting them expire? Then theres the other end of the spectrum. This week Im at a Westin but the SNAs cant be applied because of the reservation structure (Im almost always part of a group booked through a corporate contract), verbiage which came from the app. The full website wont even give me that level of explanation as the reservation pushes to a leftover SPG look.

My upgrade rate is less than 10%, spending more time trying to get SNAs to work seems to be even more of a fruitless endeavor when the only thing I hope for is a room away from elevators which is clean and in a quiet hall. I dont know why I foolishly chose the 5 SNAs as the first Choice Benefit. I should have selected the 40% Mattress Coupon as Im in the market and the Free Night for the second Choice Benefit.

Rant done.
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Old Sep 11, 2018, 7:16 pm
  #79  
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IME the SPG website was never very good at identifying why SNAs couldn't be applied. Sometimes one had to call, for example when the hotel has suites in their SNA upgrade pool which aren't available for dates of the reservation (isn't the point of SNAs that they do not clear until a sweep happens at 5 days up to one day before arrival, so of course availability can change in the meantime?), but one should be very clear that the phone agent understands exactly which room/suite upgrade categories are being requested and doesn't just check all available boxes.

I've generally had good experiences with SNAs, having earned ten in each of all but the first year and having in total either one or zero expire, where in many cases the use of SNAs is denied at the end of the sweeps, but I still get good upgrades upon arrival for the stay. However, you do need to be a bit strategic and plan ahead, in your case noting that the remaining SNAs of your first set of five might be able to be combined with some of the next set that you'll earn either later this year at 75 nights or next year when you hit 50 and 75 nights. SNAs at worst can be an excuse for a short staycation to enjoy holiday lights and shopping at the end of the year. YMMV.
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Old Sep 11, 2018, 11:07 pm
  #80  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
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Originally Posted by azj
Booked a 4 night reservation and applied the SNA's. I needed to modify the reservation by one night and their brilliant website wouldn't let me. I thought it would be easy to just cancel and rebook, which I did, but now it won't let me apply the SNA's. My account reflects them and the instructions are there to apply them, but when I attempt that, there is no way to do it. I called the Plat line... after waiting 30 min on hold, finally got someone. First, she couldn't see the reservation. Then she tells me that because I earned the SNA's in the SPG program, they're not eligible for Marriott properties. I pushed back on that assertion and she put me on hold to ask someone. I've now been on this call for over an hour and I'm still on hold. THe rep just came back on the line telling me I can't apply the SNA because I'm within 5 days of the booking. Only I'm at 8 days to check-in. The only solution she offered was to transfer me to Marriott, which I thought I had been talking to this whole time, since, you know... I dialed the Marriott Plat number.

Update 1... still on hold and have logged out of my reservation via the SPG entry into the website and logged into the Marriott entry and my reservation shows canceled! 1:22 on this call now.

Update 2... back on hold after being told my reservation was randomly canceled and that she rebooked it. She also advised that SNA's are not eligible for prepaid reservations made on the website. I'm insisting I not get charged for any of this and will rebook a non prepaid room. I'm at the 1:45 mark at this point.

Update 3... 2 hours later, I have no reservations. I'll rebook with a non prepaid rate and hopefully apply the SNA's. So pis sed right now.

Update 4... after all that BS, I rebook my room and I get this lovely message when attempting to apply the SNA, even though there are the entry level suites available to book and I had successfully applied the SNA's at this property in the original booking. Is this more of Marriott changing the rules as we go? Suite Night Awards cannot be applied to this reservation because there may be not Standard Suites or other premium rooms available during your selected dates, or the hotel may not participate in Suite Night Awards.

Update 5... I called the hotel directly and explained the situation as well as my frustration. Long story short, she upgraded my reservation to a suite! I can be happy with that. =)

I should have just left my original reservation as is and stayed the extra night that I don't need anymore.

Anyone else experiencing this?

Between this, their incredibly glitchy website that often has wrong account info (still) and how this whole thing has unfolded, I'm beyond frustrated. How long is long enough to let them get their act together?
1) Couldn't apply SNA's, customer service said it wouldn't be possible.
2) I called again late at night, got through, they said it was possible and did so.
3) SNA's disappeared from my account, as did my reservation, with an email telling me i canceled my reservation
4) Call CS, they mention they re-attached reservation to my account
5) SNA is confirmed, 1 week out
6) today, reservation disappears again, SNA's re-deposited back into my account
7) CS insists my reservation is still tied, but I just can't access or see or change it
8) Stay is in 4 days now...going to double check 2 days before
StatusChallenged is offline  
Old Sep 16, 2018, 12:02 pm
  #81  
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
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I'm coming up on my first post-IT integration SNA stay, next Friday in London. I applied three SNAs to the (BRG) reservation prior to the integration.

Quick question: are the 'you've been upgraded' and/or 'we're working on your upgrade request' emails still being sent out? I would have expected one for next Friday by now either way, but just curious what the process is now. Thanks!
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 8:50 am
  #82  
 
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Originally Posted by makin'miles
... are the 'you've been upgraded' and/or 'we're working on your upgrade request' emails still being sent out?
Yes.
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 11:45 am
  #83  
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: somewhere north of stateside...
Posts: 4,118
Then there's something wrong .

Just spoke with customer service - "all is normal" - will see how that goes.

Any experience with SNAs on BRG/LNF rates since the IT integration?
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 3:57 pm
  #84  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 99
QQ for those that are in the know with SNA - received 5 of these as my gift. I booked a stay at St. Regis Princeville using pts -- in order to get the dates I wanted I needed to spend an extra 20k pts for an "upgraded room." The system is now not allowing me to add my SNA on top of my res. What gives? Are there certain blackout dates? Or is it cause I booked an upgraded room to begin with I can't try and upgrade off of that?
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Old Sep 17, 2018, 4:34 pm
  #85  
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Assuming your upgraded room is not a Suite, its another system error. If you call in they might be able to add the SNA. Ive not been able to add SNAs to any booking since the merger.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 9:43 am
  #86  
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Lifetime Status and SNA

Isn't it fun learning a new awards program?! So I am Lifetime Platinum Elite, and will most likely take advantage of the one time (by end of this year) opportunity to achieve Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite status. That said, my question is about the Suite Night Awards (SNA). Given that I have lifetime status, does that not void the 50 / 75 stay yearly requirement to "earn" these awards? For 2018 I will hit the night requirements and get them certainly, but moving forward, say I only stay 25 nights in 2019, do I get the SNA selection being lifetime?
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 9:50 am
  #87  
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Originally Posted by DL Platinum
Isn't it fun learning a new awards program?! So I am Lifetime Platinum Elite, and will most likely take advantage of the one time (by end of this year) opportunity to achieve Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite status. That said, my question is about the Suite Night Awards (SNA). Given that I have lifetime status, does that not void the 50 / 75 stay yearly requirement to "earn" these awards? For 2018 I will hit the night requirements and get them certainly, but moving forward, say I only stay 25 nights in 2019, do I get the SNA selection being lifetime?
Sorry, no. You will have to earn the SNAs every year by crossing the 50/75 night thresholds.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 9:52 am
  #88  
 
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Originally Posted by DL Platinum
Isn't it fun learning a new awards program?! So I am Lifetime Platinum Elite, and will most likely take advantage of the one time (by end of this year) opportunity to achieve Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite status. That said, my question is about the Suite Night Awards (SNA). Given that I have lifetime status, does that not void the 50 / 75 stay yearly requirement to "earn" these awards? For 2018 I will hit the night requirements and get them certainly, but moving forward, say I only stay 25 nights in 2019, do I get the SNA selection being lifetime?
It is my understanding that Lifetime Members do not earn Suite Night Awards simply due to their Lifetime Status, Suite Night Awards are only earned via accruing the actual amount of hotel nights required.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 9:53 am
  #89  
 
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Correct. However, everything that counts as a 'stay' toward those 50/75 thresholds should be included - paid nights, Marriott Vacation Club Owner stays, award redemption stays, 15 elite nights annually if you hold one of the Marriott/SPG branded credit cards, etc.
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Old Sep 19, 2018, 12:45 pm
  #90  
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Got it, thanks! Just trying to determine if it is "worth" it to try to get the extra 20 nights I will need this year to qualify for PPE - lifetime. I could easily book some award nights cheap to get there, but I'm not sure if it would be worth it without the SNA's.
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