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
Aug 18, 2019, 12:30 am
#1366
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Aug 20, 2019, 7:50 am
#1367
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: Delta - PM, SPG - GM, Hertz - PC
Posts: 101
Suite Night Awards not possible on prepaid stays?
Just got this from the Marriott Twitter team, - but hadn't seen that anywhere before.
Is that true?
Any pointers where it's hidden in the T&Cs?
Is that true?
Any pointers where it's hidden in the T&Cs?
Aug 20, 2019, 8:34 am
#1368
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
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Have a look at the wiki here:https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...on-thread.html
Aug 28, 2019, 10:43 pm
#1369
Join Date: May 2009
Programs: UA: GS; SPG: Plat; Marriott: Plat; Hyatt: Plat
Posts: 42
Hi, I’be had limited experience using SNA but can I pls ask a few questions: I have read the wiki up top but still confused. 1. Can you use sna on point stays? 2. Can you use sna on corporate rate stays? From what I can tell, I’ve never seen sna allowed for point or corporate rate stays. I have a few nights at st Regis deer valley on points. I’d love to use sna to just even get a slightly bigger room but according to Marriott phone rep, this hotel does not allow sna. Is there anywhere I can find the list of hotels that do not take sna? I can’t find it in Marriott terms/conditions. Thanks!
Aug 28, 2019, 10:47 pm
#1370
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: DL Gold, UA nothing (ex-GS), Marriott lifetime Plat, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 920
Hi, I’be had limited experience using SNA but can I pls ask a few questions: I have read the wiki up top but still confused. 1. Can you use sna on point stays? 2. Can you use sna on corporate rate stays? From what I can tell, I’ve never seen sna allowed for point or corporate rate stays. I have a few nights at st Regis deer valley on points. I’d love to use sna to just even get a slightly bigger room but according to Marriott phone rep, this hotel does not allow sna. Is there anywhere I can find the list of hotels that do not take sna? I can’t find it in Marriott terms/conditions. Thanks!
2. yes
Ritz Carlton excludes them but St. Regis allows them (and I think is one of the best places to use them). Not sure about Deer Valley specifically though. I would call back, and maybe call the hotel directly to triple check.
Aug 28, 2019, 10:55 pm
#1371
Join Date: May 2009
Programs: UA: GS; SPG: Plat; Marriott: Plat; Hyatt: Plat
Posts: 42
thanks! So how can I apply snas? Every point or corporate rate stays I have says “we are sorry your snas cannot be applied”... as to deer valley, if the hotel says they do allow sna, even though the app doesn’t allow, and Marriott rep also says no, how do I apply them? It’s mind boggling how many hoops we need to jump through to get some upgrades... it’s such a shame how Marriott does this...
Aug 28, 2019, 11:55 pm
#1372
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Location: Southern California, USA
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Posts: 8,764
thanks! So how can I apply snas? Every point or corporate rate stays I have says “we are sorry your snas cannot be applied”... as to deer valley, if the hotel says they do allow sna, even though the app doesn’t allow, and Marriott rep also says no, how do I apply them? It’s mind boggling how many hoops we need to jump through to get some upgrades... it’s such a shame how Marriott does this...
Clear your cache, close your browser and computer, and try again. That often solves the issue. Just know that the hotel has no control over SNAs as they are handled by the central reservations computer system.
Aug 29, 2019, 12:23 am
#1373
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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i don't think this is true....i remember the lurkers stating that non availability of the suite has no bearing on whether a sna can be applied or not....if the suite is not available when the system starts checking then the sna won't clear but the sna application is not dependent on availability....
Aug 29, 2019, 12:25 am
#1374
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,712
i don't think this is true....i remember the lurkers stating that non availability of the suite has no bearing on whether a sna can be applied or not....if the suite is not available when the system starts checking then the sna won't clear but the sna application is not dependent on availability....
Aug 29, 2019, 12:29 am
#1375
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Location: Southern California, USA
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Posts: 8,764
Since the merger people have been reporting that this is often claimed by Marriott customer service, so it may have been a Bonvoy change. As ever, hard to know for sure, but in this case I suspect it is more than likely to be true. Another reason I'm skeptical that any of the old SPG automated algorithm rules are still in play.
Of course, I did have trouble applying SNAs a few times even in the old SPG glory days.
Aug 29, 2019, 12:30 am
#1376
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Since the merger people have been reporting that this is often claimed by Marriott customer service, so it may have been a Bonvoy change. As ever, hard to know for sure, but in this case I suspect it is more than likely to be true. Another reason I'm skeptical that any of the old SPG automated algorithm rules are still in play.
it would suck if marriott made this change since room availability changes all the time....
Aug 29, 2019, 12:35 am
#1377
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
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Quite a few people have reported that SNAs go through when there's definitely no suite availability on the website. My guess of what is most likely is that the SNA pool is not correctly linked to many booking systems, so rather than a subset of suites being available, it's a slightly random number of rooms which may or may not be easy for the hotel to fulfill. It would explain why people sometimes have problems upon arrival and it is also consistent with experiences some hotels are reporting in general about Marriott.com often overbooking against their will.
Aug 29, 2019, 12:54 am
#1378
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,802
I tends to think its Marriott IT failure is in play. 
I applied SNA 4 days prior to my Sheraton Melbourne stay.
The SNA did show all options including the federation square view suite which were sold out in the apps.
(The SNA end up approved for the one category below)
Then tried to request SNA for Hotel Danieli stay in February, only to have the link on the website direct me to a random Sheraton hotel website
The link on the apps works perfectly though.
I applied SNA 4 days prior to my Sheraton Melbourne stay.
The SNA did show all options including the federation square view suite which were sold out in the apps.
(The SNA end up approved for the one category below)
Then tried to request SNA for Hotel Danieli stay in February, only to have the link on the website direct me to a random Sheraton hotel website
The link on the apps works perfectly though.
Aug 29, 2019, 6:01 am
#1379
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
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i don't think this is true....i remember the lurkers stating that non availability of the suite has no bearing on whether a sna can be applied or not....if the suite is not available when the system starts checking then the sna won't clear but the sna application is not dependent on availability....
Aug 29, 2019, 7:13 am
#1380
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let me see if i can find the post i'm referring to....i'm pretty sure one of the lurkers confirmed this bit....
that i'm aware of....but i'm referring to the fact that the sna request went through even though no suites were available for sale....at this point the system would not be looking for an upgrade for my stay in december....
