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
Nov 2, 2018, 7:26 am
#211
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
I really dont understand the SNA system. Im waiting for 5 nights to clear starting this weekend and they still have not. I can reserve the suite for cash or points in a new reservation (states "almost sold out" though). I suppose the room type could be over sold. If the system is checking every day for 5 days before checkin, what exactly is it looking for if the room is available? Is it hoping it eventually sells out so it can simply fire off a SNA failure email and call it a day?
And, yes, the website is the worst (but only) way to check availability of rooms, especially possible SNA suites. A good property will load inventory for what they think they can sell not just what they have available. Until they're no more no-shows and last minute cancellations hit zero why not bump the revenue?
Nov 2, 2018, 8:00 am
#212
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
... also note that the same room must be available for your stay, so if the property wishes to play games they can move room assignments around so that no one room is open. I'm not saying this property is/has done this, but it is another way the black-box process of SNAs can be played.
Nov 2, 2018, 8:31 am
#213
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I had a sketchy SNA experience with the StR Bal Harbour. Ultimately, my 5 SNAs didn’t clear but I arrived and was upgraded well beyond the SNA pool of Astor Junior Suites to the 2 bedroom specialty Royal Suite—the 3rd biggest suite category and the 2nd best view in the hotel.
That being said, the Astor Suites and Imperial Suites were available on Marriott.com up to 6 nights prior to my arrival...and then not available at 5 days prior when the SNA search begins. They continued to not be available up through the day prior to our arrival, even at 9 am; a few hours later, I received the email indicating that my SNAs didn’t clear. Not 10 minutes after that, the Astor Suites and Imperial Suites appeared again as available on Marriott.com.
It it all worked out even better than it would have with the SNAs, of course, but I still think it was very sketchy how the suite inventory played out on Marriott.com. It’s awfully convenient and coincidental how suites disappeared from inventory when I would have qualified for them and immediately reappeared when the search was over. It could have been a glitch...but it still felt very intentional and wrong. Just another data point that looks suspicious to me, even if the hotel came through for me due to my Ambassador status.
On another note: my SNAs cleared without any issue for my upcoming stay at the W Hollywood next week. Marvelous Suite.
That being said, the Astor Suites and Imperial Suites were available on Marriott.com up to 6 nights prior to my arrival...and then not available at 5 days prior when the SNA search begins. They continued to not be available up through the day prior to our arrival, even at 9 am; a few hours later, I received the email indicating that my SNAs didn’t clear. Not 10 minutes after that, the Astor Suites and Imperial Suites appeared again as available on Marriott.com.
It it all worked out even better than it would have with the SNAs, of course, but I still think it was very sketchy how the suite inventory played out on Marriott.com. It’s awfully convenient and coincidental how suites disappeared from inventory when I would have qualified for them and immediately reappeared when the search was over. It could have been a glitch...but it still felt very intentional and wrong. Just another data point that looks suspicious to me, even if the hotel came through for me due to my Ambassador status.
On another note: my SNAs cleared without any issue for my upcoming stay at the W Hollywood next week. Marvelous Suite.
Last edited by bhrubin; Nov 2, 2018 at 9:31 am
Nov 2, 2018, 8:46 am
#214
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
There are specific rooms assigned to the SNA pool. It’s not just any suite. I’ll give the example of the Moana Surfrider since I know it well. They have 2 suites on most floors of their 16 floor tower building but the SNA suites are a whopping 3 suites in the Banyan bldg. so if none of those 3 suites are available, the SNA won’t clear. The hotel may assign one of the Tower Suites at check-in. Good luck!
Nov 2, 2018, 8:51 am
#215
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
But..looking at my reservation on the mobile app, it includes in my "Preferences and Accessibility" section"
1 King Bed
Suite NIght Award
Non-Commisionable Rate
High Floor
Hotels can see the other three things correct? If hotels are hands off on SNA why do they need to see it?
Nov 2, 2018, 9:10 am
#216
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
Assuming what the insiders here say is true and that hotels have no hand in SNA requests I assume that also means they can not see SNA requests either. They would not know who is trying to use them or not and it would seem like moving room assignments around every day just to prevent the odd ball SNA requests from being redeemed could be a huge waste of time.
But..looking at my reservation on the mobile app, it includes in my "Preferences and Accessibility" section"
1 King Bed
Suite NIght Award
Non-Commisionable Rate
High Floor
Hotels can see the other three things correct? If hotels are hands off on SNA why do they need to see it?
But..looking at my reservation on the mobile app, it includes in my "Preferences and Accessibility" section"
1 King Bed
Suite NIght Award
Non-Commisionable Rate
High Floor
Hotels can see the other three things correct? If hotels are hands off on SNA why do they need to see it?
Nov 2, 2018, 9:49 am
#217
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
One would think the SNA process would be tied in with the booking engine where it would see the same information about rooms available for reservations (cash or points) and then reserve it. Essentially, SNA reservations should be treated just like any other reservation at the hotel level once it is passed on to their system from central reservations.
Nov 2, 2018, 9:50 am
#218
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
One would think the SNA process would be tied in with the booking engine where it would see the same information about rooms available for reservations (cash or points) and then reserve it. Essentially, SNA reservations should be treated just like any other reservation at the hotel level once it is passed on to their system from central reservations.
Nov 2, 2018, 10:03 am
#219
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
Im not really sure. SNAs are new to me and this is the first time I am trying to redeem them. This is being done at a marriott hotel as well.
Nov 2, 2018, 10:04 am
#220
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
I'll say it again for probably the 100th time...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
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International
[email protected]
Nov 2, 2018, 10:10 am
#221
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
Can you share (or link to a prior post of yours) what it is using for SNA approval (since it doesnt sound like its simply room available or not) or how the process works in the background? Sounds like there are several factors that the SNA has to satisfy before it is eventually approved. Thanks.
Nov 2, 2018, 10:11 am
#222
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
One would think the SNA process would be tied in with the booking engine where it would see the same information about rooms available for reservations (cash or points) and then reserve it. Essentially, SNA reservations should be treated just like any other reservation at the hotel level once it is passed on to their system from central reservations.
As many have suggested, it would be nice if they could confirm the SNA availability at time of booking, but they don't. It would be nice if they used a separately designated room type and presented that data on the website, but they don't. Just like MRs crazy approach to offering cash & points bookings, this is a marketing ploy to counter offerings from their competition. Some have very good luck it getting their SNA honored in the five-day window (with some cancelled before or at arrival). Many are reported as good or better upgrades when checking in and not using the SNAs. It was designed as a black box process and works accordingly. You have to choose what trials and trepidations you are willing to put up with.
Nov 2, 2018, 10:18 am
#223
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Can you share (or link to a prior post of yours) what it is using for SNA approval (since it doesnt sound like its simply room available or not) or how the process works in the background? Sounds like there are several factors that the SNA has to satisfy before it is eventually approved. Thanks.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International
[email protected]
Nov 2, 2018, 10:22 am
#224
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Delta Diamond, Bonvoy something good; sometimes other things too
Posts: 5,050
Yes, it's called the SNA Pool. Each property designates what rooms are in the pool and this info is not presented on the website. They may have 10 suites but only 3 are in the pool. And don't even try to figure out how the named suites like at the W are handled!
As many have suggested, it would be nice if they could confirm the SNA availability at time of booking, but they don't. It would be nice if they used a separately designated room type and presented that data on the website, but they don't. Just like MRs crazy approach to offering cash & points bookings, this is a marketing ploy to counter offerings from their competition. Some have very good luck it getting their SNA honored in the five-day window (with some cancelled before or at arrival). Many are reported as good or better upgrades when checking in and not using the SNAs. It was designed as a black box process and works accordingly. You have to choose what trials and trepidations you are willing to put up with.
As many have suggested, it would be nice if they could confirm the SNA availability at time of booking, but they don't. It would be nice if they used a separately designated room type and presented that data on the website, but they don't. Just like MRs crazy approach to offering cash & points bookings, this is a marketing ploy to counter offerings from their competition. Some have very good luck it getting their SNA honored in the five-day window (with some cancelled before or at arrival). Many are reported as good or better upgrades when checking in and not using the SNAs. It was designed as a black box process and works accordingly. You have to choose what trials and trepidations you are willing to put up with.
As for what Marriott properties are doing, there is plenty of room for lingering IT issues, and other unusual situations, in addition to the usual capacity controls.
Nov 4, 2018, 9:09 pm
#225
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
All communication since initiating the SNA request has stated that the system will keep checking until 2 pm hotel time which would be tomorrow. I received an email and a push notification tonight a bit after 10 saying my sna request has been denied. Something wrong with the matrix or is the system just deciding to tell me tough luck and not keep me in suspense until day of check in?