Marriott Suite Upgrade Policy (New)
Jan 18, 2019, 12:13 pm
#226
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,967
You'd think that either someone at the hotel, or MARSHA (the res system) would take a look at the day's incoming reservations then sort by descending status, perhaps using price paid as a tie-breaker, huh? Nope- it's been my impression over a decade of Plat (and sometimes old Premier) status at Marriott they hand out rooms in sequential order by arrival time and even if you're the guest with the highest status at the hotel that night if you get there later in the day, any potential upgrades are gone.
On stays where an upgrade is that important to me, the FDC sees me at 2:30 and if necessary I'll come back when an upgraded room they're now holding for me is ready.
Jan 18, 2019, 1:57 pm
#227
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Ugh. "Remnant time", then. No wonder.
You'd think that either someone at the hotel, or MARSHA (the res system) would take a look at the day's incoming reservations then sort by descending status, perhaps using price paid as a tie-breaker, huh? Nope- it's been my impression over a decade of Plat (and sometimes old Premier) status at Marriott they hand out rooms in sequential order by arrival time and even if you're the guest with the highest status at the hotel that night if you get there later in the day, any potential upgrades are gone.
On stays where an upgrade is that important to me, the FDC sees me at 2:30 and if necessary I'll come back when an upgraded room they're now holding for me is ready.
You'd think that either someone at the hotel, or MARSHA (the res system) would take a look at the day's incoming reservations then sort by descending status, perhaps using price paid as a tie-breaker, huh? Nope- it's been my impression over a decade of Plat (and sometimes old Premier) status at Marriott they hand out rooms in sequential order by arrival time and even if you're the guest with the highest status at the hotel that night if you get there later in the day, any potential upgrades are gone.
On stays where an upgrade is that important to me, the FDC sees me at 2:30 and if necessary I'll come back when an upgraded room they're now holding for me is ready.
Jan 18, 2019, 2:01 pm
#228
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,967
Jan 18, 2019, 3:21 pm
#229
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
I've also reached out to properties that had suites I might want using the chat feature around 7–8 a.m. on the day of arrival to let them know I'd appreciate an upgrade if one is available but I wouldn't be arriving until late.
I'd say about 40% of the full-service properties I stayed at last year pushed a notification to my phone when my room was ready, sometimes as early as 10 or 11 a.m. even if my arrival time wasn't listed until much later in the day. The remaining 60% of the properties either never sent a notification or didn't use the mobile application at all. In fact, quite a few full-service properties are really, really bad. One property took a full day to respond to a chat message.
Jan 21, 2019, 8:24 pm
#230
Join Date: May 2018
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott PLT
Posts: 22
You should write to Marriott because the terms and conditions clearly state that an upgrade is based on the time of check-in, not the time of arrival.
I've also reached out to properties that had suites I might want using the chat feature around 7–8 a.m. on the day of arrival to let them know I'd appreciate an upgrade if one is available but I wouldn't be arriving until late.
I'd say about 40% of the full-service properties I stayed at last year pushed a notification to my phone when my room was ready, sometimes as early as 10 or 11 a.m. even if my arrival time wasn't listed until much later in the day. The remaining 60% of the properties either never sent a notification or didn't use the mobile application at all. In fact, quite a few full-service properties are really, really bad. One property took a full day to respond to a chat message.
I've also reached out to properties that had suites I might want using the chat feature around 7–8 a.m. on the day of arrival to let them know I'd appreciate an upgrade if one is available but I wouldn't be arriving until late.
I'd say about 40% of the full-service properties I stayed at last year pushed a notification to my phone when my room was ready, sometimes as early as 10 or 11 a.m. even if my arrival time wasn't listed until much later in the day. The remaining 60% of the properties either never sent a notification or didn't use the mobile application at all. In fact, quite a few full-service properties are really, really bad. One property took a full day to respond to a chat message.
I asked to speak to the Front Desk Manager. She came out quickly, typed into the computer and said sir, we have you down for a Suite, yes, but not the Presidential. I then pulled out a copy of my printed confirmation that said on it... Presidential Suite, along with a confirmation number. I said I was going to step away from the desk to call the Marriott Elite Reservation line. Spoke to a woman who said that yes, on her end it said Presidential Suite. I put the phone on speaker and had the woman repeat what she had said to the Front Desk Manager who held her ground and said that they had a Presidential Suite, but that it was occupied. Ultimately, it was a bellboy who was standing five feet away, third day on the job who cracked the case. He was the one of two people who apologized profusely and promised to make it right -- the other one was not the Front Desk Manager. She refused to help me, and walked back into the back office, never to be seen again.
Marriot and Starwood use different names to describe the rooms, he said. I thought this was odd, and when I pulled up the app and asked to rent the Presidential Suite for the next night, it allowed me to put in a temporary reservation. What the app clearly stated was the Presidential Suite came across as a Suite, with Murphy Bed, Corner on the hotel side. It was noted as a computer glitch and I was told by the reservation agent that there was little she could do from her end that she could not give me a room that was occupied. I wanted to open a case (a phrase I have read others use on this forum) and it worked -- I was being transferred only to be transferred to a woman who had to be brought up to speed on my case from the very beginning. I stood in the lobby once again telling my story and it was once again verified that I had the Presidential. I invoked the Room Rate Guarantee, which was my fatal flaw. She said she would be back and I sat on hold for 36 minutes at which point my cell phone died along with a little bit of my soul.
This hotel is a Category 5. And if this is four levels up from a Category 1, I'm afraid -- literally afraid of what earthly hellholes may exist in the area as category 1. In an 8 story building, of the four elevators to take people (a rather fully booked hotel overrun with families in town for some sort of baseball tryouts)only one worked. There was one elevator for the entire 8 floors that worked. It was abysmal.
I'm really just shocked and at a complete loss for how this could happen, how they can possibly say they went the extra mile to "make it right", and I certainly in no way felt like I was elite anything. It was really above and beyond horrible.
Jan 22, 2019, 7:41 am
#231
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Well I went for the ultimate test -- I figured this would be conclusive one way or another and I had to know because I am OCD like that, unfortunately. I booked the Presidential Suite for Sunday, Jan 20 to Monday Jan 21, and received confirmation that check-in was at 4:00pm. I arrived at 4pm, on the dot. I went to check in and they were rather shocked to see that I had two rooms. And a murphy bed. This did not sound like the Presidential Suite to me. In fact it was not. It was a Suite, with Murphy Bed, Corner. My confirmation was for the Presidential Suite. Unfortunately the Presidential Suite was occupied and they would be unable to give that room to me. They had me down for a Suite, With Murphy Bed, Corner. They assured me it was a very nice suite. This is when I went into full on I know the rules mode.
I asked to speak to the Front Desk Manager. She came out quickly, typed into the computer and said sir, we have you down for a Suite, yes, but not the Presidential. I then pulled out a copy of my printed confirmation that said on it... Presidential Suite, along with a confirmation number. I said I was going to step away from the desk to call the Marriott Elite Reservation line. Spoke to a woman who said that yes, on her end it said Presidential Suite. I put the phone on speaker and had the woman repeat what she had said to the Front Desk Manager who held her ground and said that they had a Presidential Suite, but that it was occupied. Ultimately, it was a bellboy who was standing five feet away, third day on the job who cracked the case. He was the one of two people who apologized profusely and promised to make it right -- the other one was not the Front Desk Manager. She refused to help me, and walked back into the back office, never to be seen again.
Marriot and Starwood use different names to describe the rooms, he said. I thought this was odd, and when I pulled up the app and asked to rent the Presidential Suite for the next night, it allowed me to put in a temporary reservation. What the app clearly stated was the Presidential Suite came across as a Suite, with Murphy Bed, Corner on the hotel side. It was noted as a computer glitch and I was told by the reservation agent that there was little she could do from her end that she could not give me a room that was occupied. I wanted to open a case (a phrase I have read others use on this forum) and it worked -- I was being transferred only to be transferred to a woman who had to be brought up to speed on my case from the very beginning. I stood in the lobby once again telling my story and it was once again verified that I had the Presidential. I invoked the Room Rate Guarantee, which was my fatal flaw. She said she would be back and I sat on hold for 36 minutes at which point my cell phone died along with a little bit of my soul.
This hotel is a Category 5. And if this is four levels up from a Category 1, I'm afraid -- literally afraid of what earthly hellholes may exist in the area as category 1. In an 8 story building, of the four elevators to take people (a rather fully booked hotel overrun with families in town for some sort of baseball tryouts)only one worked. There was one elevator for the entire 8 floors that worked. It was abysmal.
I'm really just shocked and at a complete loss for how this could happen, how they can possibly say they went the extra mile to "make it right", and I certainly in no way felt like I was elite anything. It was really above and beyond horrible.
I asked to speak to the Front Desk Manager. She came out quickly, typed into the computer and said sir, we have you down for a Suite, yes, but not the Presidential. I then pulled out a copy of my printed confirmation that said on it... Presidential Suite, along with a confirmation number. I said I was going to step away from the desk to call the Marriott Elite Reservation line. Spoke to a woman who said that yes, on her end it said Presidential Suite. I put the phone on speaker and had the woman repeat what she had said to the Front Desk Manager who held her ground and said that they had a Presidential Suite, but that it was occupied. Ultimately, it was a bellboy who was standing five feet away, third day on the job who cracked the case. He was the one of two people who apologized profusely and promised to make it right -- the other one was not the Front Desk Manager. She refused to help me, and walked back into the back office, never to be seen again.
Marriot and Starwood use different names to describe the rooms, he said. I thought this was odd, and when I pulled up the app and asked to rent the Presidential Suite for the next night, it allowed me to put in a temporary reservation. What the app clearly stated was the Presidential Suite came across as a Suite, with Murphy Bed, Corner on the hotel side. It was noted as a computer glitch and I was told by the reservation agent that there was little she could do from her end that she could not give me a room that was occupied. I wanted to open a case (a phrase I have read others use on this forum) and it worked -- I was being transferred only to be transferred to a woman who had to be brought up to speed on my case from the very beginning. I stood in the lobby once again telling my story and it was once again verified that I had the Presidential. I invoked the Room Rate Guarantee, which was my fatal flaw. She said she would be back and I sat on hold for 36 minutes at which point my cell phone died along with a little bit of my soul.
This hotel is a Category 5. And if this is four levels up from a Category 1, I'm afraid -- literally afraid of what earthly hellholes may exist in the area as category 1. In an 8 story building, of the four elevators to take people (a rather fully booked hotel overrun with families in town for some sort of baseball tryouts)only one worked. There was one elevator for the entire 8 floors that worked. It was abysmal.
I'm really just shocked and at a complete loss for how this could happen, how they can possibly say they went the extra mile to "make it right", and I certainly in no way felt like I was elite anything. It was really above and beyond horrible.
Did you ask for the front office manager's boss, either the operations director or the general manager? I would have asked Marriott to re-book me at another comparable property.
Do not drop this. At the minimum, you should get a sufficient amount of points for a free night and the $100 cash/check.
Jan 22, 2019, 9:10 am
#232
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
This should qualify for the ultimate reservation guarantee I would think
Jan 22, 2019, 10:19 am
#233
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,967
I've also reached out to properties that had suites I might want using the chat feature around 7–8 a.m. on the day of arrival to let them know I'd appreciate an upgrade if one is available but I wouldn't be arriving until late.
Jan 22, 2019, 12:29 pm
#234
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: EZE
Programs: UA Gold,Delta Gold Bonvoy Titanium Elite, HH Diamond , AA Platinum, EENational, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,548
Yes- and unfortunately, it's "expecting FDCs to care about their customers". They'll outright lie to you and tell you "there's no suites available" and on more than one occasion- and this at some of the lowest-end properties in MPG's portfolio, mind you- have pulled up available suites (or "better rooms", at least) on the app after they tell me this, and whattya know, a few keystrokes later, I get an upgrade.
It's gotten worse since the merger, too, and it sucks having to fight for upgrades in middle-of-nowhere properties with half-empty parking lots, but that's the new Marriott for ya. Good luck as a Gold, I'm lifetime Plat Premier.
It's gotten worse since the merger, too, and it sucks having to fight for upgrades in middle-of-nowhere properties with half-empty parking lots, but that's the new Marriott for ya. Good luck as a Gold, I'm lifetime Plat Premier.
Jan 22, 2019, 12:33 pm
#235
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: SNA
Programs: Bonvoy LTTE/AMB, AmEx Plat, National EE, WN A-List, CLEAR+, Covid-19
Posts: 4,967
Jan 22, 2019, 6:50 pm
#236
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Jan 23, 2019, 12:24 pm
#237
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSN
Programs: Delta DM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,987
New to this thread and have not read all 16+ pages, but did read opening thread and latest posts. Here's my situation: I'm Plat Premier and I stayed 84 nights last year and, IIR, I received two suite upgrades (Courtyard MSP Airport and RC Portman Shanghai (Junior)). The year before was no better. I don't care about "upgrades" at Springhill, Courtyards, etc., but I stayed in at least 15 Westin, Marriott, Sheraton and W properties covering at least 25 stays without any upgrades. One time I got a corner room at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront because I requested it via chat on the plane. So I was a bit annoyed at the low upgrade rate. I don't mind not always getting it, but at some point being put in a room whose only differentiator is 2 free bottles of water and that's not even on the Club floor should stop counting as an "upgrade".
So I stayed at the Sheraton Indianapolis Keystone Crossing last week for 2 nights (Sun/Mon). Paying a full corporate rate of $189 which for suburban Indy on low occupancy is high. I often stay there for USTA tournaments at a $119/nt rate with free breakfast. The place is a ghost town and I get a room a floor below the Club lounge with the 2 bottles of water and that was my upgrade. I went to the app and saw two standard suites available (at least), one was accessible and the other was a king. I screenshot the availability.
My understanding had always been that to get guest compensation you have to ask for it during your stay. I didn't care about that but I wanted to make a point to the hotel and perhaps train them for my future stays since this will be a monthly trip. So after I left, I emailed them and basically quoted "4.3.c.ii....Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade for Platinum Elite Members. Platinum Elite Members receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room subject to availability for the entire length of stay at the time of check-in. Complimentary upgrade includes suites..." I then shared the screen shots of the available suites (which weren't like Presidential or anything) and asked why didn't I, or any other PP guests, receive them.
The response was pretty good. They said they were confused on the new rules and have re-trained their staff. They did see I should have been upgraded. They gave me 1K points and refunded $100 to my card. I think they thought they had to but since I was checked out AND violations of that don't appear to be eligible for guest compensation, I definitely don't think they were required to do so. And maybe they did it out of the kindness of their heart.
Is there confusion on the wording I quoted? Best available room including suites (naturally excluding the uber fancy Presidential suites and all that) should mean that. And in my experience it rarely does. Probably was toolish of me to complain after the fact but really was just hoping to get better rooms next time I'm there.
So I stayed at the Sheraton Indianapolis Keystone Crossing last week for 2 nights (Sun/Mon). Paying a full corporate rate of $189 which for suburban Indy on low occupancy is high. I often stay there for USTA tournaments at a $119/nt rate with free breakfast. The place is a ghost town and I get a room a floor below the Club lounge with the 2 bottles of water and that was my upgrade. I went to the app and saw two standard suites available (at least), one was accessible and the other was a king. I screenshot the availability.
My understanding had always been that to get guest compensation you have to ask for it during your stay. I didn't care about that but I wanted to make a point to the hotel and perhaps train them for my future stays since this will be a monthly trip. So after I left, I emailed them and basically quoted "4.3.c.ii....Complimentary Enhanced Room Upgrade for Platinum Elite Members. Platinum Elite Members receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room subject to availability for the entire length of stay at the time of check-in. Complimentary upgrade includes suites..." I then shared the screen shots of the available suites (which weren't like Presidential or anything) and asked why didn't I, or any other PP guests, receive them.
The response was pretty good. They said they were confused on the new rules and have re-trained their staff. They did see I should have been upgraded. They gave me 1K points and refunded $100 to my card. I think they thought they had to but since I was checked out AND violations of that don't appear to be eligible for guest compensation, I definitely don't think they were required to do so. And maybe they did it out of the kindness of their heart.
Is there confusion on the wording I quoted? Best available room including suites (naturally excluding the uber fancy Presidential suites and all that) should mean that. And in my experience it rarely does. Probably was toolish of me to complain after the fact but really was just hoping to get better rooms next time I'm there.
Jan 23, 2019, 5:01 pm
#238
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 805
I recently stayed at the Seattle Renaissance for New Years and a Platinum Premiere Titanium, whatever it is. I arrived around 9:30 in the morning, not super expectant for a room but hoping they might have something, the guy in front of me in line got a room but they quickly told me they didn't have anything. No worries, there was a bunch of Etihad FAs and pilots checking out so I figured in a few hours they'd have something. I swing back by a little after 3 and am told the ONLY room they have available is a "very nice" ADA room.
I ended up getting to the room and discovering it smelled like a wet dog. I figured my girlfriend wouldn't be thrilled about me causing a scene with the front desk so I dropped it. The insult to injury was going into the app to discover they had everything from "upgraded" standard rooms to the "large" rooms available, yet they could only find me an ADA room.
I ended up getting to the room and discovering it smelled like a wet dog. I figured my girlfriend wouldn't be thrilled about me causing a scene with the front desk so I dropped it. The insult to injury was going into the app to discover they had everything from "upgraded" standard rooms to the "large" rooms available, yet they could only find me an ADA room.
Jan 23, 2019, 5:58 pm
#239
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
I recently stayed at the Seattle Renaissance for New Years and a Platinum Premiere Titanium, whatever it is. I arrived around 9:30 in the morning, not super expectant for a room but hoping they might have something, the guy in front of me in line got a room but they quickly told me they didn't have anything. No worries, there was a bunch of Etihad FAs and pilots checking out so I figured in a few hours they'd have something. I swing back by a little after 3 and am told the ONLY room they have available is a "very nice" ADA room.
I ended up getting to the room and discovering it smelled like a wet dog. I figured my girlfriend wouldn't be thrilled about me causing a scene with the front desk so I dropped it. The insult to injury was going into the app to discover they had everything from "upgraded" standard rooms to the "large" rooms available, yet they could only find me an ADA room.
I ended up getting to the room and discovering it smelled like a wet dog. I figured my girlfriend wouldn't be thrilled about me causing a scene with the front desk so I dropped it. The insult to injury was going into the app to discover they had everything from "upgraded" standard rooms to the "large" rooms available, yet they could only find me an ADA room.
Jan 23, 2019, 7:12 pm
#240
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 805
Have you stayed at the W down the street? I was originally going to stay there but when I tried to cut a day off my stay the price was going to be more than it was originally including the extra night.