Marriott Suite Upgrade Policy (New)

Old Dec 11, 2019, 12:06 pm
  #391  
 
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Originally Posted by RobOnLI
Maybe this is why upgrades have become impossible now...

I checked into a Fairfield on the east coast today. The first room assigned to me reeked of smoke (I think someone in the room next door, adjoining, was smoking). Back to the lobby and the FDA tells me there are no more of my room type on the top floor. She types away for a while and then tells me she can upgrade me to one of the larger rooms. The conversation then goes something like this:

Me: "So do Titaniums no longer get automatic upgrades?"
FDA: "Oh, not really. I just finished training and the training says not to provide upgrades unless the guest asks for it and we have a room available at the moment they check-in. Also, we're kind of told to upgrade the guest only when they are clearly pushing for it."

Wait, what? Not trained on it? I didn't press to see if this is a property-specific issue but since the FDA was new I don't think she'd know.

I guess I have to go back to asking for an upgrade each and every time. Gone are the days of getting upgrades in advance of arrival by the room assigner in the morning.

-RM
I have found this too. When I ask I seem to get an upgrade. But amazingly wasn't offered it prior to asking. Sort of like, it's not standard practice at all hotels. That said, some hotels still do it in advance, so it's not a chain-wide thing. For example, Westin LA upgraded in advance and thanked for loyalty while SLS Beverly Hills required me to ask and was given suite immediately thereafter. Already had keys in my hand to a standard room though... asked just as I was walking away from desk.

At least SNA cleared this week... nice to see that working/clearing. Fingers crossed next SNA clears and I'll actually burn all SNAs this year (which will be quite the feat)
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Old Dec 12, 2019, 4:00 am
  #392  
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Originally Posted by LDNConsultant
Have heard this a lot in US properties as well as major international markets (e.g. London/Paris). For short work related trips (e.g. 4-5 days) I'm not going to raise a fuss/issues about it but if its a long work trip (2+ weeks) and/or holiday related.... le sigh
Yeah we don't need a suite when it's only Mr. or just us, but with the kids it would be nicer to have something bigger - that's why we don't ask for upgrades when we don't have a need for it.

Originally Posted by ohmark
Why not name the property? Some folks will avoid property, if they know. Revenue will no longer be maximized.
I think I named it after I stayed there on FT - it was quite a few years back and I think they have changed the GM since so no idea what's like there now. That's why I don't want to name that hotel.

I can understand the reasoning behind the not upgrade anyone: if someone knows that he/she will be upgraded then they won't be booking those suites. The hotel is losing $ by doing this - except that you don't come back, but again if the price is low enough or the destination is popular you will probably come back anyway.
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Old Dec 12, 2019, 10:53 am
  #393  
 
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Careful requesting an upgrade at check-in. I've had a FD agent say "sure!" and proceed to change my reservation to a suite at the suite rate. You have to be sure to say "complimentary."
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Old Dec 12, 2019, 11:02 am
  #394  
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I had a case recently with a new hotel where as an AMB/LTT i wasn't given any sort of upgrade initially. I asked and was immediately reassigned to a higher (larger) room category, with one king bed as I had booked. When I then specifically asked if their <entry level suite category> was available, and remarked that I had seen it available on the Starriot/Bonvoy website, I was given the suite. I asked when I wasn't assigned to the room initially and the response was that they didn't know that I wanted an upgrade, at which point I said that of course I wanted and expected my elite benefits to be honored all the time. No apology.
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Old Dec 12, 2019, 11:04 am
  #395  
 
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Originally Posted by ohmark
Why not name the property? Some folks will avoid property, if they know. Revenue will no longer be maximized.
+1 I checked in Westin Jersey City Newport this week (Monday check in and checking out on Friday) and I guess with only 3 Marriott properties within Jersey City (Westin/Courtyard/Residence Inn) - the Westin gets quite a bit foot traffic.

Checked in Monday night and IT systems were down. So the FD agent had to manually look-up any available suites (which the FD agent stated there was about 5-6 suites available for upgrade). After 10 minutes the GM came in and inquired if I was looking to change my rate (which was already $500 a night due to demand) and when I mentioned "No" she basically told me there was no availability for complimentary upgrades.

I might have to come back to JC again for 1-2 more nights but might go to Residence Inn instead....
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Old Dec 12, 2019, 11:08 am
  #396  
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NO, go to a Hyatt or Hilton instead please.
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Old Dec 13, 2019, 8:12 pm
  #397  
 
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Originally Posted by LDNConsultant
+1 I checked in Westin Jersey City Newport this week (Monday check in and checking out on Friday) and I guess with only 3 Marriott properties within Jersey City (Westin/Courtyard/Residence Inn) - the Westin gets quite a bit foot traffic.

Checked in Monday night and IT systems were down. So the FD agent had to manually look-up any available suites (which the FD agent stated there was about 5-6 suites available for upgrade). After 10 minutes the GM came in and inquired if I was looking to change my rate (which was already $500 a night due to demand) and when I mentioned "No" she basically told me there was no availability for complimentary upgrades.

I might have to come back to JC again for 1-2 more nights but might go to Residence Inn instead....
Funny, Westin JC was one of my only real upgrades this year (by real, I mean an actual suite, not some deluxe room indistinguishable from others). And I didnt even have to request. I guess like most things, it is very dependent on what FD agent is working at any given time.
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Old Dec 16, 2019, 7:28 am
  #398  
 
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Originally Posted by Mr. BoH
Funny, Westin JC was one of my only real upgrades this year (by real, I mean an actual suite, not some deluxe room indistinguishable from others). And I didnt even have to request. I guess like most things, it is very dependent on what FD agent is working at any given time.
I been really good on upgrades both personal/work related - but last week in JC all the hotels were fully booked and that happened. The hotel is a lot nicer than the Courtyard across the street
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Old Dec 16, 2019, 7:53 pm
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Originally Posted by RobOnLI
Gone are the days of getting upgrades in advance of arrival by the room assigner in the morning.
Huh. Must have been a Starwood thing; I'm LTT and have been Plat for 10 consecutive years with ~2450 nights over umpteen stays and I think maybe a half-dozen times I'd gotten an upgrade I didn't have to proactively do something to get.
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Old Dec 16, 2019, 8:14 pm
  #400  
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One would think a hotel would want to upgrade elite members to suites if the occupancy rate is low for the night. I would think they would have an easier time giving you an upgrade which would potentially garner some goodwill with guest and return your original room (likely at a lower rate) to the available pool which might encourage a last minute booking and generate more revenue for the hotel. More likely than someone booking a suite at the last minute.
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Old Jan 11, 2020, 4:54 am
  #401  
 
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Marriott IT Mess

What is going on with this Marriott Reservation System???


We have stays coming up in NYC, Washington DC, Guangzhou and Chengdu this year. We have already emailed each property and requested a complimentary upgrade with our titanium status. Many of the properties mentioned above were kind and upgraded us to a suite and we were ecstatic. For example, our next stay at the Aloft Long Island City Manhattan View, the generous staff had already upgraded our points reservation to the Breezy Penthouse suite last November (Confirmation Number 74638203). However, when I logged into my account this morning, everything had changed back to the basic double room. We had already spent time emailing each property writing numerous reviews based on our valuable experiences on TripAdvisor. Now with this glitch, we are starting from scratch.


We have been loyal members for years, but the merge is making things harder and harder which should not be the case. We are also diamond members with the Hilton chain and the glitches seems to happen more often on the Bonvoy side post merger. By the way, all of our reservations made with cash stayed the same, this strictly applies to point or annual award reservation.
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Old Jan 11, 2020, 5:23 am
  #402  
 
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Originally Posted by calculus1918
What is going on with this Marriott Reservation System???


We have stays coming up in NYC, Washington DC, Guangzhou and Chengdu this year. We have already emailed each property and requested a complimentary upgrade with our titanium status. Many of the properties mentioned above were kind and upgraded us to a suite and we were ecstatic. For example, our next stay at the Aloft Long Island City Manhattan View, the generous staff had already upgraded our points reservation to the Breezy Penthouse suite last November (Confirmation Number 74638203). However, when I logged into my account this morning, everything had changed back to the basic double room. We had already spent time emailing each property writing numerous reviews based on our valuable experiences on TripAdvisor. Now with this glitch, we are starting from scratch.


We have been loyal members for years, but the merge is making things harder and harder which should not be the case. We are also diamond members with the Hilton chain and the glitches seems to happen more often on the Bonvoy side post merger. By the way, all of our reservations made with cash stayed the same, this strictly applies to point or annual award reservation.
That has nothing to do with IT glitches, especially the automatically award repricing glitch that has been widely reported recently.

The Titanium upgrade benefit is valid only at check-in and only if there is availability for the entire duration of the stay.

Pre-upgrades are just tentative and may change or revert at any time due to a variation in projected occupancy or a higher demand for (paid) suites than originally anticipated. Unless one has a property giving a firm confirmation in writing for a courtesy upgrade (which I seriously doubt any property would do, save for very exceptional reasons) one should not count or rely on any pre-upgrade showing up on the booking details.

Upgrades may happen for a variety of reasons other than loyalty benefits (oversold room category, marketing, commercial arrangements, etc). Rooms and room categories get assigned and reassigned several times as need may be. A plat upgrade is only confirmed at check in and up to that moment anything can happen, including having a pre-upgraded reservation reassigned to the room category originally booked.

As were often told on this forum: if one needs or requires a suite for ones stay, one should book and pay for a suite.

Last edited by MePlatPremier; Jan 11, 2020 at 6:03 am
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Old Jan 11, 2020, 8:49 am
  #403  
 
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Originally Posted by MePlatPremier
That has nothing to do with IT glitches, especially the automatically award repricing glitch that has been widely reported recently.

The Titanium upgrade benefit is valid only at check-in and only if there is availability for the entire duration of the stay.

Pre-upgrades are just tentative and may change or revert at any time due to a variation in projected occupancy or a higher demand for (paid) suites than originally anticipated. Unless one has a property giving a firm confirmation in writing for a courtesy upgrade (which I seriously doubt any property would do, save for very exceptional reasons) one should not count or rely on any pre-upgrade showing up on the booking details.

Upgrades may happen for a variety of reasons other than loyalty benefits (oversold room category, marketing, commercial arrangements, etc). Rooms and room categories get assigned and reassigned several times as need may be. A plat upgrade is only confirmed at check in and up to that moment anything can happen, including having a pre-upgraded reservation reassigned to the room category originally booked.

As were often told on this forum: if one needs or requires a suite for ones stay, one should book and pay for a suite.

I'm not so sure about this. When this happened, it modified all of my 4 reservations at the same time (NY in Feb, D.C. in April, and China in June and July). When I sent the alert regarding the changes to the hotel in Shanghai last year, they told me the system automatically does this in the beginning of the year. Here is the email from Jan 21 of 2019:

Greeting from Courtyard by Marriott Shanghai Central!

The system has helped you to change the room type, but we have helped you to note the check-in requirements, please rest assured.

Best regards

After the email, my room type changed back to the suite and stayed the same until Jan to my check in date (suite was recognized of course).
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Old Jan 11, 2020, 9:54 am
  #404  
 
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Originally Posted by calculus1918
What is going on with this Marriott Reservation System???


We have stays coming up in NYC, Washington DC, Guangzhou and Chengdu this year. We have already emailed each property and requested a complimentary upgrade with our titanium status. Many of the properties mentioned above were kind and upgraded us to a suite and we were ecstatic. For example, our next stay at the Aloft Long Island City Manhattan View, the generous staff had already upgraded our points reservation to the Breezy Penthouse suite last November (Confirmation Number 74638203). However, when I logged into my account this morning, everything had changed back to the basic double room. We had already spent time emailing each property writing numerous reviews based on our valuable experiences on TripAdvisor. Now with this glitch, we are starting from scratch.


We have been loyal members for years, but the merge is making things harder and harder which should not be the case. We are also diamond members with the Hilton chain and the glitches seems to happen more often on the Bonvoy side post merger. By the way, all of our reservations made with cash stayed the same, this strictly applies to point or annual award reservation.
Did your reservation number change? When legacy SPG properties moved over to the Marriott system, I lost the upgrade I paid for in advance at the St. Regis Bora Bora. An extra email or two was needed to rectify that.

I've also seen that happen with a complementary upgrade that I secured in advance, the property fixed it without hesitation at all once I notified them.
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Old Jan 11, 2020, 11:54 am
  #405  
 
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Same issues as last year, the confirmation number stayed the same. I just emailed the property in Guangzhou and this is their response:

We already assisted to update the room type to the Club Grand Suite for your Conf########.



If you have further request, please feel free to contact us.

I guess when requesting upgrades, make sure to do it at the end of January in case of the auto reset (the surprising thing is that it only did it to my point and annual night reservations, the $ reservation upgrade remained the same) at least in my case, good luck everyone!!!
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