kalo93406

There are many comments already on the forum addressing this. You might want to click on search and search "upgrade". It can be automatically given, but can also try to request it before by call, before by email, by chat, at check in. Read the forum, you will find different ideas. Good luck.

Edit: It would be "noted", because most times the hotel is not going to actually allocate the upgrade to your friend until check in as they could sell that room up until that time....

orville nmn wright

thanks for your suggestion. I did search ("upgrade" in the Marriott Bonvoy forum). If there's a specific answer to my question, please point it out, because I didn't find it. Let me phrase my query differently: would it make a difference if I specifically asked for an upgrade rather than just expecting that I'd get one if available?

Antarius

In the last year or so, I have received maybe 5 suite upgrades (over 150+ nights). 3 of those were at a single property. Some places give me an upgraded room, others dont.

I dont really push the issue or ask as I'm by myself for the most part and never use the extra space. Check in, put up MAGC sign and that's the extent of my requests.

one thing I do appreciate is that I have a request for a high floor as part of my profile and almost every single time, that is what I get.

escape4

Let's say a hotel has the following room types:
1. Basic
2. Deluxe
3. Junior suite
4. Regular suite
5. President suite

If you book #1-2 it is pretty clear that if #3 is available at check-in then an ambassador guest (or titanium, plat) should get an upgrade to #3 according to terms & conditions. However what if you book #3 and that #4 is available, are you technically eligible for an upgrade, or because you already booked a suite then the hotel can decide to upgrade but they don't really have to?

Personally if I book #4 I would not expect an upgrade to #5 (rate differences are often huge) however it seems far more realistic to expect an upgrade from #3 to #4 . Some hotels do so proactively, but if a hotel refuses, are they in breach or not?

kaizen7

Kacee

So this is a very easy question. Per T&C, the property is supposed to upgrade you to "best available room," including suites. Assuming 4 is in their upgrade pool, yes you should get upgraded from 3. Same answer if 5 is in the upgrade pool. If it's not, then 4 is as high as property is obligated to upgrade. Some properties may stop at 3, but they're gaming the rules (not that Marriott will do anything about it).

My overall experience is that the better the room I book, the better my upgrades are.

Paren

I'm getting a little annoyed by this...

I see suites available and then I'm greeted with resistance from front desk staff whom I have to remind them I'm a Titanium.

E.g.

1) Marriott Twickenham didn't even look at my status and offered no upgrade until I asked. They then said they can give me a better room and suites were not available. I got to the room and checked on the app to find that suites were indeed available. As I was checking out the following day, I didn't bother to go down to ask for a change of room. But I made this very clear in my Marriott review after which I received an email from the GM saying they will upgrade me to a suite next time.

2) Cardiff Marriott Hotel - after the above experience, I was prepared and checked suite availability as I reached the hotel. Upon check in, the suite magically disappeared as somebody right that very minute apparently checked in and none were available. This may be true but it seems a coincidence and that 3rd party sites were still accepting reservations for suites. The suite then became available again some hours later.

3) Renaissance Manchester - They upgraded my room, I asked if suites were available (I checked the app and they were at this point), they said no. I said the app shows availability. They said I'm "only staying for 2 nights". I said "So?". They said they need to 'check with housekeeping' and went out the back to apparently make a call. They came back and said it'll be a 30 minute wait for a suite or I can go up now to my upgraded room. I said I will happily wait for the suite. They then immediately produced the keys for the suite (no 30 minute wait)!

Has anyone else had this?

Is it reasonable for me to ask for suites if I think they are available?

thanks

JBord

It's reasonable to ask, but it's not reasonable to expect that you deserve one just because you see it's available.

Some suites are excluded from upgrades at properties.
You're not the only person checking in that day. There could be another Titanium (me ) or an Ambassador they plan to upgrade. Your stay may overlap with someone checking in tomorrow with a higher status that they're reserving the room for (not sure how many properties are advanced enough to do that).

And by the way, if you're checking 3rd party sites they may not be 100% accurate. At least check Marriott's site...even there I've made a last minute reservation only to get to the hotel and find out they have no rooms, because there's some kind of delay in sycnhing the hotel's system with the corporate reservation system.

It never hurts to ask nicely though.

ComplexAnalysis

Very reasonable, but agree with the other poster that you will not always get a suite, even if there is availability.

TBH, I have no faith* in Marriott properties providing consistent upgrades anymore unless you book through a travel agent / Virtuoso, reach out to the property beforehand, or ask the front desk like you did.

Note: I may be slightly biased, as I moved 90% of my future stays away from Marriott after a few bad experiences earlier in the year.

ryw

dimon84

Twickenham is such a dumphole. They never upgrade anyone even to better rooms let alone suites. My last stay I had a bed with unchanged linen full of hair from previous occupant. Never again!

Paren

Thanks. I don't expect it if they simply tell me why it's not available, E.g. if it's reserved for another member like you say, but often I'm left to feel like they are not upgrading me for the sake of trying to sell the room.

Haha agreed, I would not stay there again for a few issues I experienced - the only reason I booked it was because the location was good for my meeting.

kaizen7

About apps availability, I believe it was capable to be updated in real time. (barring any IT issues on either end)

But then I some hotel deliberately left sold out suites as available to prepare for any last minutes cancellations and maximise revenue.
Afterall they could easily send those last minute suite buyers to higher cat suites if necessary (or upgrade some lucky elites further to free up the regular suites)

And about hotel resistance to upgrade elites, it comes down to few major factors.

Management being stingy and refuse to upgrade elites
FD who cant be bothered to check other rooms availability and just send the elites to whatever room assigned to the elites
or, hotel are genuinely full.

But then for properties that could create suite out of thin air giving you suites after being asked, I believe they just simply reluctant to upgade elites.

EuropeanPete

SkiAdcock

This.