La Tache

I recently selected suite night awards as my Platinum and Platinum Premier choice benefits, I have 20+ upcoming paid stays booked and every one of them is currently showing "Suite Night Awards cannot be used for this reservation."

Selecting the Learn More option in the reservation it elaborates "Suite Night Awards cannot be applied to this reservation because there may be not Standard Suites or other premium rooms available during your selected dates, or the hotel may not participate in Suite Night Awards." (There should be a copy editor reviewing these statements)

I understand suite night awards are not a guarantee, but being unable to request them on any of my upcoming stays is another slap in the face after this chaotic merger. (None of my stays post Aug 18 have posted.)

A sampling of my upcoming stays not accepting SNA requests: RC Hong Kong, RC Tokyo, RC Marina Del Rey, RC Laguna Niguel, RC Rancho Mirage, RC Orlando, JW Austin, JW Hanoi, Marriott Marina Del Rey, W Atlanta.

UA-NYC

SNAs can't be used at RCs. Because even bringing all the brands together, Marriott still is allowing for RC to not offer the full suite of benefits to loyals.

La Tache

Thanks for the information, I must have missed that in the T&C's. It's asinine that I can't redeem SNAs I earned at RC properties at RC properties.

bhrubin

RC hotels don't accept SNAs. But the other brands in your list do. The likely problem has to do with the continuing issues with Marriott IT since the merger on Aug. 18. I know that the W Atlanta accepts SNAs on qualifying rates, and I know that JW and Marriott brand hotels accept SNAs now, too. It's just that Marriott's IT isn't working properly for many hotels.

FWIW, in the SPG universe, there also were several times where the spg.com site indicated I couldn't apply SNAs--but I could. There just was a glitch. My Ambassador applied them for me with no issue at all even if I couldn't from the site. The Platinum line can do the same for you eventually with reservations, too, once the IT issues get sorted.

quinella66

There are still IT issues since the 8/18 program merger with SNA’s. I just used one successfully at St Regis Bal Harbour though even though it was applied the reservation online said that it couldn’t be applied.

If you can’t use it online and you know it may be possible (eg not RC) then call to find out.

Strange that RC does not give the full benefits of upgrades and breakfast while St Regis does. Having stayed in both I would take St Regis for sure as a higher level of luxury and service, and it is a no brainer if they are better at providing elite loyalty benefits.

hockeyinsider

I am very happy to now experience St. Regis properties. A client of mine that I produce events for is obsessed with the perceived status of staying at a Ritz-Carlton property, but always complains about the lack of elite benefits. Yet, he keeps going back like a battered wife. I did three events over three consecutive 3-night weekends for him at the Ritz-Carlton in San Juan about a year ago. We did something like 130 room nights over 9 calendar days. No upgrade for the client nor myself, not even lounge access.

MilesTalk

You will need to call to have SNAs processed in many (most) cases at the moment.

GUWonder

There indeed has been something in the Ritz-Carlton culture that has often led to a ridiculous under-valuation of the volume of business given to the hotel by many of its bigger money-providing customers. Maybe customer appreciation will get better with this loyalty program integration, inclusive of its anti-customer shenanigans and corporate bungling, but I'm expecting that this legacy RC culture is more powerful than I'd like it to be.

quinella66

Wow, that is pretty frugal. One would think that they would reward the loyalty of giving them such business. In my last 6 or so stays there, the St Regis has upgraded me at least half of the time, and the last upgrade (post-merger) was from a points reservation (base room - selling for about $750/night) to a Royal Suite (almost 2,000 sf and selling for about $2,400/night). I have received the full breakfast buffet every time, both before and after the merger. In my experience, St Regis has gone beyond even what the stated Platinum benefits were expected to be.

CPRich

I received the "sorry, you can't use SNA's" many times with SPG properties over the years, for no apparent reason. Ambassador/phone call always took care of it. Perhaps SPG's IT errors just carried over.

markko

Ritz-Carlton isn't the only excluded brand. From the T&C (section A.12 in the Annual Choice Benefit section):

SkiAdcock

Well in fairness, a # of those listed don't even have suites and/or are timeshares, so basically the only ones excluded that might have suites are RC and RC Reserve (which really doesn't participate in MR anyway).

Cheers.

SkiAdcock

Will be interesting to hear your report on St. Regis wrt upgrades/lounge access. Would be a good marker for those moving forward. Also, even St. Regis (including lounge access) has changed post 8/18.

You talk about the past wrt RC but haven't posted the success level for upcoming events at St. Regis.

BTW - are you talking about elite bennies just for you & client or for those that also book at RC/StR. My guess is you both are more concerned about your own skin in the game vs. others (understandably so - no diss there, but based on your prior posts in the MAR forum more about you).

FWIW - I think saying here's what I or client got as upgrades/bennies after booking 3 events/130 rooms is a whole different ballgame than the averageFTer staying at StR/RC for a couple of nights. Apples to oranges.

Cheers.

hockeyinsider

I have no idea what you mean by "wrt."

For what it's worth, I always negotiate my event contracts so that anyone in the group with elite status can receive their full status benefits, including upgrades, if they pay individually at the contracted group rate.

If a Ritz-Carlton won't extend a courtesy upgrade, either because of elite status or because of the volume of business you've given them over three consecutive weekends, then I doubt anyone walking off the street and staying a couple nights at the cheapest Marriott.com rate will get an upgrade either.

I have an event at a St. Regis property in December. 50 room nights over three calendar nights.

jaycis

"with respect to"