Let’s be careful here. Had Marriott not bought Starwood, Anbang would have won and purchased Starwood. And now the SPG program would be sold off for parts to the highest bidder, as Anbang is now desperate for cash.

I wish the IT had been handled better, too. But I’m willing to bet that we’re in much better shape with new loyalty benefits and oppprtunities than we’d be if Anbang has bought Starwood.

Thats usually true. Yet they happen and will continue to happen. And sometimes they bear great fruit. For all the SPGers who cherished the SPG program, let’s not forget that it also arose from the mergers and acquisitions by Starwood Capital.

I understand the frustration of many. But I also knew the IT mess was coming. Everyone really did when we think about it. It’s just been more persistent and poorly handled than even we expected.

I said before that it was a boon for Marriott to merge systems in August 2018 rather than wait to try it in Jan 2019, the start of a brand new membership year. This is almost certainly why Marriott did it then. If you think people are running away from Marriott now, just imagine the fiasco if this were at the beginning of the year when EVERYONE is trying to qualify under new loyalty terms! At least in August, plenty of SPG and MR/RC elites already were qualified for serious elite status, and plenty more are close enough to elite goals that it encourages more to stay than leave. In Jan 2019, that wouldn’t be the case and there may have been a mass exodus.

For legacy Marriott elites, you still are getting Ambassador perks and established Plat Premier perks in this new pitiful IT universe than you were guaranteed in the old Marriott universe. The IT is a mess, but there are better benefits overall by a large stretch. Don’t forget that. It could have been worse if you had to wait until Jan 2019,

For legacy SPG elites, you still can qualify based on legacy SPG rules. The IT may not reflect your correct status through his ugly IT transition, but at least you know you will get it. Yes, the IT sucks, but the bulk of SPG hotels are still treating us in much the same way they did before. Let’s face it: the staff and management at most legacy SPG hotels are much the same today as they were prior to Aug 18.

For everyone who wants to run to Hilton and Accor and IHG, please let me encourage you! I don’t think you’re making a good choice in the long run, but I’m not in your shoes. Regardless, I think you’ll find the elite benefits and/or property portfolio pretty lacking in comparison with Marriott—especially if, like me, you prefer luxury and/or upscale properties. Their IT may work, but their customer service never was as good as that of Starwood, either. You’re running from one short term mess into perhaps longer lived ones. But your absence just makes it easier for those of us who stay.

I remember all those elites who abandoned United for American, only to abandon American for Delta, only for so many Delta elites to abandon Delta for American and United once they realized their miles were worthless and “operational efficiency” wasn’t always what it was cracked up to be.

In the end, Marriott is going to win as many or more than it loses.

I remember all those Americans claiming they’d move to Canada when so-and-so won an election. Yet the population of Cañada didn’t swell. Go figure.

Marriott bungled the IT, and Marriott bungled the response. But my post Aug 18 stays have all been wonderful (all at legacy SPG if it matters). So while annoying that the systems aren’t working as they should, my chosen hotels are still treating me just as well as they had been or otherwise would have been. My Ambassador has been spectacular in communicating with me and assisting me with the IT fiascos as much as she can, too.

People are welcome to complain, and Marriott deserves those complaints. But the hyperbole about Marriott’s impending doom because of a tiny fraction of FlyerTalkers is not moving the needle.

Well said, a spot on posting! I had the pleasure of staying for almost 30 nights in a dozen different properties since the integration and while there were IT hiccups (points posting only an average of 10 nights after the stay, App not available for booking...), I have experienced exceptional service at the properties in getting those IT problems/benefit questions fixed. There was only one negative experience during all those nights and that was a legacy SPG property, the Four Points Miami Beach which was disgusting and filthy and extremely poor service.