Upgrade policy T&Cs - hotel choosing not to upgrade to suites?
 

I'm a PPE+Ambassador.

I regularly stay at a property in Sydney that never (or seldom) upgrades me to a suite - I think once in the past 20 stays. I quizzed the ambassador desk about this today as availability was wide open, but was surprised at their response. Have I missed something? I didn't think hotels could choose to exclude all suites from their upgrade pool? (for reference, the SNA pool for this hotel includes several suites beyond the base category).

Initial response from Ambassador desk:

Upon referencing the T&Cs, follow-up reply from Ambassador desk:

Which property is this in Sydney? I've never received an upgrade to a suite at the Sheraton on the Park on numerous stays so I'm not surprised if this is the hotel you're talking about.

the Marriott certainly upgrades to suites and I was always upgraded there to an opera view suite both as a legacy plat premier and now under the new program.

This was just addressed w.r.t. another property in another thread. Properties are not allowed to exclude suites from the upgrade pool. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...osta-rica.html. The issue is getting Marriott to crack down if you're not Gary Leff and/or don't have David Flueck's direct dial.

Please name and shame.

And fyi, I have gotten suite upgrades at Sheraton pre Aug 18 (didnt get one post and they said full) and did get suite post Aug 18 at Marriott.

My experience is the exact opposite. Sheraton on the park and Westin almost always upgraded me to their exec suites since 2008.

My friend on the other hand (who is a regular poster and avid brg'er) said that she stayed at a legacy MR property in sydney and their upgrade is horrible. a non-suite higher floor room with a view of technically the Harbour bridge. But she had to stick her cheeks against the window to see the bridge.

I often get suite upgrades to Sheraton on the Park (my preferred property) - and usually buy-up offers from Westin (I rarely stay there - but I've done the buy-ups as I'm fairly sure suites would not be available). I've not stayed at any of the other properties.

i'm sure this won't be the last we hear of something like this....at this point there are 2 properties we know of & unless this is corrected (like marriott cracking down on the jw guanacasta costa rica) there will be many others that follow....

in the other thread there were some posters who thought the sky was falling while others thought people were overreacting....the reality is that this situation falls somewhere in between the 2 reactions....if the properties go unchecked then other properties will try to implement similar policies....if they are corrected then the likelihood of others trying something similar is greatly reduced....

My personal opinion - and just an opinion, is the louder the guests get on suite upgrades - the sooner that benefit will go away unilaterally. I just think many hotels don't want to do the upgrades - and they have a much louder voice (they can leave Marriott = $$$'s)

Well, it already has gone away unilaterally, without repercussion, if no one speaks up. "Thank you sir, may I have another" as we get flogged for simply asking for what the program promises is not out of line. Presidential-esque tantrums at the front desk, probably out of line.

David Flueck, senior vice president of loyalty <[email protected]>

I've always been moved to the Club Floor at both properties in Sydney but never received a "Suite".

I've had very good luck at the legacy MR property but ... I was a Plat Premier when that meant something. Of course, it depends on availability and longer stays make it more difficult to get an upgrade. The problem with the "suite" upgrade is that I suspect at 30 percent of many hotels guests on a given night are platinum or higher. Good GM's will identify their top tier guests and upgrade them before arrival and that's my experience at the legacy MR in Sydney. Of course, as a repeat guest, I'm suspect I get some additional priority as well.

It would be helpful if the OP could identify the property.

AFAIK, SPG never systematically identified the eligible suites (select standard suites) by property (not by count, nor declared room type/floor/view). Not every suite was part of the upgrade pool. They never identified standard free night award room types/counts, either. You can learn to live with these ambiguities or find another program.