Master Thread on non-compliant Suite or Upgrade Properties?
 

Are people finding properties that consistently don't provide Upgrades to Plat/Plat Premier/Ambassador members based on the T&C? I feel like there should be a master thread so people know. Is that too much?

My story: I'm LTPP and have spent ~ 225 nights at Marriott properties the last 3 years. I've previously outlined my upgrade rate is abysmal. I decided 2019 was the year I took action. I contacted Sheraton Indianapolis Keystone and they gave me $100 credit, 1K points and admitted they were non-compliant after putting me in a regular room with 4 suites available at my check-in. They indicated that they would be more compliant in the future now that they were fully aware of the T&C.

Last night, I checked into the Renaissance Schaumburg. For context, it was -25 yesterday and most business meetings have been cancelled. The hotel was really quiet. Rates were almost 50% what I normally see them be. The parking lot was empty. At check-in, I didn't get any type of upgrade. Not even a priority floor with 2 bottles of water. On the app, they showed 9 suites bookable. I emailed the hotel manager and my Ambassador and asked why I was given an interstate facing basic room at check-in "when the Marriott Rewards terms and conditions, 4.3.c.ii., states that Platinum Premier members are entitled to “receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room…” at check-in and this upgrade “…includes suites…”.

A front desk manager type called me in the morning. He admitted that they had 9 suites available last night out of 27 suites in their 500 rooms total. He said that they usually have 80-100 Platinum members in-house. I mentioned I was Platinum Premier and he stammered and said oh yeah I meant Platinum Premier. Does 20% of a hotel regularly being PP seem right? Not to me. He said last night it was 80. The hotel was a ghost town, parking lot empty, nobody ever in lounge, etc. Most work things were cancelled this week. I don't believe him when he says 80.

Anyway, beyond what I feel is a lie about Platinum Premier occupancy at 80, he stated that they do hold back suites the entire night in case they can sell them. I said the T&C state PP are to be given "the best available room at check-in....includ(ing) suites". He agreed the T&C said that but said their policy was to hold some back, all night, to possibly sell them. He admitted all 9 went unoccupied / unsold.

It seems unequivocal to me that this property was non-compliant. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but I think there should be a thread of non-compliant hotels with regards to a very clear upgrade policy. It is far more a matter of principal to me than actually getting a suite. I stayed the nights, I paid my bills. I kept up my end of the bargain. They need to keep up theirs. And there should be a thread with non-compliant properties called out so people can now and make choices based on properties compliance levels.

FWIW, the Westin in Downtown Indianapolis is terrific with suite upgrades. I've always received an upgrade to a Plaza Suite without even asking. It's a great option if your business isn't in Keystone/Carmel/Fishers and/or you don't mind being Downtown.

Instead of a thread about non-compliance that will never be updated when a property becomes compliant, IMO it would be best to place the non-compliant post in the specific property's Master Thread where additional updates would be provided when that particular property becomes compliant, if ever.

Otherwise, you may have post number 14 stating Acme Hotel is non-compliant yet they later become compliant and that is in post number 77. No one is going to easily find which properties are compliant and which are non-compliant in a massive thread of different properties.

That makes sense. Just feel there needs to be a level of visibility so people considering the property can know.

I can believe it. Schaumburg has a lot of corporations around it, so you'll get biz folk staying at the property. Road warriors usually have top tier status. So 20% of top tier doesn't seem a stretch to believe. If you were in podunk town it might be different.

Also agree w/ controller1's suggestion.

Cheers.

Review thread
 

I would just either do a Mini review or post it in the main property thread. That's where I go looking for that's type of information

Or you can create a wiki with property index and compliance record. Someone needs to keep it up to date though.

Marriott don't care. Unless we can show that road warriors and other big spenders are leaving, or there's a lawsuit, they aren't going to do anything. Their T&C's are completely worthless.

When I want to know whether a specific hotel does suite upgrades, I check the hotel thread, not some random wiki list of hotels that may or may not be current.

Perhaps ... but a name and shame thread for properties who ignore the suite provisions of the T&C is a good thing.

Personally, I don't find much value in TripAdvisor but hotels care about it. A narrowly focused review on TripAdvisor stating that the hotel isn't complying with program benefits for an Ambassador level member probably gets more attention than anything here on FT.

Hoping things are better post 8/18

If one of those nine was a select standard suite that was ready at your time of check-in, they failed you. The presence of other available suites means nothing. There may be multiple tiers of suites not part of the upgrade pool. The fateful T&C remark: Enhanced Room Upgrades are subject to availability and are identified by each Participating Property.

"Standard suite" limitations are a legacy SPC term or concept, i mean game, or something like that. That's not a term that was ever used pre 8/18 at legacy Marriott properties, although some certainly didn't upgrade.

The Sheraton Saigon has blocked off half the hotel for upgrades for elite members. Half the hotel has been renovated and they sell those rooms for me.
I pointed out that they weren't complying with the terms of the program and they acknowledged the best available room policy but the best they could do was offer me an upgrade for about $30 USD extra a night.
I also hear reference to platinum instead of platinum premier 90% of the time. I'd like to give people the benefit of the doubt and that they are just saying platinum because platinum premier is just too long. There's only 4 levels in the loyalty program you work for, it's not that hard that people wouldn't understand.
The introduction of titanium will solve it anyhow.

You got 'typical' service at the Renaissance Schaumburg. I stay there 5-10 times a year as I have lots of work in the area and my corporate rate there is really good. In the 30+ times I've stayed there I've received one upgrade. And that's after I said something at check-in about never receiving an upgrade at the hotel. It took the check-in staff 20 minutes to get me booked into a suite as he had to kick out someone other Plat elite already blocked for it. Why, as a frequent repeat guest with top tier status (top published at least at the time) I don't get an upgrade is beyond me. If it weren't for my corporate rate I'd look elsewhere. The standard rooms are fine and I can sleep as long as I'm not facing I-90.

-RM