Originally Posted by bhrubin (Post 31419759)

Too many people are thinking about Ambassador as only being about having the actual Ambassador to help you out. That was particularly important with SPG and in the pre Feb 2019 launch of Bonvoy, since Ambassador guests weren't considered a higher actual status tier.

That changed on Feb 13, 2019, with the introduction of Bonvoy. As of that date, Ambassador was not only a person to assist us but an actual higher status tier.

Once all the Bonvoy portfolio properties had their systems updated, they all now can see our Ambassador status well before we arrive. With SPG, properties had no idea about us being so "elite" and our Ambassadors had to contact properties on our behalf in order for us to get the better benefits and better elite treatment.

Not any longer. Now we no longer need to rely on our Ambassadors to contact properties on our behalf. All properties know our Ambassasor status as soon as we book; that allows them to pre-upgrade us and prepare for us in ways that weren't possible or as likely before.

That's why I already am pre-upgraded to a Macassar Suite at the Prince de Galles Paris...for our stay in October. On an award stay. My Ambassador didn't have to do anything. The hotel just saw that I am Ambassador status and a returning guest--and upgraded me.

That's why I was pre-upgraded to suites at the RC Coconut Grove, RC Georgetown, StR Bahia Beach, RC Boston, StR San Francisco, RC Bacara Santa Barbara, RC Half Moon Bay, LM Cambridge, LM Arlington, LM Philly, Sheraton Philly Univ City, FP NYC Chelsea, FP NYC Midtown, CY New Haven, Sheraton Hartford South, Ren Providence, Sheraton Boston, etc. All since Feb 13.

Ambassador status matters now. A lot.

In addition, we all have our Ambassadors to help us whenever we need them. And they've been getting a lot better for a lot of Ambassador elites as the service has reassigned better people to the program and moved less impressive people to other duties.

Originally Posted by Kacee (Post 31418305)

My sense is that Ambassadors get better upgrades. As Titanium, I'm getting fewer really great upgrades than I did as a Plat.

The StR San Francisco is at near full occupancy for most summer weekends, not surprisingly. That isn't about your Ambassador status not helping you as much as the fact that the hotel you choose has less availability for upgrades at the time of your stay.

Where are your other 60 nights at US hotels, if I may ask?



It is most interesting to me that those in our verified group of Ambassador elites tend to have much better success than those reported here on FlyerTalk. But i can say that there are many who in our group that also don't get targeted. Of course, the only promo to which I was targeted for double elite nights was superfluous--as I would have reached my 100 nights without that by this month, anyway. So I was targeted most likely to make me "feel better" about that which I was expected to reach without it anyway. So it cost Marriott nothing. Targeting is about statistically trying to influence our behavior based on our past behavior and statistical models. It isn't personal.



Your triple occupancy requirements perhaps are better met by Hilton or Hyatt or IHG then? If not, then this issue isn't a factor where Marriott is more or less different from any other group?

YTD I’ve stayed at:

The Nines
Hi-Lo (Portland)
Courtyard JFK
Hotel Adagio
Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf
Park Central SF
Westin Gurgaon
ITC Rajpitana
Sheraton Grand LA
LM Barcelona
Hotel Alfonso XIII
Sheraton Midtown MSP
W MSP
Westin Costa Mesa
StR SF
Q&C (New Orleans)
Magnolia (St Louis)
Noelle (Nashville)

With a few exceptions, not much of anything in the way of special treatment at any of the US properties.

As for triple occupancy; I have no idea if it is easier or harder at those other chains. If I want I Hyatt I book in cash through one of their elite agents. I avoid Hilton. What I do know is that it was never an issue under SPG.

Yeah I understand but it happened more than once, I’ve also been underwhelmed this year and I think Marriott has an issue “differentiating” Titanium. It’s all marketing, with very little on the ground incremental benefits over Platinum or even what you might get as a Gold. Don’t kid yourself.

Originally Posted by bhrubin (Post 31421493)

You've largely stayed at hotels with very few suites proportionally (or even in absolute number). So it's not exactly surprising that you've had so few suite upgrades.

Originally Posted by acrophobia (Post 31423358)

I understand that, which is why I attributed lack of upgrades largely to travel patterns above. That said, I’ve realized few other benefits of the AE status in the US (again, very different story outside the US). No special treatment, no goodies in the room, nothing proactive from Ambassador, no special promos, etc. I get that you and others are happy with your experiences. Great. It’s been a little lackluster for a lot of us too.

I encourage you to join us as previously mentioned so you can see for yourself that my very positive experience is hardly unique. I also encourage you, as we do often do in the verified group, to speak with your Ambassador about your disappointments and discuss how those can be remedied. If that doesn’t work, then asking for a change of Ambassador is absolutely appropriate.

It’s also worth noting that not so great hotels are the actual culprit when not getting special treatment or goodies in the room. That isn’t about your Ambassador but is about your hotels not executing on your obvious Ambassador status. All hotels now know well in advance that we are Ambassador status...so any misses at the hotel are because the hotels aren’t executing on their end what they should be doing and have NOTHING to do with anything your Ambassador did or didn’t do.

I’ve been generally pleased with my Ambassador status. I had a couple of blips early on, but have found my Ambassador quite helpful in resolving account discrepancies, of which there have been several. I’ve had only one SNA request declined, and with or without SNA’s, have had some wonderful, above-and-beyond upgrades.
My main disappointment has been Your24, for which I am 0 for 2 (I’ve only asked when I REALLY wanted it) and which, I’ve gathered from my Ambassador, have proven elusive for her clients generally.
Without having any Titanium experience as such, I can’t really compare, but am generally content.