Unimpressed with real life experience as titanium
Nov 4, 2019, 1:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA NON flyer, LH Frequent Traveller, V/A Gold, HGP Diamond, HHonnors Diamond, GHA Black
Posts: 605
Unimpressed with real life experience as titanium
This is the second year I am qualifying as Titanium and will move back loyalty to Hyatt, in particular given their much improved footprint.
40 of my stays are at the same hotel, which I like the RC Geneva. I don't get free breakfast obviously there and also no upgrades (by request as 'good' rooms face the lake and the very noisy street). Not many problems here as a regular and my trips get credited without many problems,
On my Asian stays, I would say Marriott hotels do a good job. I do get what seems like the best available room including junior suites.
On European stays, it's a mixed bag, i usually get minor upgrades.
On US stays its a disaster. Never ever get an upgrade, have always been declined late checkout, the use of SNA always turns out as a disaster and 50% of nights dont get automatically credited and the amounts credited are often not in line with the bill.
Further, there is one thing Marriott totally misses and that is how more important it is to be well treated when tarvelling with the family. I never have problems getting connecting rooms are Four Seasons (they confirm at booking), nor frankly at hyatt (where I today have a meager discoverist status thanks to the CC). At Marriott hotels I always struggle.
Let me give you examples that happened just in the last 10 days.
We stayed at Edition Miami: I had stayed 6 months ago and was disturbed by my neighbor having a 10 people party until 5am. The manager apolodized and asked me to come back to be treated like royalty. We received the rooms that we had booked (no upgrade despite plenty of availabilities) AND our rooms didnt connect (were side by side). Sad knowing how many rooms connect at this property and how important it was to us.
We then stayed at the Edition Weho. The hotel was mostly empty between the fires and the smoke and the preopening phase, yet they had assigned us two rooms (basic), that again did not connect. The two rooms faced the noisy road (instead of the view rooms) and were on low floors. We had arrived at 10pm with exhausted kids so just took them but when I complained they offered me tons of solutions including suites connecting to rooms that had the views.
We then stayed at the JW Marriott Austin which was fully booked (F1 Grand Prix). I did receive connecting rooms (hurray!!) but they snatched my SNA to give me a.... standard room.
systems are all over the place.. Many bookings dont get credited. The number of guests are awlays wrong at confirmation...Its all a mega mess
Nice Upgrade
40 of my stays are at the same hotel, which I like the RC Geneva. I don't get free breakfast obviously there and also no upgrades (by request as 'good' rooms face the lake and the very noisy street). Not many problems here as a regular and my trips get credited without many problems,
On my Asian stays, I would say Marriott hotels do a good job. I do get what seems like the best available room including junior suites.
On European stays, it's a mixed bag, i usually get minor upgrades.
On US stays its a disaster. Never ever get an upgrade, have always been declined late checkout, the use of SNA always turns out as a disaster and 50% of nights dont get automatically credited and the amounts credited are often not in line with the bill.
Further, there is one thing Marriott totally misses and that is how more important it is to be well treated when tarvelling with the family. I never have problems getting connecting rooms are Four Seasons (they confirm at booking), nor frankly at hyatt (where I today have a meager discoverist status thanks to the CC). At Marriott hotels I always struggle.
Let me give you examples that happened just in the last 10 days.
We stayed at Edition Miami: I had stayed 6 months ago and was disturbed by my neighbor having a 10 people party until 5am. The manager apolodized and asked me to come back to be treated like royalty. We received the rooms that we had booked (no upgrade despite plenty of availabilities) AND our rooms didnt connect (were side by side). Sad knowing how many rooms connect at this property and how important it was to us.
We then stayed at the Edition Weho. The hotel was mostly empty between the fires and the smoke and the preopening phase, yet they had assigned us two rooms (basic), that again did not connect. The two rooms faced the noisy road (instead of the view rooms) and were on low floors. We had arrived at 10pm with exhausted kids so just took them but when I complained they offered me tons of solutions including suites connecting to rooms that had the views.
We then stayed at the JW Marriott Austin which was fully booked (F1 Grand Prix). I did receive connecting rooms (hurray!!) but they snatched my SNA to give me a.... standard room.
systems are all over the place.. Many bookings dont get credited. The number of guests are awlays wrong at confirmation...Its all a mega mess
Nice Upgrade
Nov 4, 2019, 1:56 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
One room with EIGHT guests? No wonder the hotel doesn't want to upgrade you.
Nov 4, 2019, 2:05 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA NON flyer, LH Frequent Traveller, V/A Gold, HGP Diamond, HHonnors Diamond, GHA Black
Posts: 605
Those rooms could never accommodate that amount of guests. 4 would be a stretch and there is no space for a rollaway. Its just another glitch in the Bonvoy system. Just confirms how poor their systems are. I had 3 guests at time of booking. Then applied SNA. And got this confirmation. 8 guests and SNA accepted and used for the room I had booked originally. Complete joke.
Nov 4, 2019, 3:19 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Join the club. My MR experience this year has gone from fewer upgrades and amenities to no upgrades and amenities to having to fight for breakfast to now where I rarely receive any acknowledgement of status, even verbally at check in.
I’m tracking specifically to just hit my 100 nights in case somehow they wake up and give Ambassador a big kick next year, but other than that every additional night is going to Hilton and I am rolling in their points.
I’m tracking specifically to just hit my 100 nights in case somehow they wake up and give Ambassador a big kick next year, but other than that every additional night is going to Hilton and I am rolling in their points.
Nov 4, 2019, 4:17 pm
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,416
Nov 4, 2019, 6:53 pm
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
Nov 4, 2019, 6:53 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
Nov 4, 2019, 7:08 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta Platinum, WN A-List Preferred, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 296
LT Titanium here. Exactly one upgrade this year (non-SNA) to the concierge floor at the JW in Chicago (which is closed on the weekends, soooo thanks?).
Stayed this past weekend at a regular Marriott in suburban Richmond, Va. Asked about upgrades. Said they could give me one of their "Stay Well" rooms...on the second floor. No thanks, especially since my profile requests a high floor.
OK, so you don't have any suites (there was a wedding in town, so that is plausible). How about a corner room?
No, sorry, but we can put you on the 6th (highest) floor.
Cool, so you can put me where I should have been in the first place? Excellent.
Is it a corner room? No, sorry, we don't have any.
Is it a slightly larger room? No, sorry, just a regular room.
OK, fine. I give up.
As the clerk is handing me the keys, his counterpart helping the guy next to me - who arrived a few minutes after me - hands HIM his keys, thanks him for his "silver" status and says, "Here are the keys to your 6th floor corner room."
That pretty much sums up my Marriott experiences of late.
So much for 25 years of loyalty.
Stayed this past weekend at a regular Marriott in suburban Richmond, Va. Asked about upgrades. Said they could give me one of their "Stay Well" rooms...on the second floor. No thanks, especially since my profile requests a high floor.
OK, so you don't have any suites (there was a wedding in town, so that is plausible). How about a corner room?
No, sorry, but we can put you on the 6th (highest) floor.
Cool, so you can put me where I should have been in the first place? Excellent.
Is it a corner room? No, sorry, we don't have any.
Is it a slightly larger room? No, sorry, just a regular room.
OK, fine. I give up.
As the clerk is handing me the keys, his counterpart helping the guy next to me - who arrived a few minutes after me - hands HIM his keys, thanks him for his "silver" status and says, "Here are the keys to your 6th floor corner room."
That pretty much sums up my Marriott experiences of late.
So much for 25 years of loyalty.
Nov 4, 2019, 7:27 pm
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,416
I might as a general proposition suggest that people who don't use the app refrain from offering commentary relating to the use of said app.
Nov 4, 2019, 7:32 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
FWIW, @ Marriott: Titanium = Platinum Premier
Proof:
Snip of the graphic from my magnificent Overview page:
Hover over the various links in the graphic shown and you find out that Marriott views the Titanium Elites as simply warmed over Platinum Premiers...
...and Ambassador Elites as simply Platinum Premiers with Ambassadors...this really makes me want to quickly spend $16,558 as soon as possible to get to be an Ambassador to get an Ambassador!
Some things really don't change.
David
Snip of the graphic from my magnificent Overview page:
Hover over the various links in the graphic shown and you find out that Marriott views the Titanium Elites as simply warmed over Platinum Premiers...
...and Ambassador Elites as simply Platinum Premiers with Ambassadors...this really makes me want to quickly spend $16,558 as soon as possible to get to be an Ambassador to get an Ambassador!
Some things really don't change.
David
Nov 4, 2019, 7:37 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: RDU
Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)
Posts: 2,650
I've only had US stays at Marriott this year, and late checkout was never refused. Upgrades have been a mixed bag, I'd say about half the time I've been upgraded in some form but rarely to something much improved over what I had originally booked.
The Marriott in Biscayne Bay did treat us very well with the upgrades though, the rooms (we had two stays) were excellent.
The Marriott in Biscayne Bay did treat us very well with the upgrades though, the rooms (we had two stays) were excellent.
Nov 4, 2019, 9:16 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,742
As you mentioned, things are generally better in Asia. In another thread, the one about eating dinner in the lounge, someone mentioned that the food options in Asia are generally higher quality and more plentiful, enough to make an actual dinner.
Nov 4, 2019, 9:29 pm
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: En Route
Programs: Many
Posts: 6,798
Maybe it's because you have two rooms and they don't want to upgrade both? I don't know, people's experiences seem to vary wildly, I am not even Titanium and my stays this year have resulted in:
Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui: No upgrade, NYE at or near capacity
Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong: Offered upgrade to Harborview Club Suite for very little $
Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain: Upgraded to Club room
JW Marriott, Baku: Upgraded to larger sea view room
Al Bustan Palace Ritz-Carlton, Muscat: No Upgrade
Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Singapore: Upgraded to 1-BR Millennia Suite
Ritz-Carlton, Abu Dhabi: Offered an "upgrade" to a smaller, shabbier room declined it in favor of originally booked class
Protea Hotel Walvis Bay Pelican Bay: No upgrade
Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans: No upgrade, but needed a room with 2 Kings, so not sure any other classes fit the bill
Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco: No upgrade
Hotel St. Louis, St. Louis: Upgraded to a Suite
W Los Angeles West Beverley Hills, LA: Upgraded to a larger Suite (booked a smaller suite)
W Chicago: No upgrade, but again, needed a room with 2 Kings, not sure other classes had this
Ritz-Carlton, Chicago: upgraded from executive suite to Lakeside Suite
Four Points by Sheraton, Mexico City: No upgrade
Ritz-Carlton, Budapest: Upgraded to a Suite
St. Regis, Moscow: Upgraded to a Suite
Ritz-Carlton, Moscow: Upgraded to larger room with Red Square View
Le Meridien, Munich: No upgrade, Oktoberfest, sold out
Westin Grand, Munich: No upgrade, Oktoberfest, sold out and needed a room with 2 beds
All stays entry level room class unless otherwise stated, so upgraded 55% of the time with 35% of the stays getting an upgrade to a suite or from a smaller suite to a larger suite.
Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui: No upgrade, NYE at or near capacity
Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong: Offered upgrade to Harborview Club Suite for very little $
Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain: Upgraded to Club room
JW Marriott, Baku: Upgraded to larger sea view room
Al Bustan Palace Ritz-Carlton, Muscat: No Upgrade
Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Singapore: Upgraded to 1-BR Millennia Suite
Ritz-Carlton, Abu Dhabi: Offered an "upgrade" to a smaller, shabbier room declined it in favor of originally booked class
Protea Hotel Walvis Bay Pelican Bay: No upgrade
Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans: No upgrade, but needed a room with 2 Kings, so not sure any other classes fit the bill
Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco: No upgrade
Hotel St. Louis, St. Louis: Upgraded to a Suite
W Los Angeles West Beverley Hills, LA: Upgraded to a larger Suite (booked a smaller suite)
W Chicago: No upgrade, but again, needed a room with 2 Kings, not sure other classes had this
Ritz-Carlton, Chicago: upgraded from executive suite to Lakeside Suite
Four Points by Sheraton, Mexico City: No upgrade
Ritz-Carlton, Budapest: Upgraded to a Suite
St. Regis, Moscow: Upgraded to a Suite
Ritz-Carlton, Moscow: Upgraded to larger room with Red Square View
Le Meridien, Munich: No upgrade, Oktoberfest, sold out
Westin Grand, Munich: No upgrade, Oktoberfest, sold out and needed a room with 2 beds
All stays entry level room class unless otherwise stated, so upgraded 55% of the time with 35% of the stays getting an upgrade to a suite or from a smaller suite to a larger suite.
Nov 4, 2019, 10:05 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: SPG Platinum
Posts: 1,686
Le Meridien Saigon constantly thanked me for being a Platinum over the weekend - even when I messaged them via the app to request an extra pillow. Now this is a property that knows how to treat elites properly ... but experiences in the US and UK have been pretty underwhelming since the merger.
Nov 5, 2019, 1:21 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,097
LT Titanium here. Exactly one upgrade this year (non-SNA) to the concierge floor at the JW in Chicago (which is closed on the weekends, soooo thanks?).
Stayed this past weekend at a regular Marriott in suburban Richmond, Va. Asked about upgrades. Said they could give me one of their "Stay Well" rooms...on the second floor. No thanks, especially since my profile requests a high floor.
OK, so you don't have any suites (there was a wedding in town, so that is plausible). How about a corner room?
No, sorry, but we can put you on the 6th (highest) floor.
Cool, so you can put me where I should have been in the first place? Excellent.
Is it a corner room? No, sorry, we don't have any.
Is it a slightly larger room? No, sorry, just a regular room.
OK, fine. I give up.
As the clerk is handing me the keys, his counterpart helping the guy next to me - who arrived a few minutes after me - hands HIM his keys, thanks him for his "silver" status and says, "Here are the keys to your 6th floor corner room."
That pretty much sums up my Marriott experiences of late.
So much for 25 years of loyalty.
Stayed this past weekend at a regular Marriott in suburban Richmond, Va. Asked about upgrades. Said they could give me one of their "Stay Well" rooms...on the second floor. No thanks, especially since my profile requests a high floor.
OK, so you don't have any suites (there was a wedding in town, so that is plausible). How about a corner room?
No, sorry, but we can put you on the 6th (highest) floor.
Cool, so you can put me where I should have been in the first place? Excellent.
Is it a corner room? No, sorry, we don't have any.
Is it a slightly larger room? No, sorry, just a regular room.
OK, fine. I give up.
As the clerk is handing me the keys, his counterpart helping the guy next to me - who arrived a few minutes after me - hands HIM his keys, thanks him for his "silver" status and says, "Here are the keys to your 6th floor corner room."
That pretty much sums up my Marriott experiences of late.
So much for 25 years of loyalty.
