The Ineptness Continues -- Insulting Email from Bonvoy
Nov 18, 2019, 9:48 am
#46
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,718
Ritz Carlton generally sits a category below St Regis hotels where they're both in the same markets. Not sure you're going to be happy if you're expecting better service...
Nov 18, 2019, 10:05 am
#47
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
My St. Regis experiences is with both St. Regis Chengdu, and St. Regis Zhuhai. Both times the services were blah, the butler subpar, thus I have given up on St. Regis. Didn't realized St. Regis is considered a notch up on Ritz. I guess I'll try St. Regis at other places for more anecdotal experiences.
Nov 18, 2019, 2:49 pm
#48
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: SJC (AA PLT 2MM - Marriott LTT - Avis Preferred)
Posts: 2,030
Okay, just to clarify, when I used the word "insulted" I didn't mean I'm making a capital case out of it. But telling me they were granting me a status I already earned (both for next year and for lifetime) as a token of appreciation just rubbed me the wrong way. It's like buying a $10 item, handing the cashier a $20 bill, and having him say "As a token of my appreciation for your purchase, here is $10," as he hands me my change.
Nov 18, 2019, 3:03 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
Programs: Lifetime Executive Diamond Platinum VIP with Braniff, Eastern, Midway, National & Pan Am
Posts: 17,482
So you don't particularly like Hilton's program or its properties but you're going to go out of your way to earn lifetime status there? Brilliant.
Nov 18, 2019, 3:10 pm
#50
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: 42.1% in PDX , 49.9% in PVG & 8% in the air somewhere
Programs: Marriott Ambassador Elite, UA 1K, AS MVP GLD 75K, DL Pt
Posts: 1,086
I awoke this morning to find an email from Bonvoy with the subject line "DJ_Iceman, You're Not on Track to Renew Ambassador Status" and a big header line saying "TITANIUM ELITE STATUS AHEAD". Here's the text following that: "It looks as if Marriott Bonvoy™ Ambassador Elite status is likely out of reach for 2020 — but as a token of appreciation for your loyalty, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status is yours for 2020."
The insulting part is twofold: I am already lifetime Titanium Elite, and also have actually passed the threshold to earn it even if I didn't have the lifetime status. So there's no "token of appreciation for my loyalty" at all!
What's disappointing, but not completely unreasonable, is that I'm currently sitting at 77 nights for the year and $22,240 in spend. I'm at 1,966 lifetime nights in the program. So they're correct that I'm unlikely to reach 100 nights by the end of the year, but wouldn't it seem like a smart business decision to offer to renew my Ambassador status? Wouldn't THAT be a better "token of appreciation for my loyalty"? Oh, well, maybe (even though I find Hilton's program and properties to be a step below Bonvoy's) it's time to focus on earning my lifetime diamond status starting next year...
The insulting part is twofold: I am already lifetime Titanium Elite, and also have actually passed the threshold to earn it even if I didn't have the lifetime status. So there's no "token of appreciation for my loyalty" at all!
What's disappointing, but not completely unreasonable, is that I'm currently sitting at 77 nights for the year and $22,240 in spend. I'm at 1,966 lifetime nights in the program. So they're correct that I'm unlikely to reach 100 nights by the end of the year, but wouldn't it seem like a smart business decision to offer to renew my Ambassador status? Wouldn't THAT be a better "token of appreciation for my loyalty"? Oh, well, maybe (even though I find Hilton's program and properties to be a step below Bonvoy's) it's time to focus on earning my lifetime diamond status starting next year...
I think your ego and your expectations will continue to be disappointed by Marriott and the Bonvoy experience. They probably couldn't keep track of the multiple lists you might be on and which one might supersede any other.
I guess if it was me, I'd just chalk another one up to their inept tracking/service, LOL
Nov 18, 2019, 5:02 pm
#51
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,196
My St. Regis experiences is with both St. Regis Chengdu, and St. Regis Zhuhai. Both times the services were blah, the butler subpar, thus I have given up on St. Regis. Didn't realized St. Regis is considered a notch up on Ritz. I guess I'll try St. Regis at other places for more anecdotal experiences.
STR Chengdu is bad? I am going to Chengdu soon and was deciding between STR & Grand Hyatt. Why bad?
Nov 18, 2019, 5:51 pm
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,040
No inept Emails for me. At 103 nights and $15k. Could easily do the extra $5k, but I am rather spending this with Hilton this quarter hearing how abysmal the ambassador service has become.
Nov 18, 2019, 10:41 pm
#53
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Explorist, Marco Polo Gold
Posts: 1,084
I almost universally will choose a St. Regis over a Ritz. Aside from giving titaniums free breakfast, I find the service better. That said, I do like Ritz as well and would stay there more if they gave free breakfast to tits and the IT system worked.
STR Chengdu is bad? I am going to Chengdu soon and was deciding between STR & Grand Hyatt. Why bad?
STR Chengdu is bad? I am going to Chengdu soon and was deciding between STR & Grand Hyatt. Why bad?
The staff does try their best, but overall, just anecdotally, not impressed.