Just stayed a number of days in S. Calif at a Marriott and Ren. Checked in and asked for a generally placed room, and was given one on the opposite end of hotel than my request. The Marriott did not place me on the Concierge level. I guess I am being whiny again. Absolutely NO recognition except at check-in for any elite. Hyatt outshined Marriott in every way on previous trip. Just the little things make a difference... Anyone feel the same.

Interesting observation. I have had hits and misses with all chains but I want to provide a recent counter experience:

I checked into the Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port Hotel this month and didn't mention my status at all and was staying on points. I was upgraded to a junior suite with a view of the ocean and thanked for being a platinum.

Things to consider:

1. Was the hotel sold out?
2. Was the room considered a better view/better amenities/could be considered an upgrade?
3. Could a group have been booked into a block of rooms in that general area (for example a high school sports team)?
4. When did you arrive?
5. When did you place the request?
6. How did you place the request?
7. How busy was it during check-in?

There are so many things that can come into play. Did you ask why they placed you opposite of your requested location?

Was your Platinum number in the reservation? Did they provide the Platinum welcome amenity?

I don't really stress too much about whether I'm physically on the Concierge Level - but I certainly expect them to acknowledge my general room preference (which happens to be high floor, away from elevator). Although Marriott's not known for doling out big upgrades to Plats, for me they have always been extremely good at getting the general preference and bed/smoke correct.

Starwood, on the other hand, seems to give me a greater mix of true suites but generally less Platinum recognition in other ways. More of their properties have no Plat breakfast option, nor do they offer the food/bev option upon arrival. I don't sneeze at 500 Starpoints...that's $20 to me...but when it's the wife and I we kind of enjoy the wine and cheese.

With Hyatt, I only stay at Hyatt Place in a couple of places where our company uses that property. I'm impressed with that brand...my stays have been good even though I have no real Hyatt status.

It's hit and miss for me. Overall I think being plat is not a big deal and not worth the effort for the small amount of nights I travel. If I were a true road warrior I am sure the status would be more beneficial.

I always ask for it. I have not been upgraded but when I have seen my room I promptly go back and ask if they have something better. If they say that they do not have anything better, then I just tell them to cancel the reservation of a suite I just made and to give me that suite. Worked at least 2 times. : )

I feel like that's going against the unwritten rules of life. Maybe it's just me but I play by a different set of rules.

Thanks for all the chatter back. Regarding my room placement. Based on placement of USA today papers at 0630 the following morningl, there were exactly two of us on the corridor of say 30 rooms, C-lounge had nobody in it the following morning.

The recognition I did get was a 630am call on a Saturday morning (un-ordered) to tell me what the weather for the day would be.

Hyatt, the prev week had the concierge call me and thank me for staying, how they appreciated my business and to come back soon. Weekend Lounge was open, and just a total feeling of gratefulness.

Plat number in my profile, I think it is just how Marrirot is.... Not enough to never stay there, but just looking for a barometer of feelings from others.

Since upgrades to suites are not part of the Marriott rewards program that is an interesting approach. I would think this strategy would make the front desk mad and you wouldn't be treated very well the rest of your stay.

What happened all the other times besides the 2 you were upgraded to a suite?

This has never happened to me. Come to think of it, wake up calls are almost 100% automated. Their system must have been screwed up. You should let them know. You care to mention the property name?


I guess Hyatt treated you much better. If I were you, I'd take my business to where people appreciate me.

Sorry, you had a bad experience. This is NOT how Marriott is. I know, I spent plenty of nights with them. Do you care to mention the name of the property so that can compare experience? Anyway, you get one barometer.

This is really lame, book two rooms and cancel one to get the better room. Is getting that upgrade really that important?

Why can i see hotels changing the cancel time from 6 PM day of arrival to 1 day before or 3 day's before if this shady practice continues.

I just returned from a two-week trip to Asia, and was upgraded to suites (without asking) at the JWM Shanghai, JWM Bangkok, and HKG Airport Marriott. In each case - especially in Bangkok - it was a great surprise and really appreciated.

Since the OP provided an update in the exec lounge thread (much appreciated btw), my guess is the 2 properties are the Long Beach Marriott & the Long Beach Renaissance, and the Long Beach Hyatt (although the Hyatt one is just a guess on my part).

FWIW - I'm in the don't really care that much if I'm on exec level, as long as I have lounge access. Of course it helps if the lounges are open, which both LB ones weren't according to the weekend report (but of course are during the week).

Cheers.

+1. That's a shady practice...enough so that I can see a hotel noting your account as someone who does this, thus limiting your upgrades in the future.

Agreed... The more I think about this thread, the more I wonder if it was just a low-energy front desk clerk. No real vocal "Thanks for your Platinumness!" welcome...generally, Marriott clerks don't do this. If your floor only had 2 occupied rooms, the clerk may have thought he/she was doing you a favor: I can see them putting a Plat member on a relatively empty floor on purpose. Again, I don't think the lounge floor itself is important as long as they key the card right for access.

+2 its just crazy.

1. 2 papers on the floor means nothing. marriott stopped giving everyone a paper months ago to be cheap, err... green. yeah, to be green...

2. the ONLY way I could condone the "reserve a suite to game an upgrade" would be if you made the reservation _after_ you checked in and didn't like the room you got. If I (Plat Prem) was denied a suite upgrade after asking, got a crappy room, went online and found I could make a res. for a suite for my length of stay, I'd be tempted... This scenario doesn't quite fit the poster's story though.

I have pretty good luck calling the hotel beforehand and asking if they could do something nice because "my wife is coming with me this week and she rarely travels with me and i never get an upgrade when she comes with me so i decided to call and ask first. oh, and it's our anniversary/birthday too..." I stay at one property about 60-70 nights a year and the staff there takes very good care of me....