MR defections
 

Was on the Starwood forum and a little suprised at how many fellow Flyertalkers who are/were MR elite members that have become so unhappy that they are/have defected to SPG.

I should add that I travel just enough most years to make it to the MR Silver level and have been happy with the overall MR benefits and promo's compared to the other chains. And having stayed at many brands, I prefer the overall Marriott experience over the others. That's why I keep going back, after all.

But is there really a growing level of frustration with the higher MR elite members that could turn a trickle into a flood? And is anyone at Marriott doing anything to answer these concerns?

I am one of those defectees if you could call me that since I already have 98 nights at Marriott this year. But lately I have been trying to stay at SPG properties (37 nights so far this year) if possible (they simply don't have as many as Marriott, specially in suburbs). But it seems as if Marriott isn't trying hard enough to keep my business. For instance, the free weekends don't do anything for me. I do not want to stay at a hotel if I don't want to. I'd rather be in my bed on the weekends. So this promotion is worthless to me, specially since its not even transferrable. At least then I could give them away to friends and family. The 500 (now 1,000) point online booking promo at SPG is great, in fact its more points than the points 2 paid nights would generate on average. To me points are much more valuable. Since points do not expire, maybe I will use them when I have a job which does not require extensive travel or maybe I'll use them on my honeymoon if I were to get married. SPG gives a 50% bonus to elites relative to Marriott's 30%. I have gotten upgrades more often at SPG properties than Marriott ones even though I have probably spent 10 times the number of nights at Marriott. I still get above average level of service at Marriotts and its consistent for the most part, but there are not many occassions at Marriotts that I would call outstanding. Maybe its that level of consistency thats getting to me - green, red and yellow rooms with green chairs (yikes). I have begun to enjoy the individuality of SPG hotels (although Renaissance hotels are fairly individual). Another reason to switch to SPG is that hotel points can be easily converted to airline miles that too with a 25% bonus when exchanged in larger numbers. Maybe I am just points/miles greedy, but it seems like Hilton and SPG understand that and Marriott does not. Its not like that I don't like Marriott. Marriott is still my back-up chain; though I have more nights year-to-date at the backup than the primary chain. A minor reason to avoid Marriott properties is the Neutrogena soap which makes the skin very dry. Renaissance however has great soap.

I have not defected yet, but I am seriously looking at taking the leap to Hilton or Starwood. I hope there are some MR marketing folks watching because the business is transferring and once they lose me, I am gone for good.

I assume that you are talking about this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/004755.html

Anyhow, I defected... As a MR Platinum, I have yet to see a suite (via upgrade).. as a Starwood Platinum, it is rare when I do not see a suite.

But the real reasons I defected were the lousy reward availability at Marriott as well as the very generous Free Friday, Free Saturday Promos at Starwood. I was rarely able to book a Marriott Rewards room at the property I wanted, when I wanted, even when planning months in advance. With Starwood, I have always gotten an award booking the property I wanted, when I wanted (and I don't have to worry about paper certificates either)...And lets face it, there are no Category 1-4 hotels anywhere worth redeeming free weekend certificates... I wanted to use one in Manhattan, but no category 4 hotel. Starwood, on the other hand, allowed me to use my free weekends at almost all the Manhattan properties...

But Marriott still does beat Starwood hands down on the high speed internet access, and the *more reasonable* local telephone rates

[This message has been edited by uschpr (edited 08-17-2002).]

I dunno...

Is the grass greener on the other side?

I have 83 nights so far this year with Marriott. I have managed to find a Marriott or Fairfield etc in every city I have traveled to, with the exception of Brattleboro, VT and Portales, NM.,

In Brattleboro, I used my Priority Card with the Holiday Inn and they upgraded me to a jacuzzi suite :-). I didn't even have to ask. When I checked out, they had charged me double but they quickly credited my account.

There was a Hampton Inn in Portales...clean, comfortable...

I guess it becomes a question of expectations. I would like it if Marriott recognized me as a very frequent traveler, and offered goodies (more than just 2 cans of soda), but they don't. Would I switch as a result? I don't know.

I guess it boils down to convenience. I know them, they know me, it takes 1 call to book...it's easy to stay, and requires "action" to leave.

If I could defect, I would. I find that SPG has better overall customer service than Marriot. Unfortunately, my company has a strict preferred hotels policy and mandatory use of the corporate travel agent (so no booking bonuses) so I'm not able to take advantage of the offers that SPG and even HHonors has.

But of I had a choice, I wouldn't be staying with Marriot. It also rankles me that I have to *fax* my missing stay request and for almost every stay. SPG and HH has email/web submission, but for Marriot I have to fax international from SIN to AUS. Drives me nuts.

[This message has been edited by fimo (edited 08-17-2002).]

I defected from Marriott partly because my (very large) company dumped Marriott as a preferred hotel making it difficult to stay there. Starwood and Hilton are both preferred now, so I have made Platinum at Starwood and now stay at Hilton, with a smattering of Holiday Inns (so far so good) in the areas where I don't have access to either.

Ditto... we are no longer allowed to book Marriott - so I moved to Hilton and have been happy happy .. however I am still happily using my MR points - just cashed in a couple of 100K for a nice trip next spring...

SimonC

I've got no allegiance really. I split my stays equally among Hilton, Marriott and Starwood, with a few Hyatt's here and there if the rate is especially good for the property.

If you are thinking about defecting to SPG from Marriott but do not relish the thought of starting out with no status, I still have a few Gold membership referral cards that are yours for the asking (first-come/first-served). The card is yours to enjoy until February 2004. Plus, if you complete 5 stays by October 31, 2002, you also get 5,000 bonus starpoints. Also, if you book those stays on a SPG website by August 25, 2002, you get an additional 1,000 bonus starpoints per booking (regular 500 starpoints per Internet booking applies after 8/25). So, you end up with SPG Gold status with all its attended benefits including immediate room upgrades and late checkouts and potentially 10,000 bonus starpoints in your account. E-mail me with your name and snail mail address. However, if you think you might try to take advantage of the current 1,000 starpoints Internet booking bonus promotion, please so indicate and I will be only too glad to expedite your sign-up by e-mailing you the instructions for activation of your new card. Sorry, my fax machine is broken.

Short answer.....yes

I'd be curious to hear from Starwood as to whether they have noticed an influx of seasoned travelers at their properties. Likely no way for them to know, but it would be interesting if it is just a small number from this forum or if it is widespread departures. My gut tells me it isn't prevalent or we'd see Marriott stepping up the promo's, making sure points post and offering competitive benefits.

I have been Plat with Marriott since 1994 and I was booked into the Hyatt in SF by the corporate travel folks so I called Hyatt and asked if they would match my elite status. They asked me to fax a statement and, lo, I am now a Diamond member. I really am preferring Hyatt to Marriott, and with George Bush's recession hitting San Francisco very hard, I'm staying at the Park Hyatt for $102 on weekends and the Hyatt Regency for $114 during the week. I'm looking forward to earning enough points for a stay at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, a far better hotel than anything Marriott has to offer

Injecting politics into a debate of chains...perhaps if you'd choose a state of residence that embraces capitalism more...you'd be on the front end of recovery from the Clinton recession.

Darn and everyone else had told me it was Clinton's recession.... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Sometimes its necessary to bring a state back to the real world.....


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AA member since 1981