I've just completed several stays with the Marriott chain in Asia and I was upgraded to the Executive Floor at Renaissance Harbour View in Hong Kong as a lowly Silver (three times in December). I've also been upgraded to Executive Floor ocean view rooms at the JW Marriott Hong Kong (all times in December-February). Similarly, the Conrad Hong Kong upgraded me to an ocean view Executive Floor room every time I stayed there.

I've also stayed at the Marriott Shanghai and the Renaissance Yangtze Shanghai and had absolutely no recognition of my Silver status (not even late check out was granted). I was also at the Renaissance Harbour Side Vancouver and was upgraded to an junior suite on a weekend rate.

All in all, if it were not for the lack of Starwood properties in Hong Kong I would not even consider staying with MR. I simply get more elite recognition with SPG. I also consistently find their customer service superior to that of MR.

I'm also very displeased with MR because of this, and have switched most of my business to Starwood and Hilton as a result - meaning a loss of well over $10K for Marriott this year. In over 150 nights with Marriott in the last couple of years, I have only received any upgrade of ANY sort at the following three hotels:

1. Renaissance Sydney - unsolicited upgrade to a great harbour view club room
2. Marriott Waikiki - heavily solicited upgrade to a corner ocean view room (required a great deal of effort)
3. Renaissance Seattle - somewhat solicited upgrade to a corner room

I have never received a suite from Marriott. Hyatt, Sheraton, and even Hilton both offer regular upgrades, including (in some cases) suite upgrades. Why can't Marriott do better here?

-Zombie-

My best room upgrade as GLD so far has been to a "Junior Suite" on the 32nd (?) floor at the Marriott SF Downtown on a 1-night stay.

It was a huge suite with separate living, dining, and sleeping areas. The dining room had bay windows wrapping ~180deg, giving a cool panoramic view of the East Bay and Bay Bridge at night.

My experience with most Marriott properties is similar to everyone else. Occasionaly get an actual room on the "C" level but have gotten very few "real" room upgrades. The most consistant were from the Sawgrass Marriott in Jacksonville. All but one time I received a suite in the villa's section and twice i was given the Presidential Suite in the main building. Huge corner 3 room suite, even had a grand piano in it. I felt like a BB rolling around in a boxcar. And of course I was not travelling with my wife at the time, and she whould have really gotten a kick out it. On vaction we did get a large 2 room corner suite in Cancun. Turns out the GM at the time was someone I knew from the Panama CIty, Panama property and he recognized my name on the check in list that day.

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former EA exec travler, AA GA. US Gold. Current DL MM, PM Marriott PL, SPG PL, Hilton Gold HH

I am Platinum . Very rarely do I get offered a suite. To be honest I would rather be in a nice room on the con floor and have turned down suites in exchange for one. ( on stays 2 nites or less)

I just got another suite upgrade at the Chicago Renaissance this week. Even nicer than the suite I had a few weeks back - this one is a corner suite with a lot more room (but only one bathroom).

This is the first Marriott property I've ever stayed at that seems to consistently provide Platinum suite upgrades.

I am only a lowly gold but I received a sustantial upgrade at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston to a 1 Bedroom Suite on the top floor of the hotel. I didn't even ask. WHen I went to the registration desk to check in the gentlemen on duty said "Let's see if we can get you a little nicer room". Next thing I know I am opening the door to a gorgeous suite. I was flabergasted. Needless to say when I went down to go to9 dinner I made sure to stop by the desk and express my deepest appreciation to the desk clerk who gave me the upgrade.

While not a suite upgrade, I did get an upgrade to a very large corner room on the C level at the Buckhead JW Marriott in Atlanta while staying there on a Free Weekend Night award. It had a great view of the downtown skyline and I appreciated the gesture.

Upgrades to a suite are not impossible; just unlikely, and at the whim of the particular Marriott or the desk clerk. Those of you who are platinum or gold and reporting upgrades, what about your other Marriott stays? In other words, is the upgrade you are reporting typical of your Marriott stays, or the exception to the rule?

I usually get upgraded to the conceirage floor when at Marriotts as a Platinum. On Sunday at the Denver Gateway Airport Marriott I was upgraded to a one bedroom suite on a free weekend stay.

I must say I was impressed that I got the upgrade.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I've had better luck geting upgraded to suites overseas.

Most recent: November-December, upgraded to suite, Munich Mariott Renaissance

January - Upgraded to suite, Marriott Grosvenor Square*

Not all Marriott stays get the upgrade to suite, but at least some do.

*(Since the January trip to London, I've mainly been in Starwood properties, so have no more recent experience.)

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

I always appreciate your posts Socrates.

However, as much as I hate to say it, I don't understand this one. Are you saying that upgrades to suites should, or should not, be occurring?

So this means Marriott properties no longer have to offer Platinum members an upgrade to a suite if available, right? This would be consistent with the treatment I have received over the last several months at various Marriott properties, however, if this is Marriott's official position, I think they can count on a mass exodus of its most loyal customers! What this means for me is I'll shot for 50 nights per year at Marriott to ensure concierge level access, but my other 100+ nights will go to someone else (*wood), who knows how to treat their Platinum members!

[This message has been edited by OHNO!NOTUAL (edited 08-20-2003).]

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]