:)

I do understand what you guys are saying but personally I just don't think its a big deal. Comfortable bed, hot water and a working internet and I'm happy as they come ;)


*But I've traveled less the last couple years and am only gold.

Wothington in Dallas
 

I have been staying at the Worthington in Dallas which is a Marriott Renasaince (sp) property since early in December. I am a platinum premiere and have been upgraded to a suite about half of the time.

Could the upgrades be because you are a regular hotel at this particular hotel?

Must agree. Pretty disappointing. As a long-time Plat and new PP, I'm 0/4 on any sort of upgrade whatsoever as a PP. Granted, a non-managed property.

I completely missed any notice that I was PP several years ago--only discovered my wondrous status a few years later when I came across the Marriott card that said PP.

Having said that--I got a LOT of significant upgrades during the year I had PP status.

Best by far was the Presidential Suite at the JW Marriott in Rio.

That alone made PP worth everything it took to get there....

Nada
 

As a platinum I dont get upgrades much either. Last year and the year before I spent around 200 nights in Marriotts each year but so far I only got one real upgrade and sadly all it really was was a room with a couch in a FS marriott. Other times I got a CL upgrade but lets be honest thats not an upgrade the rooms are exactly the same as any other floor. I have never been PP and obviously are not missing a thing. But I feel for the original posters irritation.

Since I'm often characterized as an extreme apologist for the Marriott world (and, yes, I continue to see and do empathize for properties which suffer economically) I must confess that I - low maintenance me - was flustered by what happened to me at a large, Las Vegas property.

As a PP, I don't expect or press for upgrades. In fact, at least one property (which once put me in a Presidential suite) has me on a no upgrade list (all an upgrade means to me is the opportunity to sleep on the couch which, in itself, is a long story.)

Anyhow, my "profile" lists as a preference a king sized bed. Any number of times, I have been put in a room with two double beds. I don't usually think anything of it - it means a bed for me and a bed for my bag.

But, recently, at the Las Vegas property, the desk clerk made a big fuss about how she had been unable to put me in a room with a king bed for my two night stay. Hmm, not someone who "overlooked" my profile, someone who just couldn't or wouldn't accommodate it. I told the clerk - who told me about her resume of fairly significant jobs at any number of large city properties - that it wasn't that big a deal to me but wasn't I "guaranteed" a king bed? The clerk allowed that the "guarantee" only applied to the check in amenity. She allowed, however, that she would check with the manager and would get back to me the next day.

Well, neither she or the manager ever got back to me. The following week, I faxed the manager a letter from an Atlanta property. The desk clerks in Atlanta vetted my letter and agreed that it was most respectful. I provided with my fax a copy of the rules pertaining to "room choice." I allowed that I wouldn't be adverse to the property throwing a few points my way for my trouble.

If the clerk hadn't made a big deal about NOT giving me a king sized bed, I would never have said a word. But, unfortuntely, I never got a response back of any kind from the Las Vegas property (I'm being nice and not revealing which one it was - but it was full service.)

So. . .just something from someone who usually supports Marriott in the tough decisions it and its properties sometimes have to make: no, there is not and probably never will be uniform application of "benefits" across the platinum and platinum premier levels. My experience is - like others - that it is very much property specific.

Some folks out there - and you know who you are - probably can take heart in that sometimes I can't figure out or justify what a particular property does (though, usually, I do give folks the benefit of the doubt.)

Property: Marriott Marble Arch
Stay: 2 nights, (36 nights in 2009)
Greeting: One of the least personable and most miserable greetings I've ever had in any hotel, anywhere.
Upgrade: Yes On Exec Floor with Sofa
Other: Although I booked the miles as my Plat bonus, there was a half bottle of decent wine, cooling in an ice bucket with a lovely cheese plate waiting in the room.

If you are talking about the JW, they are VERY in tune with the rules. As yes, we are guaranteed our room bed choice size.

If this was the JW, I am very surprised. I have stayed at this property several times and have ALWAYS been placed in one of the suites at the end of the hall (2 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, huge multi part living room, patio, and wet bar) without asking. They are also known for waiving spa fee's and providing breakfast coupons. This is actually one of our favorite off strip locations. My little sister lives about 15 minutes north of here and its a perfect location.

I've posted for years that there were no real tangible benefits for this 'prestigious' level.

Back when I fist got to PP I read all the info available and basically the 'benefits' are:

1. Special phone line (which actually appears now to be the Platinum line answering as Plat Premier).

2. Some special offers

3. A promise of Marriott's 'best' service.

One other thing that has probably been long forgotten, until the last system upgrade in the fall of 2007 we called one number and they could handled all of our issues/problems. They could handle reservations and rewards. Now you get shuffled off into the rewards queue if you have an issue there.

So the definition of Marriott's 'best' service is the issue.

I am sure that I will be shot at for this, but I will say it anyway. If you do not ask for your upgrades, you often will not get them! I make it a a point to call the hotel if I want an upgrade, two to three days before I check in, and ask for rooms control, and tell the person in charge of doling out rooms what I want, and why I am entitled to it. I also tell them that I understand that it is not guaranteed, that it is only if it is available, and I thank them. It is simple, if you do not ask, you will not get.

Put it in another context, to compare it to the other upgrade that we all know so well, being upgraded to the front of the plane, which is generally a much more automated and computer controlled process, being upgraded to better rooms of whatever type in Marriott is NOT generally automated, or computerized, the whole rooms assignment process is done essentially manually, so there are many opportunities for failure, or favorites, etc.

The actual card and letter for 2010 are due to arrive sometime in late February based on what I was told in mid-January when I called to inquire about the card and actual benefits. I was told that the card and letter were going to start to be processed about a week after my call.

Interesting topic - mostly considering that i never got an email nor a welcome packet in snail mail.

... i just logged in one day to see my status changed.

so yeah > if that is any indication of the respect that MR gives you as a top 3% customer - Sa-weet!!

<insert addiitonal sarcasm here>

Just discovered I was PP
 

My experience with PP ....

-no one tells you about it when you get it ... you have to notice it when you log in (assuming you book online) ... this is truly fundamentally sad : Marriott Rewards is MARKETING program designed to attract more business by recognizing good customers ... they are wasting money with the program if they don't communicate properly about it. A simple email like Mr Marriott send for the holidays/new year etc would be a good step ...

-there isn't any clear straightforward benefits at PP over regular Platinum ...
again goes to the point above : why bother with a program like MR if you are not going to leverage it ...

-the vast majority of my stays last year were a CY with heavily discounted weekend rates (I was a huge fan of the AAA 30% promo and I am still hunting for AAA, MEB or F5X more recently) but even at that CY where I am very well known at the front desk no one even bothered to mention it let alone celebrate it by upgrading me at least once (given the emptiness of the parking lot over weekends earlier this year I would be shocked to hear that no upgrades were available)

MR still remains more valuable than the quasi non-existant car rental programs but this PP at Marriott is very strange ...

The OP's question is fair.

But I suggest that what MR promised implicity, not explicitly, may be more relevant. If MR has a much vaunted status, there is an implicit promise of something that is wonderful. I think herein lies a lot of PP's dismay.