Platinum upgrades
 

As a business traveler I frequent the same properties and am treated well. I am traveling, in May, to Harbour Beach in Florida. It is a suprise trip for a special occasion. I have heard great things about how the treat Platinum members from access to the spa and wine in the room. I have heard not so great things also, such as no recognition and not being upgraded. As a vaction this is new to me and I want to make it extra special. Any advice? Should i speak with someone before hand? Thank you for your help!

You may send an email to request for an upgrade but really don't count on it. Access to spa and wine in the room? Never been treated like that...

per the MRs T&Cs, upgrades for P/Gs are generally based upon availability at checkin although some, including myself, have had success in obtaining upgrades pre-arrival.......
and, there are several existing threads on this topic found by using the search function w/o requiring a new thread to be started.........
BTW, since this prop is listed as a "resort" they are exempt, if they so desire, to provide you certain plat benees......

The one time I stayed there, was on points on a saturday night - I got upgraded to the presidential suite - didn't even ask - they just upgraded me :D

This is the exception to the rule, don't get your hopes up.

It can never hurt to call and speak with the FD manager and explain you are coming for a special occasion, and the hotel might be more likely to give you a nice upgrade and other benefits. This is especially true if the hotel is under 80% occupancy for the dates you will be there.

Elite Coordinators
 

At the end of 2011 I stayed at Marriott’s Harbor Beach. At the time they had two Elite Coordinators. I worked with Richard Amparo. He did an excellent job in providing a memorable experience. If he is still around, he will take good care of you. Syntax for email is [email protected]

Richard Amparo -Elite Coordinator

He wears a white linen jacket. Nice.

+1 Sorry to pop OP's balloon, but as a Plat last year I received zero repeat 0 suite upgrades. Yes they will make sure you don't get the worst of the house, but don't count on much more.

It certainly can't hurt to send a request a few days in advance of your stay. But I don't think the front desk even bothers to look at these when pre-assigning rooms, unless you are some kind of VIP. And Plat isn't one.

FYI. I have stayed here twice over the past 4 years. Both times I reserved the lowest rate room (no view) & both times I was upgraded to a partial view room. For what its worth, I've been a PP every year since it was created about 11 years ago.

It really depends on the property. I'm currently staying at the same property for several months now and was upgraded to a suite several times. Some FD staff go through the list of "elite" members and upgrade their rooms.

If the hotel isn't booked up, you may have a chance at an upgrade.

Be aware that as a resort, the hotel doesn't have to follow the rules that normal Marriotts do.

Still, I have stayed once at the hotel, with my family. The front desk agent was going to put us in a standard room, but (with no coaxing or Bens on my part), upgraded us to a high floor with a one bedroom suite. Supposedly the same floor that Mr Marriott stays at when he comes to visit at Christmas.

Email the Elite coordinator, and I'll bet that he will take care of you if possible.

Of course, status as a resort is irrelevant to the upgrade benefit and the normal upgrade benefit applies regardless of resort status.

Two hotel stays this year, two suites, including at the hotel I am staying at now, Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa, suite on the executive lounge floor, checked in Wednesday, 2/20/13, staying until Monday.

OTOH, in the last year, I've gotten several upgrades to suites/jr. suites. The two most memorable were in Paris - both Renaissance properties.

It helps if 1) you're traveling off-season when hotels are lightly booked, and 2) you're only staying one night (meaning that it wouldn't foreclose potential revenue if they could sell the suite another night of a longer stay).

Upgrades aren't really Marriott's strong point. Best case is to expect the room you booked, anything else and you risk being disappointed majority of the time.