I have a 5 night points staying coming up in October. Will actively monitor this thread as I would not stay at St. Ermin's if a Plat is not eligible for an upgrade. I had to pay $20 GBP to guarantee a King

On points?

When booking a points reservation online or by phone, there's sometimes an option to pay extra points or a cash uncharge to book a higher category room. That's not an upgrade, that's just locking in a room category that's better than the lowest category.

From there, the property should still make an effort to upgrade Elite guests, either at check-in or during the room assignment process a few days before check-in. It's part of the brand standards that hotels agree to.

Any hotel that claims that rooms booked with points cannot be upgraded is making up its own rules.

Yes.

I stayed there on points, 5 nights, got upgraded. However, it was in February and there were not a lot of tourists.

What a bunch of bs on their part here tonight.

So went back down and asked to speak with the manager. She had a look and insisted that because we had done points plus the 50 pounds/night we had already locked in our room category so we weren't entitled to an upgrade.

Then she said she'd take another look and came back and insisted again that all the family rooms were occupied (maybe they are maybe they aren't but they are 100% available for sale with straight cash on their website). She then proceeded to offer us a junior suite for an additional 50 pounds per night (so 100 pounds per night total) and claimed that this was the lowest she could go and she was doing us a favor because it should've gone for 130 pounds/night.

We took it but upon checking the Marriott website when I just got back to the hotel it shows the stated points + cash eupgrade rate (note not the new C+P program) for the Junior Suite at St. Ermin's as 100 pounds/night so she didn't actually give us any discount despite her claiming otherwise (not to mention an upgrade to the Junior Suite *should have been the complimentary platinum upgrade in the first place*)

Needless to say I don't think I'll be returning here. The only real benefit is how close it is to St. James station which is useful on this trip for heading to Wimbledon but in general I'm not particularly impressed with how this situation was handled.

They also repeatedly claimed they are completely full yet they ample cash and points availability for the next 2 nights and they have the lowest advertised prices of all the Category 8 hotels in London excluding Regents Park.

The web is not an indication of what is actually available. It shows what they are willing to sell with the hope that some will be no shows and should more show up than they have actual room then they will be walked. I wouldn't be surprised if to an inferior property. They aren't showing themselves as being total ethical, right?

I would escalate this to MR on Tuesday to see if they feel the property is playing by the rules. Since they can't do anything about the room you are in now, they may be able to get a refund of the "upgrade fee" and/or some MR points to help with a future stay. If you don't let MR know what they are doing to their top tier members, they will continue to get away with it.

Depending on what they are defining as an upgrade-this is correct sometimes. You can select to use additional points are time of reservation (if offered) for guaranteed upgrades to categories not provided in the upgrades free via status. Now, if they meant ANY upgrade, they were wrong.

I remember quite vividly standing in the lobby of the Inn at Bay Harbor, having to call Marriott Rewards, asking for some 5K certs, in order to have a lake view room. But as I say it has been some years and perhaps does not represent current practice.

That is wrong. Desk clerks run amok-or poorly trained.

You will not get anywhere. Marriott does not really have a policy offering upgrades, causd space-available means if someone feels like it.
And checking online means nothing. If they have it they can pretend they do not.

I've had them be awkward with me when I stayed there on points. They emailed me the week before asking if I wanted to pay to upgrade, which I ignored. When I checked in, I was given an upgrade saying that I'd said I'd pay for it. I politely explained that as a PP, I'd have the upgrade I should be offered for free. After a couple of mins in the back room, they came back with an ok on that.

Only place I've had an issue with. Everywhere else I've had some great upgrades on points.

T

Ultimately it's clear I'm not going to get anywhere with this property. I reached out to MR via Twitter and they reached out to management who was supposed to contact me and they of course have not.

They (Marriott Corporate) also re-confirmed that St. Ermin's was incorrect in stating no upgrades on a points stay.

From Marriott (bolding mine):

Seems like this property may just play a little fast and loose with the rules and perhaps in particular when points stays come into play.

Overall the location of this property is quite good but it falls down in many other areas though admittedly a couple are nitpicking (breakfast is buffet only and did not compare favorably to the Marriott Edinburgh, no minis of soap/shampoo even in the suite- just big permanent bottles in the shower, small rooms - though it is a city hotel, and of course poor Platinum recognition).

If coming again I'd choose a different Marriott or consider the Conrad across the street if I wanted to stay in the St. James area.

Property: Cleveland Airport Marriott
Dates: July 2016
Award stay: Promotional Cert
Room type booked: King Room
Room type received: Concierge King Room with Sofa Bed
Elite Level: Platinum
Plat Arrival Gift: Points

Comments: Was notified of upgrade via mobile check-in. Room is actually larger than standard king by about 30 square feet and the concierge floor requires key access in elevator.

Property: Renaissance Phuket
Dates: March 2016
Award stay: 5 night award stay (5th night free points booking)
Room type booked: Deluxe Guest Room
Room type received: Pool Villa
Elite Level: Platinum
Plat Arrival Gift: Choice of two F&B items and bottle of wine
Other Gift of Benefit: 20% off everything (F&B including alcohol and spa)

Comments: Booked morning of arrival and emailed to ask about upgrade to Pool Villa. Received prompt response and was upgraded (reservation was upgraded at the time in the system as well). Fantastic Platinum recognition and treatment at this property - top notch all around.