jsucool76

I'm really excited for this, mainly because it gives marriott a whole slew of new hotels.

If you're used to recognition and good customer service at hotels, it has less to do with the program and more to do with the staff of the hotel. The staff will stay the same. Once they come under the marriott umbrella, it doesn't mean that hotel staff magically gets replaced by demons. lol.

Ronlap

I'm year-to-year Plat in SPG and Gold in Mar (no LT in either, but close to LT Gold in SPG). I wonder the exact same thing. And honestly, I'm a fan of both properties and only stay in one or the other depending on which one has a property where I need to stay.

CPRich

Agreed. As LT PLT in both, there's no comparison. I'm very disappointed.

pinniped

No, but the staff will eventually follow Marriott processes, right? I mean, there will be training and an eventual phase-in of Marriott Rewards policies. I can't imagine that 3 years from now a Westin resort will recognize elite benefits and a Marriott resort next door will not.

For what it's worth, I've always thought that Marriott has excellent staff at the hotels. No complaints at all about their clerks, bartenders, waitstaff, etc. (That's about all I interact with regularly.) I've always thought of them as having a strong culture of hospitality...at least at the good full-service city hotels. The occasional exceptions are the massive convention hotels (where they sometimes act more like airline staff). Over the years, at my frequent-stay hotels, I've really, really liked Marrriott's people.

But even though I like them, they still don't give me suites. The loyalty program is simply different, and it's *likely* that the MR program will eventually be what governs today's Starwood hotels.

CJKatl

Goodbye 4:00 pm checkouts that Starwood usually gave easily and hello auctioneering with the front desk for an ultimate 12:15 pm checkout.

dayone

American Express can't be very happy.

spgplat21

Oh man, this is even worse than I was expecting. Are there really no redeeming qualities of the Marriott program, except that you can stay in some tiny crap hole town in the US (where there were previously no SPG properties) or in a cheap limited service property in a major city and get stay credit, points, and "benefits"?

SkiAdcock

Yes there are, but if that's your take on the program probably not worth going into.

Cheers. Sharon

jalves

Perhaps this is the opportunity they have been looking for.

spgplat21

In all seriousness, I would really appreciate your take since it looks like you have a ton of experience in the Marriott program. I've read two or three older threads comparing the top tier benefits of the two programs and both merger threads in their entirety and my earlier post (albeit with some sarcasm and overreaction) was not without reading a number of posts containing similar messages/conclusions.

Ronlap

Hmmm, I never had a problem with late checkout, even at the Marriott down the street from Disneyland.

superangrypenguin

Throw in a few expletives in there and your comment will be approaching how I feel about it, being Plat in both programs.

I'm very upset.

jsucool76

If Amex is smart, they will follow Barclay's lead from this year. Convert their SPG cards to marriott cards, and stop issuing them once the merger is completed.

It allows amex to hold onto their cardmembers, and the competition between chase and amex can only be beneficial to us.

C17PSGR

I'm a Platinum Premier and lifetime Plat. There are certainly improvements I could make to the Marriott program at minimal cost, namely in terms of consistency, training, and upgrades but I am fairly happy. I am often upgraded to suites and always get concierge lounge access in FS Marriotts. I like most of their properties. Of course, sometimes the staff is clueless but I think that's a function of an engaged GM, not the program. And ... like others I would like to see the return of somethings like BOGO weekends and significant meal discounts but I think that's a function of occupancy. I can't compare to life as a top tier SPG person.

As for the hoarding issue, I have a lot of points. I suppose the issue is that I can afford to stay anywhere now and don't see a point to using my points whereas I occasionally think I may decide to bail from the ratrace in a few years and then use the points when I have less cash. I suppose that's a bad strategy.

And ... does SPG status match? Trying to think how to use this as a short-term strategy assuming all this passes antitrust review and doesn't get into a bidding war.

jdrtravel

Of course we are. It would be like Walmart buying Nordstrom.