vanabb

Coming from SPG, I have stayed at several Marriott, R and AC hotels in Europe over the past year. So far not one has given us a suite upgrade.At SPG as a plat it is unusual to not get a suite upgrade, or at least something nicer (corner room, high floor, etc.). The only hard benefit for a plat at Marriott seems to be breakfast.

Is this typical?

Orange County Commuter

Depends. I seem to always get suite upgrades in Europe. Just last month I got one at the JW Marriott in London for example. At the Rive Gauche Marriott in Paris I did get upgraded to a high floor with a great view. (Place was full so I didn't expect a suite, but have gotten have gotten them quite often in the past at that hotel)

My last AC was in Madrid. They gave me the choice of waiting for an upgrade or taking the room they had open when I arrived. After an overnight flight all I want is a room and shower so I didn't wait

Actually my upgrade % to suites in Europe is much higher than in the US.

yurtripper

With Marriott you have to be more proactive in asking for them.

prince.ali

As a gold and platinum (most stays in Canada) been getting suite upgrades (at a minimum) 9/10 times and all without asking.

Orange County Commuter

I have never asked for one. I don't really care about getting one as I am usually alone and the extra space is rather wasted.

C17PSGR

So far in 2017, I'm at 100 nights at Marriott properties and an additional 30 nights at SPG properties. I'm Plat Premier at Marriott and Plat at SPG.

At SPG, they talk about suites as a requirement but the actual rates aren't that much different than Marriott. For example, I took a quick look at my last 15 Marriott stays versus my last 15 SPG stays. I was upgraded on 4 of the Marriott stays and 5 of the SPG stays. That being said, the SPG app makes it easier to see what upgraded rooms are available and also easier to see when they don't upgrade.

Kacee

Yeah, I don't find SPG to be any better than Marriott for suite upgrades (with both somewhere in the 40% range). Though my SPG sample size is quite a bit smaller.

Jon Maiman

I only have experience with Marriott. I find it is very property specific. Lately, I travel to Philadelphia, PA a lot for business. I am 2 for 2 on unsolicited suite upgrades at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown Philadelphia. I am 1 for 2 for unsolicited suite upgrades at the Marriott Downtown Philadelphia (to the presidential suite no less on a one night stay). The fact that most of my business stays are short (1 to 2 nights) probably helps my upgrade percentage. That said, previously I was traveling all over Ohio for business and my suite upgrade percentage was very poor. Occasional upgrades to a junior suite at Fairfield Inn's (thought frequently I just booked the junior suite because it was only a $5 to $10 up charge). Also did fairly well at The Renaissance Columbus, OH with 3 for 4 on suite upgrades during the annual Ohio Educational Technology Show. Upgrades to the CL floor were fairly common at full service properties. Most of the time on business, a suite upgrade is a very nice to have but not critical. For leisure travel with my family, it would be great, but that almost never happens. YMMV...

--Jon

hockeyinsider

I think it depends on what you consider an upgrade.

I have found myself having to invoke the upgrade policy several times at Marriott properties. At the Renaissance Aruba I had to read the language of the terms and conditions to the front desk clerk and then the duty manager after they lied to myself and my colleagues, one of whom is lifetime platinum and the other is platinum premier, that as a franchise they didn't have to follow the upgrade policy. At the J.W. Marriott in Los Cabos, they claimed as a resort they didn't have to provide upgrades.

Other properties don't have suites, only have suites with Murphy-style beds, or only have 1-2 suites. So, there isn't really much of an upgrade, except for perhaps a corner room or a room on a quieter side of the building. Other times the executive or concierge floor rooms are nicer than the suites -- that's certainly the case at the Marriott in Livonia, near Detroit.

Then there are properties that give you a one-category, maybe two-category upgrade, but still have availability for higher category rooms or suites. This is difficult because the Marriott terms and conditions expressly provide for upgrades to suites. The question is whether they have to upgrade you to a suite if one is available. I think the Starwood policy is probably, at least on paper, better because as I understand it Starwood says you're entitled to the best room or suite at check-in.

Last but not least are Ritz-Carlton properties, which don't like upgrading but, again, under the Marriott terms they are supposed to upgrade if there is availability. They just don't have to provide club lounge access. I was given an upgrade at the Ritz-Carlton in San Juan after I politely reminded them of this policy, but the suites weren't that nice because they were on the older side. Maybe five years past their prime.

C17PSGR

I'm not counting anything on the concierge floor as an upgrade. I get a slight upgrade on almost every stay at both Marriott and SPG properties.

An upgrade for me means something that is obvious ... so, for example, the SLS Beverly Hills often gives me a decent upgrade to a large suite like room but didn't last time because they were sold out. Similarly, the JW Marriott Live sometimes gives me a decent upgrade to a suite but didn't last time because they were sold out.

On the other hand, the W Scottsdale had several upgradeable rooms for sale on the app and insisted they weren't available. The JW Cabo was almost empty and wouldn't give an upgrade.

Still, overall, I'm 30-40 percent on suites at both SPG and Marriott. Places I stay regularly do better.

hockeyinsider

Well, if the only rate available was a double-bed regular room and you were given a high-floor, king-sized room then that's an upgrade, right?

I understand if a property has no availability, but I have the terms and conditions for an upgrade saved on my phone and, like I said, have had to invoke it.

C17PSGR

This thread is about suite upgrades, not more generic upgrades.

EuropeanPete

I've seen no suggestion that there might be this obligation.

Best available room including *standard* suites only.

I can't help observing that if you're having these frequent battles with check-in staff about upgrades, doing so without actually knowing what the program benefits are creates a risk that you could be unreasonably demanding and awkward at times.

hockeyinsider

I don't stay at SPG properties more than a half-dozen times a year, so I don't know SPG but I do know Marriott. Here are the Marriott terms:


​Here is the actual language from the terms and conditions:

​So, basically, if you're a platinum then upgrades include suites but it could be any suite, including a presidential suite.

EuropeanPete

Yes, but you'd have to be very creative to interpret that as saying that Marriott has an obligation to give you a Suite if they have one (and they also have a room on a high floor available).

The SPG terms on the other hand specify best available room (incl. standard suite) which is a lot more specific. Obviously properties there aren't banned from providing a Presidential Suite if they want to do so, but they do have to provide the best available up to standard suite.