Upgrade, what upgrade?!

I just checked in to the London Kensington property using my new gold card for the first time.

I am pretty loyal to the SPG program but after a terrible stay earlier this week i figured I would give Marriott a go.

I booked a standard room and have gone straight to my room which is absolutely tiny. Maybe 40 cm between the end of the bed and the dresser.

I head back to reception to ask if there was anything else bigger available even if I ha to pay. I was told yes, a superior twin but it would be $100 extra per night (2 night stay).

My question, which was not satisfactorily answered at reception, was that if a better room was available why wasnt I upgraded to it? The receptionist told me it was because it had been blocked for sale but in my mind if a better room is available it should be offered.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts on whether I am in the right or wrong and any tips on what I can do to get a better room.

Thanks

Welcome to one of the big downsides of the MR program. "Upgrades" are certainly up to the individual hotel and there is vast abuse of what exactly constitutes an upgrade.

I'm with you that if an upgraded room is available (taking into account the explicit non-inclusion of suites) then it should be offered without having to ask.

Sadly this is not the case.

--DD73

By the rules of the program, you should have been upgraded, without even requesting it. What's unusual in your situation is that the front desk person gave you an honest answer and told you that the property admittedly violates the program rules in order to make a few extra bucks (pounds). It's also possible that the front desk person doesn't know the program rules or that your new Marriott gold status isn't reflected in the reservation or at the property.

Given the unsatisfactory room you were given, I would ask for the front desk manager, check to make sure your reservation shows your gold status, and then politely ask for the upgrade you should have been given at checkin.

Perhaps somebody from the Marriott Concierge team could chime in on this?

Was this a suite? $100 extra a night is a big jump for a larger room.

Upgrades are hit or miss.

It's about.. 46 British Pounds. I'd say it's not a suite. London is worse than New York for rates.

Yes, I agree you should have been given the upgrade.

If you want any real type of upgrade including suite upgrades stick with Starwood.

Marriott is horrible with upgrades except for a handful of properties.

I stay there a lot and rarely get upgraded.

Over my time there I have got to know the GM quite well and they are basically almost full most weekdays and sell all of the upgraded rooms (there's only about 180 rooms in total I think). On average there are around 25 plats staying there each night too, so you are unlikely to get an upgrade.

The thing that people should generally remember about London hotels is that they all have small rooms - the rooms in the Marriott Kensington are larger than the Horrible Dinn down the road and much nicer than the Hilton Olympia.

Always had a fairly large room at the County Hall.

Sounds like a high number. If the source for this info is the GM, it could be just one more excuse for not upgrading you.

The 25 plats is my estimate - there is just lots of regulars there (I'm one of them) and I know of at least 10 people who are plat - and that's just my colleagues, never mind all of the other regulars there.

My point is basically that there isn't enough rooms there to upgrade all of the people who in theory could get an upgrade. Now if they are saying to get an upgrade to an executive room they want to charge you, then that is wrong. If the offer is to upgrade you to a suite, then that is correct as you don't get suite upgrades as an elite member.

The executive rooms are basically the same as the normal rooms in any case - bigger, and you get mouthwash in the bathroom. That's about it. The main thing you get as gold / plat is the lounge access and that isn't a problem.

Quote:
The executive rooms are basically the same as the normal rooms in any case - bigger, and you get mouthwash in the bathroom. That's about it. The main thing you get as gold / plat is the lounge access and that isn't a problem.

This is the problem with the word "upgrade". Most people think upgrade equals suite (only) and in the hotel business it does not.

Guests also rarely think through "length of stay". Yes, there might be a suite open tonight, but if you are staying for several nights - is it empty for all of those nights? If not, you can't be upgraded to it.

If it IS empty, I wonder if the hotel would upgrade you anyway - as they always (would have) the opportunity to sell the suite at a later date.
(although I cannot verify this, so if socrates, hhoope01, or even Marie/Drew want to jump in and support or correct me......)

When I think back, I have gotten suites on either repeat hotel stays (where they know me) OR stays of just one or two nights in the off season.

I must be missing something anyway - because what is the big deal about getting a suite if you are traveling by yourself for business?

Don't forget the bathroom scale, robe of questionable cleanness, and wooden suit rack taking up a chunk of real estate on the floor.....

--DD73

That's the benefit of staying South of the Thames.

Lots of advantages, but most Londoners will try to convince you that there's a real chance of you getting mugged as soon as you cross the river.

From my part, if property prices fall just a little further I'm thinking of buying a flat in the same building as the Marriott..

South of the Thames, in this case meaning the south bank. The walk along the south bank is one of the wonderful attractions of the County Hall's location. No muggers in site, just lots of eye candy. (Not just the London Eye.) Art galleries, museums, bridges, restaurants, performers, shops.

Exactly! Somehow i always wound up the room with the TV a million miles from the bed

The point is that if you want to turn down a room upgrade that should be your prerogative if the room they give you does not meet your needs. The rules of this game state that their best customers deserve to be upgraded to the best available accommodations with a few caveats. MI leaving it up to the individual hotels to come up with the definition of what this best available accommodation is comes to the crux of the problem in my eyes. We may not need the additional space but it is something we have "earned" and should be delivered without fail.

--DD73