iztok

I am new to Gold (I hope to make Plat by EOY) and wonder how do the upgrades work. Are they automatic or one should ask for it upon check-in? What is the best way to go about it?

mapu

I always get upgraded to the executive floor at check-in and never had to ask (so far).

C17PSGR

Apart from getting to the Concierge Floor, its unusual to see significant upgrades - even as a platinum

mapu

Since MR specifically excludes suites from their upgrade policy, there is not much you can get upgraded to aside from the CF.

bitburgr

Log into marriott, then view your 'upcoming reservations' and then 'view details'. You can check there to see if you've already been upgraded. (I think the base room is called a 'guest room' or 'quality room'.)

Edited to add: 'already' being relative to time. Any changes to your room (ie: upgrades) will usually happen in the morning on the day you check in.

hhoope01

That depends. Some hotels may have "corner" or other rooms that are larger than the normal rooms, but they are not designated as "suite" rooms. I have been upgraded many times to those type of rooms. I used to travel quite often to Herndon/Reston, VA and stayed at the Dulles Marriott. They have some nice corner rooms that they would almost always put me up in. The Houston JW tended to do the same thing. I stayed somewhere around 60-70 nights last year at the Wuhan Ren (China) with 3 different stays of about 20-25 nights each. Even for that length of a stay I was upgraded to the same corner room on the CL floor for every stay. I have been upgraded to "view" and balcony rooms especially when staying at a beach locations. So there can be a number of possible upgrades to be had at hotels.

With that, the OP asked what is the best way to get upgrades? Ask. If you have a specific room or room type that you prefer, get that request into your reservation. Call the hotel a week or two beforehand and ask. When you check in, make sure you ask. Be nice, have a smile on your face, don't act like you are entitled to everything and your chances will probably be a little better. Do realize though that how full the hotel is and the length of a stay can have a direct impact on upgrades. Note that while suite upgrades are NOT required by MR rules, I have been lucky at a number of hotels when staying and they aren't full and my stays are short (i.e. one or two nights).

If you have never stayed at a particular hotel before and want to find out about their various room types, you can search here, you can ask here, you can call the hotel and ask what types they have.

seacloud2

Hi,
Did you actually mean "do act like you're entitled"? I find the
staff more amenable when I am more easy going. May be
a typo?

hhoope01

Oops. You are correct. Don't act entitled is what I meant to say. I have corrected my wording. Sorry about that.

Tolew

Marriott LAX- no upgrade.....
CY Frankfurt/Germany- no upgrade, dirty old Room.......

mapu

You are right of course, there is a number of possibilites for the hotel to "upgrade" you to a slightly better room with a balcony or a view. Personally, I don't really consider this to be an upgrade however. If a slightly bigger room or a room with a view is available, why didn't I get it in the first place? I understand that some hotels, especially in Hong Kong, have a sizeable difference in room rates for harbor- and non-harbor view rooms and I do appreciate the upgrade there. But at the average Marriott I don't consider it an upgrade to get a view. It's more of a downgrade not getting it in the first place.