Out of curiousity, I visited the Starwood site. Gosh, I expected to find nothing but tales of platinums being regaled, pampered, and catered to.

But a guy named "Plumber" started a thread yesterday. While on an eight day business trip to San Antonio, Houston, Carlsbad, Denver, an San Francisco, he stayed at five properties - Westins and Sheratons. He reported that he hadn't received a single upgrade. Only two of the properties had concierge lounges or clubs. The three which did not offered platinums nothing in return.

Was this some Marriott "chimp" pulling a fast one. Don't think so. Most of those responding reported similar experiences. Seems, for example, that Starwood's upgrade policy is very similar to Marriott's.

None of the individuals commenting on the situation expressed the level of outrage seen on this thread, not even close. As one person put it: "the higher one's expectations, the lower one's satisfaction."

Under the circumstances, I have no reason to believe that Marriott isn't attempting to do its best to the greatest number of people. Maybe they are utilitarians?

Starwood's policy:

4C.5. In addition to all the benefits of Gold Preferred Guest Membership, Platinum Preferred Guests also receive the following benefits:

a. Upgrades to the best room at Participating Properties at time of check-in, based upon room availability for your entire stay, including Select Standard Suites

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...g_terms.html#7

Marriott's policy:

When you check in, we’ll upgrade you to our best-available guest room at no additional charge. Not available for suites


http://www.marriott.com/rewards/memb...ts/platinum.mi

The BIG difference is Starwood includes "SUITES" as the norm for Platinum upgrades, Marriott does not.

Speaking of which, I received a junior suite when I checked in yesterday at The Sheraton Centre Toronto ^

Point Counter point
 

I had a 3 nighter this week at a FS Marriott and then changed my mind and cancelled the Marriott rez. I did three stays at three SPG properties (Sheraton 2, westin 1); nights/rooms 3; upgrades 3; suites 3

next week; I have another Marriott booked for the week but i also have two SPG and two Hyatts booked as well.. I will be cancelling the Marriott tonight

Prices for all of the above.. within $5 of each other, matter of fact the Marriott next week is $2 per night more to get less.

Please read what Plumber says. In the main, he was very respectful and allowed how the properties - though he didn't get upgrades and more often than not received no lounge access or breakfast coupons - were still 'nice.' He didn't rant. What was more illuminating to me were the number of folks who responded. Nobody claimed that his experience was out of the norm and nobody jumped forward to "trash" Starwood. Like you folks often remind me: stick to the thread - its deals with the lounge issue. At three out of five properties - all full service properties - Plumber got nada, zip, nothing: no lounge access (cause there wasn't one) and no free breakfast (or, presumably, a "free lunch.") Gosh, how many folks here would put up with this? Full service hotel with no lounge and no free breakfast. Wow - you'd be treated like, like, regular customers. How could we stand the utter indignity? I think we should send some of our stouter souls over to the Starwood site to lead the charge to bring justice to their plats. I could nominate a few such souls.

A helpful reminder to you: This thread is about concierge lounge DOWNGRADES. Since you've searched the Starwood board, you must have noticed there is no comparable thread there to this one and others on the Marriott board. Neither is there on the Hilton board. The reason for this is that of the big 3, only Marriott has decided to use the current economy as a basis to downgrade its lounges. Indeed when one poster on the Starwood board posted that he was told at a property that Starwood had instructed properties to eliminate breakfast coupons (in lieu of lounge access), the Starwood Lurker posted that this was absolutely false.

Nobody here is saying that everything about Starwood is better than everything at Marriott. Indeed, I'm guessing that most of the folks here prefer Marriott overall for various reasons. What virtually everybody except, of course, you, is saying is that it is wrongheaded to use the poor economy as a basis to downgrade benefits because the damage to the brand may be substantial both in the long term and short term. Some folks who leave won't be coming back. The issue is whether the short term savings of expenses will outweigh the short and long term loss of revenue. Starwood and Hilton reached one decision and Marriott another. The fact that the competition is not diluting benefits exacerbates Marriott's problem because it's an open invitation to any disgruntled Marriott customers. I'm guessing that some Marriott properties agree with this because the fs Marriott I just stayed at had an excellent concierge lounge with no visible downgrades.

I suggest you take your own advice. :rolleyes:

The advantage Marriott once had over Starwood was the C Lounge. Now that the offerings have been scaled way back and Marriott has mandated no weekend breakfast vouchers in lieu of the lounge being closed (which some properties were nice enough to do and which I and many other members appreciated) The scale has tipped in Starwoods favor. The suite upgrades at Starwood is just icing on the cake.

BTW, I could care less about JOE the plumber.

Pleeeeeease tell me that no one brought"Joe the (scab)Plummer" into a converstion about Marriott's down grades :rolleyes:

Marriott Cut backs drove me to Hilton
 

I was booked for 5 nights at the Marriott Suites in Annaheim last week. Because of the obvious cost cutting measures at that hotel, I checked out 4 nights early. Marriott has cut too much; I understand we are in bad times but when a Marriott feels like you are in a Motel 6, I'm out of there.
FYI - Hilton was glad to have me, matched Marriott's rate plus threw in amenities.
I have been MR Plat for 3 years but I sure felt more appreciated at Hilton and it felt like a step up when I checked into the Holton

The cost-cutting measures might be more obvious (to us) if you specified what they were. Also, what amenities were thrown in?

Toronto Marriott Airport-YYZ MAJOR cuts
 

Stayed here for my final 3 nights ever.

Lounge hours were cut.
Evening offerings were cut to:
one pan of chicken fingers, that ran out in 4, yes 4 people! They were not
refilled in the 45 min I was there!

one type cheese, ritz crackers ONLY, and grapes!

STALE cookies (baked during the last economic downturn)

Breakfast was even worse:
Scrambled eggs

One type bagel, two types bread

NO FRUIT (Plate was empty 25 min I was there)

Room:
No mouthwash

NO MOISTURIZER-doesnt mngt know we *may* have just came off a flight- we ARE staying at an airport hotel!!!

2 sets of towels in the room

Credit where credit is due!
 

Stayed at the Pburgh Marriott North (Cranberry).

This hotel has NOT done much cutting. Lounge is top notch! Offerings were UPGRADED to include an EVENING SOUP!

I wrote the gm (he sends TONS of emails!!) to let him know how I felt-that I was passing up many marriotts due to cuts-but his was one I WILL be back to! I think we should all write the good GM's and let them know why we will be back!

The lounge offerings at the Renaissance properties seem to have also taken a hit.

These cutbacks don't motivate customers to send more business Marriott's way.

Some examples?

Stayed at MCI Airport Marriott a couple times in the past month, had to ask for upgrade to concierge level once, was automatically put there the other (I stay here around 8-10 times per year and they are usually pretty good about putting me on the CL level.)

Lounge used to have two hot items, now down to just one and that has been rotating between marginal offerings such as chips & dip and such, no desert items at all. Mouthwash & shower gel have been removed from the CL rooms, robe has been hit or miss. USA today still arrives at room door, WSJ used to as well, but is now stacked in the elevator waiting area instead.

I am actually surprised they have kept the lounge there open at all, I rarely ever see anyone else in the lounge, morning & evening.

Renaissance downtown Toronto:

- No more chicken wings, meatballs or fish-sticks only cheese balls or mini wraps
- Coffee maker taken out and replaced with a thermo dispenser
- Fuji water replaced with Nestle bottled water
- No more freshly baked cookies throughout the day
- Fresh strawberries no longer offered during breakfast
- Cold cuts and cheese are half what they use to be for breakfast
- Selection of baked goods also scaled back for breakfast