Last edit by: HHQX888
Ambassador Service general email address: [email protected]
Ambassador Service general phone line (USA): (866) 924-9885
Europe: +353-21-4861 222
USA: +1-866-924-9885
Asia : +86-20-38157156
Ambassador Service general phone line (USA): (866) 924-9885
Europe: +353-21-4861 222
USA: +1-866-924-9885
Asia : +86-20-38157156
Marriott Bonvoy ‘Ambassador Elite’ Level : experiences (2020 and earlier)
#1906
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Tampa Bay
Programs: AA ConciergeKey, Hertz PC , Marriott Ambassador, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 73
I’m Platinum Premier Ambassador & so is my wife - yes we travel a lot! My ambassador has been awesome. She went above and beyond for my folks who were staying with my points in Hawaii. She had a spread for them in the room with everything they loved. My folks were happy and that’s all that mattered to me.
I havent used her for anything personally. My wife used hers for our honeymoon stay in Fiji & Hawaii. The RC in Kapalua did right by us to say the least. Fiji did as well and we were fortunate to stay in a above water bungalow there.
I’ve been impressed with my ambassador Natalie and the overall special service I’ve received when I’ve requested something.
I havent used her for anything personally. My wife used hers for our honeymoon stay in Fiji & Hawaii. The RC in Kapalua did right by us to say the least. Fiji did as well and we were fortunate to stay in a above water bungalow there.
I’ve been impressed with my ambassador Natalie and the overall special service I’ve received when I’ve requested something.
#1907
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
So my Ambassador called me this morning to review the results of all her behind the scenes negotiating she has done on my behalf. I am not naming properties since YMMV.
For a celebration getaway next winter she was able to get me a 6th night on points that the hotel was showing as unavailable so that I would not have to check out on my birthday. She also arranged for a guaranteed upgrade at no extra charge for the entire 6 night award stay.
For 2 International hotels we will be visiting next fall she was able to arrange guaranteed cash upgrades on points reservations to each hotel's top suite for a really reasonable nightly fee. I had originally made cash reservations since I wanted to ensure that we would have special rooms.
She also made sure that all of the hotels noted my Ambassador status.
In the past I would have been negotiating with the hotels myself and may or may not have achieved the same great results she did, but with time differences, language barriers and the challenge of speaking to the right person I feel as if my Ambassador earned her keep for the entire year. Not only did I save actual cash, but I saved time and hassle. (and worry that things would be done right. She waited to cancel the cash reservations I had made until the award reservations were finalized)
At this point I am 90% sure I will make the effort to achieve Ambassador again this year.
For a celebration getaway next winter she was able to get me a 6th night on points that the hotel was showing as unavailable so that I would not have to check out on my birthday. She also arranged for a guaranteed upgrade at no extra charge for the entire 6 night award stay.
For 2 International hotels we will be visiting next fall she was able to arrange guaranteed cash upgrades on points reservations to each hotel's top suite for a really reasonable nightly fee. I had originally made cash reservations since I wanted to ensure that we would have special rooms.
She also made sure that all of the hotels noted my Ambassador status.
In the past I would have been negotiating with the hotels myself and may or may not have achieved the same great results she did, but with time differences, language barriers and the challenge of speaking to the right person I feel as if my Ambassador earned her keep for the entire year. Not only did I save actual cash, but I saved time and hassle. (and worry that things would be done right. She waited to cancel the cash reservations I had made until the award reservations were finalized)
At this point I am 90% sure I will make the effort to achieve Ambassador again this year.
Last edited by damon88; Jan 16, 2019 at 10:02 am
#1908
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
So my Ambassador called me this morning to review the results of all her behind the scenes negotiating she has done on my behalf. I am not naming properties since YMMV.
For a celebration getaway next winter she was able to get me a 6th night on points that the hotel was showing as unavailable so that I would not have to check out on my birthday. She also arranged for a guaranteed upgrade at no extra charge for the entire 6 night award stay.
For 2 International hotels we will be visiting next fall she was able to arrange guaranteed cash upgrades on points reservations to each hotel's top suite for a really reasonable nightly fee. I had originally made cash reservations since I wanted to ensure that we would special rooms.
She also made sure that all of the hotels noted my Ambassador status.
In the past I would have been negotiating with the hotels myself and may or may not have achieved the same great results she did, but with time differences, language barriers and the challenge of speaking to the right person I feel as if my Ambassador earned her keep for the entire year. Not only did I save actual cash, but I saved time and hassle. (and worry that things would be done right. She waited to cancel the cash reservations I had made until the award reservations were finalized)
At this point I am 90% sure I will make the effort to achieve Ambassador again this year.
For a celebration getaway next winter she was able to get me a 6th night on points that the hotel was showing as unavailable so that I would not have to check out on my birthday. She also arranged for a guaranteed upgrade at no extra charge for the entire 6 night award stay.
For 2 International hotels we will be visiting next fall she was able to arrange guaranteed cash upgrades on points reservations to each hotel's top suite for a really reasonable nightly fee. I had originally made cash reservations since I wanted to ensure that we would special rooms.
She also made sure that all of the hotels noted my Ambassador status.
In the past I would have been negotiating with the hotels myself and may or may not have achieved the same great results she did, but with time differences, language barriers and the challenge of speaking to the right person I feel as if my Ambassador earned her keep for the entire year. Not only did I save actual cash, but I saved time and hassle. (and worry that things would be done right. She waited to cancel the cash reservations I had made until the award reservations were finalized)
At this point I am 90% sure I will make the effort to achieve Ambassador again this year.
#1909
#1910
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 687
I just wish my ambassador would respond to my emails after 5 attempts about missing stays. In fact I’m not sure if they’re still around since I no longer get auto replies and their contact information is no longer listed on the app.
I even copied all the general ambassador email addresses - [email protected], [email protected].
I’ve never been a huge supporter of this service, my ambassdor couldn’t even get me upgraded on my honeymoon at a hotel that had plenty of higher category rooms available.
5 years of mediocre Ambassdor service and it’s only getting worse. Time to move on to splitting my time with Hyatt.
I even copied all the general ambassador email addresses - [email protected], [email protected].
I’ve never been a huge supporter of this service, my ambassdor couldn’t even get me upgraded on my honeymoon at a hotel that had plenty of higher category rooms available.
5 years of mediocre Ambassdor service and it’s only getting worse. Time to move on to splitting my time with Hyatt.
#1911
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
If the confirmations are from your ambassador then there is a SLIGHT chance they will happen.
If the confirmations are from the property then there is a SLIGHTLY GREATER chance they will happen.
I do hope they happen, but from what I've been reading, even with assurances the requests have been sent and received, some properties still failed to deliver. It all boils down to who's working that day.
If the confirmations are from the property then there is a SLIGHTLY GREATER chance they will happen.
I do hope they happen, but from what I've been reading, even with assurances the requests have been sent and received, some properties still failed to deliver. It all boils down to who's working that day.
#1912
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
If the confirmations are from your ambassador then there is a SLIGHT chance they will happen.
If the confirmations are from the property then there is a SLIGHTLY GREATER chance they will happen.
I do hope they happen, but from what I've been reading, even with assurances the requests have been sent and received, some properties still failed to deliver. It all boils down to who's working that day.
If the confirmations are from the property then there is a SLIGHTLY GREATER chance they will happen.
I do hope they happen, but from what I've been reading, even with assurances the requests have been sent and received, some properties still failed to deliver. It all boils down to who's working that day.
The fearmongering going on here is rather tragic and unnecessary.
#1913
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
Ah, no. I think @damon88 has amply demonstrated how thorough and reliable her Ambassador is. There is no reason for her to doubt her confirmations.
The fearmongering going on here is rather tragic and unnecessary.
#1914
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I do hope everything goes well, but how many times have people posted they have been assured their ambassador has done their job yet the property fails to deliver or even acknowledge any contact from the ambassador? I go in with no expectations and like being surprised when they actually follow through. Everyone gets to choose how they approach a situation, some with the rose colored glasses on, some without.
Like @damon88, I never have been assured of something by my Ambassador in advance and subsequently had a hotel somehow fail to deliver on that assurance. Not once.
Most of the complaints shared herein on which you’re predicating needless concern actually tend to involve failed Marriott IT (for which our Ambassadors are not capable of resolution and which is unrelated to this circumstance), lack of responsiveness (not a factor here, either), an inability to parse the Marriott bureaucracy (not a factor here, either), and a lack of suite upgrades. Suite upgrades via SNA have nothing to do with Ambassadors or the hotels. Suite upgrades otherwise are at the discretion of the hotels.
Ambassadors rarely guarantee a suite upgrade; too many of the complaints herein are about guests making assumptions or hearing what they want to hear and then scapegoating their Ambassadors and sometimes the hotels when suite upgrades simply aren’t available. Entitlement is the issue there, not Ambassadors failing to deliver.
The suite upgrades mentioned by @damon88 include cash upgrades arranged in advance. There is no reason to believe the hotels won’t honor what has already been negotiated between @damon88 and her hotels. Suggesting otherwise to me is fearmongering.
Last edited by bhrubin; Jan 15, 2019 at 9:59 am
#1915
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
This slippery slope argument is an example of fallacious thinking. You’re trying to convince us that it can all go wrong because some other unrelated things have gone wrong for others in completely unrelated circumstances. I’m sorry, but to me that is fearmongering.
Like @damon88, I never have been assured of something by my Ambassador in advance and subsequently had a hotel somehow fail to deliver on that assurance. Not once.
Most of the complaints shared herein on which you’re predicating fear tend to be with Marriott IT (for which our Ambassadors are not capable of resolution and which is unrelated to this circumstance), lack of responsiveness (not a factor here, either), an inability to parse the Marriott bureaucracy (not a factor here, either), and a lack of suite upgrades. Suite upgrades via SNA have nothing to do with Ambassadors or the hotels. Suite upgrades otherwise are at the discretion of the hotels.
Ambassadors rarely guarantee a suite upgrade; too many of the complaints herein are about guests making assumptions or hearing what they want to hear and then scapegoating their Ambassadors and sometimes the hotels when suite upgrades simply aren’t available. Entitlement is the issue there, not Ambassadors failing to deliver.
The suite upgrades mentioned by @damon88 include cash upgrades arranged in advance. There is no reason to believe the hotels won’t honor what has already been negotiated between @damon88 and her hotels. Suggesting otherwise to me is fearmongering.
#1916
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Over the years I have negotiated advance cash upgrades at many hotels- mostly Starwood but a few Hyatt’s too. Never once has a hotel failed to honor the agreement.
#1917
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 687
So basically your Ambassador just played a middle man in a simple request that you've done in the past? I wouldn't say this is good or bad. Just a data point that they are responsive and they can do a simple task.
#1918
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
And FWIW last year a different hotel told me they would ONLY negotiate cash upgrades with an Ambassador- they were not authorized to negotiate directly with a guest. My Ambassador succeeded then as well.
I also really doubt that the hotel that waived the 6 night upgrade for me as a Birthday gift would have done so without my Ambassador.
I am not a Marriott apologist. The IT issues are atrocious- I went FOUR MONTHS without being able to view my Activity. And contrary to others, Your24 has been a big disappointment to me. It has always been denied on my important reservations. But for whatever reasons I have had huge success with both SNAs and with Ambassador service. YMMV
#1919
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: AA exp, Marriott Amb
Posts: 224
The only thing my ambassador has been able to do for me has been to credit a stay that didn't post properly. All other requests have gone nowhere.
#1920
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 67
My ambassador finally responded to me after ignoring me for the latter 1/2 of December. She said that she usually tries to respond within 2-3 days. That’s sounds crazy to me with the amount I travel and the last minute changes and requests.
Does that seem reasonable to others? I feel like I have just been unlucky with my ambassador.
The lurker did reach out to me and forwarded my information, we will see if anything changes going forward.
Does that seem reasonable to others? I feel like I have just been unlucky with my ambassador.
The lurker did reach out to me and forwarded my information, we will see if anything changes going forward.