Dec 19, 2018, 10:39 am
Last edit by: RedSun
IF YOU HAVE A PREPAID RATE, PLEASE READ THIS WIKI!
Recommended SNA Best Practices:
- According to the Marriott Lurkers in this forum (see post #220 in this thread), as confusing as it sounds, the SNA system is separate from the reservation system, so if a suite is showing as currently unavailable or available on the website, that does not necessarily mean it is currently unavailable or available for SNAs.
As of March 2019, there is an IT bug on Marriott's website that prevents SNAs from being applied to many if not all prepaid reservations. One member has identified a workaround that enables you to "trick" the website into allowing you apply SNAs to prepaid reservation. Several members have reported success using this workaround to apply SNAs to their prepaid reservations. Hopefully Marriott will fix this IT bug in the near future.- After SNAs are redeemed, they are removed from member's account. But they are in pending mode and will only be processed (confirmed or denied) about one week (normally 5 days) prior to actual stay. Any change to the reservation during this pending period may detach the SNAs. Check with reservation agent again to have SNAs re-attached again.
- After SNAs get cleared and confirmed, they are locked with the reservation. Any further changes to the reservation may break the confirmed SNAs. It is a hazard to ask agent to process SNAs again since the SNA processing window is closing
- If your SNA clears, be sure to take a screen shot of what suite category you are assigned in the app and be prepared to show this to the front desk at check-in. Several members have reported being confirmed in certain suite categories when there SNAs have cleared or during mobile check-in only to be assigned lower a category room at check-in. Members who have taken screenshots of their initial SNA assignments have had success in getting properties to honor those original assignments after initially getting assigned inferior rooms at check-in.
- If you are assigned a lower category of room than any of the options offered during the SNA application process and/or if the hotel refuses honor the representations they made at any point during the SNA process, be sure to submit a formal complaint to Marriott and ask for your SNAs used during your stay to be reinstated. If you have followed the screenshot best practice, your screenshot should go a long way towards getting Marriott to eventually refund your SNA, although it may take a long time for customer service to process your request.
Non-Participating Brands:
Not all hotels participate in Suite Night Awards. Suite Night Awards are not redeemable at the following brands (subject to change at any time; see Marriott Bonvoy Terms and Conditions for full details): The Ritz-Carlton®, Protea Hotels®, Aloft®, Element®, Design Hotels™, all-suite hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, EDITION®, Ritz-Carlton Reserve®, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Clubs® and Marriott Grand Residence Club properties. In addition, Suite Night Awards are not redeemable at select Participating Properties. Contact Member Support for individual hotel Suite Night Award participation.From post # 220.
The system is not checking what is available for sale at any marriott.com web site, so you should not be using the web sites as a guide for what is and is not available for SNA approval.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International
FOR ANYONE TRYING TO ADD SNAs TO PRE-PAID NONREFUNDABLE BOOKINGS THAT MARRIOTT IT
CURRENTLY DOESN’T SEEM TO ALLOW, HERE IS A WORK-AROUND. GOOD LUCK!
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/30575978-post541.html
All, I believe that I've found a way of getting around Marriott's IT issue where SNA's cannot be used on advance purchase rates. It takes advantage of another error in the Marriott IT system (go figure) where changes in different windows are not handled properly. It seems to work for me - would be great if someone else can confirm.
For this to work, in addition to a pre-paid reservation where SNAs are disabled you need a rate at a hotel where SNA's are eligible - so go book a bog-standard fully flex rate at your local Westin or whatever which you can cancel later if you don't currently have any flexible rates booked.
Log in to Marriott.com and click on "My Trips" (obviously this won't work for people whose trips are still not showing). Open "View/ Modify" in a new browser window/ tab on the flexible reservation first, and then open "View/ Modify" in the non-refundable reservation in another new window/ tab. Go back to the flexible reservation and click on "Start Upgrade Request" and it should take you to a webpage for the pre-paid reservation where you can finally select your SNAs.
For this to work, in addition to a pre-paid reservation where SNAs are disabled you need a rate at a hotel where SNA's are eligible - so go book a bog-standard fully flex rate at your local Westin or whatever which you can cancel later if you don't currently have any flexible rates booked.
Log in to Marriott.com and click on "My Trips" (obviously this won't work for people whose trips are still not showing). Open "View/ Modify" in a new browser window/ tab on the flexible reservation first, and then open "View/ Modify" in the non-refundable reservation in another new window/ tab. Go back to the flexible reservation and click on "Start Upgrade Request" and it should take you to a webpage for the pre-paid reservation where you can finally select your SNAs.
The link for selecting your benefit:
https://choice-benefit.marriott.com/
How to cancel an Award request:
Suite Night Award requests may be canceled until 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, as long as the Awards have not already been confirmed for use on a reservation. Once your Awards have been confirmed, you must cancel the entire reservation to receive credit back for all the Awards; however, after 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before you arrive, a reservation cancellation will result in the forfeiture of all Suite Night Awards applied to the entire reservation. This is in addition to any other cancellation fees applicable to the reservation itself.NOTE: Always detach the SNA before cancelling a reservation. It's the only way to ensure your SNA is returned to your account immediately. Otherwise, you could be waiting hours/days to see your SNA again.
FAQ : Suite Night Awards - SNA - questions and discussion thread
Nov 23, 2018, 7:12 pm
#301
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Posts: 1,137
EDIT: Guess I was misinformed.
Last edited by nabeelj; Nov 23, 2018 at 10:33 pm
Nov 23, 2018, 7:54 pm
#302
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Nov 23, 2018, 7:55 pm
#303
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Nov 23, 2018, 7:55 pm
#304
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
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Posts: 1,003
First-time SNA user here. Is there any benefit in applying the SNAs early, since the system will start the find an upgrade only 5 days prior to the arrival date. The reservation I would like to upgrade starts on Christmas Eve. Should I apply the SNAs now or wait?
Nov 23, 2018, 7:55 pm
#305
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Nov 23, 2018, 8:06 pm
#306
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Most people seem to assume that Marriott largely has applied the SPG approach, which would mean that applying the SNAs earlier is to your advantage. But it’s impossible to know for sure.
I would recommend applying them now to be on the safer side.
Nov 23, 2018, 9:17 pm
#307
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
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Posts: 1,003
Generally with SPG, the expectation was that the submission date of SNAs was a factor in their clearing. Obviously, the expectation was that higher elite status also was a factor. So everyone knew it was advantageous to apply SNAs earlier.
Most people seem to assume that Marriott largely has applied the SPG approach, which would mean that applying the SNAs earlier is to your advantage. But it’s impossible to know for sure.
I would recommend applying them now to be on the safer side.
Is this normal?
Nov 23, 2018, 10:04 pm
#308
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I took your advice and applied 3 SNAs to my reservation. I saw a number of error messages along the way but was able to select the room types and finish the process. My reservation number was changed. I received an email confirmation - everything looks correct in the email. However, (1) I still see 5 SNAs on my Overview page. (2) On the Trips page, I see "your upgrade request is pending" next to the reservation. But after I click on the reservation to see the details, it still gives me an option to upgrade - but I have already requested an upgrade. (3) In the iPhone mobile app, the reservation doesn't say anything about the pending upgrade.
Is this normal?
Is this normal?
I’d give it a day or until Monday to see if your profile SNA inventory changes to 2 SNAs. That can take time, and it’s a holiday weekend. If your inventory is still showing 5 SNAs next week, then I might contact customer service to ask if they can verify the application of your 3 SNAs,
Out of curiosity, what is the property?
Nov 23, 2018, 10:59 pm
#309
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
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Haha there is no normal with the IT fiascos going on now with Marriott. But IMO It’s better to have submitted now and possibly have the pending upgrade with uncertain IT issues than to do it later with those same issues for your stay in a month!
I’d give it a day or until Monday to see if your profile SNA inventory changes to 2 SNAs. That can take time, and it’s a holiday weekend. If your inventory is still showing 5 SNAs next week, then I might contact customer service to ask if they can verify the application of your 3 SNAs,
Out of curiosity, what is the property?
Nov 23, 2018, 11:03 pm
#310
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I think that’s smart, actually: only use the SNAs for upgrades that you really want. I also wouldn’t expect a SNA upgrade for that busiest week of the whole year, but you never know and might get lucky. If not, you’ll get the SNAs back to use somewhere else in 2019.
Nov 24, 2018, 6:43 am
#311
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Can a SNA that cleared be downgraded by the hotel to another room claiming that the original room is not for SNA (but is available in the system and actually cleared)? Does Marriott or SPG do anything about this?
Nov 24, 2018, 11:22 am
#313
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Yes, the system is not proof of availability. Hotels often load more than they actually have to allow for no shows and cancellations. The only correct numbers exist in the in-house system that we don't have access. Rooms can be taken out by maintenance issues or other obstructions what might not be represented in the website database. And yes, there are properties that will change an upgraded room in favor of a higher-paying guest. No, there is not much you can do about.
Nov 24, 2018, 12:15 pm
#314
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 902
Yes, the system is not proof of availability. Hotels often load more than they actually have to allow for no shows and cancellations. The only correct numbers exist in the in-house system that we don't have access. Rooms can be taken out by maintenance issues or other obstructions what might not be represented in the website database. And yes, there are properties that will change an upgraded room in favor of a higher-paying guest. No, there is not much you can do about.
true. In the very exceptional event an already cleared SNA upgrade is not honoured due to valid (or at least unimpugned) reasons, one should be entitled to have the SNA certs deposited back to the account and some courtesy points for service recovery.
Nov 25, 2018, 3:28 am
#315
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I had a very odd conversation with SPG customer care re SNAs. I have 3 remaining for this year ( so expiring 31/12, plus 7 pending on another stay) and 10 for 2019. I wanted to apply them to a reservation 28/12-02/01 but was told that the 5 would have to come from the 2019 allocation “ because they have to be consecutive”. Obviously I wanted 3 from 2018 and 2 from 2019. Is this ‘policy’ correct? I don’t get it...maybe it’s just a new way to screw the customer. Very odd indeed.
Unless it's an award stay with the fifth night free, an easy fix would be to rebook the reservation as three nights followed by two nights and apply the SNAs separately. There's a small chance that you might be forced to switch rooms, but it probably increases the chances of at least some of the SNAs succeeding.