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
Dec 7, 2018, 7:17 am
#391
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: PHL
Posts: 656
As you can see with the attached photo, the Sheraton Grand Park Lane is accepting SNA requests and has a generous pool of suites available for SNA confirmation. Your issue may be the one I've been harping about lately: check your rate. SNAs cannot currently be applied to advance purchase / non-modifiable rate bookings. If you have encountered this issue, please complain about it. It is a clear violation of the program terms.
While it is true that properties can opt-out of accepting SNAs, this is not the issue requesting SNAs with your reservation at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane. There are an exceedingly small number of properties which do not participate in the program -- the St. Regis Bora Bora is one notable example -- these properties are by and large transparent and up front about their exclusion and otherwise "exceptional" (such that the exclusion might seem justified). The Sheraton Grand Park Lane is not one of them.
Customer service agents and even Ambassadors are poorly trained, ill informed, and ill equipped. It is very easy for them to cry "availability", "eligibility" or "hotel problem" when the button doesn't appear or doesn't work, but the fact of the matter is that more often than not, lately, it is a Marriott systems issue.
Last edited by TimesTwo; Dec 7, 2018 at 11:40 am
Dec 7, 2018, 11:08 am
#392
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,168
keep it classy Marriott...
Dec 7, 2018, 1:14 pm
#394
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,718
It’s entirely possible it’s an IT issue. No way to know for sure - presumably it will eventually either be fixed or announced one day. Definitely irritating either way. I now have 16 SNAs and basically only book advance purchase rates so am screwed.
Dec 7, 2018, 1:21 pm
#395
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 805
Same thing here - The only reason to purchase under the refundable type rates is if there's an uncertainty in the dates I'll be staying. Paying $40+ extra a night for the possibility of using a SNA seems silly since I could show up and get that room anyways without any hoops.
Dec 7, 2018, 3:52 pm
#396
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Dec 7, 2018, 4:06 pm
#397
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
My SNAs did not clear at Westin Taipei. Upgraded to a suite nonetheless.
Dec 7, 2018, 4:08 pm
#398
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: New York
Programs: MB-LTT , HH-Diam., HGP-Expl.
Posts: 778
Dec 7, 2018, 4:11 pm
#399
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,718
Dec 7, 2018, 4:40 pm
#400
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I think some people are mistaking SNAs as suite upgrade guarantees; they are not. They only increase your chances for a suite upgrade. At places with few suites or at high occupancy, a slightly better chance is still not a great chance.
And in the end, the automated system that is used for SNAs can’t show discretion like a hotel sometimes can. So even when the SNA doesn’t clear, sometimes you check in and still can get upgraded as the routine Platinum benefit on arrival. How about that?
It’s still vastly better than legacy Marriott “upgrade” benefits. So legacy Marriott elites might want to show some patience as Marriott IT gets its act together. And legacy SPG elites shouldn’t be surprised that the new Marriott IT screws up some SNAs (which happened with SPG too) nor be surprised that the suite options at many legacy Marriott brands aren’t really suites.
Dec 7, 2018, 6:02 pm
#401
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
I was able to easily apply an SNA at the Tribute Hotel in Rancho Santa Fe through the APP today. I thought it was interesting that there were 5 different SNA room type options.
Now to see if it clears. I’ve had ridiculously good luck with my SNAs the last 4 years.
Now to see if it clears. I’ve had ridiculously good luck with my SNAs the last 4 years.
Dec 7, 2018, 7:35 pm
#402
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
I had 18 options at the Moana Surfrider! This is new as in the past, they only had the Banyan Suite. They've added Tower Suites and a bunch of upgraded room options.
Dec 7, 2018, 7:41 pm
#403
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: La Jolla, CA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, Lifetime Titanium, Delta Plat, Hilton Diamond , Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,615
Dec 7, 2018, 10:47 pm
#404
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
So, dumb question again… but these are not extensible. They expire at new year and I won't get anything for it?
Dec 7, 2018, 10:49 pm
#405
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764