weld3z

I stayed at ritz hotels but not all of them gives me the plat benefits of plat marriott members !
Do i need to join the ritz loyality program ?
They are the same ! got ritz points and redeem them with MR accounts !!
Ok this is complacatied to me if i must got the ritz card can i transfare my points to MR acount later ? Stayed at ritz once or twice a year for a maximam of 15 days
They well match my tier ?
Marroitt should solve this problem SPG members got it all when staying at St regis

BillBurn

I agree 100%. My understanding is that Marriott kept a separate loyalty program for Ritz in order to provide brand differentiation and assuage concerns from Ritz hotel owners that full integration into MR would weaken the exclusivity and appeal of the Ritz brand.

The unfortunate result is that there appear to be no real standards for how Ritz properties treat MR members. In my experience some properties provide upgrades (although not to club level) and other benefits while others provide no special benefits at all. It's really hit or miss.

I know that you can switch your account between MR and RC with just a phone call to customer service, but I don't believe that elite status transfers (although I may be wrong on that).

I am hoping that as part of the overall MR/SPG merger that Marriott comes to its senses and eliminates the separate RC awards program once and for all. It will be hard for RC owners to argue that they don't want to be associated with MR if St. Regis properties are part it.

What I am worried about is that they will go the other way and extend the separate RC reward concept to some of the SPG brands, such as St. Regis or W, so instead of one big loyalty program there will be a collection of "affiliated" rewards programs each with their own rules that restrict elite benefits to only "their" members.

MSPeconomist

Most/all RCs belong to FHR and Virtuoso. Booking through FHR results in superior benefits, including a *guaranteed* late checkout, for about the same rates IME.

Does anyone know how this works in reverse? I.e., what are the published benefits when a RC elite stays in a Marriott?

MD/DC Flyer

Although the Ritz program and the Marriott program are separate "on paper", they are indeed one and the same. You can switch between them easily, and they carry the same membership number (i.e., when you switch the same number will remain). They are only separate for marketing purposes.

The levels are the same and the cross branding benefits are the same. For example Ritz Gold is exactly the same as Marriott Gold and will receive the same benefits. More likely than not a Ritz Gold will be welcomed as a Marriott Gold in a Marriott hotel.

Room upgrades and free internet are the only benefits (plus some discounts at the stores) that the program provides for elites at the Ritz. It would be same no matter if you are a Ritz member program or Marriott member program.

BillBurn

Agreed, but I think the real issue is that elite benefits at the Ritz, as you correctly pointed out, do not conform to the rest of Marriott. So for example, a Platinum elite (RR or MR) at a Ritz does not get lounge access and/or free breakfast and does not have the possibility of getting upgraded to concierge/club level like they would at most other Marriott group properties. There might be other differences, but I think these are the big ones between the Ritz and Marriott that rankle most elites.

Hopefully Marriott takes the opportunity provided by the Starwood integration to consolidate all of the loyalty programs into one single program with consistent elite tier benefits across all properties, regardless of brand (similar to what SPG has done).

VickiSoCal

It is wrong to say there is no brand standard for elite treatment at RC.

What might be more correct is that you don't like the brand standard.

Honestly, I don't see this changing any time soon. It's a small part of their portfolio that they want to single out as distinct. Their run of the mill 150 a night business traveller is not focused on it.

BillBurn

You're right, there is definitely brand standard posted on the Ritz Rewards website, I was just trying to say (somewhat inarticulately) that in my experience the level of compliance at Ritz properties is much more variable than elsewhere in the Marriott empire (with perhaps the exception of the Autograph chain). Still YMMV.

It will be interesting to see what they do when they integrate the loyalty/elite programs. Doesn't make sense to me that the Ritz will have a separate elite standard but the St. Regis won't. Perhaps the St. Regis properties will adopt the Ritz standard or create their own.

As I said, I think the better move would be to have one empire wide elite standard (similar to what SPG has done). I guess we will just have to wait and see what they come up with.

weld3z

My friend is a gold RC member we decide to switch (he try marriott and i try R) i pay more around 180 usd he got all the benifits upgrade lounge and 50% descount for spa, I got nothing go to marriott to have breakfast with him (for free) is this fair ?
By the way he decide to stay at marriott from today as he said its very hard to upgrade him in RC

Marriott and ritz should fix this ASAP

jm1991

Not giving lounge access and minimal upgrades are brand standards at RC for both MR and RC elites. As many people mentioned in other posts, RC is a 5* chain that caters to people who care little about benefits when they have $ to book what they want without having to rely on benefits or complementary stuff. Leaving the club level out of the benefits truly makes the club level exclusive for the people who pay for it, not to mention the lounge offerings are far superior than most marriott lounges. As for the st Regis integration, another 5* chain; I would not be surprised nor mad if they adopted this method. It be sad to see so many marriott and spg members fighting for upgrades and overcrowded lounges.

TommyC80

I think you all are way off base. There is absolutely no difference between the two programs, except that as a RC Rewards member you get access to some point and stay promotions that aren't available to MR members...other than that the programs are identical.

Complaining about not getting access to a RC Club Lounge at a Platinum is ridiculous. There is a world of difference between the concierge level in a Marriott and the Ritz Club Lounge.

As a lifetime platinum I would be absolutely livid if they started giving platinums free access to the Club Level. Yes, you read that right. The RC Club Lounge is a peaceful, high touch, white glove treatment environment -- due largely to the fact that there aren't usually that many people in it. Which is largely due to the fact that they don't give it away for free.

On my resort stays I happily pay $100-$250 a night more for access to the RC Club Lounge. 5-6 presentations of food a day, open bar, relaxing environment and great service more than pay for the added cost.

thoiboi

Want Club Level, Buy Club Level

MSPeconomist

Please, NO NO NO NO NO.

The longer SPG can stay out of Marriott's clutches, the better it will be. Your unhappiness with RC shouldn't be used as an excuse to destroy the SPG program.

fdem

fdem

I couldn't agree more. I have on occasion stayed in RC club lounges and would hate it if loads of road warriors on their annual paid onpoints with extended famiies were admitted free of charge to get their monies worth of freebies. RC club lounges are different as they are almost all inclusive and offer a more exclusive experience.

I have seen such shocking behaviour in some US based SPG club lounges, such as large families turning up in pjs just grabbing every bit of food and taking it back to their rooms but it is what it is. Have also seen elites checking into Asian properties demanding 'what do I get for free'!

I would however suggest that upgrades based on availability and breakfast should be offered in line with other MR properties.

Hope they do look at the SPG model when they merge programs but from seeing the type of company it is doubt this will happen!

sammyindc

Totally agree. My only recommendation is that they ease up the restrictions of using the club upgrade vouchers (used on any rate instead of the rack rate).