UA-NYC

Very fair - I was quite satisfied with my ability to use them in 2012, and dissatisfied this past year. YMMV of course.

Would love for SPG find a way to actually enhance this benefit. Since they extended the expiry by 4 months of the 2013 batch, it's clear they at least recognize there are issues.

uxb

I'm going to disagree with you here. I wouldn't like for them to "enhance" benefits; however, I recognise that this will replace our current comp upgrade scheme (perhaps, as soon as May).

mahasamatman

How so? Since SNAs should all be processed before comp upgrades come into play, I don't see how the existence of comp upgrades degrades the SNA experience.

Starwood Lurker II

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MSPeconomist

Why do you say that complimentary upgrades are being taken away starting in May?

uxb

SNAs are processed before comp upgrades? What about properties that ignore the request only to give the same comp upgrade at check-in? This happens largely when the property feels confident they are going to sell that room. Like most of you, my experience with SNA is laughable. Despite this, it is glaringly obvious that the whole point of an SNA is to limit the number of upgrades each member gets per annum. The programme is a failure because: 1. The requests are not guaranteed until at most five days out; 2. It doesn't reward SPG50/75/100 with additional SNAs; and 3. Most properties continue to elect to upgrade under the old system (APAC). *wood wouldn't have to give people an extension on redeeming SNAs if the old system didn't still exist. Arguably, the old system is what keeps most people with *wood year after year. I don't know the cost of the system, but my upgrade at St. Regis Bora Bora reflected a 75% price chop for a peak travel period. *wood, like any other company, is a business. They are the least corporate of all the chains, and seem to genuinely care about their guests, which is a fact I appreciate as a consumer. However, they are still a business, and businesses need to be profitable to remain afloat.

I say May because *wood has yet to announce programme "enhancements," and because it coincides with the extended SNA redemption period. For all I know, the changeover could happen next year. What I do see is that prices are up at many hotels I stay at... even the Four Points LAX, which is where I'm typing from.

mahasamatman

A property that ignores SNAs would continue to do so regardless of whether comp upgrades are part of the program or not. Eliminate comp upgrades, and those same properties will ignore the request and then upgrade nobody. Same result.

remymartin

Be very careful with that word

UA-NYC

That's why I said enhance and not "enhance" or *enhance*

uxb

Therein acknowledging point 1, lack of guarantee. The only way SNA works is if they guarantee at the time of booking/use. Right now, it's a hybrid system where SNAs are toothless (like SPG's fastest speed internet guarantee for Plats).

mahasamatman

That would indeed be an improvement, but I fear that if they implemented it, the pool of available suites would get even smaller.

I have never had an issue with this.

LovetoTravel83

Tell me about it, I'm in a position where I only would like to apply my SNA's.

uxb

I agree that could happen, but "enhancements" = devaluation.

Thankfully, I haven't had this issue since India last year, but I was only using it as an example of one of *wood's many unenforceable promises.

Ditto, but the chances of doing so successfully are around 25%.

Keyser

i have, at all the itc properties in india....there are also reports of a number of other properties around the globe who are not offering the highest speed for free....

DudeE

After a year of experience with this program, I'm somewhat soured on it.

The biggest problem is that, in my experience, they are rarely awarded. I've managed exactly 1 redemption for a single-night stay over the past year.

The other problem is that I'm completely in the dark about my room until at least 5 days prior to my check-in. This can mean I get an e-mail on Thursday telling me my Monday upgrade request is denied.

Understood that complimentary upgrades as a perk of status are not any kind of expectation but based on availability at time of check-in/boarding/etc. However when I'm actually redeeming an earned award in exchange for an upgrade, I expect a bit more certainty. Otherwise - what's the point? I would presume the original notion was that these awards were an incremental perk that allowed Plats to *avoid* the crapshoot of hoping for a comp upgrade.

Go ahead and give me half the number of SNAs but with better certainty on when I can actually use them. Giving me 10 and having them rejected 80% of the time is more frustration than anything else.