Dec 31, 2014, 10:04 am
Discussion: 10 Suite Night Awards (SNAs) for Plats with 50 nights in calendar year
Feb 11, 2014, 3:07 pm
#2296
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,990
No complaints here.
Cheers,
Feb 11, 2014, 5:13 pm
#2297
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
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.
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.
You reserve 2 properties (for me ideally this is an IC where I have certainty of upgrade although often a more expensive rate to get a suite) if the SNA doesn't clear before the end of the free cancellation period I cancel the booking and switch properties. I like the fact that I have certainty before I arrive which allows other options. A Hyatt style upgrade at teh time of reservation system would be better for me but as is the SNA system works well. My biggest issue last year was due to switches to other properties when SNAs didn't clear and the number of stays where SNA's just couldn't be used at all.
It has helped me reduce my spend at Starwoods when I otherwise would have booked a higher category room because of the risk of not getting the type I wanted at check in.
Feb 11, 2014, 5:52 pm
#2298
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Malibu, CA
Programs: AA CK / Marriott Worthless Ambassador
Posts: 1,158
great SNA Report
here's a good SNA tale:
Westin Ft Lauderdale
1 night stay this week
48 hours away from stay, SNA does not go through. Online I see hotel has standard suites for sale. I email them. They say: "sorry, it's up to the computer to do this, wish we could help you."
So I call Plat "concierge." First woman says: "I see availability, but sorry, it's up to the computer to do this." Transferred to supervisor, who calls hotel. He gets back on line with me and says: "Sorry, the hotel would rather keeps those suites available for sale for now." I asked if this was not antithetical to the purpose of SNAs. He said "SPG hotels have the right to hold rooms back from SNAs if they want to try and sell them instead." I asked for him to send me this in an email. He said he would, but never did.
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
Westin Ft Lauderdale
1 night stay this week
48 hours away from stay, SNA does not go through. Online I see hotel has standard suites for sale. I email them. They say: "sorry, it's up to the computer to do this, wish we could help you."
So I call Plat "concierge." First woman says: "I see availability, but sorry, it's up to the computer to do this." Transferred to supervisor, who calls hotel. He gets back on line with me and says: "Sorry, the hotel would rather keeps those suites available for sale for now." I asked if this was not antithetical to the purpose of SNAs. He said "SPG hotels have the right to hold rooms back from SNAs if they want to try and sell them instead." I asked for him to send me this in an email. He said he would, but never did.
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
Feb 11, 2014, 7:17 pm
#2299
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
here's a good SNA tale:
Westin Ft Lauderdale
1 night stay this week
48 hours away from stay, SNA does not go through. Online I see hotel has standard suites for sale. I email them. They say: "sorry, it's up to the computer to do this, wish we could help you."
So I call Plat "concierge." First woman says: "I see availability, but sorry, it's up to the computer to do this." Transferred to supervisor, who calls hotel. He gets back on line with me and says: "Sorry, the hotel would rather keeps those suites available for sale for now." I asked if this was not antithetical to the purpose of SNAs. He said "SPG hotels have the right to hold rooms back from SNAs if they want to try and sell them instead." I asked for him to send me this in an email. He said he would, but never did.
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
Westin Ft Lauderdale
1 night stay this week
48 hours away from stay, SNA does not go through. Online I see hotel has standard suites for sale. I email them. They say: "sorry, it's up to the computer to do this, wish we could help you."
So I call Plat "concierge." First woman says: "I see availability, but sorry, it's up to the computer to do this." Transferred to supervisor, who calls hotel. He gets back on line with me and says: "Sorry, the hotel would rather keeps those suites available for sale for now." I asked if this was not antithetical to the purpose of SNAs. He said "SPG hotels have the right to hold rooms back from SNAs if they want to try and sell them instead." I asked for him to send me this in an email. He said he would, but never did.
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
Good luck.
Feb 11, 2014, 7:49 pm
#2300
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BLI
Programs: Alaska Million Mile Flyer, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 3,195
And that is what makes SNAs equivalent to fizzbin (Star Trek fans may get the reference). Much as I like the concept, the execution is awful and inconsistent. I have SNAs that will go unused because either a) I can't apply them in the first place, even though many suites are for sale at a property, or b) they don't go through even if applied (see a)).
Feb 11, 2014, 9:41 pm
#2301
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
Feb 11, 2014, 11:58 pm
#2302
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
Transferred to supervisor, who calls hotel. He gets back on line with me and says: "Sorry, the hotel would rather keeps those suites available for sale for now." I asked if this was not antithetical to the purpose of SNAs. He said "SPG hotels have the right to hold rooms back from SNAs if they want to try and sell them instead." I asked for him to send me this in an email. He said he would, but never did.
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
Feb 12, 2014, 1:50 am
#2303
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
here's a good SNA tale:
Westin Ft Lauderdale
1 night stay this week
48 hours away from stay, SNA does not go through. Online I see hotel has standard suites for sale. I email them. They say: "sorry, it's up to the computer to do this, wish we could help you."
So I call Plat "concierge." First woman says: "I see availability, but sorry, it's up to the computer to do this." Transferred to supervisor, who calls hotel. He gets back on line with me and says: "Sorry, the hotel would rather keeps those suites available for sale for now." I asked if this was not antithetical to the purpose of SNAs. He said "SPG hotels have the right to hold rooms back from SNAs if they want to try and sell them instead." I asked for him to send me this in an email. He said he would, but never did.
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
Westin Ft Lauderdale
1 night stay this week
48 hours away from stay, SNA does not go through. Online I see hotel has standard suites for sale. I email them. They say: "sorry, it's up to the computer to do this, wish we could help you."
So I call Plat "concierge." First woman says: "I see availability, but sorry, it's up to the computer to do this." Transferred to supervisor, who calls hotel. He gets back on line with me and says: "Sorry, the hotel would rather keeps those suites available for sale for now." I asked if this was not antithetical to the purpose of SNAs. He said "SPG hotels have the right to hold rooms back from SNAs if they want to try and sell them instead." I asked for him to send me this in an email. He said he would, but never did.
If this is true, it's news to me. Why use SNA's if hotel can opt to wait and sell the rooms within 48 hours?
SNA's give an opportunity to cancel a stay and move elsewhere. If a suite was important to me I have no hesitation doing that.
Feb 12, 2014, 4:41 am
#2304
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SE Asia
Posts: 1,274
One thing I think would be interesting is for SPG to allow you to cash out your SNA for points at the current rate it cost to upgrade to a suite when they expire.
Feb 12, 2014, 5:32 am
#2305
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: MAN and LON
Programs: Mucci, BAEC LT Gold, HH Dia, MR LT Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Amex Plat
Posts: 13,773
I thought you lose the SNA if you cancel the reservation within the 5 day period? I always thought it was a way to SPG gets you to book with them in hours of an upgrade rather than another property.
One thing I think would be interesting is for SPG to allow you to cash out your SNA for points at the current rate it cost to upgrade to a suite when they expire.
One thing I think would be interesting is for SPG to allow you to cash out your SNA for points at the current rate it cost to upgrade to a suite when they expire.
If I don't get the SNA prior to the cancellation window and it is important to me then I cancel the reservation and go to my back up hotel instead.
Feb 12, 2014, 8:34 am
#2306
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
Where this gets really sticky is the check-in upgrade, especially since online inventory can exceed actual inventory (deliberate oversell strategy, rooms out of service, etc.). Just because the computer says they have rooms does not mean they do. Unfortunately, too many FDCs make up stories as to why you're not being upgraded you can't believe them either.
Feb 12, 2014, 9:18 am
#2307
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 31,010
Perhaps covered earlier - I couldn't wade through the entire thread.
Be aware of the usage and expiration policies of SNAs. I earned 10 to start last year and 10 more during the year. I used 10 during 2013 but will only have 9 for 2014. In fact, I could have used 10 and had none left this year.
When the T&C's say SNAs are "used" in the order of expiration, "used" means applied - not when you actually stay. I had 10 SNA's "used" by being applied to reservations. I then made one more reservation "using" a 2014 SNA. Even after cancelling some "2013" SNAs, the stay with an associated "2104" SNA consumed it. So even though I have unused 2013 SNAs, I've used one from 2014.
I guess I have a different definition of "using" an award.
Be aware of the usage and expiration policies of SNAs. I earned 10 to start last year and 10 more during the year. I used 10 during 2013 but will only have 9 for 2014. In fact, I could have used 10 and had none left this year.
When the T&C's say SNAs are "used" in the order of expiration, "used" means applied - not when you actually stay. I had 10 SNA's "used" by being applied to reservations. I then made one more reservation "using" a 2014 SNA. Even after cancelling some "2013" SNAs, the stay with an associated "2104" SNA consumed it. So even though I have unused 2013 SNAs, I've used one from 2014.
I guess I have a different definition of "using" an award.
Feb 12, 2014, 10:33 am
#2308
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Wash, DC
Programs: SPG Platinum, Delta Gold Medallion, United/Star Alliance Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 161
I suspect it may have something to do with my preference to use these on long stays at vacation properties. For example my 7 nights at the Westin Resort & Spa in Cancun was shot down. I would guess a one or two night stay at a business-class hotel might be an easier snag.
Feb 12, 2014, 10:34 am
#2309
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140