Discussion: 10 Suite Night Awards (SNAs) for Plats with 50 nights in calendar year
#2701
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,789
#2702
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Norwalk, CT
Programs: AA Plat 2MM, DL Gold, SPG Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 479
Westin Paris - 5 nights - cleared
San Diego Marina - 3 nights - cleared
Liberty Hotel Boston - 3 nights - did not clear
Virgina Beach Sheraton - 5 nights - cleared
New Orleans Sheraton - 3 nights - cleared
San Diego Marina (2nd trip) - 3 nights - cleared
22 nights requested, 19 nights cleared.
(used a few from 2013, all of 2014, a few from 2015)
#2703
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Treasure Coast of FL (MCO/MLB/PBI)
Programs: AS MVP, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 844
Suite upgrade = downgrade?
Wanted to get your thoughts on an interesting situation that happened to me last month. Had a one night stay at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, and requested a SNA on my award booking. I also put in the notes that my wife and I were on a baby moon. A week ahead of time, I saw that my reservation showed a Grand Luxe oceanfront suite, with the SNA still pending. At the 5 day mark, I got an email about my SNA clearing, and lo and behold, I had been downgraded to an oceanfront junior suite. Here are my questions:
1) Would you have cancelled the SNA once you saw that you had been upgraded to a higher category suite?
2) Is this the way hotels should be handling things? (This one is really for the SPG lurkers)
I emailed the hotel's concierge and was promptly re-upgraded, so all's well that ends well. Still, I'd love to hear from some other Platinums to see if this was an aberration or SOP.
Thanks!
1) Would you have cancelled the SNA once you saw that you had been upgraded to a higher category suite?
2) Is this the way hotels should be handling things? (This one is really for the SPG lurkers)
I emailed the hotel's concierge and was promptly re-upgraded, so all's well that ends well. Still, I'd love to hear from some other Platinums to see if this was an aberration or SOP.
Thanks!
#2704
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
#2705
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,913
I actually dont think expiring SNA's should be extended unless you have had them refused on several occasions, otherwise you end up with even more SNA's in the system and it is unfair on people who have used them thinking they will expire.
Fair enough if you have done all you can to get rid of them and always get refused then a special case should be made, other than that however they should expire so its fair to everyone.
Fair enough if you have done all you can to get rid of them and always get refused then a special case should be made, other than that however they should expire so its fair to everyone.
-FlyerBeek
#2706
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
FAIL: Sheraton Iowa City (3 nts) - Was on a special, but points-eligible, rate yet neither via SPG.com nor a Plat Concierge could I apply the SNAs, perhaps due to the same glitch that affected future stays. Didn't matter as, despite the hotel being full I got the Plat upgrade anyway.
FAIL (sort of): Sheraton San Jose (9 nts) - We wanted to use them for their Pool Suites but they're not an SNA option so we just booked them. While probably unreasonable to expect a 9 nt stay to clear when the area was sold out most of the week, it's odd they weren't even offered when they have so many of them, and are the same rate as the SNA-eligible Tower Suites.
SUCCESS: Sheraton San Jose (1 nt) - We needed one more room the last night of our stay. Didn't really need a suite but I had SNAs to burn. Also we wanted a room close to our first room, and the hotel kindly offered to switch to a pool suite (Shhh... I think that's against SNA T&Cs...) if one with two beds was available at check-in. There wasn't so we ended up with a suite in the Tower. There were many available so not sure we really needed the SNA. Still, it all worked as it was supposed to, even cleared at T-5d.
SUCCESS: Four Points SMF (1 nt) - Planned to stay here the night before flying home and decided to burn an SNA. Cleared at T-5d. Changed plans so cancelled. Changed plans again but didn't bother to reapply the SNA. I got the Plat upgrade anyway so obviously the SNA wasn't necessary.
FAIL: Sheraton Seattle (7 nts) - I decided to try and treat myself on a last minute work trip, but I needed to remove an SNA pending on another stay to have enough. Had a recurring problem where SPG.com claimed I was not signed in to the account that applied the SNAs so I could never get access to them. Also, again I was on a special, but points-eligible, rate so again, SPG.com wouldn't let me apply SNAs even if I had them.
I called the Plat Concierge but the first one couldn't figure out why it wasn't working and only offered to escalate to IT. I called back later and got a more proactive Concierge who manually removed the SNAs from the other reservation and applied to this one. However, while there was still an SNA suite available it was past the 2 pm automatic sweep time. We were both a bit frustrated she couldn't help me, and sure enough all were booked by 2 pm the next day. No big deal, but I don't get why nearly every other upgrade scheme I've ever used can be applied manually in real-time when needed but not SNAs.
FAIL: Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield (3 nts) - Applied for a two-bed suite. It was not available at booking and never became available. I tried to add the 1K suite but again, SPG.com wouldn't give me access to the SNA function. Regardless, the hotel gave me the 1K suite as a Plat upgrade. I felt bad they didn't get whatever compensation their entitled to get from SNAs as the hotel was pretty full that weekend.
SUCCESS: Westin Huntsville (3 nts) - another work trip, another special rate, another issue with getting access to the SNA function. This time I reached out to the Lurker who worked his magic behind the scenes. They even cleared at T-5d despite the hotel being sold out by then.
So there you go, 3 of 7 stays successful, though in two failures I got the Plat upgrade anyway (one I justed booked the suite I wanted anyway) and two successes didn't seem to require SNAs for the upgrade. I do appreciate the benefit when it works but I am just baffled that, over two and a half years later, such a presumably sophisticated outfit like SPG still can't seem to get this system to work reliably. I still can't access the SNA function for my reservations, even on the "new" SPG.com, despite repeated assurances service tickets were sent to IT to "look into it." While I greatly appreciate the Lurker's help, it shouldn't come down to that; I imagine non-FT Plats have similar problems, get frustrated and give up. Maybe that's good for FTers but it can't be good for SPG and thus tarnishes this benefit. Here's hoping things get better and everyone has as much luck as Flews!
Last edited by megalab; Nov 6, 2014 at 10:34 am Reason: Fixed some details
#2707
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 642
I was trying to apply a SNA at the Le Meridien Fairway, Dubai. Regardless of the dates of the reservation, SPG.com says I cannot apply them (no availability).
SPG chat advised me that "Le Méridien Fairway is a non participating hotel and does not participate in the Suite Night Award program."
Is this the case? There are SPG participating properties that do not participate in SNAs? Or (I suspect) the hotel simply hasn't loaded them into the system? She said there were "a few" properties like this.
SPG chat advised me that "Le Méridien Fairway is a non participating hotel and does not participate in the Suite Night Award program."
Is this the case? There are SPG participating properties that do not participate in SNAs? Or (I suspect) the hotel simply hasn't loaded them into the system? She said there were "a few" properties like this.
#2708
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG,HH,IHG
Posts: 786
I was trying to apply a SNA at the Le Meridien Fairway, Dubai. Regardless of the dates of the reservation, SPG.com says I cannot apply them (no availability).
SPG chat advised me that "Le Méridien Fairway is a non participating hotel and does not participate in the Suite Night Award program."
Is this the case? There are SPG participating properties that do not participate in SNAs? Or (I suspect) the hotel simply hasn't loaded them into the system? She said there were "a few" properties like this.
SPG chat advised me that "Le Méridien Fairway is a non participating hotel and does not participate in the Suite Night Award program."
Is this the case? There are SPG participating properties that do not participate in SNAs? Or (I suspect) the hotel simply hasn't loaded them into the system? She said there were "a few" properties like this.
IIRC i have situation when i stay at hotel and ask for upgrade for my upcoming stay(another hotel).
I have upcoming stay A and B at same rate.
In the first time A and B both can apply SNA.
After i stay at hotel and ask for upgrade for A.
Booking A can't apply SNA (previously can apply SNA) and my next stay i got room upgrade as my request.
#2709
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oslo
Posts: 448
They should absolutely not be pre-upgrading reservations that have any SNA's attached to it. Other than this, it's an automated process and they have no control over the system downgrading to the suite that you chose when applying the SNA's.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
#2710
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG,HH,IHG
Posts: 786
Wanted to get your thoughts on an interesting situation that happened to me last month. Had a one night stay at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, and requested a SNA on my award booking. I also put in the notes that my wife and I were on a baby moon. A week ahead of time, I saw that my reservation showed a Grand Luxe oceanfront suite, with the SNA still pending. At the 5 day mark, I got an email about my SNA clearing, and lo and behold, I had been downgraded to an oceanfront junior suite
IME sometime got upgrade at suite don't appear on SNA request (but lower cat suite).
Maybe suite on SNA are limit and upgrade pool are more room type than SNA.
#2712
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,789
I was trying to apply a SNA at the Le Meridien Fairway, Dubai. Regardless of the dates of the reservation, SPG.com says I cannot apply them (no availability).
SPG chat advised me that "Le Méridien Fairway is a non participating hotel and does not participate in the Suite Night Award program."
Is this the case? There are SPG participating properties that do not participate in SNAs? Or (I suspect) the hotel simply hasn't loaded them into the system? She said there were "a few" properties like this.
SPG chat advised me that "Le Méridien Fairway is a non participating hotel and does not participate in the Suite Night Award program."
Is this the case? There are SPG participating properties that do not participate in SNAs? Or (I suspect) the hotel simply hasn't loaded them into the system? She said there were "a few" properties like this.
Did you also check that suites in the SNA categories were available for the dates your res is for?
#2713
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
#2714
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 642
I think you're right, it is possibly a remnant from when they did not participate in SPG at all.
Maybe this hotel needs a nudge to flag some room categories for SNA availability.
#2715
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Whistler, BC
Programs: SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, WS Gold, Hertz PC, NationalEE, Hyatt Explorist, IHGGold, BW Diamond
Posts: 199
I hit 50 nights in June and received my 10 SNA's. They expire 12/31/2015.
Am I correct in thinking that I won't receive my next set until I hit 50 nights again in 2015? And they will expire 12/31/2016?
Am I correct in thinking that I won't receive my next set until I hit 50 nights again in 2015? And they will expire 12/31/2016?