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Discussion: 10 Suite Night Awards (SNAs) for Plats with 50 nights in calendar year

Old Dec 31, 2014, 10:04 am
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Discussion: 10 Suite Night Awards (SNAs) for Plats with 50 nights in calendar year

 
Old Dec 15, 2014, 3:50 pm
  #2851  
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Munich, Germany
Programs: LH HON, DL FO/MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Accor Lifetime Platinum, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 6,174
I am still sitting on my 10 SNAs.

Out of my 40 nights that I've had so far in 2014, about 15-20 nights would have been of interest to me with regards to using a SNA.

Quite often, the SNA could not be requested, and noone on the phone knew why. With the remaining reservations for which I could request the use of a SNA, the SNAs were not confirmed even one single time.

So unless SPG decides to extend them, all of my 10 SNA are going to expire unused.

That being said: The SNAs were a great idea so that Platinums who stay more than the bare minimum could actually get a nice upgrade when in matters. However, this idea is executed quite poorly. On the one hand, this experience did not entice me to go for the 50 nights again this year; on the other hand, I would probably prefer that SPG were to give out a smaller number of SNAs while allowing the smaller number of SNAs to be confirmed anytime in advance without playing the current intransparent lottery.
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Old Dec 15, 2014, 7:06 pm
  #2852  
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Charlotte, NC USA
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott Lifetime / Annual Titanium; Massively Missing Starwood
Posts: 5,331
Here's my take on SNA's, again this year.

I absolutely love the idea of them...love them. I also happen to love the benefit of upgrade to the best available room at check in. What I don't like about the former is all of the problems, at best, and gaming, at worst, that goes on. I truly, truly appreciate the Lurkers, especially Lurker, Senior (William). But when there is so many 'please PM me' responses here, clearly there is something not ironed out in the system. So I love the SNA's IN THEORY, even though I'll be losing 7 this year after multiple failed attempts. And of those failed attempts, there was online availability for the very rooms that were not available for upgrade. But online inventory cannot be trusted, I know that. But honestly, I don't trust that because of personal experience in calling to the front desk at two of the properties post-arrival and getting the response that "you've already been upgraded and yes the other rooms are available but...but...but." Which leads me to the latter...best available room at upgrade. Most of the reason that I love the SNA's in theory, is because of all of the begging, educating, arm twisting, and frustration that goes along with the best at check in benefit. In the end, SNA's really are frustration heaped upon frustration far too often, and broken promise upon broken promise too commonly.

And a final FWIW comment. I love Starwood...really do. I love them mostly for the European hotels. But this "asset light" strategy that results in the loss of hotels like the Eden and most likely the St. Regis Rome and and and leads to a devaluation beyond category changes, redemption point increases, and benefit erosion.
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 5:03 am
  #2853  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
Sorry if this is such a noob question, but I just want confirmation. I'm 3 nights off making 50, and wanted to make sure I do this right. I'm planning a family trip, I'm booking 3 rooms under my name, does that mean for just one night of stay I would be credited 3 nights since I have booked 3 rooms?

Thanks

CB
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 5:10 am
  #2854  
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Originally Posted by Cathay Boy
Sorry if this is such a noob question, but I just want confirmation. I'm 3 nights off making 50, and wanted to make sure I do this right. I'm planning a family trip, I'm booking 3 rooms under my name, does that mean for just one night of stay I would be credited 3 nights since I have booked 3 rooms?

Thanks

CB
yes, 3 stays & 3 nights credit....
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 6:04 am
  #2855  
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Originally Posted by Cathay Boy
Sorry if this is such a noob question, but I just want confirmation. I'm 3 nights off making 50, and wanted to make sure I do this right. I'm planning a family trip, I'm booking 3 rooms under my name, does that mean for just one night of stay I would be credited 3 nights since I have booked 3 rooms?
Originally Posted by Keyser
yes, 3 stays & 3 nights credit....
Hey, CB. As Keyser said; but in addition, you must physically be present either at checkin or checkout; and you must pay for all rooms (preferably with a credit card in your name for verification purposes in case something screws up later).
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 8:27 am
  #2856  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Alameda, CA, USA
Posts: 4,904
Uggh. Like a lot of others, I'll be eating most of my SNAs. I only managed to use 1. I lost two that had cleared when I cancelled a reservation too late, and I have a three night stay coming up for which they are inexplicably not applicable.

After having made a mattress run to get to 50 nights last year, I don't recommend it.
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 2:53 pm
  #2857  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Diego US and Brisbane AU
Programs: AA EXP/2MM - DL PM - OZ Diamond - Bonvoy LTT - Hyatt Glob - IHG Plat - National EE - Sixt Platinum
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Originally Posted by alamedaguy
...and I have a three night stay coming up for which they are inexplicably not applicable.
Does it say that they can't be used when you view the reservation on the website? Sometimes there is such a message when you look at the reservation in the "My Stays" overview, but then if you click through to the reservation details, it still lets you apply them.

I've had it happen before on properties that were SNA-eligible, but it went through anyway once I applied them from the reservation confirmation page. May be an IT glitch on the website...
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 3:03 pm
  #2858  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Originally Posted by rcs85551
on the other hand, I would probably prefer that SPG were to give out a smaller number of SNAs while allowing the smaller number of SNAs to be confirmed anytime in advance without playing the current intransparent lottery.
Yeah, I like the Hyatt system for that reason -- four upgrades (IIRC, each for a stay of up to seven days) that are confirmed at the time of booking. The major drawback with Hyatt though is that they can only be used on paid stays (or C&P stays) and not award stays.
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 3:16 pm
  #2859  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Given that SNAs look to be mostly non-transferable -- is there still any possibility of donating them to an organization like Make-a-Wish, etc.?

Last edited by SpeedRicer; Dec 16, 2014 at 3:23 pm
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 3:20 pm
  #2860  
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Silence seems to indicate that the expiration dates for SNAs won't be extended this year, but it would improve the program if they were usable through the end of the program year, currently February 28, to enable people to combine some from last year and some from this year for a multi day stay.
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 3:34 pm
  #2861  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Austin, TX
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Suite Nights awards have been a big let down for me. We tried to use them 5 or 6 times this summer and were never succesful (yes, suites for $$ showed available in every case). In two cases I had to spend 30 or more minutes on the phone with SPG just trying to get the request to work. They didn't know why they wouldn't in those cases.

The only stay we've been able to get was at the Westin in Houston for 1 night when it was mostly empty.

We just booked a trip for New Orleans (6 nights, starting Sunday) and they were confirmed. Great. However, they took 3 from this year and 3 from next year. Turns out it's because I had 6 pending nights in another reservation at another property, that I canceled a few minutes after I made the one above.

They cannot fix it manually. So, they said I needed to cancel my reservation, rebook and hope the upgrade comes through again. So, if I do this, I may lose the 6 night upgrade and not be able to cash in 9 of 10 SNA's for this year. Or, keep what I have, effectively lose 6 of 10 for this year and already use 3 of 10 for next year.

Benefits are supposed to make frequent customers happy, not cause disappointment and frustration. I'd be fine with a 50% success rate, but mine is much lower at this point.
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 3:52 pm
  #2862  
Company Representative - Starwood
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
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Originally Posted by AustinBear
...They cannot fix it manually. So, they said I needed to cancel my reservation, rebook and hope the upgrade comes through again. So, if I do this, I may lose the 6 night upgrade and not be able to cash in 9 of 10 SNA's for this year. Or, keep what I have, effectively lose 6 of 10 for this year and already use 3 of 10 for next year...
My apologies if your success using SNA's did not live up to expectations; however, I'd like to try and see if I can get someone to fix this. I'm not sure that it can be, but I'd be willing to try. I just need your SPG account number to start the ball rolling.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 4:06 pm
  #2863  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Austin, TX
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Posts: 239
Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker
My apologies if your success using SNA's did not live up to expectations; however, I'd like to try and see if I can get someone to fix this. I'm not sure that it can be, but I'd be willing to try. I just need your SPG account number to start the ball rolling.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]
1. Thanks for the very quick reply. Let me know where in Austin I can buy you a drink!
2. What they've done is book another reservation that matches the other one, the hope being the SNA for the second reservation goes through, then we'll cancel the first at that hotel. We'll see...
3. I'll email my #. Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks.
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 4:07 pm
  #2864  
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Originally Posted by Starwood Lurker
My apologies if your success using SNA's did not live up to expectations; however, I'd like to try and see if I can get someone to fix this. I'm not sure that it can be, but I'd be willing to try. I just need your SPG account number to start the ball rolling.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]
I have a similar situation where I tried an expiring SNA that didn't clear so I cancelled it, both SNA and the reservation. In the meantime, I had applied a new one to a different reservation that cleared. So I need to swap out a new one for the old one in order to use the old one on my reservation for this week but I don't want to lose my confirmed upgrade.

My instinct had been to wait and phone Plat Concierge after my stay. Is this correct, or does the right SNA to be used need to be corrected before check in?
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Old Dec 16, 2014, 4:30 pm
  #2865  
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Join Date: Nov 2000
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
I have a similar situation where I tried an expiring SNA that didn't clear so I cancelled it, both SNA and the reservation. In the meantime, I had applied a new one to a different reservation that cleared. So I need to swap out a new one for the old one in order to use the old one on my reservation for this week but I don't want to lose my confirmed upgrade.

My instinct had been to wait and phone Plat Concierge after my stay. Is this correct, or does the right SNA to be used need to be corrected before check in?
It would best to sort this out before the award is redeemed, but after the stay is completed. So if you would send me the reservation numbers once the stay this week is over, I'll see if it can be.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Last edited by Starwood Lurker; Dec 16, 2014 at 4:51 pm
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