Discussion: 10 Suite Night Awards (SNAs) for Plats with 50 nights in calendar year
#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.
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.
#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.
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.
#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
Thanks
CB
#2854
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,598
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
Thanks
CB
#2855
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,660
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?
#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.
After having made a mattress run to get to 50 nights last year, I don't recommend it.
#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
Posts: 1,315
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...
#2858
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
Posts: 1,315
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.
#2859
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
Posts: 1,315
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
#2860
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,335
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.
#2861
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: UA 1k, UA MM, MB Amb, Hyatt Globalist, Accor Plat (ha ha), Hertz Pres, etc.
Posts: 239
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.
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.
#2862
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
...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...
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
#2863
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: UA 1k, UA MM, MB Amb, Hyatt Globalist, Accor Plat (ha ha), Hertz Pres, etc.
Posts: 239
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]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
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.
#2864
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,335
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]
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
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?
#2865
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
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?
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?
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