Hotels allowed to classify a "room" as part of their SNA "suite" upgrade?
 

Background info...we have a reservation at the LeMeridien Ra Beach. I applied an SNA and got confirmation that the SNA was cleared. Called my Ambassador to find out what "suite" the SNA had cleared for (since I couldn't tell on the SPG app since I had booked an award for a higher category room to avoid getting a regular room) and was told it's for a Premium Grand Deluxe.

After checking the hotels website I saw that the Grand Deluxe is actually only a room and not a suite so I inquired again about the upgrade. Was told by the Ambassador that the two categories the SNA applied to at this hotel are the Grand Deluxe and the Prestige Suite. This makes me wonder....are hotels allowed under the T&C to include "rooms" as part of the SNA pool? If so, doesn't it seem strange to call it an SNA? If hotels are indeed allowed to include "rooms" what is to stop them from including even low category rooms in the SNA?

Yes I've seen a bunch of rooms that are SNA upgradable. But how come you didn't know that? You did choose Grand Deluxe right?

Hi

Yes they can include various room and suite levels it is up to them. You should however get a choice of which ones you would accept when you apply the SNA. So if you only want a suite don't select the room, it decreases the chance of you SNA clearing but means you don't 'waste' the SNA on a room you don't feel is worth it.

Hi christianj,

This is in the SPG FAQ.

What is a Suite Night Award?

It’s a one-night confirmable room upgrade to a suite or select premium room.

Best Regards,

Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

I did not see which suites were available to select from under the SNA since my Ambassador booked the room for me and put in the SNA request. First time getting only a upgraded ROOM for an SNA so I guess lesson learned and I now understand better. (Thanks Christina for clarifying!)

I do feel it is misleading to use the term SUITE Award Night and then allow the hotels to include ROOMS in the pool. Should rename it UPGRADE Award Night.

Christina....is there a minimum room standard or room category set by SPG that the hotel can include in the SNA upgrade? Or can they include whatever category they want? (Essentially even just a standard room on a higher floor?)

Pretty much any premium room which a hotel can classify as anything above a standard room. In some hotels the standard rooms with better views can be highly sought after and expensive so SNA's considered worth it to some. I think it is good that hotels give options so people have more choice not less.

While I get what you mean about the description I think the play on words suite / sweet is on purpose and is why they are called what they are. I also think SNA's are pretty clear in what they apply to and in this regard at least there is no hidden agenda or misleading agenda.

Possibly your ambassador should have asked you which rooms / suites you would be happy with. While generally I apply mine myself checking which suite or rooms types I would be happy with the odd time my Ambassador has applied them he has always asked which to select.

I'm confused. Your OP sounds like you paid extra points to book a Premium Grand Deluxe room and the SNAs "upgraded" you to a Grand Deluxe, which should be a LOWER category room. Even if the names are reversed and you got a slight upgrade for your SNAs, IMO it was an Ambassador error to check this category in the SNA request without verifying that you would want to use your SNAs in this way.

I think you should start by going back to your Ambassador ASAP to clarify. If the Ambassador requested an upgrade category very similar to the room you booked without asking your approval for this, you have an case here IMO to cancel the SNA request for the "upgraded" room and have your SNAs returned without cancelling the reservation, but this should be done ASAP. If your SNAs actually caused your room to be downgraded, of course the case is even stronger.

I always check the available SNA options, and often decide not to use an SNA if I don't think the available upgrades are worth it.

I also just pick one, instead of them all, if I only have one preferred option available.

Cheers,

I booked a Premium Deluxe Non-Smoking Room for 3 nights at 53,250 points and asked my Ambassador to apply 3 SNAs to the reservation with the hope of getting a suite (the Duplex Suite seems to be the most common Plat upgrade reported in the hotels MT.) I did not have a conversation with my Ambassador about what the SNA options were because I mistakenly assumed the upgrade would be to a Suite! (I didn't realize that SNAs could be used for just upgraded rooms...hence my overall reason for this post.). I received a confirmation that my SNA had cleared so I emailed my Ambassador to find out to what I had been upgraded. He confirmed that the hotel had me in a Premium GRAND Deluxe Room. (So essentially the SNA gave me an upgrade to a GRAND classification which I assume is a better view or a higher floor.).

You are right that I've essentially wasted 3 SNAs but based on the comments by Christina this would seem to be ok based on the T&C. Not happy about this especially since I could have saved and just booked a regular room and spent less points on it and applied the same SNA. Just didn't want to be stuck in a Regular Room. You live and learn I guess!

It's a lesson learned, but this also sounds like something that your Ambassador should have told you about when booking the room in the first place. I'd say some retraining is in order.

Question? Never been to the property, but could this be a parlor that attaches to a room and when combined equals a suite?

Can't you just cancel the SNAs.

I stayed at this hotel and found it a gem. It's not discussed much in this forum. I hope that they upgrade you further and you get one of the ocean front rooms or duplexes. It's magic to sit on the deck, sipping a beverage, and watching the waves roll in.

Not based on the room category descriptions on their website. It's a room.

Probably what I'm going to ask them to do if I can get my Ambassador to respond to my emails.

The room I originally booked was a "full sea view room with balcony" so I guess that much will be a given. It better be!

IIRC the T&C say that once it's been confirmed, you cannot cancel SNAs unless you cancel the entire reservation. If the desired room is still available at the same rate, I *think* you could cancel the existing reservation to get the SNAs back and then make a new reservation for the same room.