FlyerTalk Forums - SPG Launch of Design Hotels

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ftrichard (Post 31171302)

So, by the looks of it, Marriott wants these independent Design Hotels to sign a new agreement for reservations made through the Marriott channels. No hint as to whether this will result in different or better benefits for Bonvoy elites at participating Design Hotels. But given that, currently, bookings at Design Hotels made through Marriott channels qualify for nights, points, and the welcome bonus only then I'd hope Marriott is taking the opportunity to harmonise these benefits to include breakfast, upgrades, and late check outs for eligible elites.

If only because harmonising the benefits will shut down so many of these threads from outraged DYKWIA Platinums who booked a Design Hotel through the Marriott app and didn't understand that it's an independently owned and managed hotel with no obligation to offer breakfast, lounge access, upgrades, or late check outs to anyone and who also don't understand that nobody is forcing them at the point of a gun to stay there if they value fried food and freeflow entry-level wine in a lounge so highly.

Thanks for explaining that! I read it as all contracts will end within two years, however at some point Design hotels/Marriott will offer new contracts. I was so confused lol

Notice the final sentence and the word sustainable. I think that is a hint that there were members of the board who thought the current model unsustainable.

It sounds like Marriott wants Design hotels to offer more if those hotels want the benefit of the Marriott brand value. For example, room upgrades. Personally I could be ok for some destinations if Design hotels did not offer upgrades where there is not really any competition. In other locations, I could just avoid Design if I care about upgrades, that's my call. However Marriott's T&Cs now include (or not exclude) Design hotels for upgrades - so it is less acceptable to me than in the past when I am not upgraded at Design and rooms are available at check-in, because it's a breach of T&Cs. If T&Cs were excluding Design from the upgrade program then fine I am free to make my own decisions, but that's not the situation now.

The DH acquisition deal was a total flop, and unless is doing ok on its own as an independent hotel program, it seems to have been a complete disaster as well. What this securities filing discloses is that all Bonvoy-participating DH hotels will be phased out from the loyalty program while awaiting a new contract template for a different type of participation, but DH will be kept as an independent marketing and booking network. So much hype about the integration of DH has turned out into an empty hand. I believe Starwood bought a controlling interest on DH for more than 100 million euros, and for what?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MePlatPremier (Post 31182267)

It's a reasonable point regarding the absence of true integration and synergies between DH and Marriott Bonvoy but I still maintain that I like to have the choice and ability to stay in particularly distinctive hotels while still getting points and qualifying nights to renew my Titanium status in Bonvoy. As long as the participation details are clear then it's my choice whether to stay or not and getting angry about no free breakfasts or room upgrades as some people genuinely do says more about the guest's inability to cope with the outside world than inherent flaws in the participation agreement between DH and Bonvoy.

The alternative to a DH is frequently an anonymous chain hotel where you could be anywhere and I'm happy with the unique all the DHs I've stayed in (for example the really nice one in Guadalajara) with the exception of that rubbish one in Singapore that I didn't like at all and it has now left the programme.

That said, you are probably correct that corporately it isn't working out and the new Marriott owners are going to try to fix it which starts with expiring all the current contracts and negotiating a new model which will hopefully be better aligned in terms of benefits for elites.