Here’s what you get for spending $23,000 a year at Marriott hotels, in addition to benefits like occasional room upgrades and continental breakfast. The hotel chain has sent out end of year holiday gifts, and a reader shares that they received a lego puzzle set of a Marriott Design Hotels property in Iceland.
As they put it, this “seems like a tremendous expense for a gift that many people spending $23,000+ won’t appreciate.” My take is that someone at Marriott decided they needed to promote this brand and there was a budget for it, rather than having ‘how can we show appreciation for our top customers and build loyalty’ as the starting place.
Marriott has the most exclusive top elite tier with published earning criteria. The Ambassador level requires not just 100 nights in hotels but also a minimum of $23,000 in spend, nearly impossible to achieve in many parts of the world with low hotel rates.
A carry-over from Starwood, members receive an agent specifically assigned to them to take care of all of their stay needs, including making requests and customizing things with hotels and assisting with any arrangements. The promise was that this person “gets to know you over time” and “provide the personal touches that make each trip special.”
Compared to Titanium (75 night, no spend requirement) status, Ambassadors also receive:
- Your24: Subject to availability, arrange in advance to check in at your preferred time and have a check-out time 24 hours later.
- Higher priority for upgrades at least in theory, although upgrades can be hit and miss at best at many U.S. hotels.
Gifts are nice, too, as a surprise and delight. For many years Alaska Airlines sent out cookies at Christmas to MVP Gold members, which was then their top elite status tier. Clearly the economic value was limited, but these were still a prized gesture.
Five years ago Marriott sent out cheese boards which seemed to connect less well. But those feel a little more useful than Lego maybe?
At $23,000 in spend – and in most cases significantly more – maybe a free hotel night in Iceland?
If that ~ Reward ~ doesn’t turn people off to Marriott (and possibly chasing these so called rewards, in general) then I guess nothing will do the trick.
The Reward is maybe just a smidge more enticing than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
“If that ~ Reward ~ doesn’t turn people off to Marriott (and possibly chasing these so called rewards, in general) then I guess nothing will do the trick.”
What’s the alternative? No one has the footprint Marriott does except maybe Choice, who does not offer a comparable product. I got lucky with some long term projects being near Starwood properties when they were comparatively smaller, but I don’t have that luxury with something like Hyatt, so Marriott it is by default since my projects send me out to BFE where Hyatt doesn’t venture
Hyatt sent globalists gifts several years ago but haven’t in years.
I came pretty close to Ambassador this year. But I don’t see the value in continuing to spend to get to $23K. I was disappointed with some of my stays at Marriott’s Autograph Collection properties late this year so I decided to switch to Star Hotels. Where Marriott is failing is that they are trying to squeeze their best customers for more revenue but without providing an improved experience. It’s been nice Marriott, but I am going somewhere else if I am in the mood for something luxurious. Puzzles just don’t cut it.
@bhcompy: IHG anywhere and Accor outside North America are probably the best alternatives to Marriott in terms of footprint.
I was lifetime Titanium Elite, then somehow dropped to lifetime Platinum elite. Called and asked for them to figure it out, they said they couldn’t because Titanium was only offered because of the merger. I said yes, I know. I was lifetime before so please restore it. Was told no can do. I kick myself for not going elsewhere.
I was Ambassador until this year (and Plat Premier with MR and PlatMinus with Starwood before the merger), but now I’m just lifetime Titanium. Marriott sent me a wooden jigsaw puzzle advertising six Bonvoy properties this year.
You say Lego and I think this is a good gift. I go on eBay to see what they are selling for. It’s not Lego. At least if it was Lego it would be worth a bunch especially if it was never sold. Now this is just some crappy plastic building block set.
I’ve been Ambassador for years. Was going to drop Marriott for reasons everyone already knows. The restart of personal ambassadors handed me a super rep who restored my faith. That person moved on and my new person isn’t restoring my faith. I’m back to the same old issues and moving on.
Couldn’t disagree more. My 5-year old son and I were absolutely blown away by the Royal Hawaiian Lego Set that arrived in the mail yesterday. (Anecdotally, the Lego sets seem to be going to Ambassador status people with kids, especially young kids.) One of the coolest things I’ve ever gotten from a company I do business with. Huge customer service win in my opinion. And, yep. Great business move , too— I’ve already promised my son and his sister trip to the real thing.
I’m at 99 nights and 10k in spend – there will be no more travel with Marriott this year. I’m titanium for life. I think I’ll just start working with a hotel chain that WANTS my business and treats customer loyalty as something to be valued – not taken for granted.
Actually, the gift they sent me was the Lego set of towers at the JW Marriott in Dubai. I’d rather have cookies or chocolate personally
I would have been really happy to receive that lego set and mildly annoyed to receive the cheese set. Anyone who is spending 5 figures a year on travel probably has multiple cheese boards and plenty of cheese knives. We’re giving most of ours away but I doubt anyone even wants them.
Marriott asks Ambassadors to provide them with preferences, likes, etc. Why not send a gift remotely based on those preferences and likes?
Been Ambassador and Lifetime Titanium elite for years now. This is the first year I am excited to not be Ambassador again. I’m so over it. There is no difference between Lifetime Titanium Elite and Ambassador aside from Your24. My ambassador is terrible as well. The recognition at hotels is at an all time low. Literally the worst TOP TIER program in all of travel.
We here at Marriott appreciate your business
Based on popular demand we will honoring our best customers with Marriott premium plastic
Luggage tags in 2025
Our apologies to all those that don’t receive their promised benefits while traveling
Remember it’s not a perfect world out there!
WOW so many people, so unappreciative. It might not be your thing but it’s the thought that counts. They are trying to be creative and get people talking. Too many companies these days have forgotten who the customer is. Thank you Marriot for remembering.
If you are spending $23k at Marriott, you are staying in a lot of premium hotels (JW, Ritz, St Regis….). These people aren’t pushing for a discount or some extra points, but want a premium experience during their stay. The lego kit is a unique thank you. Marriott isn’t going to use a lot of marketing resources for customers it already has captured in its network. I can see it using those dollars to go after Hyatt Globalists instead.
What do you want them to send out, gold bars? If they did I’m sure *someone* would complain that they were too heavy.
They don’t owe anyone a gift. None of the other programs send gifts. Hardly seems something worth whining about. (Now the lack of actual benefits IS worth whining about. What’s the point of offering status if it doesn’t actually grant any benefits??)
It comes down to what @DK and @Paul wrote. It’s not about the Lego thing. It’s about spending north of $50k a year and your personal ambassador doesn’t really help with even simple requests. Same as pre-COVID personal ambassador. THAT is why I’m done with Marriott.
3 years as ambassador and not nothing except a deck of cards and glass dice promoting mgm (maybe because many of my stays were in vegas – but I hate vegas)
The best free agency that I’m enjoying is sleeping in my own bed and not traveling as much
I got the Lego JW Marriott Dubai as my gift and I’m approaching 40K spend. Over the last few years I’ve gotten a $100 gift card from my Ambassador at year end. This year I got $50.
I worked for Marriott for many years. JW was a tight Mormon all the way.