Marriott has the toughest criteria for a published, top tier status. Bonvoy Ambassador requires 100 nights in their hotels and minimum spend of $23,000. Or does it?
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.
As I’ve covered extensively, Marriott hotels seem to be running the asylum. They more or less do as they wish, whether it’s violating brand standards or ignoring benefits. There is seemingly little consequence, since the chain doesn’t want to anger owners in the CEO’s quest for net rooms growth.
This is cheeky and sketchy and brilliant at the same time. For $20 extra per night the Renaissance Dallas Hotel will sell you 30% extra spending credit towards Ambassador status.
So Ambassador doesn’t really cost 100 nights and $23,000 spend with Marriott. Instead, it costs $17,692.31 booked under this rate plan.
Credit: Renaissance Dallas Hotel
I haven’t seen this from other hotels. I’m not sure how the accounting would even work, since they’re being charged fees by Marriott based on revenue. Are they just reporting higher revenue to Marriott, paying higher fees, and keeping the difference? Will this catch on?
It’s a sneaky way to game Marriott for extra revenue, but it may mean extra revenue for Marriott too (and Marriott seemingly will do most anything for extra revenue, so the question here is whether they consider their cut big enough).
Still, it’s interesting that it’s possible to earn Ambassador status at a 23% discount to its published revenue requirement – so for even less than before they raised the spend threshold from $20,000 to $23,000!
So where’s the info about the loophole???
Still not worth it! I’d trade my ambassador status for some extra in flight snacks in a second
Interestingly, this is a Marriott corporate-managed property. So, someone who is an actual Marriott corporate employee (as opposed to an employee of a franchisee) approved this rate promotion. It may be worth checking the special rate packages at other Marriott-managed properties.
I’m curious how this is handled on the folio. If they just inflate your spending, is it possible guests traveling for work could commit fraud by turning in a folio showing a higher rate than they actually paid?