Marriott promises a lot to members, and frequently doesn’t delivery. Hilton doesn’t promise much, and so it rarely disappoints. Some Marriotts have even figured out a new way to avoid handing out upgrades, and I have to say that it’s really clever.
The Hilton Honors doesn’t promise to upgrade its Diamond members to suites. They just say that if a suite is available, hotels may upgrade Diamonds. They don’t have to. In contrast, Marriott offers two paths into suites for its elite customers.
- Nightly Upgrade Awards allow members to have priority for upgrades (including to suites), confirming those several days prior to check-in. Most of the time they don’t clear because only a limited number of rooms that are still available days ahead are allotted to these upgrades, and because Marriott has so many elite members competing for them.
- Complimentary upgrades at check-in for Platinum members and higher include suites if one is available for the entire length of the guest’s stay. Under the program’s terms, the member is supposed to “receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room” and that “includes suites, rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors.” Period.
However, some Marriott hotels just won’t upgrade elite members. It’s not even that they think they still might sell the room at 6 p.m. on the day of check-in. Instead,
- They may be afraid that the member uses their late check-out benefit for a room they have sold the next day, making it tough to clean in time to deliver to the next guest. From one Marriott G.M.:
[T]his is why I don’t like upgrading plat and above into suites when it’s booked the next day. We have only one of each kind and if we upgrade you complimentary and then you ask for a 4pm checkout it [creates problems] the next day. I always just say it’s unavailable for an upgrade.
- Or they may be trying to save money on housekeeping since larger rooms take more time to clean. It’s better for them to leave the suite empty for the next paying guest! As one Los Angeles-area hotel general manager put it,
Costs of hskp has increased so much that operators are having to figure out how to make things more efficient, which means not providing complimentary upgrades into suites because the cost to clean has doubled. So we will only upgrade to a higher floor + view.
While some properties just refuse to upgrade, and Marriott seems to do little about it (when you contact Marriott customer service about a problem, they’ll tend to just defer to the hotel or refer you to the hotel), there are some tricks that hotels have figured out to deny upgrades while still staying within program rules.
- When I check into a hotel, I know that a suite is available for upgrade if it’s for sale. If I can book the eligible (‘standard’) suite as a paying guest when I am checking in, for the entire length of my stay, then they should be willing to upgrade me into it for free!
- But the trick is that the suite has to be ‘available’ and that doesn’t just mean not booked by another guest, it also means that the room must be cleaned and inspected.
- So some hotels just don’t clean the suites, unless someone books one!
A reader shared their experience with the St. Regis Washington D.C., a hotel that’s Marriott-managed (so should be better about honoring the terms of the program) and that has plenty of suites.
St. Regis D.C., Credit: Marriott
He’s an Ambassador member and was checking in at a low period for the hotel and for the city. He wasn’t able to confirm an upgrade using Nightly Upgrade Awards despite “select[ing] multiple categories of entry-level and mid-level suites” and despite those rooms all being available for sale. His Ambassador agent tried to get the hotel to confirm a suite on the day of arrival, but was rebuffed.
When the guest arrived at the hotel at 6 p.m., he asked about a suite upgrade at check-in. He was told that “the suites hadn’t been cleaned.” He could book one on the Marriott website, but they weren’t available for upgrade!
St. Regis D.C., Credit: Marriott
This is a hotel that I have a lot of affection for. It’s where I stayed (in a suite!) the night that I asked my wife to marry me. It disappoints me to hear stories about the property treating Ambassador members poorly.
Avoiding suite upgrades into clean rooms is one way to save on housekeeping costs. Not cleaning the suite at all until it’s booked, deferring housekeeping, is another even better way if that’s what you’re trying to accomplish.
The hotel didn’t fail to upgrade the guest into an available suite that as in-service, because the suites were not in service. Clever!
The Marriott acquisition of Starwood hotels, effectively eliminated necessary competition in the hotel industry. It should have been subject to antitrust. Here is the result.
At this point, we avoid Marriott and don’t even bother to book via Hilton, especially if Expedia is quoting a slightly lower price. Too tired of the games played by US brand hotels. We switched to non-American brands while in Europe and did SO MUCH better. Remember that you have choices.
First time commenting here. Long time lurker.
Sharing my experience with Hilton. I’ve been a Diamond member for several years now. Long enough to have been through a few transitions in Hilton’s perks. I also USED TO be a Marriott Rewards member.
Now, just comparing properties, I’ll say that in general Marriott has nicer properties IMHO when one is comparing similar tiers. However, Hilton is more consistent with the experience.
When I travel, first and foremost I want certainty with regards to my expectations. My trips are frequently short (less than 4 days duration) and made on short notice (less than 2 weeks out). It is frequently challenging for me to arrange all the details when I sit down to tackle this task.
Hilton has never let me down when it comes to booking a room. I’m not always able to grab an upgrade, but I am successful in doing so more times than not. I’d say 90% of the time. I once travelled with my family and the hotel in Houston upgraded me to a junior suite. One step below their Presidential. Kudos to that hotel. My 11-year old daughter loved it. Made my day. 🙂
Sure, I’ve had my low points with Hilton. But that is largely due to some of my shorter advance notice travel plans going to high demand cities. I can’t fault Hilton for that.
In short, in spite of some of their program cut-backs over the past few years, I respect Hilton. And I shall continue giving them my business.
I can’t say the same for Marriott or Hyatt, even thought they have nicer properties. Consistency is more important for me. One less thing to worry about.
Again, its all about the money. The more revenue the more management or franchise fees to Marriott. Dont forget the Mormons require 10% of your income as a fee to be blessed each year.
For properties to deny a started promise can be grounds for a lawsuit.
I think it’s time to file suit.
I also have been denied upgrades. This has been going on for quite awhile.
They should be investigated.
I feel there are other good options out there for hotels.
Seriously thinking about canceling my card.
I’ve been a Marriott Titanium member for the majority of the past decade and I am a lifetime Platinum member. I honestly can’t recall the last time I was provided a complimentary upgrade by a Marriott property, even during low traffic stays with multiple high level suites available. I’ve asked on a few occasions to the desk and to Marriott directly, even showing proof that an upgraded room was available for my duration AND at least a day after, but have always been rebuffed.
At the end of the day, Marriott has thrown aside their loyalty program and couldn’t care less about their members. I don’t even bother asking for upgrades anymore because it’s not worth the hassle of being lied to.
I am Ambassador. I never use the Bonvoy app because it is always higher, Forces me to accept points as a welcome gift, And solidifies that I will not get an upgrade.
Instead, I check rooms and rates and availability on the app and then check in in person. I always ask for a room that would be an upgrade. When I discover it’s available, I then book a lower level room and ask for the upgrade. If I don’t do this 99% of the time and upgrade is unavailable.
The other reason I don’t use the app is because about 90% of the time I’m given points without being asked. I always inquire after the fact. Sometimes I take the money and sometimes I don’t. It depends on how nice the check-in agent was.
This doesn’t happen at all in Asia. Always get an upgrade as a Titanium if it can be booked on the app, though I do sometimes have to smile and politely tell the check-in agent “actually, there are” when I’m told “sorry, sir, there are no suites available “, then inevitably followed up with “ah, I have found one for you”. The club lounge experience ia also good and sometimes excellent over here.
Would you rather have the upgrade or the 4pm check out?
I stayed at Marriott downtown Indianapolis for granddaughter’s wedding. I will not make that mistake again. Over priced and a zoo. They called said they detected smoke and I would be charged $350. Told them I am 86, never smoked. Backed off. Never again.
Seems like this approach could create other problems . . . . If a suite goes several days without being cleaned, there could be accumulated garbage that attracts insects/rodents, germs that proliferate, and/or odors that absorb into furnishings.
I am a Lifetime Titanium. Recently at a Luxury Collection, I was told that some suites were NOT part of the upgrade program. Huh? These are one bedroom suites, not Presidential Suites.
Where was Lena Khan when Marriott bought Starwood (rhetorical)? Don’t we all miss SPG? I am a LT TE, mostly from the SPG days.
Marriott operates under a clear model of “ we will continue to make changes at the expense of even our most valuable customers because they don’t have great alternatives”.
I have not changed my behavior but I will begin to do so this year.
What is the upside in staying 100% loyal to them – zero. It used to be the multiplier on points but now you can get a status match from their competition. Is Hilton any better?
Last straw for me – booked at st R Palm Springs. Requested a suite via SN certs. I called when they did not clear. A mgr told me they full. I told him I could redeem a suite if I used points. He then said “it’s my last and I will sell it by tomorrow “. That ticked me off. Worst of all, I then tried found I could have booked three free suites(the max allowed) during the same stay. They must be working their time share folks into key Marriott roles..so poor.
I have been stewing about Bonvoy for a couple years now
It really has become a set of loosely defined brand attributes left to the discretion of local hotels.
My view – Bonvoy is a rewards program, not a loyalty program – eg buy 10 subs, get one free. They currently generate no loyalty. This feeling has been growing for years. I would switch in a moment for a better option.
I used to work in the airline business. Carriers went through the same mindset in the late 90’s – “we raise walk up fares over and over, and reduce free seats because we can”. The airlines finally got religion the hard way. Credit to Delta (DM there) who rather than trying to save their way to prosperity , instead spent on INCREASING offerings to increase their share of premium travelers. It worked!
And I conclude by saying I go out of my way to use Delta even if a bit more expensive (ie I am loyal) because they offer me unique benefits and make me feel like they recognize my value and in turn, take care of me. Ed Bastian – how about taking a shot at running a hotel chain!
The entitlement of some hotel guests has completely gotten out of hand. If you want an upgraded room, book one. Your loyalty status only gets you early check-ins, late check-outs, and upgrades upon availability, which is determined by the people running the hotel, not the guest. You also should not automatically expect free parking, breakfast, etc. just because the last hotel gave it to you to be nice. This is why hotels are hesitant to give out much beyond what is booked by the guest. It gets thrown back in the face of every front desk agent that guest encounters from then on. When you book a certain room type, you should not be disappointed when that’s exactly what you get.
Spent 3weeks in a Hilton & asked housekeeping for a simple vacumn that I could use & the broken english came back they were the only ones qualified to run the dam thing
One easy and fair solution would be for Marriott to simply publish upgrade conversion rates on their website let the public vote with their feet. Show the upgrade stats right next to the star rating. It’s understandable when a hotel CAN’T upgrade an elite guest but when they don’t do it as a matter of policy, let it be transparent and let them be accountable to the policy and the market.
Ken Vincent, you are TOTALLY correct… Thank you for that…
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g28970-d114575-r988564579-The_St_Regis_Washington_D_C-Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html