Update 1/11/24: These new benefits will be rolled out starting this week in a phase roll out.
- Nightly Upgrade Awards will be the new name for Suite Nights Awards to better align with the benefit. Nightly Upgrade Awards are one-night confirmable upgrades to a premium room or suite.
- Members will be able to choose from five additional brands when redeeming their awards: The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, Aloft, Element and Protea Hotels
- Nearly 20% more premium rooms and suites will be available for upgrades across all participating brands with features like oceanfront rooms, balconies, and extra space.
- Members will receive notification regarding the status of their Nightly Upgrade Awards request closer to check-in, starting three days prior to arrival.
Original post: According to internal Marriott documentation there will be changes to how suite night awards and upgrades will work.
- These will be applicable to more brands starting in Q1 2024 including: The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, Protea, Aloft and Element.
- Additional room types at currently participating brands
- New name for suite night awards will be announced in Q4 2023
- Improvements to compensation for hotels when a suite night award is redeemed (previously hotels only received compensation if occupancy was above a certain level)
- Improvements to options for paid upgrades before guests arrive on site
SNA’s came across from the SPG merger but Marriott has made them steadily less useful over the years. It’s nice to see more brands will be participating and compensation will be increased for hotels as well.
Recently had a positive experience. Booked one night at Ritz Nomad NYC using 85k free night + 3k points. Upgraded to the Madison Suite ($2960 if pay with cash…) 3 days before arrival.
Not a positive change for MAR’s customers, could be positive for most employees and shareholders, and surely positive for executives.
This is the default choice benefit and also the only one that does not hit their bottom line right away or in the near future because it consists of nothing but empty words.
Clearly, few selected this one and MAR needed to make it sound more attractive. Although, I’m not sure how “We’ll upgrade you to a different room! fine print: does not actually happen” is more attractive than “We’ll upgrade you to a suite! fine print: does not actually happen”.
Also as David mentioned, “pay for upgrade” feature during check-in is likely going to be the norm going forward.
The only thing “positive” about this is the fact that we are all getting “positively bonvoyed”
They’re giving you the worst of the best
Suite Nights was a misnomer. It was actually a room upgrade – example, from lower floor to higher floor. Or it could have been a Suite. Hotel discretion. The new language makes it clear it is a Nightly Upgrade (room) and not necessarily a Suite. Again, with no standards, it is up to each hotel on what it means.
It’s always given me the option to select which room type I’d like to apply them for.
The higher tiered suites obviously having a less chance of it going through.
In case you don’t speak Corporate, this will lead to no more free upgrades at all, upgrades only with SNA and most importantly: an option to pay for upgrades. We will be expected to pay for every upgrade going forward.
Exactly this.
As someone between not a flier and frequent flier (5-10/year) I’m letting my AA gold status lapse this year. The writing is on the wall that loyalty programs for the average person is dead. There’s too much money to be made in selling the upgrades instead of giving them away.
SNAs have been hit or miss for me, especially last year. This year, I’ve put in requests and all 4 have been approved so far for some amazing suites (2 in LA and 2 in Dubai).
Having additional properties to use SNAs at is a good thing and I suspect based on the language here that they’re aware of the issues and are at least trying to make them more usable and better for properties to accept them too. Let’s at least see how it plays out first. My biggest qualm is that they can’t be used at Design hotels. That’s what I’d like to see them add.
I’m looking forward to having additional hotels where my SNAs will not clear.
How about fixing the breakfast benefit and adding some tangible benefits to ambassador that are over and above platinum or titanium?
At the end of the day, hotels can opt-out of accepting a suite night award. That’s just absurd. You’re either in the chain’s loyalty program or are you aren’t in the chain’s loyalty program.
There’s one hotel that I frequent all the time. They only accept the current suite night award certificates for club lounge room king rooms. They have suites — four two-room suites. But those suites are only bookable directly through the hotel. So not only can’t you use a suite night award, but you aren’t eligible for a complimentary upgrade at check-in because the suites are never part of the available inventory. Of course, I’m a regular and the GM always upgrades me to the suite — sometimes a month before my stay.
Do SNAs clear more often if you book a room that isn’t the least expensive available, or should you always book the least expensive room?
“Additional room types at currently participating brands” can translate to being upgraded to the same room with a different description.
#Bonvoyed