How To Use Marriott Bonvoy Nightly Upgrade Awards

Word of warning: Don't be surprised if your NUAs never clear. (Just trying to save you some frustration.)

Hey Ben something interesting I would enjoy reading is if you made a post about the most aspirational uses of points, (IE Marriott, Hyatt, etc). Your posts about how to maximize value for Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, etc. are very interesting.

I would enjoy reading something like here are the top ten craziest award redemptions for Marriott, (North island, Ritz Maldives, etc).

Mine were a complete waste. In 2024 none of my NUAs cleared, although in some hotels I was upgraded without them. In one hotel in London even though there were several room types available nothing came from it. While I can appreciate that upgrades aren't guaranteed and don't always happen the purpose of the NUA is pointless. Hilton may upgrade as it deems fit, Hyatt's upgrade awards are bookable into a guaranteed suite. The NUAs are a terrible amalgamation of the worst parts of both. Nothing guaranteed, with the perception of an upgrade but limited to a certain amount that also have an expiration date. They should scrap them entirely or move to a Hyatt model.

Did you notice how now Marriott now charges families with small children to confirm connecting rooms?

Check out https://www.marriott.com/offers/enhance-your-stay-off-146412/bosbo-sheraton-boston-hotel , follow the "Reserve Now" link, and select "Connecting Rooms".

It's even set up for surge pricing, so while currently, in the lowest of the lowest season for family travel to Boston they charge $50 per night (probably more as they hide fees or taxes until you check out), who knows how much they charge during the holidays. $250 per night? The sky is the limit.

Despicable and IMHO worth of a post by you.

I had 7 NUA's expire Dec 31st 2024. Every hotel denied their usage.
I still submit the request but I just laugh when I get the phone notification that your NUA has been denied.

They carefully do not call it suite awards anymore because the upgrade at some higher end hotels may not be a suite and the definition of a suite could differ per hotel. I have had many issues to use these certificates and then for hotels to honor them. Getting a certificate refunded if it was not honored was a nightmare. I usually choose the 5 nights as the gift for this reason.

I know the nightly upgrade awards have a bad reputation but my experience has been completely the opposite. Full disclosure: many of the best redemptions have been at resort properties in south east Asia. Amazing suites in Malaysia and Thailand.

I have incredibly low expectations of hospitality in North America. Complete apathy in the case of US, and an almost extortion like attitude towards payed perks in MX.

Once at a Conrad property in Mexico, I had my personal “concierge” negotiating with me the price of the late checkout that should have been complimentary because clearly it was available. I actually commend Hilton because I complained and they actually gave me meaningful number of points as compensation.

As an Ambasador elite and life time Titanium (I was grandfathered in due to having highest status with both brands when Mariott and Starwood merged), my experience is mixed! My best experience has been with properties in the Netherlands. I usually lose a few of them a year due to being expired. I agree that upgrades at check in vastly vary between properties. I get upgraded every time at some properties and never at others.

I tried using the NUA during early Dec trip in Courtyard Shatin Hong Kong for 8 nights. Nope, not even a single night was cleared. Yea, sure they all returned to me but it was already the end of the year, felt that the whole "saving it for a good trip" is wasted. Tbh my experience with Hyatt upgrade cert. was definitely a much much better experience at least I know what to expect way ahead of time. None of these "begging to get clear" and competing with other elites.

None of my NUA requests cleared in 2024. I also ended 2023 with 3 unused. It's an absolute joke. As Ben said, some properties that are supposed to offer them simply don't. Calls to Bonvoy customer service about these are met with dumb silence. They cannot explain why the properties don't offer them. I also stayed in a very quiet hotel with an upgrade request for suite types that they definitely still had available and were trying to sell on the day of check in and the request was still denied. I think the European Commission needs to get on to Marriott for misleading and deceptive conduct.