Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards Now Clear Up To Five Days Out

I really don't think the previous change of allowing them to be used on more room types is an "upgrade" - it's really just an opportunity to waste the NUA on a move to a higher-level floor room that they should be giving you anyway, as an elite member. I've talked to a few people who misunderstood the selection screen and ended up burning them on something like that

Fundamentally, this is the issue. What's more is that " . . . receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room, subject to availability upon arrival, for the entire length of stay" doesn't happen when the property wants to SELL you an upgrade. This has happened to me at Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, and Sheraton. My personal ambassador was useless in facilitating.

By that way, has anyone paid attention to the lounge access exclusions? EVERY SINGLE LUXURY BRAND OTHER THAN JW MARRIOTT EXCLUDES LOUNGE ACCESS.

Imagine that at check-in, there are several upgrade-eligible suites available for the entire duration of your stay. The front desk does not offer any upgrade. Noting that there are several upgrade-eligible suites so available, you ask for an upgrade. And, the on-duty manager actually says to you, "We're not going to simply give you a suite."

Imagine in another instance, you've booked a special rate on the Marriott site. The day prior to arrival you mobile check-in & a high-floor room is assigned. Upgrade-eligible rooms are available & you contact the hotel. The hotel 1) offers to SELL you the upgrade & 2) changes your existing room to a substantially lower floor. You reply noting the existing room DOWNGRADE. Without any response, your original room is restored. That was my adios moment.

I challenge you to think more deeply on what’s going on here. You’ve been reporting on loyalty for almost two decades. I know your tastes have veered away from Marriott brands but you could really bring more insight to this with some exertion.

I was wondering why I got an email this morning regarding my NUA not being confirmed for a stay 4 days out! (Was expecting an update tomorrow.)

For me the issue is a hotel is not required to put all of its rooms and suites into inventory directly bookable through Marriott. There are several properties that I’ve stayed at with suites but the suites are only bookable directly through the hotel sales office. So that eliminates any possibility of using an upgrade certificate. It also pretty much forecloses on the possibility of a complimentary upgrade because that suite is technically unavailable at the time of check-in. Likewise, there are certain properties that were caught putting suites on Airbnb. That’s another apparent way.

And, let’s be clear, Marriott changing this policy with the carve out for Ritz-Carlton, Edition and St Regis is a reflection of two things:

1) Ritz-Carlton and Edition have long had limited elite benefits. They really don’t want to provide anything of value at those brands. Ironically, Marriott directly manages about 99.9% of all Ritz-Carlton and Edition properties. So you have corporate actively trying to evade providing anything of value to corporate’s “product” (the guests) that they sell to their “customers” (the hotel owners).

2) The inclusion of St Regis. I wonder if we will see the breakfast benefit disappear at St Regis.

St. Regis, Edition, W Hotels generally do not have lounges. Luxury Collection hotels rarely do. That only leaves JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton. And to be fair, RC lounges are fairly premium. Allowing suddenly a large number of elites to enter complimentary would lead to drastic cost-cutting and drop in quality. There are some RCs where I book the Club category and where I am happy that I can enjoy a high quality lounge.