There’s potentially lots of value to having hotel elite status. However, there’s no denying that elite ranks have swelled quite a bit over the years, especially with some programs making it easy to earn top tier status with a credit card.
Continue reading: Hotels Posting Signs With Number Of Elite Guests: Useful, Tacky, Or Both?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
yes, it would be very useful if there were a corporate-managed published list in the app; however, in the current sign-based implementation, it's just property owners fabricating numbers to preemptively excuse their failure to deliver the benefits to which members are entitled.
If I checked into a Marriott that did this, it would be funny to give the front desk a message of my own. For example; “I noticed the sign. Fair enough—just so you know, this hotel isn’t irreplaceable to me either. I have Lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, and there are plenty of good options in this area.”
Yeah, if they were on the app or centrally managed, they'd be informative, just like airline upgrade lists. Otherwise, they're just made up stuff.
I've seen Hilton Tokyo (Disney) do this several years back where they listed/welcomed all elites by name on a board (at breakfast) so you could realistically count 'em if you wish. Also common at car rental places (Hertz/Avis?)
I love it.
Manages expectations.
I would consider it tacky if on the same sign or a sign next to it they also posted something like "ask associate about paid upgrades" or "$300 for a suite upgrade."
It is no different than upgrade lists for airlines which i don't really consider tacky.
Who says the numbers are correct or true? Hotels could change the numbers everyday, print them and stop people from asking about room upgrades. Problem solved.
I think it's tacky of the program to have that many elite members in the first place!
Correct. It's much too easy to earn "status", because once half the guests in the place have it, there's no point having it. Is it any wonder that hotels have become increasingly reticent to provide "elite benefits"?
OTOH, I wouldn’t put it past a Japanese hotel to print a new one multiple times a day if someone canceled their room or they got a new booking. Perhaps a reasonable theory, since truthfulness and honesty are [generally] the norm there. In the US……………… not so much.
Personally it just proves, especially where mid-upper level status can be obtained by credit card, that it really isn't that special. Personally I'd like to see Marriott cut back on promised Platinum benefits and Hilton cut Gold since there are way too many people at those levels. They crowd lounges and seem to think they are entitled to upgrades when half the hotel likely has that status. I'm lifetime Titanium w Marriott, Hilton Diamond and Hyatt Globalist. I rarely get upgraded to anything meaningful (Hyatt is better than the other 2 but still hit or miss) unless I guarantee it with a suite upgrade or pay to upgrade. If that is MY experience Marriott Platinum and Hilton Gold should have ZERO expectation of anything so just change the benefits to reflect that. Otherwise you just set unreal expectations that hotels can't meet.
I'm not sure how they're useful other than to say "we're busy" please wait.
You should never feel that way when you have elite status.
I miss Starwood 🙁
The competition's business intelligence unit can tell you how reliable the numbers are.
In short: if they are reliable, they're divulging useful information for the competition. If they're not, they're lying to their customers. Either way, they lose.
OMG Yes ! love that one too. My partner is Diamond and thankfully forgets that most of the time.
Firstly, thanks for the laughs !!!
If posting this somewhat tacky information helps manage expections, I am all for it.
I can't remember which airline exec said this but: " If everyone is Elite then no one is Elite".
It their "subtle" way to say... you don't count, we don't give a shit about your status. Don't ask about your upgrade, or free water, etc. etc.
The hotel loyalty pyramid schemes rival the airline ones.. they suck you in, and you think the loyalty is returned.... in general, it's better to price shop across brands and get what you want, instead of paying the highly inflated prices....
That being said, once they suck you in, its like heroin or smoking, its hard to quit.
I am guilty of the same, but getting ready to jump ship on these things.
It would be fun if Accor hotels started doing it and made me feel special about being the only Gold staying at illustrious properties such as the Mercure Jakarta Batavia, the Ibis Rotherham East, or that other one in a Spanish provincial city (can't remember which one) that was literally next to the local abbatoir
Both? Both is good.
On the one hand, a bit of perspective might not be the worst thing (I'd legitimately be curious as to how many people are at each tier, but I know that at multiple chains they've likely swelled the heck out of their ranks via CC qualification - at least Hyatt /mostly/ makes you spend your way up the ladder...), but I think if they're going to do this, one should expect them to post them at all times - and that means that e.g. if I'm the only Titanium on-site at a given Marriott /and/ I see that there are still suites for sale on the website, I should feel empowered to ask for a manager to ask why I'm not getting the upgrade. (In a reasonable world, that should be something Corporate would tear them a new one on, but we don't live in a reasonable world. Something something net room growth.)
On the other hand, I think someone indicated that it wouldn't be hard for the hotel to inflate the numbers a bit (especially at Marriott, you've got a lot of lousy franchisees who don't want to honor benefits as it is, so I wouldn't put it past them to lie about this as well) and we have no way to falsify their claims, and it /does/ feel tacky.
I just think it's interesting information. I don't really internalize it as some sort of passive aggressive approach to benefit management.
As a platinum via credit card, I would like good communication, not have to stand in long lines at check-in, receive early check-in if possible (and it almost always is), late check-out without it being an issue (and it almost always is), and lounge access. The rest is whatever.
The idea of being upgraded automatically is nice, but I don't care about room upgrades generally as a mostly solo business traveler. When I do want an upgrade, I apply an NUA and cross my fingers or buy up from the base room.
I'm also reasonably happy with the benefits I have received as a platinum, so I am not perpetually upset or feel I'm getting screwed.
I’m not that easily offended. I don’t think it’s tacky. Yes, people need to be taught to keep expectations realistic. If you need that upgrade, book it.
i just completed a stay at the InterContinental Sydney to which I’m a big fan. I’m a Platinum (vis cc) Ambassador (renewing with points) using a weekend cert. i reserved a Bridge Opera House view room expecting an upgrade to the cornet suite **02 which i think is the best room in the House. All this happened but my suite was only on the 17th floor. there were 12 Suites above me. and a condo building partially blocking the view for lower floors. so what was my statues verses the guest above me???
in April for a one night stay i chose the Park Hyatt Sydney (1st time) thru Toby at FBT. the upgrade was to the large suite but poorer view of Opera H. I declined the upgrade and got one of the best view rooms. and it was large enough and fancy enough. Fun
I don't think status makes one special and I'm well aware that there's many other people with the same or higher status than me, so these certainly don't hurt my feelings. However, management going out of their way to let customers know they don't care about them says a lot about how business is run and I shall stay away from the properties that do so.
Platinum with Marriott will be cut based on the nonsensical promotion they had this year. I will be one of them. Instead of the double nights promo which allowed me to reach platinum resulting from my business travel, they had some stupid stay at brands promo for 1 night. I ignored it as I was not jumping through any hotel's hoop.
I had just gotten its Visa credit card which served the dual purpose of allowing me to shop at Costco. If they do not return with the double nights promo next year, I will be cancelling its Visa card and finding another Visa.
I do not care about an upgrade to a suite as I am a solo traveller and a suite is more space than I want.
As long as I can get early check in and late check out when my travel plans require them, and lounge access - I am content.
So I am not insulted about any such sign.
Accor Gold is very special indeed: it gets you a Nespresso machine instead of just a kettle.
I value my OMAAT Diamond status very highly.. it's almost as exclusive as my (matched) Best Western Diamond status 😉
Stupid and corporate needs to end this crap! Next they post how many married, single, whatever citizenship, gay, straight, white, green, black. It serves Zero purpose, it’s just dumb!
Mildly interesting but mostly tacky …. And Whiney too …. Boohoo I have some many good Marriott customers overpaying for my marginal product
I think "both" is a fair answer. Unfortunately this is one of those situations where you have a VERY vocal minority causing trouble for the majority. I travel every week, I check in roughly 90% of the time with no one being ignorant around me at the Front Desk, maybe even more than 90%. It is those 10% or less times that everyone remembers and causes signs like these. So far this year my worst observation was the good 'ole "but I Titanium, where is my free breakfast" at the Ritz Carlton Melbourne! It went on and on to the point where another guest interrupted the argument and told the Titanium Elite guest that he was "holding everyone up with his ignorance of the program, step aside," lol.
Guys, why don't you just book a room that you want?
Complimentary upgrades are disappearing in aviation, and same will happen to hotels.
In the flyer forums, since quite a while, the tonality is: just book business or first!
So: learn from your own rules.
It relaxes you (and your egos) a lot.
Buy what you can afford. Or what you want.
You guys miss so many really nice hotels by being "loyal" (or marketing victims)!
And aha: please don't tell me you need a lounge (ok, if you want cheap wine and beer - and mediocre food: your fetish will be served)
I think they're a useful and amusing reality check in limited service properties like Hampton Inns and such, where there are few elite benefits to begin with and often a lot of elites staying.
I don't think they belong in higher end properties, where there are both more benefit opportunities and, often, fewer elites (at least as a percentage of guests) chasing them.
When it comes to mainstream upscale hotels (i.e. not some kind of uber-luxury boutique affair), lobbies are invariably more spacious and comfortable than lounges.
While I haven't used many hotel lounges, the ones I've been to have all been quite drab and lacking in ambience, let alone sense of occasion, even when the catering was alright. The one notable exception (which I suppose proves the rule) was a Novotel (!) in HKG which had a happy hour that managed to attract quite a few of the business travellers staying in the hotel.
yes, it would be very useful if there were a corporate-managed published list in the app; however, in the current sign-based implementation, it's just property owners fabricating numbers to preemptively excuse their failure to deliver the benefits to which members are entitled.
Yeah, if they were on the app or centrally managed, they'd be informative, just like airline upgrade lists. Otherwise, they're just made up stuff.
If I checked into a Marriott that did this, it would be funny to give the front desk a message of my own. For example; “I noticed the sign. Fair enough—just so you know, this hotel isn’t irreplaceable to me either. I have Lifetime Globalist with Hyatt, and there are plenty of good options in this area.”
I've seen Hilton Tokyo (Disney) do this several years back where they listed/welcomed all elites by name on a board (at breakfast) so you could realistically count 'em if you wish. Also common at car rental places (Hertz/Avis?)
Option 4: Don't care.
Thank you for including the ‘Diamond member’ video.
OMG Yes ! love that one too. My partner is Diamond and thankfully forgets that most of the time.
I love it.
Manages expectations.
I would consider it tacky if on the same sign or a sign next to it they also posted something like "ask associate about paid upgrades" or "$300 for a suite upgrade."
It is no different than upgrade lists for airlines which i don't really consider tacky.
Who says the numbers are correct or true? Hotels could change the numbers everyday, print them and stop people from asking about room upgrades. Problem solved.
OTOH, I wouldn’t put it past a Japanese hotel to print a new one multiple times a day if someone canceled their room or they got a new booking. Perhaps a reasonable theory, since truthfulness and honesty are [generally] the norm there. In the US……………… not so much.
I think it's tacky of the program to have that many elite members in the first place!
Correct. It's much too easy to earn "status", because once half the guests in the place have it, there's no point having it. Is it any wonder that hotels have become increasingly reticent to provide "elite benefits"?
Because misery i.e. being Bonvoyed loves company.
Personally it just proves, especially where mid-upper level status can be obtained by credit card, that it really isn't that special. Personally I'd like to see Marriott cut back on promised Platinum benefits and Hilton cut Gold since there are way too many people at those levels. They crowd lounges and seem to think they are entitled to upgrades when half the hotel likely has that status. I'm lifetime Titanium w Marriott, Hilton Diamond and Hyatt Globalist. I rarely get upgraded to anything meaningful (Hyatt is better than the other 2 but still hit or miss) unless I guarantee it with a suite upgrade or pay to upgrade. If that is MY experience Marriott Platinum and Hilton Gold should have ZERO expectation of anything so just change the benefits to reflect that. Otherwise you just set unreal expectations that hotels can't meet.
I'm not sure how they're useful other than to say "we're busy" please wait.
You should never feel that way when you have elite status.
I miss Starwood 🙁
The competition's business intelligence unit can tell you how reliable the numbers are.
In short: if they are reliable, they're divulging useful information for the competition. If they're not, they're lying to their customers. Either way, they lose.
Firstly, thanks for the laughs !!!
If posting this somewhat tacky information helps manage expections, I am all for it.
I can't remember which airline exec said this but: " If everyone is Elite then no one is Elite".
“But I am a Diamond OMAAT user!”
It their "subtle" way to say... you don't count, we don't give a shit about your status. Don't ask about your upgrade, or free water, etc. etc.
The hotel loyalty pyramid schemes rival the airline ones.. they suck you in, and you think the loyalty is returned.... in general, it's better to price shop across brands and get what you want, instead of paying the highly inflated prices....
That being said, once they suck you in, its like heroin or smoking, its hard to quit.
I am guilty of the same, but getting ready to jump ship on these things.
Tacky.. definitely!
It would be fun if Accor hotels started doing it and made me feel special about being the only Gold staying at illustrious properties such as the Mercure Jakarta Batavia, the Ibis Rotherham East, or that other one in a Spanish provincial city (can't remember which one) that was literally next to the local abbatoir
Yes, but how many FHR bookings are checking in today?
Both? Both is good.
On the one hand, a bit of perspective might not be the worst thing (I'd legitimately be curious as to how many people are at each tier, but I know that at multiple chains they've likely swelled the heck out of their ranks via CC qualification - at least Hyatt /mostly/ makes you spend your way up the ladder...), but I think if they're going to do this, one should expect them to post them at all times - and that means that e.g. if I'm the only Titanium on-site at a given Marriott /and/ I see that there are still suites for sale on the website, I should feel empowered to ask for a manager to ask why I'm not getting the upgrade. (In a reasonable world, that should be something Corporate would tear them a new one on, but we don't live in a reasonable world. Something something net room growth.)
On the other hand, I think someone indicated that it wouldn't be hard for the hotel to inflate the numbers a bit (especially at Marriott, you've got a lot of lousy franchisees who don't want to honor benefits as it is, so I wouldn't put it past them to lie about this as well) and we have no way to falsify their claims, and it /does/ feel tacky.