Marriott Bonvoy has made a subtle but significant change to its terms & conditions, as flagged by View from the Wing. I suspect this won’t have many practical implications, but it’s worth covering nonetheless, in terms of managing expectations.
In this post:
Marriott no longer promises suite upgrades if available
Historically, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members and above have (at least in theory) been entitled to upgrades to the best available rooms at check-in, up to standard suites. That’s no longer officially the case.
Recently, the program’s terms & conditions have been updated. Here’s what the terms stated before the change:
Platinum Elite Members and above receive a complimentary upgrade to the best available room, subject to availability upon arrival, for the entire length of stay. Complimentary upgrade includes suites, rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors.
Here’s what the terms stated after the change:
Platinum Elite Members and above receive a complimentary upgrade, subject to availability upon arrival, for the entire length of stay. Complimentary upgrade includes suites, rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities or rooms on Executive Floors.
Do you notice the difference? Yes, previously the terms stated you received an upgrade to the best available room subject to availability, up to a standard suite. Now the terms state that you receive an upgrade subject to availability, and that could include a standard suite (or another room type).
This is now in line with the vague way that Marriott markets its Platinum upgrade perk, which is that “we’ll do our best to upgrade your room (including Select Suites), subject to availability upon arrival.”
Is this upgrade policy change a big deal?
Technically speaking, Marriott Bonvoy’s upgrade policy is now aligned with that of Hilton Honors, rather than that of World of Hyatt. That’s to say that suite upgrades are both subject to availability and at the discretion of the hotel, rather than being subject to availability and “guaranteed” (as much as anything can be guaranteed in this industry).
Is Marriott changing the verbiage negative? Well, of course, since Marriott is promising less. Do I think this will actually change the way that hotels upgrade people? No, I don’t think so, because I don’t think there’s actually a change here in terms of intent to deliver upgrades.
The challenge with Marriott Bonvoy is the huge amount of elite inflation we’ve seen, which limits the value of benefits that are “subject to availability.” At a vast majority of hotels, there are way more elite members eligible for suite upgrades than actual available suites. That’s why Marriott has a secret way that it prioritizes upgrades.
So Marriott Bonvoy’s updated terms are also just more accurate. The truth is that even under the old policy, elite members didn’t necessarily receive upgrades subject to availability at check-in. This is a technicality, but my point is that upgrades were typically assigned before check-in, based on some hierarchy.
With this change, there’s even less basis for anyone to show up at a Marriott and claim “oh but you’re still selling suites for tonight, so you need to upgrade me to it,” since hotels now officially have no obligation to address that.
I think this might also explain why Marriott recently stopped excluding Platinum members from the Ritz-Carlton suite upgrade benefit. With Marriott no longer promising suite upgrades, there’s no need for Ritz-Carlton to be excluded!
Bottom line
Marriott Bonvoy has updated its upgrade benefit for Platinum members and above. While members were previously promised the best available room subject to availability, up to a standard suite, that’s no longer the case. Instead, upgrades are now at the discretion of hotels, and those upgrades could include standard suites.
This now means that Marriott Bonvoy’s upgrade benefit is in line with the policy of Hilton Honors, rather than the policy of World of Hyatt.
What do you make of this update to the Marriott Bonvoy terms & conditions?
The key word was is and always will be "available".
The hotels definition of "available" is completely different than ours.
Nothing has changed.
In my experience the best room available was rarely a suite. I always felt like in the US they blocked availability to most of the suites. I don't think this change will make much practical difference, but it is disappointing and just another step in the declining value of Bonvoy loyalty.
At this point, why should anyone trust Marriott at this point? Not only are the nightly upgrade award certificates not valid for suites at many properties, but now there's no defined suite upgrade benefit if a suite is available. What next: eliminating the breakfast benefit? Admittedly, that's already impossible to receive at too many properties. Just think how much has been "downgraded" (to quote Ben Schlapping) since Marriott launched Bonvoy on August 18, 2018.
Hold the suite and just upgrade me to a Concierge level room and I would be happy.
Most of the new or newly renovated properties have moved the club lounges to the lobby level or whatever floor has their restaurants.
So basically Globalist is the only status left with a real Suite upgrade benefit. Was thinking about getting the brilliant but with titanium not having hope might as well just stick with aspire and be happy with my list of credits.
IHG Diamond, Ambassador and Royal Ambassador too.
Those programs have confirmable suite upgrade certificates that can guarantee a suite at booking?
I can't remember if it's at booking, but it's certainly well in advance and out of the inventory.
Just looked and it looks like IHG you get one at 40 nights and another at 70 only confirmable 14 days out. I think I got 5 upgrade certs total once I made globalist last few years. Not gonna work if you are planning family vacation. Royal Ambassador is not guaranteed suite. Sounds like Marriott before the change in verbiage. I just confirmed Grand Hyatt Tokyo a year out for 4 nights cost was 180k...
Just looked and it looks like IHG you get one at 40 nights and another at 70 only confirmable 14 days out. I think I got 5 upgrade certs total once I made globalist last few years. Not gonna work if you are planning family vacation. Royal Ambassador is not guaranteed suite. Sounds like Marriott before the change in verbiage. I just confirmed Grand Hyatt Tokyo a year out for 4 nights cost was 180k points and suite upgrade certificate. Cash price $13k! Looking to see if I can get to the Park Hyatt Tokyo when it opens up for reservations.
With revenues at all-time highs, the loyalty programs have no reason not to continue with point and benefit devaluations. Next on the chopping block will be the elite breakfast benefit. In the end, we'll feel lucky just to have free WiFi and late checkout. Expect nothing more.
Hi Fred,
I do believe loyalty programs have run their course. Hotels should simply sell the rooms and services they offer and dispense with the song and dance of metallically named “elite” tiers.
Objectively, that’s not true. Nightly hotel rates are falling. Business travel still hasn’t come back. The Big Three consulting firms are laying off staff. Airfares are dropping because planes, especially international flights, are increasingly empty or less full than just a few months ago. Government contractors aren’t traveling. We may go into recession.
Until the large travel managers put their foot down nothing will change.
Or enough of us complain to the right people at Marriott. There's a Reddit thread on this with over 30,000 views. What if 30,000 people emailed Marriott's CEO?
Mr. C will not care in the least.
As a titanium, I get upgraded nearly never so it doesn't really matter anyway
Hi og,
If you work the front office of a Marriott hotel in any location popular with business travelers, you’ll notice that each day’s guest list is dozens of Ambassadors, several dozen Titaniums, and even more dozen Platinums and Golds. An entire hotel could be 100% occupied by Gold Elite guests and higher. To wit, tier status means nothing.
Upgrades were a thing before Big Data. Now, airlines and hotels know how to price and...
Hi og,
If you work the front office of a Marriott hotel in any location popular with business travelers, you’ll notice that each day’s guest list is dozens of Ambassadors, several dozen Titaniums, and even more dozen Platinums and Golds. An entire hotel could be 100% occupied by Gold Elite guests and higher. To wit, tier status means nothing.
Upgrades were a thing before Big Data. Now, airlines and hotels know how to price and sell their upmarket offerings. There are SVPs at each airline and hotel chain whose performance and multi-million dollar annual bonuses are contingent on reducing free upgrades in lieu of selling inventory for incremental net revenue.
Not sure much at hotels since most Marriotts are franchised and corporate has nothing to do with revenue management.
This really makes going for ambassador status worthless. What's the point if ambassadors can't even get a defined suite upgrade benefit?
Hi Nick,
“Worth it” implies you have a choice, that you gave up something to get the status. Ambassador status is conferred automatically upon reaching certain thresholds with Marriott. The customer doesn’t need to opt in.
No hotel status with any chain is “worth” going out of one’s way for. If one happens to reach Ambassador status, it’s worth it, irrespective of what it does or doesn’t offer on the benefits front.
Have a blessed day,
Gary Leff’s #1 hater
I think you miss Nick Thomas' point. He does have a choice. He might commit to Marriott or he might commit to another program. If he finds Ambassador's value proposition not worth it, he might redirect nights and dollars originally earmarked for Marriott to another program.
As for Gary Leff, I dislike his messaging and stopped reading his blog years ago. But, I don't hate him. We need less hate. Have a blessed day.
Participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program doesn’t preclude you from also participating in Hilton Honors, IHG Rewards and the like. These programs should never influence your choice of hotel, which ought to be made based on the location and quality and value proposition of specific hotels.
You say you dislike Gary but don’t hate him. I make no distinction between those feelings. I do still read his blog and comment as a countervailing force against...
Participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program doesn’t preclude you from also participating in Hilton Honors, IHG Rewards and the like. These programs should never influence your choice of hotel, which ought to be made based on the location and quality and value proposition of specific hotels.
You say you dislike Gary but don’t hate him. I make no distinction between those feelings. I do still read his blog and comment as a countervailing force against the abject racism that pervades the comment section of many of his posts.
You write: “The challenge with Marriott Bonvoy is the huge amount of elite inflation we’ve seen, which limits the value of benefits that are 'subject to availability.'”
No, the challenge with Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott corporate's refusal to enforce standards and benefits upon its real customer, the hotel owners and operators. Yes, there are probably too many elites but, ultimately, Marriott basically allowers owners or operators to whatever they please.
You have properties like...
You write: “The challenge with Marriott Bonvoy is the huge amount of elite inflation we’ve seen, which limits the value of benefits that are 'subject to availability.'”
No, the challenge with Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott corporate's refusal to enforce standards and benefits upon its real customer, the hotel owners and operators. Yes, there are probably too many elites but, ultimately, Marriott basically allowers owners or operators to whatever they please.
You have properties like the St. Regis in Washington that don't "clean" suites until they're booked so they can avoid giving an upgrade. You have other properties that refuse to provide coffee with the breakfast benefit.
Hi Nick,
I agree with you but I must add, all other hotel chains face the exact same problem. Marriott’s woes are more known because Marriott has a bigger portfolio.
Hotel owners and operators are scum. With the economy on screech for the last decade they’ve become complacent and forgotten what any semblance of hospitality or customer centricity looks like. They could learn from Jeff Bezos but he’s too busy motorboating nowadays.
G’day!
Once again, you're wrong.
"Historically, Marriott Bonvoy Platinum members and above have (at least in theory) been entitled to upgrades to the best available rooms at check-in, up to standard suites."
The previous upgrade benefit was never conditioned in the terms and conditions to "standard suites." That's a Hyatt thing.
Hi Nick,
There’s the added problem that a “standard suite” has no canonical definition. One may be reasonable to start with a suite being defined as a room with separation between the bed and living area, but the hotel industry has long since abandoned that norm.
A suite is anything the hotel feels like labeling a suite.
Remember we are in the age of standard rooms not having work desks anymore.
I think what Ben was saying was "non-signature suite" . . . or "upgrade-eligible" suites. I understood what he meant. Forgive him for his imprecise terminology.