Marriott promises that if an upgraded room is available for the length of your stay when you check in, then it is yours free if you’re a Platinum member or above. But that’s not actually how Marriott upgrades work.
Obviously, advance confirmed upgrades are done first (‘nightly upgrade awards’). These let members express priority for upgrades on a limited number of nights each year, getting ‘first dibs’ so to speak. You pick the room you’re willing to accept for your upgrade, and if it’s available as an upgrade in advance then Marriott will attempt to confirm it through their own central systems in the days leading up to check-in.
However, even that isn’t ‘if the room type is available for sale then it’s available as an upgrade’ the way that Hyatt’s advance upgrades (which can be confirmed at booking) work. Instead, Marriott upgrade inventory is rooms that they’re certain aren’t going to sell at the last minute. So there may be junior suite or ocean rooms available for sale, but you still won’t get them with a nightly upgrade award.
When you check in you’re supposed to get available rooms as an upgrade, but generally there are no available upgrades, ever, except when there are more upgrades available than elite guests. That’s because upgraded rooms are usually assigned prior to guest arrival. And if you wonder why you don’t ever get them, it’s either because the hotel doesn’t follow Marriott procedure… or because Marriott doesn’t think you’re very important.
At full service brands that are included in the upgrade benefit, properties receive a recommended order for upgrades out of all members eligible. Marriott keeps the criteria secret, though generally it’s Ambassador > Titanium > Platinum. What they don’t share is how they rank-order within each tier.
[T]he algorithm in GXP (Guest Experiences platform) arranges all guests arriving for each particular day and gives us insights about them one of which is an upgrade dashboard. The dashboard arranges guests arriving that day on an internal points system as to who are the most “valuable” guests to upgrade. Associates at the FD typically just run down that list after NUAs are awarded until upgrades are gone.
By the way here’s a Marriott Bonvoy ‘owner’ card which confers Titanium status. Owners are supposed to treat other owners with extra courtesy.
Marriott Bonvoy’s terms don’t actually reference an airline-style upgrade list with hierarchy within each tier that the hotel is supposed to follow. The way upgrades are described is that they are first come, first serve at check-in for rooms that are available (including being cleaned) when the guest arrives and aren’t booked by other guests for the entire length of the stay.
As I’ve explained before one trick hotels use to avoid upgrading elites into suites, which are more costly to clean, is just to not clean them until they’re booked by a paying guest. That way they are not ‘available’ for upgrade.
Presumably more nights and more spend prioritize one guest over another within their elite tier for how hotels are supposed to assign upgrades. An infrequent guest who merely has lifetime status might be lower-ranked?
Although at Hyatt that’s not the case at all. Lifetime Globalists outrank mere Globalists. On the Hyatt version of the recommended upgrade list, Lifetime Globalists have a separate elite tier designation (“LGLO”) versus Globalists (“GLOB”). Lifetime Globalist is a higher elite level with Hyatt.
I have lifetime titanium status with Marriott and average 90 nights a year in their hotels, have not gotten a suite upgrade since 2020, and these days a free bottle of water as an arrival gift is rare.
I frequently visit specific Marriott hotels simply because the staff treats me well. I generally book months in advance, relay my preferences, and am told if any options are available. Expecting a complimentary Titanium upgrade is a non-starter, as many hotels no longer try to accommodate those requests. Occasionally, I’ll be able to use an SNU, but usually on one-night stays. So, I’ve established relationships whenever possible, and I’m willing to pay a nightly upcharge to know in advance that I will love my room. And, if no options are available, I book the room I want. If you’re a die-hard “T&C I’m entitled to an upgrade” Marriott customer, this concept won’t work for you, and you may find yourself continually aggravated..
The entire Bonvoy program boils down to “Marriott promises X. But that’s not actually how Marriott works.”
One of the first rules of business is never give away anything you can get perfectly good money for.
Marriott sucks. End of story.
The elite status illusion keep those cattle/sheep coming chasing the cheese
Heads in Beds body in/body out
Grab their cash show them the exit door by 11:00 AM
Next dumb customer!
Fools doing 100 nights a year lol
Marriott Brand elite standards
Offer crumbs and pop tarts for breakfast
No suite upgrades
Deny late check out
Eliminate free water in disguise as the green movement
Don’t change duvets for months unless you see serious stains
Overcharge on revenue underdeliver
Keep devaluing points and increasing point amounts to redeem
Thank you for your loyalty suckers!
Of course, we don’t know if this is across the board or whether it’s limited to Marriott-managed properties. Can all properties, including franchised or licensed properties, worldwide see this purported upgrade list? And are hotels required to follow it?
@Dwondermeant sounds like Hilton. There will never be any change until a few large corporate players make a huge deal out of their travelers being denied benefits. Until then people will just complain about the program yet keep on booking. If hyatt could ever up their footprint Marriott would be in trouble.
Having experienced both, I would say that both approaches have plusses and minuses and perhaps would work best if it was possible to confirm and waitlist. Hyatt suites are the better benefit in theory, but if you’re trying to book close in (less than 6+ months) the Hyatt suites are usually not available, so you can’t even waitlist. I’m probably not going to end up using any of my Hyatt suite upgrades.
they almost always get me upgraded rooms or suites. that’s why I stick with Marriott.
There are loopholes for hotels to not honor the upgrades. Here’s one:
https://milestomemories.com/marriott-playing-games-hong-kong/
Gary,
You’re regurgitating stuff you’ve already written about.
The reality is that in the USA status means little or nothing. Service sucks and they’re not interested in giving any upgrades. If you travel overseas, you will find that you are treating much better and upgrades are more regularly available. In the past 12 months I stayed at 15 to 20 different hotels across the world and only at USA hotels (fortunately only three times) have I not had an upgrade. I also find that I am looked after extremely well, recognised for my status and have never had to actually ask for an upgrade.
Adam,
Marriott defrauding elites out of promised benefits is big news and an ongoing problem. I’m glad Gary is giving this matter the attention it deserves.
The secret to upgrades is a conversation with the GM well before you arrive. I’m a lowly Platinum but I receive significant upgrades at least 40% of the time. I’m not talking about an upper floor or better view. It is possible to obtain an upgrade at check-in but those are uncommon.
Silly me, andI thought the caste system didn’t currently exist in this country !
Just checked in at the Westin Savannah. No upgrades for a 1 night stay, though there are plenty of rooms for sale on the app… I’m leaving first thing in the morning otherwise I would have booked a nicer room. But that’s not the point….
Busted my ass to get to Starwood Platinum and then Platinum for Life. And it was beyond wonderful. Worked the system back in the day with lots of help from you, Gary. And then Marriott took over and that was that. I was a dentist and we manufactured points from lab and supply costs on credit card. Did some mileage runs to get to PFL. In the last years, other than a wonderful suite upgrade confirmed in advance at the St Regis Deer Valley, it’s been worthless. Easier nowadays to transfer Chase points to Hyatt for my stay. No longer loyal to Marriott as they are clearly not loyal to me. And with Hyatt, I will often book an award stay and ask the hotel what the daily charge will be for a suite upgrade. End of story.
I’m a lifetime platinum and I’m told – “good news, we upgraded your room.” Then you get to the room and realize that the upgrade is having a private bathroom.
In my experience, I only get benefits from platinum when traveling outside the US.
Marriot is the American airlines of hotels.
Titanium Denied upgrade at JW Marriott Dubai. No availability he said but associate in training said yes there is but then recanted and the other guest relations employee waited for us to challenge it but also knew he was caught in a bold face lie. He physically shrunk in his chair… I laughed. We accepted his humiliation as consolation prize. The room we were allocated was still huge. And the executive lounge is better than any restaurant, except maybe the Indian food restaurant in the hotel. It’s the best Indian food period. Anyway that’s my story…