You’ve heard it said that when everyone is elite, no one is elite…but a snapshot at a Marriott Bonvoy property in Southeast Asia makes clear why you did not get that room upgrade…
Marriott Bonvoy: A Lot of Elites…
A reader shared the following photo with me from the Le Meridien Bangkok, taken on January 2, 2024. Note that it shows the hotel has 15 Ambassadors, 51 Titaniums, and 49 Platinum Bonvoy elite members, with more due to arrive!
While New Years’ in Bangkok might certainly be a unique period in drawing an “elite” crowd, the hotel has only 282 rooms! Let’s just set aside all the arrivals and count up the in-house guests. 115 of the 282 rooms are Platinum elite or above (that does not even consider how many Silver or Gold members there are). That’s more than 40%! Add up the in-house and arrivals and you get 59% of hotel guests.
That picture is a great snapshot of why you did not get the suite upgrade. Heck, 51 Titanium members? You’re fortunate if you receive a “deluxe room” upgrade.
While this example may be uniquely extreme, there is no denying that Marriott has a whole lot more elite members than does Hyatt, which is one driving force behind my loyalty to Hyatt. As a Globalist, Not only am I more likely to receive a suite upgrade at a Hyatt property, wherever I am in the world, but I can even generally confirm it in advance with my confirmed suite certificates if I do not want to roll the dice.
More than a decade ago I spent a couple nights at the Le Meridien Bangkok on my first visit to Bangkok. It was a great hotel–even in a standard room (because my Starwood status also did not get me an upgrade during the busy holiday period). But can you imagine how 115 late-checkouts mess up housekeeping staff or force arriving guests to wait? Can you imagine how crowded the lounge is?
CONCLUSION
In a world in which the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card can give you instant Platinum status, it’s tough to be more than just number when it come to elite status at a Marriott hotel. That’s the two-edged sword of a hotel chain that has such reach around the globe.
image: Marriott
That’s crazy. But we have sort of all known it. And now you see why so many properties try to skirt the rules for breakfast, etc. Footprint is not everything when the result is this. Hyatt strikes a perfect balance in my mind and why I am loyal.
Those elites are most likely getting that status via actual stays since most of them were most likely Asia or EU based. So any Hyatt hotel would have had the same issue. I have been to the Grand/Park Hyatt in BKK and seen the same issues. Overcrowded lounges (Grand Hyatt), no suite upgrades, etc…. Popular venues are going to have issues no matter where you go. The reason I have the Aspire card/HH Diamond is basically because I mainly travel to Asia/EU and generally during non-peak times to maximize benefits/upgrades.
Sure, but this is not a one off. I imagine its global and directly affects your “place in line” as an elite. And shows why hotels in Bonvoy hate how many high tier members there are. When half your hotel gets free breakfast it’s gonna be hated by the franchisee. And they are going to find ways to skirt the system. As to upgrades (primarily a U.S. problem) they most likely don’t want to give them to anyone or they would have to bring on more housekeeping to keep up with suite usage. Thus, “We upgraded you to a beautiful King Room with a view….of the woods beyond the parking lot”
It would probably surprise most on how many people take pts in lieu of breakfast when offered. A vast majority of those people with 50/75/100 nights have someone else paying the bill and usually expense breakfast on a daily basis. (Probably to boost pt earning on total folio). The incremental cost of breakfast is mostly likely no more than the $5 or so that hotel is being charged for the points option.
Without those corporate agreements and the Bonvoy earning/benefits those big spenders are not going to be staying with those franchisees in the first place. Franchisees are notorious whiners, they sign agreements and then whine because they are supposed to adhere to it.
I don’t generally see the big room upgrade as valuable benefit myself since I spend very little time in the hotel and enjoy the destination. Hotels are basically a place where I sleep and use the lounge/restaurant. (Preferably at as little of cost as possible)
@eds183, as per the conversation a couple of days ago on Matthew’s status reflections, pursuing status with Marriott makes little sense for those based in Europe as its hotels are hopelessly overpriced in most markets (I suppose if your employer has a contract with them and you have to stay there for work, you wouldn’t refuse the status). Hyatt is even worse in that regard as it’s both overpriced and thin on the ground.
I daren’t speak about those in Asia as I am not familiar with the market due to the fact I stay away from the two biggest countries (India’s definitely not for me, and I lost interest in visiting and/or doing business in China due to Xi’s politics), however I suspect that most people based there would first go for the local chains, then IHG or Accor, and only bother with the likes of Marriott if they travel a lot to the USA. I bet that the vast majority of those Marriott elites in BKK were Americans/Canadians.
In Asia 95% of these people are not getting status via credit card or CC extra nights. Those Ambassadors spend a whole lot of $$. The thresholds are already pretty high at 50/75/100. The holidays at these places are always massively elite heavy. At least that Le Meridien doesn’t’ have a lounge, so really the only thing that will mess up the hotel is the late checkout I’m sure that the lounges at the JW and Renaissance down the street were crazy.
In 2022 they did an elite happy hour at the cafe on the mezzanine. It was pretty decent. Did they get rid of that?
There is absolutely a wonderful lounge, on the 24th floor. I just spent 2 weeks at that property (as I do every year). The lounge was opened back in 2023. They previously had elite offerings in lieu of a traditional lounge in various parts of the hotel, including the Tempo lounge and lobby area.
Let me also add that this hotel is extremely popular with elites (like me) because it is an amazing property, with amazing staff, and has consistently provided top notch service in the nearly 15 years that I’ve been going there.
No, you spend 4M yen on Japan Bonvoy card and you get Platinum too.
I’m going to do something odd and defend Marriott. I’m a Titanium, I stayed at the Parklane in Cyprus over NYE last week and was upgraded to a 4,000 SQ.ft. 2 level villa with a private heated pool. Quite an upgrade considering my rate was €220.
That of course is not normal, and I still plant to quality for Globalist before I move any discretionary nights to Marriott.
i spent 3+ years of my life in Marriott properties. i expect better.
@Matthew, you wrote in this article that a reader shared that image with you, how does one share things with you? I know in the past other commenters have said Social Media, but what does one do like myself who does not use Social Media? How do readers like me share things with you if they need/want to?
Thanks
Wow. I’m Bonvoy Gold, which isn’t the lowest, but I certainly feel lowly looking at that sign.
Can you imagine the amount of young boys and girls being offered around that place?
You sound pretty creepy, dude.
Matthew, are there still rumors that Hyatt is considering a more elite credit card with built-in status?
I hope not!
About a year ago on a TPE-SFO flight on United the FAs left the manifest of elite members and seating assignments unattended on the jump seat by the forward boarding door.
There were a surprising amount of GS on board (all in Polaris) and some 1Ks seated in economy.
It’s always nice to see some transparency (whether warranted or not) from hotels and airlines that helps to explain the reasoning behind the discretionary benefits of their loyalty programs.
Was there evidence of *G pax? I am always positively surprised whenever I receive an op-up on short haul flights in my capacity of elite member for an alliance partner and keep wondering ‘didn’t they have any of their own elites to upgrade before me?’, before remembering that certain airlines (certainly including AF and BA) actually ensure their algorithms prevent their elites from getting upgraded too often in order to protect premium cabin revenue.
What’s the purpose of that sign? Looks like nothing more than a big dick stroke for people who like to have their egos massaged. Who cares how many “elites” are there???
It’s a polite (or some would say passive aggressive) way for the hotel to communicate to all elite members at check-in: this is why you aren’t getting an upgrade
I think that is correct. And it was startling to me.
@Matthew. Any clue as to why they would publish this information?
I think to make clear why most Plats did not receive an upgrade.