New Marriott Loyalty Program Continues to Disappoint Members

Issues with some members’ Marriott accounts continue, even four months after Starwood Preferred Guest was moved onto the Marriott IT platform. Customer service from Marriott hasn’t been anything like what Starwood members were used to — when Marriott says that wait times have returned to normal levels that just underscores that normal levels for Marriott are much worse than they were at Starwood. I’m personally still waiting for a response to an e-mail I sent in September.

When members do get responses there’s a reasonable chance what Marriott representatives tell them is wrong. That was true before the merger, too — Marriott customer service has a years-long history of giving out unreliable information.

The new Marriott program has been a series of disappointments. It’s been a poor customer experience (account issues, poor issue handling by agents), failure to deliver on lofty promises (hotels doing the bare minimum on elite benefits), and actions that undermine trust in the program (numerous updates to the program terms since launch, all anti-customer).

Marriott’s CEO has described member frustration as just noise around the edges while in contrast a senior Marriott executive told me this month that the integration was “badly managed.”

Marriott’s New Program Announcement Seemed Like the Best We Could Have Hoped For

When Marriott’s new program launched it looked better than what I was expecting. It appeared to be a stapling on of Marriott’s earn and burn program with Starwood’s elite program.

  • Marriott points would get devalued a bit
  • Starwood’s elite benefits would take more nights to earn
  • And there’s be some transition pain as hotels were brought into line offering benefits

However on the whole it was hard to complain. Marriott members would get better elite benefits. Starwood members would get better earn and burn. There would be some regression towards the mean. But it appeared to be working out much more like Arne Sorenson said it would (I told him I didn’t believe him that they would create the best and only hotel loyalty program members would need and was prepared to be proven wrong).

  • Marriott needs a strong loyalty program to support keeping 30 brands
  • Guests cannot keep track of or understand 30 brands. Marriott executives cannot explain their differences.
  • The bet is that a strong Marriott Rewards means customers go to Marriott.com to book and choose from the hotels they’re offered
  • As a result Marriott can have more hotels in more cities and more rooms under management generating fees.

The problem though is that in practice the program has been far more frustrating than what had been described back in April.

Constantly Changing Program Rules

We haven’t been able to rely on the program’s own terms and conditions for what to expect from Marriott hotels. They’ve made multiple changes without notice to the program rules since it launched in August.

Indeed the program terms even said that with Marriott Rewards you could use points for a hotel room any time a property had a standard room available for sale. That was never true. It was the old Starwood rule, and applies to legacy Starwood brands. Marriott hotels can continue to limit award redemptions on ‘high demand’ dates (if memory serves to just 10% of their inventory). Marriott updated their terms last week to reflect that.

Hotel Awards Getting More Expensive — And Out of Reach of Members With Travel Certificates

Think the whole travel package debacle is over?

  • A reader was waiting until Hotel Talisa was migrated from Starwood’s reservation system over to Marriott’s so that Marriott would let him use his travel package there.

  • Marriott’s category change website still lists the property as category 6.

  • Along with moving the hotel to Marriott’s IT platform, though, they also raised the hotel to a category 7.

  • After several months of waiting to use a travel package certificate the hotel becomes unusable with that certificate right as it becomes possible to redeem for. That’s a form of bait and switch.

Marriott shares their reasoning for changing Hotel Talisa’s category without notice,

In terms of the Hotel Talisa, it was a white label property and now is in the Luxury Collection portfolio. In rare instances, properties may move up or down in category based on market conditions between the annual category changes. In the case of Hotel Talisa, being assigned to the brand as opposed to white labeled changed its position on the marketplace. The award chart on our website is now updated. (As you know, if a member attaches a travel packages certificate to a reservation, we would honor the lower category rate.)

I would note that Hotel Talisa was announced as part of the Luxury Collection in September.

Last week we learned that Marriott’s big award price increase wouldn’t happen until March and that there would be a round of hotel category re-assignments at that time. As Marriott further explains,

In terms of announcing category eight, we had said it would be introduced in 2019 but not necessarily on January 1. Therefore, once we knew the date and that it would coincide with the annual category changes, we let our members know.

What they did not tell us of course was that they were already making re-assignments. That was up to members to discover when they couldn’t use their travel package certificates.

Hotels Not Delivering Promised Benefits

Elite benefits members now receive vary tremendously in value from hotel to hotel. On the one hand it’s fantastic that Marriott no longer excludes resorts from offering elite breakfast. That was one of the most frustrating rules in the old Marriott program. Members actually have time to enjoy a nice breakfast on holiday much more so than during their weekday business travels.

But hotels are allowed to get away with murder, it seems, in terms of what they offer. Take the Autograph Collection Scrub Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands where a 100 night Ambassador guest shares their elite breakfast: fruit, bagel, muffin and bread, “they give you this box of junk food — you get no choice — at the restaurant. Anything else involves a charge.”

I asked Marriott whether this is what they have in mind for Platinum breakfast. A spokesperson offers, “As you know we have expanded free breakfast to include resorts. The requirement is at least a continental breakfast.”

There are plenty of other hotels scraping by with the bare minimum of course. At the Westin Los Cabos platinums get a bowl of fruit and toast, where they used to offer hot items. The benefit is for a continental breakfast, but cereal here would cost extra.

Hotels that don’t offer a lounge — or at legacy Marriott brands, that don’t have to let elites use the lounge if they’re a resort — are supposed to let members order breakfast in the restaurant. That usually implies some kind of choice. The ‘Platinum special’ of fruit and toast doesn’t make a member feel valued for their 50, 75, or 100 nights (now plus $20,000 minimum spend) of loyalty.

Marriott Doesn’t Need to Be Better

No doubt it takes time for the kinks to shake out in any program. They’re dealing with owners who may want to do as little as possible. And Marriott’s enforcement of its elite rules pales in comparison to what Starwood used to for guests at non-compliant properties.

The problem I think is that the chain’s CEO describes the frustration of his best customers as noise around the edges rather than tackling the problem with open arms.

Bill Marriott said the purpose of the Starwood acquisition was to give them scale and leverage. I noted at the time this included leverage over customers.

As long as Hilton and IHG fail to offer meaningful elite benefits they may not feel they need to do more to retain customers. After all they’re about 8 times as big as Hyatt, so the better World of Hyatt program may not move the needle enough with many of their guests.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. The SPG Gold number is a disaster – before someone would just answer the phone, now you have the go through 3-4 minutes of prompts, it doesn’t recognize my phone number even though I’ve confirmed with Marriott it’s the one they have on my account, and then you get less trained staff.

  2. The Marriott takeover of SPG has been just a bunch of B.S.
    Speak with your wallets people and book away from this mess.

  3. I love the new Marriott program. Oh wait, I rarely stay at Marriott (or SPG for that matter) hotels…

  4. I don’t understand why after 4 months of complaining, why the SPG elites don’t stop booking Marriott and SPG properties, it’s obvious that Marriott isn’t going to do anything until their bottom line takes a hit. Perhaps then, they will have to work to entice people back into their properties.

    There are a lot of other hotels out there – try some of them, you might find them more prepared to keep you happy and more importantly, keep you coming back. Or just stay at Super 8, Trust me, you’ll be begging to go back to a Marriott after a couple of stays at “The Ocho”

  5. As an SPG Lifetime Plat Elite, now sadly Marriott, I had my first Marriott stay 2 weeks ago. There was no water in the room. I called to ask for my 2 bottles and was told “we don’t have water in our rooms.” I told them my status. “We do NOT have bottled water in the rooms. You can buy water at the front desk.”

    But my greatest gripe is their failure to put Lifetime Platinum on my online account. But on my end it says Platinum Elite. I’ve talked to over 20 ppl at Marriott and no one has any idea how to fix it. They promise me it’s on their end but I’m not in a trusting mood. IMO they’ve ruined a wonderful program.

  6. The Marriott brand is in the toilet. The CEO clearly doesn’t have a clue or is simply a liar … or both! The website is still buggy at best , telephone wait times are still excessive, hotels are doing the very basic in delivering benefits.

    Don’t even get me started on the lack of customer service for post stays! And I love how you have to be invited to review hotels that you’ve stayed at. Marriott trying to control the narrative!

  7. You’re missing the worst part of the travel package debacle–in most cases Marriott will not let you upgrade the old packages to the desired new hotel category.

  8. I wouldn’t consider Hilton Diamond status meaningless considering you can get it from a credit card and end up paying $0 after credits.

  9. I’m grateful I’m not stuck staying at Marriott properties. My loyalty is with Hilton who I feel does a fantastic job taking care of elite members.

  10. I hear you… and yet, I can currently book amazing, expensive properties for 33% less than Starwood charged. Also: between my bf and I, we now get four free nights a year from CCs that previously came with no free nights at all. Overall, I think the transition, though technologically frustrating, has saved me about $3000. That’ll buy a lot of hotel breakfasts.

  11. Legacy SPG Platinum w/ Ambassador (and Lifetime Platinum)….now “Loyalty Program” Platinum Premier with Ambassador.

    So….Legacy Starwood hotels – I have noticed no changes when I stay here. Stayed at the Sheraton Silver Spring for a week, did on-line check-in and when I passed by the front desk – was welcomed and handed a key packet. Easy Peasy.

    Never stayed at Marriott brands until the August 18 date.
    I stayed at my first Marriott in October for 8 nights – The Marriott Istanbul – excellent stay. Was upgraded to a suite, got full breakfast buffet in morning.
    Then I stayed at a Renaissance in Istanbul – same thing – upgraded to a huge room with fantastic view, access to lounge and breakfast.

    Then I stayed at a US Domestic Renaissance – and boy did things change. Apparently the foreign Marriott properties do a much better job with honoring Elite benefits. Domestic ones DO NOT.
    I used the SPG app (which is identical to the Marriott Rewards app) to do on-line check in. When I arrived at the Renaissance LAX, the front desk agent went through the WHOLE slow check-in process. Said I had a club floor room. I asked if my Platinum Premier with Ambassador level upgrade to a suite was available and they said they don’t upgrade at that hotel. (I has checked the app and knew they had multiple suites available) When I mentioned this, they looked at me quite surprised and lo and behold a suite popped up! I asked about breakfast amenity since the lounge was closed on weekends. They said I could choose between $10 F&B credit or points. Really? So I went with points. Clerk hands me my key packet and breakfast voucher for full breakfast. I was surprised about the breakfast voucher and the clerk says – Oh, don’t you know…when the lounge is closed we give you Platinums breakfast in the restaurant. You Platinums? ok thank you.
    We’re also supposed to be getting higher speed internet – but I have yet to see that option at 1/2 the brands!

    So….in the US – you literally have to ask (and come researched) for the upgrades you are entitled to based on your status level. Problem is that there are three types of Platinum – 50-75-100 – ideally you give your suites to the top elites. They should run a report in the AM and block accordingly. Some properties actually say that they don’t block until check-in.

    Also – I lost 5 suite night upgrades after the Aug 18 IT merge. Luckily I took screen shots of my account before the merge. My ambassador still can’t get Marriott to update my account. Also my ambassador contact info is now missing on my profile….how is this SERVICE ?

    Lastly…I can’t find anywhere on the ME/SPG website anything about what properties’ breakfast amenity policy is…..

    Bonvoy?
    Titanium ?

    Ugh

  12. I’ve never been so glad that I have to pay for my own stays! No corporate policy dictates – so I just discovered 2 interesting hotels in Paris and sooo much better than the LM I stayed at using travel certs!
    I”m using up my free stays but almost NEVER book paid stays (when I’ve done 75 or more in most all previous 15 years). Sure I’m “Peripheral noise” but if enough people are like me (and hopefully some large corporate accounts) maybe they will notice on their bottom line.

  13. I’ve had absolutely clueless CSR’s. One told me nights had posted when they hadn’t. Another said that I can only transfer points to people living at my address (the old spg rules). And as a system, I find it frustrating as hell that no one can tell me my nights to date in the Starwood program – I want confirmation in 2018 that I hit LT status while I can still add a night if I need to.

  14. At some point this all has to stabilize with Marriott don’t you think? I agree am glad I have stayed with Marriott

  15. are golds entitled to free breakfast at resorts on award stays? we just did a week at a marriott resort and i paid for our breakfasts at check-out (didn’t know they were supposed to be included at resorts – when did that happen)? Any ideas what i should do?

  16. One of the most annoying things is the peak and off peak pricing. I have 2 SPG cards and 1 Marriott biz from Chase. They each give me a 35,000 pt free night upon account anniversary, however “35,000” category 5 hotels will be out of reach during peak periods rendering the free night useless for the category it is more or less advertised at. I will be relegated to category 4 hotels during the periods I am likely to use the card. Just another misleading way to screw with loyal customers. (I know peak/off peak hasn’t take effect yet but it will, and I’m not sure I’ll keep any of these cards).

  17. I will forgive them everything for letting me book 5 nights at St. Regis Bora Bora for 240,000 points with free breakfast for Platinum Elite. 🙂

  18. I had gold from spending 30k on my spg card and also from ritz card.
    Got to platinum after merger, this is temporary.
    Recently spent 5 nights at Paris Marriott on the champs and was treated almost like royalty due to being platinum.
    Full breakfast, high floor room, half wine bottle and cheese plate, could not have asked for more.

  19. I am pretty sure that I speak for at least some number of Marriott Rewards members who alwhays have been Marriott Rewards elite members — the sooner the entitled SPG elites leave the program the better off we all will be.

    Gary likes to pick and choose “horror” stories such as the above Scrub Island “debacle” — yes, it is a poor continental breakfast, but as a MR elite member, we formerly received nothing on award stays at resorts. I bet the complainer was an SPG MIGRANT.

    Most of the carping in the above screed is by SPG MIGRANTS, and/or members who thought they were going to make a windfall on the travel packages.

    Marriott honored most of the claims by travel package purchasers, so I take the complaints with a grain of salt.

    SPG MIGRANTS — transition to Hilton where you can be Diamond — like me by just holding a credit card!!!! –, or HYATT with its small footprint and 60 night requirements, or Accor or any other program.

    Meanwhile, those of us who are dedicated MR members will continue with the best program to deliver consistent value.

  20. I used to get decent points redemptions on SPG properties. Now, everything is 50K+. I just planed a 5 city international trip in early 2019 and I ended up burning up all my Hyatt points and then transferring a boatload more from Chase UR because I was getting decent redemptions from 12K to 25K per night with Hyatt everywhere I looked.

    Why spend double or quadruple to stay at an SPG/Marriott property? Now I’m sitting on 400K+ in Mariott points and I’m just hoping I can get some reasonable redemptions on my trips later this year. Not a happy camper right now in this program. 🙁

  21. People have pointed out two major problems: Loyalty program and IT.

    Simple solution: Replace management in those departments.

  22. Marriott taking over Starwood is the equivalent of K-Mart taking over Nordstrom.

    (The article above sums up my experience and my feelings exactly. It’s a mess and – even when fixed – will be worse than Starwood.)

  23. I love the photo of the Platinum breakfast from the Scrub Island Resort. If a picture were worth 1000 words, this sums up how Marriott views guests. Marriott/SPG loyalists are simply a counterparty contributing to Marriott’s corporate earnings. As an SPG refugee, I am eating popcorn on the sidelines watching other legacy SPG members convince themselves that Marriott cannot be that bad. Legacy Marriott loyalists have put up with this BS for years but don’t care.

  24. Some of the complaints are legitimate, some are nitpicking. None of them are going to change anything. The Marriotts are full of guests, so they don’t care about your “noise.”

    You know who I do not blame? The employees. They are still getting slammed in the volume of problems they have to deal with, so I don’t give any weight to the whiners who complain the wait on the phone is too long.

    One observation that was spot on was that Marriott is clueless about how to differentiate 30 brands. They don’t even try, and instead just market the big family. Imagine if Cadillacs came with a badge that read “Cadillac by General Motors.”

    Just today I was surveyed by American Express re: why I don’t use my SPG Amex anymore. I honestly replied that it was because Marriott had so devalued the program, and that I knew it was not Amex’s fault.

    Their response: if you had it to do all over, would you choose a different Amex card? Gee, ya think?

  25. Replacing the head of the loyalty program and IT departments doesn’t seem to be much of a solution to anything other than to just scapegoat and to deflect from who was really responsible for this program integration debacle: those pushing the loyalty program and IT divisions to rush the program integration. The responsibility for this rests with the C-suite executives — the CEO first and foremost in his hyper-eagerness to deliver sooner than later on the “synergistic” cost-savings and revenue-enhancements that were used to try to justify Marriott’s price to acquire Starwood.

    An ordered rushed job isn’t always a good job. And this is one of those times.

    And an ordered rushed job to fleece your loyalty programs’ biggest customers is just another sign of the times: retail customers be damned as a Marriott counterparty, for we are easily replaced and far more easily replaced than the hotels/hotel owners who are the company’s most valued counterparties.

  26. Ric and Gary – Thank you! I have been missing my 5 SNA since the merger and the stays with breakfast is down to $10.00 or fruit/bread at a recent Westin. I haven’t been able to see My Trips booked on any Computers. Lastly, my last 7 night travel certificate customer service can’t tie it to a St Regis hotel and I have tried on two different ones. I will rethink future loyalty once I burn all the points/ travel certificates. I was leaning to Hilton but will look at MR rewards also.

  27. Amen. Not to mention points calculations from hotel invoices are being miscalculated frequently as lucky pointed out last week out with very difficult recourse unless you have an ambassador to fight for you to do an audit for completeness and accuracy on your folios since August

  28. Why not just move to Hilton ? I always gets what’s promised from them. Have not run across a property where that is not the case yet. I had my spg card 6 years and just gave it up a few weeks ago. Also I stay in a lot of the 5-15k Hilton properties for personal travel and for work I usually can get away with the most expensive Hilton properties. For my use of the points. I get free nights much quicker being Hilton diamond and having Amex Hilton aspire then if I was staying at any spg Marriott property regardless of your status or which spg Marriott card you use. My last Hilton stay in hongkong I got like 18,000 Hilton points for that stay. That’s almost 4 nights at the Bali Hilton garden inn or one night at the Hilton Bali resort.

  29. I may be in the minority but I have no problem with the Marriott-Starwood merger. I was quite suspect of what would happen given the many “Sky is Falling” blogs, yet despite the initial issues with IT, I’ve not experienced any major problems. All of my stays since August recognized my Platinum Premier Elite status and I was able to use my remaining suite upgrades at amazing properties both at Marriott and former Starwood properties. Marriott has also been gracious enough to wait until March to increase points for free nights reservations. As a survivor of the Continental-United merger which was not smooth and yesterday’s Orwellian email with updates at Hyatt, I’m optimistic that Marriott will get this right.

  30. I’ve always been somewhat confused as to what the purpose is for hotel elite programs. The cheapest nameplates include breakfast. If you pay more for the hotel, you are then expected to pay more on top of that for breakfast. Unless you stay with them often enough, but then you might still have to pay more for breakfast. You may or may not get a suite upgrade, but how much more did you spend at a specific brand to get those “free” suite upgrades?

  31. Gary, I applaud you for writing this and backed yourself with those examples listed. I’m sure you get many more readers that continues to share with you their frustrations/experiences with these hidden devaluations and the constant “update” in T&C for their elite benefits. Like many warned during the Apr announcement that the devil is in the details. There is no point telling the world you have the best hotel reward program when you cannot enforce your own flagship brand like the Autograph collection to give elites a decent breakfast.

    Unlike many bloggers whom appeared to surface like corporate drones welcoming the Marriott program with great fanfare during the launch, I don’t see most of them speaking up about these negatives. Perhaps they worry about their marketing profits and affiliations at risk, so why poke the giant that feeds you while it cannibalizes others?

    I believe your article, second to the recent WSJ piece is the exact sentiment of most elites right now, would Marriott continue to screw me up for loyalty to their business or there might be some recourse in the near horizon that costs me to linger those few more stays to meet Plat again next year.

    IMO, Marriott needs to tightening up their act, be stricter with enforcement on non-compliant properties. Invest and employ more (well at least temporarily until all the back logs are cleared) to empower HQ staffing to withstand this gargantuan inflow of integration related requests. Then perhaps you will see the revenue figures rise up like a phoenix in the next quarter. But if they continue to cut corners and hoping their “massive portfolio” will continue to entice guests, then all loyalty business will incinerate, and revenue will continue to follow the pitiful tracks in the likes of the previous quarter of net losses.

  32. @Gary – the craziest part of the new Marriott program , in my opinion, is that it does not recognize or attribute any value to low night/high spend guests. You must stay 100 nights and spend $20,000 to get the highest possible tier status. However, if you spend $20,000 but stay only 40 nights then you are only Gold. That is quite a low level with few benefits for someone who spends $20,000. The competition awards top status to folks who spend $20,000 , regardless of nights. I would love to hear your feedback on this anomaly (and of course any feedback you can get from your Marriott Rewards contacts) . Thanks !

  33. I have been a loyal MR customer for 15 years. I have found the following to be helpful (and it continues to be):
    1. Just yesterday I had a list of complaints about a Springhill Airport location. The GM asked to meet with me, wrote down all my concerns (e.g. giving my room away to another Platinum who arrived earlier). Before our talk, she had already removed the cost of the room and given me 1,000 MR points.
    2. I reserved a Courtyard for early January. I called the property and was told my wife and I would get a $10 voucher for breakfast. Agreeing that this would not give us breakfast, she is giving us free breakfasts.
    3. I have written to Customer Service on the web site numerous times. Depending on the problems, I have asked for a specific number of points to make it right (e.g. 10K). Most often, my requests have been granted. Going through Customer Service, I know that it will filter back to the hotel GM who then will be required to answer back to corporate about the resolution.
    4. Sometimes talking with the GM is all that is needed. Once a window-washer landed on our 10th story floor as my wife was coming out of the shower. The GM was on a cruise but called me the following week. We had a great conversation, she offered some large amount of points then bought my wife up to the platinum level.
    Although I’m steamed about the new categories and my downgrades to the week certificates, most times asking for what you want yields satisfactory results. I’m also disturbed about points that don’t show up in the record and must be tracked down. And, overall, the quality of the rooms is slipping. But, as of now, I remain loyal.

  34. “The Marriott takeover of SPG has been just a bunch of B.S.

    Speak with your wallets people and book away from this mess.”

    Agree completely with rhyming couplet

  35. @Thomas Zook….. you went running to the GM because of a window washer incident? What rooms to Platinum’s have preferred and held at Springhill Suites..and airport locations to boot? Given the brands you list (incl. Courtyard) not exactly the upper Marriott crust. And $10 at Courtyard is a credit towards F&B and not intended to provide full breakfast. In fact, it is new offering and appreciated by most who are left to stay at the less than full service hotel. Get a grip bud and stop being those “give me for free”that drive costs up.

  36. @HADLEY V. BAXENDALE
    Give me a F$%#^&@ break.
    #1 Frequent Stay program by industry awards – SPG not MR.
    Now Marriott Rewards is on top because the program merged with the industry leader SPG.

    Thanks to the merger of the programs MR members get the best of SPG – breakfast at all properties – you’re welcome.

    But seriously, You “reward” your highest level guests – I’m 100+ nights for over 4 years with SPG.
    Before the merger I had a dedicated ambassador that did all my travel for me. I had her contact info on the app and on the website and when I called her – at most 5 minutes on hold. Post August IT merger – I’ve lost her contact info and when I call the dedicated reservation line – 20 minutes on hold – Oh yeah…I’m loving this.

  37. Highest level SPG member here. My two cents worth.
    Just checked in to a Marriott Courtyard – my first experience.
    For the record I’m SPG/MR Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador.

    At check-in I was chatting with the FO Manager who was the check in agent. He welcomed me and thanked me for my patronage as the highest level in the new merger program. I told him this was my first experience at a Courtyard. He said as a PPEA I get breakfast for two and can also choose between an additional $10 F&B voucher (for 2) or points as my amenity. He said the breakfast was new for Courtyard and that they have noticed happy elite level guests because of it. Frankly I don’t expect a buffet – but an offering is nice.

    I agree with previous comments that there IS a difference between domestic & international properties – across the 29 brands. If you are an elite member – you will get all your benefits AND more at INTL properties.

    Waiting to see what happens on 1/1/19 ……

  38. That looks better than the choice for breakfast at the Wailea Beach Resort, Marriott Maui they are offering me (a 75-night Plat): Breakfast Vouchers to be used at Starbucks or Whale’s Tale. Breakfast items include: coffee, tea, juice, hot cocoa, or milk, with a fruit cup, and a pastry of the day.

    Yeah…I’ll be taking the 1000 points per day and eating a granola bar if that’s my choices.

  39. @ANDY —

    Unfortunately, the things that you infer I wrote, such as “#1 Frequent Stay program by industry awards,” are false.

    I merely commented on the self-entitled pronouncements that many ex-SPG members often vent about the merged program.

    Your intemperate response as well as those of your cohorts above, prove my point.

    Thanks for making my argument easy for all to see

    Now, get with the program — or better yet, move on, as your temper tantrums are getting past wearisome.

  40. @Hadley
    So you are ok with waiting 30+ minutes to speak to an Elite Reservations agent – prior to merger I could speak with an SPG agent immediately…?
    I guess you MR people thought you were getting great service….whatever that means.
    Yes…SPG was the industry leader.

    James

  41. I was really hoping that the Marriott TAKEOVER (of the Starwood program) wasn’t going to be a disaster. I am extremely sorry to say it is a disaster ☹️. Marriot took the BEST REWARD PROGRAM and turned it into the WORST. I was with Starwood for 22 years. Platinum and Lifetime Gold. I’m probably going to be using my HILTON honors Gold now. I’m sick of the poor service, the theft of points and disfunction.

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