Update: Jan 11, 2024 – These changes are now rolling out.
Any Marriott Bonvoy elite (Platinum or higher) is surely familiar with Suite Night Awards.
They are something that Marriott adopted from the SPG merger, but the implementation hasn’t always been perfect….
In early 2024, Marriott is making some changes that they believe will make the program better and, with one exception, it should.
Suite Night Awards, which are a Choice Benefit one can select after accruing 50 elite nights and again after 75 elite nights in a calendar year, will now be called Nightly Upgrade Awards. Each Choice Benefit selection gives you 5 Suite Night Awards Nightly Upgrade Awards.
The name change makes sense. Whereas with Hyatt, one Suite Upgrade Award can be used for an entire stay of up to 7 nights, Marriott’s version requires use of one award per night. The name change does more accurately reflect what each award gives you.
Nightly Upgrade Awards will still be generally the same: one-night confirmable upgrades to a premium room or suite.
But in one HUGE improvement, they will be valid at more brands. Now included are The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, Aloft, Element and Protea Hotels. Being able to use these at Ritz-Carlton and at EDITION (both very high end brands) will mean the opportunity to book into some very nice rooms that weren’t previously available before the check-in lottery.
Keep in mind that at Ritz Carltons, only Titanium and above are eligible for Suite upgrades (based on availability), so this gives Platinums a way in.
Marriott also says that “nearly 20% more premium rooms and suites will be available for upgrades across all participating brands with features like oceanfront rooms, balconies, and extra space.”
The one negative? Instead of starting to check for upgrades 5 days before your stay as they do now, that check will start at 3 days prior to arrival.
I can only assume that the change to 3 days is so they have more time to sell those suites last minute when a hotel is filling up.
Still, the ability to use them at Ritz-Carlton and EDITION properties may well outweigh that change.
Marriott has a “help” page setup on this change here.
PS: That featured image above? A Suite Night Award success at the Gritti Palace in Venice. Keep in mind that the best uses for these awards are often abroad.
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This additional information sheds some light on some potential negatives- “Suite Night Awards (SNA) are being reimagined to better meet the needs of associates, members, owners and franchisees. The changes below will be announced today to Marriott Bonvoy members and will become effective in early 2024.
A new name, Nightly Upgrade Award (NUA), will better describe the benefit.
The addition of nearly 20% more premium rooms and suites across all participating brands, with features like oceanfront views, balconies, and extra space. Plus, five additional brands will now participate in this benefit: The Ritz-Carlton, EDITION, Aloft, Element, and Protea Hotels.
At the same time inventory is expanded, a new operational buffer will be available to all participating properties, enabling properties to automatically withhold a small portion of inventory from award participation to utilize for VIPs, service recovery, and scenarios not captured by the One Yield forecast.
The Awards reimbursement model will also be updated to align with the broader program transition to RevPAR Reimbursements on Jan. 1, 2024.
Members will be notified of their upgrade beginning three days prior to arrival rather than five days.
Refer to MGS for additional details and discipline-specific FAQs.”