DeltaSchmelta

I have been staying at the ritz in tysons corner, va during the week for the last 2.5 months (in addition to being a Plat. marriott member w/ 101 nights at other properties this year), and have never received a complimentary upgrade to a suite or their club level. Last weekend i stayed at the R-C on Central Park and, again, nothing but a lower level room with an interior view.

Since other hotel chains (starwood & marriott-bourgeois properties) tend to give me these upgrades without fail, I am fortunately not accustomed to receiving zilch for my loyalty, including MR points but that's another story.

Thus, I was wondering if: 1) anyone else has had similar/dissimilar experiences like this at the R-C tysons, or R-Cs elsewhere, and 2) if/how you were able to achieve any upgrades for your loyalty.

Thanks!

climbermom

The only time I've been upgraded at a RC was when the room was booked through Amex Platinum Fine Hotels program. That always gets you the upgrade (if available) and into the RCC.

DrivingRain

My first suggestion would be to book the class of room that fits your needs/wants. If the business is paying, I often take some money out of my own pocket to get what I really want at an RC/FS/MO.

Regarding the question at hand...some properties are more welcoming than others for repeat guests. I dont expect an upgrade at my most frequented hotels, but some sort of discreet gesture is appreciated. Again, if I wanted a better room...I'd book it. All this being said, NYCP usually does a good job giving some kind of recognition often in the form of a hand written note from the GM.

Ritz, and FS for that matter, follow Amex Plat and Centurion rates upgrade rules very well. They are the tried and true ways to get upgrades at these properties. For Centurions, you get the upgrade at booking (including my Club Suite in Lake Las Vegas for $223...what a steal) .

BeantownFlyer

Although they say they track your stays at Ritz Carlton, I racked up a good number of stays over the past few years, with nothing in return and no recognition. So when it has been important, I've asked (typically in advance with a call or e-mail to the GM or Rooms Division Manager) - gently pointing out my stay count and number of nights - and generally when they have had the room, they have been accomodating in offering up the upgrades (most times I can see online that they have changed my reservation a few days or even weeks before my arrival, confirming the upgraded room), including a spectacular garden suite at the Ritz in San Juan during the busy President's week holiday, and an upgrade at NYCP from the vent shaft room to a Park View room, or once an Avenue Suite. At Boston Common, the regular suite I booked turned into a larger suite on the club floor. In San Francisco, I've gotten a larger suite than the one I booked and a better room. And finally they've started recognizing my stays, with gifts at my 20th stay and 25th stay (seems strange that the number of stays is more important than the number of nights).

DeltaSchmelta

Thanks Beantown - that's just the kind of feedback i was looking for.

Do you mind me asking what the gifts were that you received?

BeantownFlyer

The gifts were nothing fancy: for my 20th stay this summer at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common I received an insulated coffee travel mug with the Ritz - Boston logo. For my 25th stay a few weeks ago at the Ritz Carlton San Francisco I received a white golf shirt with the Ritz - San Francisco logo. Later saw it in the gift shop for $80+ (not that I would ever buy it for that price, and my wife kept saying I should try to return it, but I thought that was a bit slimy so I kept it). Once when I checked into the Ritz in DC I negotiated an upgrade from our standard club level room to a club level suite for a $100/nt upcharge. The first suite we were shown to was very small, and the manager then showed us some of their other suites - the one we ended up in had been turned down for a repeat guest that did not end up checking in the prior night. The bed had pillowcases with his initials on them. I never learned if those were a gift for that stay, and he was supposed to take them with him, or the hotel retains them and puts them out everytime he returns...

Also, I should add that as my stay count has gotten higher, and I have returned to the same locations again and again, the welcome amenities seem to get nicer. On the recent stay in San Francisco we got both a welcome amenity and a "fond farewell" gift on our last night - both chocolate preparations of some kind.

SoManyMiles-SoLittleTime

RCs are operated by Marriott, so I'm surprised there isn't some way of using that connection.

I've found that UGs work on a hotel by hotel basis. A few years ago at the Chicago RC, in mid-Feb, they just gave me an awesome lake-view suite becuase they were basically empty. Great room. Too bad it was foggy the whole week.

BeantownFlyer

Of course the Chicago RC is actually not operated by RC, but is operated by Four Seasons. Go figure.

jtrader

For a couple of years I was a pretty regular guest at the RC Seoul. I never received any sort of recognition or upgrade. Sometimes I booked a club room, somtimes I didn't, depending on my needs that stay.

One time I checked in on my birthday. I mentioned it to the clerk. After inspecting my passport they upgraded me to a somewhat larger than usual room.

rubindj

Used to stay at the St. Louis RC on a regular basis (2-3 nights/week for 4 years) and loved the service. Always had a welcome back bouquet with various snacks/chocolates and drinks (and I'm picky about my drinks). They picked me up at the airport (private plane), etc. Usually got an upgrade, and quite often had my first drink bought for me by the manager if I was in the Hotel.

I was actually amazed as I hadn't stayed at an RC in probably 5-6 years, and recently rented a suite at Ibberville Suites in NOLA (part of the RC-NOLA). They welcomed me when I walked in the door, had a basket waiting, etc. Sorry ya'll haven't had better service/luck.

Blumie

Although I agree that booking through FHR usually results in an upgrade, it typically is an upgrade to a higher room category, but, in my experience, typically not an upgrade to a club room unless you already were booked for a club room.

GoodKarmaGuy

Actually, the way we employees view it is that Marriott OWNS RC(as the principle investor)... but RC operates RC. Maybe that is just semantics?

Anyway, I will echo what many here have said. A polite letter (I would do handwritten on office stationery) pointing out the generous business that you are giving and ask if there is an avenue, that you are not aware of, where you could receive upgrades or amenities. If you are an AMX platinum, that is a plus and should always bring at least breakfast coupons and a welcome amenity.

Please PM me if I can help. I am not a RC lurker in any officiaL capacity but I am a RC Tyson's Corner employee.

Doppy

Unfortunately, some RCs seem to think they're Marriotts in terms of service.

monitor

I have stayed at the RC Tysons at least a couple of dozen times since they opened, and the upgrade policy there has veered all over the place.

When they first opened, I stayed there a few times and then, on my third or fourth visit I requested club access and after a quick look at the screen, it was done. So for about a year or two, we were regularly given standard rooms with club access just by asking at the front desk. You sure can get used to that club to the point where you actually feel deprived if you don't have it.

Then it stopped abruptly. We were told that the new policy was that there were to be no further club access upgrades given. So, for four or five years we were reduced to peasant status, being forced to actually buy our own food.

But then came the Centurion Card and the FHR reservations which came with a space available upgrade to a suite. The first time about a year or so ago that I appeared at the front desk with a black card and an FHR reservation, the clerk apologized to me that there were no suites available for the upgrade and I casually threw out a suggestion that in lieu of the suite, maybe he could give us club access. He did, and the last four or five times that we've been there, I have requested club access and it has been granted.

I have no idea how long this will last or even whether I will get the access next time, but can assure you that it beats the hell out of the Platinum amenity and the lounge food at the Fairview Park Marriott, where I must stay much of the time that I'm in that area.

Fliar

I have stayed several times at the RC in S'pore over the last 12 months and have found subtle signs of recognition culminating in a UG to a junior suite on my last stay. Subtle signs would include a hand-written note from the club manager (I always stay in a club room) and access to the spa facilities when not even staying in the hotel. It does make it very likely I'll continue to go back there.