Yesterday was the deadline for selecting your SPG Annual Choice Benefit. You shouldn’t worry if you forgot to do so because there were no good choices and the default choice is 5 Suite Night Awards. It used to be 10 until Marriott said Bonvoy to that. The other choices are absolutely useless. They include:
- The gift of Silver Elite status for a friend or family member
- Five Elite Night Credits
- $100 (USD) donation to UNICEF
- 40% off your favorite hotel bed
The one that confused me was the five elite night credits. It would be a useful benefit if it applied to my 2019 total. The website says it applies to the 2018 total. Unless you’re at 70 nights, why would you elect this option? I tried to call customer service to see if this was a misprint, but Marriott has also said Bonvoy to helpful representatives, and the phone was magically disconnected two times. The website is equally unhelpful. Here’s what it says regarding when the nights apply:
- Elite Nights that are awarded to an eligible Platinum Elite or Platinum Premier Elite Member as the Member’s Annual Choice Benefit will be awarded in the Eligible Status Year for which the Elite Nights were earned, regardless of when the Member selects the Five Elite Night Credits as his/her Annual Choice Benefit. For the avoidance of doubt, the Eligible Calendar Year in which the Annual Choice Benefit is earned is the Eligible Calendar Year for which the Elite Nights will be credited toward earning Elite membership status.
‘For the avoidance of doubt’? I’ve read that paragraph over and over and am still confused. Again, unless you’re at 70 nights, why would you choose this? Between the benefit being cut from 10 suite nights to five and the lousy customer service, I wonder if I’ll say Bonvoy to Marriott. But where would I go next?
I’ve just been having a similar experience. Countless errors on my account, unauthorized bookings made (and secured by my credit card!), no email about annual gift, 30+ minute wait times on hold with little/no help, countless call transfers and disconnections (so more time on-hold) and finally a 5 elite night credit toward LAST YEAR which is no benefit to me at all. I MISS STARWOOD, I have been loyal Platinum for years but I too want to say Bonvoy to Marriott…but where to go? Pity, I used to LOVE being part of the Starwood family, now I feel Marriott has a “Tough S***, what are you going to do about it?” attitude.
spot on