Kansas Crimson

I'm also Titanium. A lot of lackluster suites out there. Every once in awhile, though, they'll stick you in the Presidential Suite because no one is in there.

What makes a suite lackluster?

Guessing just not very fancy furnishings or amenities or other perks.

Cascadia wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:01 am Is there a better travel perk than getting upgraded to 1st Class?

Upgraded today from Exit Row to 1st Class on a 6.5 hour flight

the wife and i got bumped to first class on a flight back from the Philippines…13.5 hours i think it was. after 5.5 weeks of camping in the jungle, it was a very much welcomed

"I have Titanium status but if this covid nonsense would just bugger off sooooon I will have Ambassador."

How I picture cascadia and CnB in their presidential suite

Qusdahl wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:10 am What makes a suite lackluster?

Guessing just not very fancy furnishings or amenities or other perks.

Mostly a wide range. Executive suite at St. Regis is going to be different than a studio suite at Fairfield Inn--each of those complimentary upgrades is about as likely as the other.

But size, furnishings, and amenities. With all the hotel renovations, you can have hotels with brand new guestrooms and pretty nasty suites that haven't been touched in 30 years. Or there is the example of "suites" in NYC where the suites have the same square footage of a SPAM can and can even be smaller than the normal guest rooms.

Qusdahl wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:47 am How I picture cascadia and CnB in their presidential suite

Join us anytime bud! We’ll make room!

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:52 am

Qusdahl wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:10 am What makes a suite lackluster?

Guessing just not very fancy furnishings or amenities or other perks.

Mostly a wide range. Executive suite at St. Regis is going to be different than a studio suite at Fairfield Inn--each of those complimentary upgrades is about as likely as the other.

But size, furnishings, and amenities. With all the hotel renovations, you can have hotels with brand new guestrooms and pretty nasty suites that haven't been touched in 30 years. Or there is the example of "suites" in NYC where the suites have the same square footage of a SPAM can and can even be smaller than the normal guest rooms.

Specifically for Marriott you need to be Category 5 or higher for the suite to stick out. And even then, the suite can still be dated

KUTradition wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:32 am

Cascadia wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:01 am Is there a better travel perk than getting upgraded to 1st Class?

Upgraded today from Exit Row to 1st Class on a 6.5 hour flight

the wife and i got bumped to first class on a flight back from the Philippines…13.5 hours i think it was. after 5.5 weeks of camping in the jungle, it was a very much welcomed

Yeah, that sounds amazing

Cascadia wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:34 am

Qusdahl wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:47 am How I picture cascadia and CnB in their presidential suite

Join us anytime bud! We’ll make room!

fraida felcher

Cascadia wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:35 am

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:52 am

Qusdahl wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:10 am What makes a suite lackluster?

Guessing just not very fancy furnishings or amenities or other perks.

Mostly a wide range. Executive suite at St. Regis is going to be different than a studio suite at Fairfield Inn--each of those complimentary upgrades is about as likely as the other.

But size, furnishings, and amenities. With all the hotel renovations, you can have hotels with brand new guestrooms and pretty nasty suites that haven't been touched in 30 years. Or there is the example of "suites" in NYC where the suites have the same square footage of a SPAM can and can even be smaller than the normal guest rooms.

Specifically for Marriott you need to be Category 5 or higher for the suite to stick out. And even then, the suite can still be dated

The value of the "Suite Night Awards" + redemptions really stick out in Asia and the Middle East. Category 4 Suites can rival Category 8 Suites in US and Europe.

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 12:01 pm

Cascadia wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:35 am

CrimsonNBlue wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:52 am

Mostly a wide range. Executive suite at St. Regis is going to be different than a studio suite at Fairfield Inn--each of those complimentary upgrades is about as likely as the other.

But size, furnishings, and amenities. With all the hotel renovations, you can have hotels with brand new guestrooms and pretty nasty suites that haven't been touched in 30 years. Or there is the example of "suites" in NYC where the suites have the same square footage of a SPAM can and can even be smaller than the normal guest rooms.

Specifically for Marriott you need to be Category 5 or higher for the suite to stick out. And even then, the suite can still be dated

The value of the "Suite Night Awards" + redemptions really stick out in Asia and the Middle East. Category 4 Suites can rival Category 8 Suites in US and Europe.

Good to know. Have only used domestically

I don’t travel enough for work to really rack up hotel points, so I tend to book Fine Hotels & Resorts through AmEx Platinum. I tend to get upgraded at check in, but I’ll always turn down an upgrade to a suite without a view. Give me a room with a view.

So I schedule an airport ride for 630.

At 615 while brushing my teeth, my phone’s blowing up.

“Where are you why aren’t you outside your driver’s here come on hurry up we’re behind schedule!”

What is this, an early checkin?

I love story time

complaining about a ride being early? thats way better than the ride being late, particularly to the airport.....

The driver dood is some bald guy, mixed race - half black or Mexican or A-rab or something, who knows - wearing a wife beater and keeps calling himself a “professional wheelman.”

Dude says he knows Paul Walker, and that the bullet holes in the van are from shootouts with the Asian motorcycle gang. Drives it like he stole it.

As I slide the door closed, he hits the NOS, so the door doesn’t even latch shut and slides back open. Talk about living Q’s life a quarter mile at a time!

the shuttle has these big “mask required” signs all over. Q counteroffers a BUT MAH RIGHTS, just like he’s about to do to TSA and the flight attendands. The driver shrugs, puts a mask on. Pussy lib, apparently.

He then promptly pulls the mask down around his chin, so he can start picking his nose. Ok so maybe he’s a patriot after all.

We pick up some other travelers, a bunch of charming folks from one of the big southern states - nice, quiet, well-mannered, and in no way the boorish entitled stereotype you may have heard about previously.

Since they’re such respectful and considerate folks, and totally not a bunch of ignorant rednecks or nothin, they all promptly mask up too, and kindly remind Q to do the same. Q tells them I’m gonna sue them in Supreme Court just for asking.

They act awkward, til I mention my only interest in masks is the N95 market, and would be happily to provide a few for them too, at only a modest profit to Q’s self.

It’s surprising how many southern tourists came to my neck of the woods to suburban JoCo for vacation in February. Maybe they’re visiting Q’s neighbor BofH. If I was them I woulda went skiing somewhere instead.

But for now, Q’s just glad his wife let him take the time off to meet the boys for a destination golf trip.

TDub wrote: ↑Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:20 am complaining about a ride being early? thats way better than the ride being late, particularly to the airport.....

That’s why I always show up 15 minutes early to doctor appointments and demand to see the doc not a minute later!

Not that Q listens to doctors.

Once upon a time some backwoods guy from rural Washington and his Napoleon dynamite brother transferred to the Big 12 because they had a good game vs Kansas and wanted to beat them and then went 0-2.