Ritz-Carlton Upgrade

I found your answer to the gentleman who expected an upgrade at the Ritz-Carlton interesting. I have not noticed the decline in service that you commented upon.

While a guest should always be treated with courtesy and respect, I am unclear on why you or the guest would feel entitled to an upgrade. Upgrades are available for purchase or are given as a reward for loyalty to a brand. If they were just given out at will, it certainly would not increase the loyalty of those guests who patronize a brand regularly.

Maybe something was left out about this guest's status with Mariott that warranted a free upgrade. The Ritz is one of the only brands I know that does not regularly give away club level. Once one has seen the investment Ritz-Carlton makes in the Club level and enjoyed the environment, food, and beverages of a Ritz club level one understands why it is not given away.

Patrick Lenow

Dear Patrick,

Thank you for your comments. I agree with you that complimentary upgrades should be used to reward and promote brand loyalty. In the case that you mentioned the gentleman was in the initial stages of building a mutually beneficial relationship with the brand. From the travel provider's perspective, this is the most opportune time to establish brand loyalty. It is during this early stage of the consumer-provider relationship that providers can lock in customers by providing exceptional value. As such, this would have been an excellent time for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Brand to “WOW” this guest and sell him on the product. This could have been easily accomplished with a simple upgrade. The hotel’s cost of the upgrade would have been negligible—especially when you consider the economic value of a long-term loyal customer.

With respect to the service degradation of the Ritz-Carlton Hotels, I am happy to hear that your experience differs from my own. My comments were based on a comparison of my experiences with other luxury hoteliers.

Incidentally, I address the issue of the travel provider-consumer value link in greater detail in my new book being released in May 2004. Additionally, information about The Penny Pincher's Passport to Luxury Travel can be found on Amazon or at Travelers' Tales.